A Connecticut state senator is highlighting a proposal discussed in January surrounding Jennifer Dulos, the New Canaan mother who disappeared one year ago.

State Sen. Alex Kasser wants the definition of domestic abuse to be expanded to include a history of emotional, psychological and financial abuse.

"What people may not realize is that when someone seeks a protective order from family court in Connecticut, they have to prove that there is physical violence or a threat of physical violence," she says. "Jennifer Dulos applied for a protective order from Connecticut courts and was denied."

CONTINUING COVERAGE: The Disappearance of Jennifer Dulos: One Year Later 

Jennifer Dulos was in the middle of a bitter two-year divorce with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, when she disappeared. In court filings, she alleged Fotis Dulos had coercive and controlling behavior.

Fotis Dulos was later charged with her murder.

"Abusive behaviors span the gamut and are much more than physical violence," Kasser says. "If they're not physical, they can easily escalate into violence."

Kasser's bill, called Jennifer's Law, was set for a hearing at the state Capitol in mid-March, but the pandemic put it on hold. She plans to reintroduce Jennifer's Law and fight for its passage once the legislature resumes.

"This bill, if it were law, might have saved her, but it definitely can save thousands of others," he says.