Following legislation for Clare's Law passing a third reading in the Legislative Assembly, the bill is receiving high praise from one of its most impacted groups.

The Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan (PATHS) is a member association for organizations who provide intimate partner violence services across the province.

One member of PATHS is Swift Current-based Southwest Crisis Services.

Crystal Giesbrecht, director of research and communications with PATHS, said that Clare's Law would allow for better abuse prevention.

"With Clare's Law, it's not going to be something that's a fit for everyone, but it's one more tool in the toolbox, I think, that could really be of use to keeping some people in our province safer."

Instances in which the law may not be a fit for someone is if past abuse goes unreported, or in the case of a first-time abuser, no criminal record is present.

But, for Giesbrecht, the good far outweighs the bad. She said that the Saskatchewan government are being forward thinkers by enacting legislation such as this and others which make severing ties from an abusive relationship easier.

"Looking at our high rates [of abuse], we really do have to be proactive and think of what other creative solutions can we be putting in place, so I think this is really something positive to see happening in our own province."

Other legislation includes allowing a lease with an abusive spouse to be broken, as well as ten days of unpaid leave from work for someone experiencing violence.

Based on a December 2018 study by Stats Canada, Saskatchewan has one of the highest rates of abuse against both women and men.

As the law currently states, police will be in charge of issuing requested background checks, and Giesbrecht said that there will be a panel of people with expertise on abuse, helping guide police towards a decision to grant or deny the background checks.

She said that she hopes every request goes to the panel to provide input, but the details of that aspect of the law are not set in stone yet.

Giesbrecht added that she hopes the law will spread across the country, as Saskatchewan is the first jurisdiction in North America to adopt the act.