HORRY COUNTY, S.C (WBTW) -- South Carolina lawmakers are less than a month away from the new legislative session and some are already looking to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims.  One proposed bill would allow courts to place ankle monitors on abusers, alerting victims if their abuser comes within a certain distance of them.  Right now, South Carolina does not have a state-mandated law allowing courts to put ankle monitors on those facing domestic violence charges. With this proposed bill though, a judge could choose for a defendant to either pay bond or pay for an ankle monitor.    "You're actually just adding that layer of protection so they can go on with their daily lives and not be in fear constantly," Rep. William Bailey said. Bailey, who represents Little River introduced House bill 3028. A bill he says he's been trying to get it passed for five years.  He says since then, other states have passed similar bills.  "Between the period of time when someone is arrested for domestic violence and when they actually go to court, that's the most vulnerable time that there could be for additional violence to occur," he said. House speaker pro tempore Tommy Pope of York County recently signed on as a co-sponsor.  Bailey says the ankle monitor would alert a victim through text or email if they get within a certain distance of their abuser. He says it would protect victims in any kind of domestic violence situation, no matter how severe.  15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson says Horry County already has a similar law in place, but this bill could help smaller areas of the state with fewer resources.  "It certainly moves the rights a lot further to the victim than a lot of these things really just focused on the defendant," Richardson said.  Domestic violence survivor Melissa Snyder says a bill like this shouldn't stop at the state level and should be passed at the federal level, holding all abusers accountable.  She says she spent a long time running from her abuser and because she recently started a non-profit, Stop the Silence, she says she's grown closer to the community and finally feels like she doesn't have to run anymore.  "You just live in paranoia all the time because you think somebody is coming to hurt you and your kids," she said. "And putting an ankle monitor on these abusers could stop that, could save a life. What is the harm in actually putting it on them? There's not."    Lawmakers meet on Jan. 14 and Bailey says he hopes to finally get this bill across the finish line.