The American Samoa Senate has approved a House bill that criminalises the act of stalking.
Stalking is described in the bill as a person, who purposely or knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed toward another person that causes reasonable fear of harm to the physical health, safety or property of such person, an immediate family member, or a third party with whom he/she is acquainted.
Additionally, it applies to a person who causes mental or emotional harm after they were told to cease that conduct.
The bill will now be sent to the governor for consideration.
A former Assistant Attorney General Teesch-Maguire said last year that the Attorney General's Office had seen a few cases that could be characterised as stalking and there were no laws to protect those victims.
