JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- In Wednesday’s Facebook story of the day, for the first time in 30 years, Missouri’s domestic violence laws have been updated and strengthened to offer more legal protections for victims.

The governor signed the new law Tuesday and  we spoke with Missouri’s Attorney General, Chris Koster about  the changes.

"It was time for us to really dig in and find the best practices from around Missouri that would make this field more effective in terms of the law enforcement muscle we're putting on it," Koster said.

That muscle includes: creating  a single definition for domestic violence within Missouri’s statutes.

Giving judges more power to make specific requirements and prohibitions  in orders of protection.

And eliminating a filing fee for enforcement of an order of protection.

Another provision will continue the program that gives victims the option of having  an alternative mailing address.

The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence said more than 94,000 people called a hotline to report abuse.

Now Koster said they can find more help through the justice system.

“What we want to make sure is that the courts and the justice system have the power to take these wrong doers, mostly men and make sure they are complying with the law, that they're complying with their orders of protection and that we on the law enforcement side are doing everything we can to keep women and their children in the state of Missouri safe,” Koster said.

The new legislation goes into effect, August 28th.