Here’s why Mica’s Law hasn’t passed despite her family’s fight after Death of the Pastor’s Wife

Mica Miller’s story has received attention following Netflix’s documentary Death of the Pastor’s Wife, which examines her relationship with her husband, church pastor John-Paul Miller, and the circumstances surrounding her death.

Via Netflix

Now, her family is pushing for a change to South Carolina law in her memory. Known as Mica’s Law, or South Carolina’s SB 702, the proposed legislation would criminalise coercive control and expand the state’s definition of domestic violence to include psychological, emotional and financial abuse.

Despite being introduced following Mica’s death, the bill still hasn’t made it through the state legislature. So, what exactly happened to Mica’s Law?

Mica died on 27 April 2024, aged 30, two days after she served her husband with divorce papers. Before she was found dead at Lumber River State Park in North Carolina, she called 911 and said: “I’m about to kill myself, and I want my family to find me.”

Her family and friends have alleged throughout the documentary that Mica experienced years of abuse from John-Paul, including coercive control.

Via Netflix

John-Paul was later arrested over allegations of cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators. He has pleaded not guilty and is due to stand trial in October. He has not been charged with any crimes connected to Mica’s death, which was ruled a suicide.

Because Mica and John-Paul were married, the behaviour she reported did not meet the state’s legal threshold for a crime. Mica’s sister Anna explained in the documentary: “The police weren’t able to do a single thing for Mica.

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“Because you’re married to someone, that’s not harassment in South Carolina. That’s why ‘Mica’s Law’ is so important to us as a family.”

The proposed bill is designed to recognise types of domestic abuse that can be difficult to prove because they don’t necessarily leave physical injuries. As well as criminalising coercive control, SB 702 would add psychological, emotional and financial abuse to South Carolina’s definition of domestic violence.

Via Netflix

It would also require law enforcement officers to receive training on recognising these forms of abuse. If passed, coercive control would become a felony in South Carolina, carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

The legislation has faced delays during the 2026 legislative session. SB 702 did make it as far as a subcommittee hearing in April 2026, according to Tudum, but it remained with the Judiciary Committee rather than progressing to a full vote.

State Senator Stephen Goldfinch, who co-sponsored the bill, said redistricting took over the legislative calendar and the bill “never fully formed” before the session came to an end. That means Mica’s Law has not been passed, despite making it through part of the legislative process.

Goldfinch has said he plans to introduce the bill again during the next legislative session.

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Featured image via Facebook