Bill Text: NJ S2305 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires notification of certain domestic violence victims through the Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-04-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S2305 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2305-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires notification of certain domestic violence victims through the Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE).
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning domestic violence and amending and supplementing P.L.1994, c.137.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1994, c.137 (C.2C:25-26.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever a defendant charged with a crime or an offense involving domestic violence is released from custody the prosecuting agency shall notify the victim.
b. Notification shall also be given to a victim on whose behalf a final restraining order, temporary restraining order or protective order has been entered when the status of the person who is the subject of the order involving domestic violence has changed, including but not limited to, when the person is released from custody, discharged or transferred from custody for violation of a restraining order or for any crime or offense or when the defendant has been released on bail for violation of a restraining order or for any crime or offense.
c. Such notification shall be automatic and provided through the Statewide Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE).
d. The victim's location shall remain confidential and shall not appear on any documents or records to which the defendant shall have access.
(cf: P.L.1994, c.137, s.1)
2. (New section) The Attorney General shall maintain an automatic notification system to be known as the "Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE)" to provide custody status of any defendant charged with a crime or an offense involving domestic violence.
3. (New section) The Attorney General, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), may adopt rules, regulations and guidelines to effectuate the purposes of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Currently, the Attorney General operates the Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE) pursuant to Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2005-5. Under the VINE system, crime victims are notified when a defendant is released from custody. The bill would expand the use of the VINE system to include domestic violence victims on whose behalf a restraining order has been entered.
Under current law, N.J.S.A.2C:25-26.1 requires the prosecutor to notify the victim when a defendant charged with a crime or offense involving domestic violence is released from custody.
Under the bill, this section of law would also provide for notification to a victim on whose behalf a final or temporary restraining order or protective order has been entered when the status of the person subject to the domestic violence restraining order has changed, including but not limited to, when the person is released from custody, discharged or transferred from custody or released on bail for a violation of a restraining order or for any crime or offense.
The bill also provides that the victim's location would remain confidential and not appear on any documents or records to which the defendant would have access.
