Bill Text: NJ S994 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires notification of certain domestic violence victims through the Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE).
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-08 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S994 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-S994-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 or when the defendant has been released on bail.
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 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 Directive No.2005-5 which applies to all crime victims. The bill would expand the use of the VINE system with regard to domestic violence victims on whose behalf a restraining order has been entered.
Specifically, the bill amends N.J.S.A.2C:25-26.1 which requires the prosecutors to notify the victim when a defendant is released from custody to automatically notify a domestic violence victim, through the VINE system, when the status of the person who is the subject of a restraining order has changed, including but not limited to, when the person is released from custody, discharged or transferred from custody or when the defendant has been released on bail.
The bill would also provide that the victim's location shall remain confidential and shall not appear on any documents or records to which the defendant shall have access.
The Attorney General would continue to maintain this automatic notification system. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to adopt rules, regulations and guidelines to effectuate the purposes of the bill.
