Sponsored by Vainieri Huttle, Lagana, Mosquera, Wimberly, Jimenez, Pintor Marin & Mukherji

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Joseph Lagana, Gabriela Mosquera, Benjie Wimberly, Angelica Jimenez, Eliana Pintor Marin and Raj Mukherji to provide rental and lease protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking was approved Thursday by an Assembly panel.

“Life is already hard for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. They should not have to fear eviction because of circumstances they did not create,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “This can help reassure victims that they will not be further punished for consequences brought on by their abusers.”

Under current law, a tenant may terminate a lease prior to its expiration if he or she provides appropriate documentation and written notice that the tenant or a child of the tenant faces an imminent threat of serious physical harm from another person if the tenant remains on the premises.

Under the bill (A-1706), a landlord may not terminate a tenancy, fail to renew a tenancy, or refuse to enter into a rental agreement based on the tenant’s or applicant’s or a household member’s status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or based on the tenant or applicant having terminated a rental agreement pursuant to the “New Jersey Safe Housing Act.”

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Daniel Benson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Elizabeth Muoio, Raj Mukherji, Nicholas Chiaravalloti and Benjie Wimberly sponsored to provide emergency housing assistance for victims of domestic violence was signed into law on Monday.

“There have been many times when victims of domestic violence have been denied emergency assistance because they voluntarily left a job where their abuser could find them or failed to plan for substitute housing – situations that are typically out of their control, especially for many who have limited means,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Our number one priority should be ensuring their safety and getting them back on their feet, and that’s what this law will do.”

The new law (A-4406) will provide emergency assistance, typically in the form of rental assistance, to individuals or families who are homeless or in a temporary living arrangement due to imminent or demonstrated domestic violence that imperils their health and safety.

“The descent into homelessness can happen rapidly for a number of reasons – including domestic violence – but one thing we’ve learned is that the climb out can be arduous to near-impossible without a helping hand,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen).  “We’ve examined the issue to find ways that we can maximize state resources so that they have a real and transformative impact on the lives of homeless residents in our state, and housing assistance is one of them.”

Measure Encourages Victims to Seek Confidential Help at Work

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Gabriela Mosquera, Arthur Barclay, Patricia Egan Jones, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey sponsored to establish a protocol to support employees who are victims of domestic violence was signed into law on Monday.

The new law (A-4124) requires the Civil Service Commission to develop a uniform domestic violence policy, which all public employers shall adopt and distribute to employees. The policy will encourage victims of domestic violence to seek confidential assistance from the human resources department at work.

“Domestic violence affects the lives of many state workers throughout New Jersey,” said Mosquera (D-Camden/Gloucester). “There should be a policy in place to guide human resource workers in helping state employees in the workplace who are dealing with domestic violence.”     

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Daniel Benson, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Elizabeth Muoio, Raj Mukherji, Nicholas Chiaravalloti and Benjie Wimberly sponsored to provide emergency housing assistance for victims of domestic violence was approved 38-0 Thursday by the Senate, giving it final legislative approval.

“There have been many times when victims of domestic violence have been denied emergency assistance because they voluntarily left a job where their abuser could find them or failed to plan for substitute housing – situations that are typically out of their control, especially for many who have limited means,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Our number one priority should be ensuring their safety and getting them back on their feet, and that’s what this bill will do.”

The bill (A-4406) would provide for emergency assistance, typically in the form of rental assistance, to individuals or families who are homeless or in a temporary living arrangement due to imminent or demonstrated domestic violence that imperils their health and safety.

  (TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Gabriela Mosquera, Arthur Barclay, Patricia Egan Jones, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey sponsored to establish a protocol to support employees who are victims of domestic violence unanimously cleared the Senate on Thursday and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

The legislation was unanimously approved by the Assembly in May.

The bill (A-4124) would require the Civil Service Commission to develop a uniform domestic violence policy, which all public employers shall adopt and distribute to employees. The policy would encourage victims of domestic violence to seek confidential assistance from the human resources department at work.

(TRENTON) – Bipartisan legislation Assembly Democrats Troy Singleton, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Jamel Holley sponsored to help children cope with exposure to domestic violence was unanimously approved by the full Assembly on Thursday.

The legislation was born out of a recommendation in the June 2016 Report of the Supreme Court Ad Hoc Committee on Domestic Violence.

“The collateral damage inflicted on children of domestic violence can be devastating and long-lasting. Boosting therapeutic services for them can help mitigate this damage,” said Singleton (D-Burlington). “This legislation is part of an effort to increase support services statewide.”

The bill (A-4045) would require the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to establish and maintain a statewide, evidenced-based program to provide grants for developing and implementing therapeutic treatment, counseling and supportive services to children and their family members who have been exposed to domestic violence.

“Our goal is to reduce emotional scarring on children so that these innocent young people do not carry these wounds with them into adulthood,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen).  “This legislation is part of our continued, concerted effort to combat this insidious behavior while lending our support to victims and their children.”

“Children who observe domestic violence in the home often experience high levels of stress and may come to believe that the violence they see is normal behavior,” said Holley (D-Union). “Supportive intervention can help diminish some of the destructive, anxiety-inducing effects of domestic violence among New Jersey’s kids and help break the cycle of abuse.”

The measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Measure Would Encourage Victims to Seek Confidential Help at Work 

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly Democrats Gabriela Mosquera, Arthur Barclay, Patricia Egan Jones, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Pamela Lampitt and Joann Downey sponsored to establish a protocol to help public employers support employees who are victims of domestic violence was advanced Thursday by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

The bill was approved by the Assembly in May.

The bill (A-4124) would require the Civil Service Commission to develop a uniform domestic violence policy, which all public employers shall adopt and distribute to employees. The policy would encourage victims of domestic violence to seek confidential assistance from the human resources department at work.

(TRENTON) – An Assembly panel on Monday approved legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Troy Singleton, Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Wayne DeAngelo to help domestic violence victims escape their abuser by allowing them to opt out of a joint cell phone contract.

 “We all know that cell phone contracts are often iron-clad agreements with hefty penalties for breaking them,” said Singleton (D-Burlington).  “For anyone in a situation where their security is threatened, their cell phone may be their lifeline to escape but being tethered to their abuser can be an imprisonment.  Domestic violence victims should have the freedom to take over their account without penalty.  It’s the morally conscious thing to do.”

The bill (A-4851) would permit a court to issue an order directing a wireless telephone service provider to transfer the billing responsibility for and rights to a wireless telephone number to the victim, if the victim is not the account holder, in addition to any other relief granted pursuant to the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991” or to any protective order issued upon a stalking conviction.    

“For many victims of domestic violence, a cell phone is a vital link to community resources, life-saving services, and the support networks they need to leave their batterer and abusive environment,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen).  “Allowing a victim of domestic violence to retain the use of an existing wireless phone number and access to the contacts and other information that it might contain is important for both the safety and emotional support of the victim.”

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Joseph Lagana, Vince Mazzeo, Gabriela Mosquera and Valerie Vainieri Huttle to make it more difficult for first-time domestic violence offenders to enter pretrial intervention and thus avoid jail time has been signed into law.
"The Ray Rice case highlighted a larger failing of the criminal justice system in New Jersey," said Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). "This is about making sure that those who commit acts of domestic violence understand the severity of their crimes. More importantly, however, it's about righting a wrong in pursuit of justice for the many who have suffered in silence."
The law (A-4016) makes assaulting a victim of domestic violence, or threatening to do so, a crime of the third degree with no presumption of non-imprisonment, meaning that incarceration could be considered as a punishment for the offender. Under former law, such assault is a crime of the third degree, which ordinarily is punishable by three to five years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000 or both, but there is a presumption of non-imprisonment for first-time offenders.
The law also provides that the prosecutor and the court should give additional weight to a domestic violence victim's position on whether a defendant should enter PTI. 
Furthermore, a defendant charged with a third or fourth degree crime involving domestic violence will be required to enter a plea of guilty before being considered for participation in PTI. Individuals charged with a domestic violence offense who committed the offense while subject to a temporary or permanent restraining order and defendants charged with a fourth degree crime of contempt of a domestic violence order will also have to plead guilty before being considered for PTI.

Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Joseph Lagana, Vince Mazzeo, Gabriela Mosquera and Valerie Vainieri Huttle to make it more difficult for first-time domestic violence offenders to enter pretrial intervention (PTI), and thus avoid jail time, was approved by the General Assembly on Thursday, giving it final legislative approval.

"The Ray Rice case simply highlighted a larger failing of the criminal justice system in New Jersey," said Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). "This bill is about making sure that those who commit acts of domestic violence understand the severity of their crimes. More importantly, however, it's about righting a wrong in pursuit of justice for the many who have suffered in silence."

The bill (A-4016) would amend current law to make assaulting a victim of domestic violence, or threatening to do so, a crime of the third degree with no presumption of non-imprisonment, meaning that incarceration could be considered as a punishment for the offender. Under the law, such assault is a crime of the third degree, which ordinarily is punishable by three to five years in prison, a fine of up to $15,000 or both, but there is a presumption of non-imprisonment for first-time offenders.

The bill also provides that the prosecutor and the court should give additional weight to a domestic violence victim's position on whether a defendant should enter PTI. 

Furthermore, a defendant charged with a third or fourth degree crime involving domestic violence would be required to enter a plea of guilty before being considered for participation in PTI. Individuals charged with a domestic violence offense who committed the offense while subject to a temporary or permanent restraining order and defendants charged with a fourth degree crime of contempt of a domestic violence order would also have to plead guilty before being considered for PTI.