Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the crime of political violence and requires related training for law enforcement in New Jersey.

Highlights:

• Classifies “Political Violence” as a crime of which an actor is guilty when they commit, attempt to commit, or conspire with another to commit a violent crime against a target’s political affiliation or expression (Sec. 1).

• Extends provision to violent crimes against a family or household member of the target or other victim, in addition to bystanders (Sec. 1).

• Classifies “Political Violence” as either a crime of the fourth degree, a crime of one degree higher than any underlying violent crime, or a crime of the first degree (if the underlying violent crime is of the first degree) (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that mistaking the political affiliation or expression of a victim is not a legal defense for the crime of “Political Violence” (Sec. 1).

• Classifies a punishment of 15 to 30 years of imprisonment for Political Violence (Sec. 1).

• Establishes the “Political Violence Review Board” in the Department of Law and Public Safety (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the board shall (Sec. 2):

• Review completed investigations of “Political Violence”;

• Collect data to identify potential disparities in handling complaints based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, or political affiliation of the complainant, any other alleged victim, or alleged perpetrator;

• Collect data regarding the race, ethnicity, gender, age, political affiliation, and criminal history of the complainant, any other alleged victim, and any alleged perpetrator; and

• Prepare, transmit, and virtually publish an annual report.

• Authorizes the board to (Sec. 2):

• Request relevant information from law enforcement agencies; and

• Share its collected data with other recognized entities that collect nationwide data on political violence events.

• Prohibits the board from disclosing any confidential or personal identifying information of any defendant or victim such as their name and any aliases, address, social security number, telephone number, fax number, driver’s license number, email address, or any social media address (Sec. 2).

• Specifies how members of the board are selected (Sec.2).

• Requires the Division of Criminal Justice to develop and approve a training course and curriculum for handling “Political Violence” reports (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Attorney General to ensure that all law enforcement officers attend the training within 90 days of appointment or transfer (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that Sections 1, 2, and 4 of the Act take effect immediately while Section 3 takes effect 90 days after the Act’s enactment (Sec. 4).

Full Bill Text