Bill Text: NJ S3075 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises definition of victim in "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights."
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-06-29 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S3075 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S3075-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator CHRISTOPHER "KIP" BATEMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Revises definition of victim in "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning crime victims and amending P.L.1985, c.249.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.1985, 249 (C.52:4B-37) is amended to read as follows:
4. As used in this act, "victim" means a person who suffers personal, physical or psychological injury or death or incurs loss of or injury to personal or real property as a result of a crime committed by an adult or an act of delinquency that would constitute a crime if committed by an adult, committed against that person. "Victim" also includes [the nearest relative of the victim of a criminal homicide] the spouse, parent, legal guardian, grandparent, child, sibling, domestic partner or civil union partner of the decedent in the case of a criminal homicide or act of juvenile delinquency.
(cf: P.L.2001, c.407, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill revises the definition of "victim" under the "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights."
Specifically, the bill changes the definition of "victim" to correspond with the definition of "victim" in the Victim's Rights Amendment under paragraph 22 of Article 1 of the New Jersey Constitution.
The bill also revises this definition of "victim" to include a domestic partner or civil union partner. Under the bill, domestic partners and civil union partners would be entitled to protections under the Crime Victim's Bill of Rights and to receive compensation under the "Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.317 (C.52:4B-1 et seq.).
According to the sponsor, the current practice of excluding domestic and civil union partners from these protections and benefits is unfair to the survivor and contrary to the intentions of the victim.
