ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1802

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 10, 2025

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1802.

      The bill requires a law enforcement officer to conduct a danger assessment of any person who the officer has reasonable cause to believe is a victim of domestic violence in order to determine if the potential victim is in immediate need of services.  The danger assessment is to be conducted with the consent of the alleged victim using an objective, standardized, and evidence-based domestic violence danger assessment instrument approved by the Attorney General, in consultation with the Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board. 

      The danger assessment instrument is required to generate a score or rating that indicates an elevated risk that an alleged victim of domestic violence will suffer serious bodily injury or death as a result of a future act of domestic violence.  The approved instrument is to be based on information deemed relevant by the Attorney General which is to include, but not be limited to:

· the date of all recent acts of domestic violence using a calendar provided by the officer to the victim to identify or approximate the date of all recent acts; and

· for each recent act of domestic violence:

o a description of each act including the type of physical violence used, if any;

o whether any injuries were sustained by the alleged victim; and

o whether the act involved the use of, or threat to use a firearm or other weapon.

      If the danger assessment generates a score or rating that indicates an elevated risk of serious bodily injury or death to an alleged victim, the law enforcement officer is required to: notify the victim that the score generated indicates there is an elevated risk; and, with the consent of the alleged victim, facilitate the provisions of immediate assistance through a domestic crisis team or other services available to victims of domestic violence.

      The bill also requires the Attorney General to incorporate the current domestic violence curriculum for law enforcement officer training on how to conduct the danger assessment and notifying and facilitating access to services to alleged victims who are deemed to be at an elevated risk of harm.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.