SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 1207

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 7, 2024

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably the Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 1207.

      As reported by the committee, this Senate Committee Substitute requires the members of each Sexual Assault Response Team to receive training on interacting with victims with developmental disabilities.

      Under current law, the county prosecutor in each county is required appoint or designate a certified forensic sexual assault nurse examiner to serve as program coordinator for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program in the county.  In addition to other duties, the program coordinator is required to develop and implement a standardized education and training program to provide instruction to members of the county Sexual Assault Response Team on certain topics.  Current law requires the response team to be comprised of a certified forensic sexual assault nurse examiner, a rape care advocate, and a law enforcement official.

      This committee substitute provides that the training provided to the response team is required to include instruction on interacting with victims who have developmental disabilities.