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A1910 AMV Statement 3/16/26
ASSEMBLY MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY,
No. 1910
STATE
OF NEW JERSEY
DATED:
�MARCH
16, 2026
����� The Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1910.
����� This bill allows an applicant, in the case of
nonconsensual sexual conduct or domestic violence, who is a service member of
the New Jersey National Guard or any Reserve Component of the Armed Forces of
the United States serving within the State and who is a victim of
non-consensual sexual contact, to apply for and obtain a protective order
regardless of where the alleged conduct or attempted conduct which is the basis
for such an order occurred.� An applicant can also use a military protective
order related to non-consensual sexual contact to initiate the application
process to obtain a protective order from the court if the military protective
order indicates, in writing, that the victim wishes to pursue an application
for a protective order from the Superior Court.
����� The bill makes it a petty disorderly persons offense
if, with the purpose to harass another, a person engages in conduct after
having been notified, while the person was a member of the National Guard, not
to engage in such conduct by a commanding officer.
����� In addition, the bill prohibits any person from
obtaining a handgun purchase permit or firearms purchaser identification card
who is subject to a restraining order issued pursuant to Prevention of Domestic
Violence Act of 1991, a temporary or final domestic violence restraining order
issued in another jurisdiction, or a substantially similar order issued by the
court of another state, tribe, United States Territory, appropriate military
authority, or military tribunal.
����� Under the bill, a person, or the family member of the
person, that is participating in a military legal proceeding is to receive
unpaid leave from employment to seek legal assistance and remedies and attend
and prepare for the proceeding when the proceeding involves domestic or sexual
violence.
����� The bill also directs the Commissioner of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to provide current and former members of the
National Guard who were the victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment
while members of the National Guard and who are involved in administrative or
New Jersey Code of Military Justice proceedings related to sexual assault or
sexual harassment, with financial assistance to fully cover the expenses of
traveling to and from and participating in those proceedings.�
����� The bill requires the New Jersey National Guard to
file a certified copy of any military order of protection with the court in a
judicial vicinage in which the person entitled to protection resides or, if the
person entitled to protection is not a State resident, in a judicial circuit in
which it is believed that enforcement may be necessary, when the victim�s
desire to pursue an application for a such an order from the Superior Court has
been memorialized in the military protective order to be filed with the court.
����� Full-time civilian law enforcement officers employed
by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Army Criminal Investigation
Division, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, or Air Force Office of Special
Investigations, who are empowered to effect an arrest with or without a warrant
for violations of the United States Code and who are authorized to carry
firearms in the performance of their duties are authorized under the bill to
act as an officer for the arrest of offenders against the laws of this State
where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the first, second, or
third degree is or is about to be committed or attempted in his presence, and
where the person reasonably believes that a crime of the fourth degree,
relating to criminal sexual contact, harassment, or stalking is or is about to
be committed or attempted in his presence on a military installation, or off a
military installation by a service member against another person, regardless of
whether or not either person was on or off duty at the time of the alleged
assault, while that officer is in the performance of official duties.
����� The bill provides that a person subject to military
discipline under State law who commits an offense of harassment prohibited
under State law will be guilty of that offense in accordance with military
discipline and be punished as a court martial may direct.
����� Pursuant to the bill, an application for a claim to
the Victims of Crime Compensation Office by a military personnel victim based
on a sexual assault by another military personnel will not be denied solely
because it was not reported to a superior officer or law enforcement officer at
the time of the crime and sets forth factors that will be considered for
purposes of determining if a claim of military sexual assault qualifies for
compensation.
����� The bill provides that if a report is accepted as a
credible allegation of domestic abuse or child abuse or neglect by the
Department of Children and Families, the department will collect information
concerning the military status of the spouse, intimate partner, parent, or
guardian of the child who is the subject of the report and share information
about the allegation with the appropriate military authorities in accordance
with the memorandum of understanding with the military family advocacy program at
a local military installation, with respect to interpersonal violence and child
abuse and neglect investigations.
����� The State may, pursuant to the bill, exercise
concurrent jurisdiction with the United States over a military installation of
the United States Department of Defense located within the State in a matter
relating to a violation of federal law or the Uniform Code of Military Justice
if certain conditions are met.
����� Lastly, the bill provides that, upon acceptance or
relinquishment of the United States by the Governor or any other State
official, department, or agency, the State will exercise concurrent
jurisdiction with the United States over a military installation of the United
States within the State in and over land or lands ceded, in a matter related to
a violation of federal or State law, upon any child or juvenile, within the
limits and extent of lands so ceded and providing that the State will retain
concurrent jurisdiction over a military installation of the United States in
certain cases.
����� This bill was prefiled for introduction in the
2026-2027 session pending technical review.� As reported, the bill includes the
changes required by technical review, which has been performed.