Allows elderly victims of domestic violence to file restraining orders electronically and attend hearings remotely; establishes elder financial exploitation unit in Attorney General's Office.

A5342

ASSEMBLY, No. 5342

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� BRIAN BERGEN

District 26 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows elderly victims of domestic violence to file
restraining orders electronically and attend hearings remotely; establishes
elder financial exploitation unit in Attorney General�s Office.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning elder abuse, amending P.L.1991,
c.261, and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� Section 12 of P.L.1991,
c.261 (C.2C:25-28) is amended to read as follows:

���� 12.� a.� A victim may file a
complaint alleging the commission of an act of domestic violence with the
Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in conformity with
the Rules of Court.� The court shall not dismiss any complaint or delay disposition
of a case because the victim has left the residence to avoid further incidents
of domestic violence.� Filing a complaint pursuant to this section shall not
prevent the filing of a criminal complaint for the same act.

���� On weekends, holidays and
other times when the court is closed, a victim may file a complaint before a
judge of the Family Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court or a
municipal court judge who shall be assigned to accept complaints and issue
emergency, ex parte relief in the form of temporary restraining orders pursuant
to this act.

���� A plaintiff may apply for
relief under this section in a court having jurisdiction over the place where
the alleged act of domestic violence occurred, where the defendant resides, or
where the plaintiff resides or is sheltered, and the court shall follow the
same procedures applicable to other emergency applications.� Criminal
complaints filed pursuant to this act shall be investigated and prosecuted in
the jurisdiction where the offense is alleged to have occurred.� Contempt
complaints filed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:29-9 shall be prosecuted in the county
where the contempt is alleged to have been committed and a copy of the contempt
complaint shall be forwarded to the court that issued the order alleged to have
been violated.

���� b.��� The court shall waive
any requirement that the petitioner's place of residence appear on the
complaint.

���� c. (1) The clerk of the court,
or other person designated by the court, shall assist the parties in completing
any forms necessary for the filing of a summons, complaint, answer or other
pleading.

���� (2) The plaintiff may provide
information concerning firearms to which the defendant has access, including
the location of these firearms, if known, on a form to be prescribed by the
Administrative Director of the Courts.

���� (3) Information provided by
the plaintiff concerning firearms to which the defendant has access shall be
kept confidential and shall not be disseminated or disclosed, provided that
nothing in this subsection shall prohibit dissemination or disclosure of this
information in a manner consistent with and in furtherance of the purpose for
which the information was provided.

���� d.��� Summons and complaint
forms shall be readily available at the clerk's office, at the municipal courts
and at municipal and State police stations.

���� e.���� As soon as the domestic
violence complaint is filed, both the victim and the abuser shall be advised of
any programs or services available for advice and counseling.

���� f.���� A plaintiff may seek
emergency, ex parte relief in the nature of a temporary restraining order.� A
municipal court judge or a judge of the Family Part of the Chancery Division of
the Superior Court may enter an ex parte order when necessary to protect the
life, health or well-being of a victim on whose behalf the relief is sought.

���� g.��� If it appears that the
plaintiff is in danger of domestic violence, the judge shall, upon
consideration of the plaintiff's domestic violence complaint, order emergency
ex parte relief, in the nature of a temporary restraining order.� A decision
shall be made by the judge regarding the emergency relief forthwith.

���� h. (1) A judge may issue a
temporary restraining order upon sworn testimony or complaint of an applicant
who is not physically present, pursuant to court rules, or by a person who
represents a person who is physically or mentally incapable of filing personally.�
A temporary restraining order may be issued if the judge is satisfied that
exigent circumstances exist sufficient to excuse the failure of the applicant
to appear personally and that sufficient grounds for granting the application
have been shown.

���� (2) The Administrative Office
of the Court shall prepare standard templates for temporary restraining orders
in English, Spanish, and the other high-demand languages identified in its
Language Access Plan as approved by the Supreme Court.� These templates shall
be available for law enforcement, judges of the Municipal Court, and judges and
staff of the Superior Court to provide to the victim and defendant when issuing
temporary restraining orders pursuant to this section.

���� i.���� An order for emergency,
ex parte relief shall be granted upon good cause shown and shall remain in
effect until a judge of the Family Part issues a further order.� Any temporary
order hereunder is immediately appealable for a plenary hearing de novo not on
the record before any judge of the Family Part of the county in which the
plaintiff resides or is sheltered if that judge issued the temporary order or
has access to the reasons for the issuance of the temporary order and sets
forth in the record the reasons for the modification or dissolution.� The
denial of a temporary restraining order by a municipal court judge and
subsequent administrative dismissal of the complaint shall not bar the victim
from refiling a complaint in the Family Part based on the same incident and
receiving an emergency, ex parte hearing de novo not on the record before a
Family Part judge, and every denial of relief by a municipal court judge shall
so state.

���� j.���� Emergency relief may
include forbidding the defendant from returning to the scene of the domestic
violence, forbidding the defendant from possessing any firearm or other weapon
enumerated in subsection r. of N.J.S.2C:39-1, ordering the search for and seizure
of any firearm or other weapon at any location where the judge has reasonable
cause to believe the weapon is located and the seizure of any firearms
purchaser identification card or permit to purchase a handgun issued to the
defendant and any other appropriate relief.

���� If the order requires the
surrender of any firearm or other weapon, a law enforcement officer shall
accompany the defendant, or may proceed without the defendant if necessary, to
the scene of the domestic violence or any other location where the judge has
reasonable cause to believe any firearm or other weapon belonging to the
defendant is located, to ensure that the defendant does not gain access to any
firearm or other weapon, and that the firearm or other weapon is appropriately
surrendered in accordance with the order. If the order prohibits the defendant
from returning to the scene of domestic violence or any other location where
the judge has reasonable cause to believe any firearm or other weapon belonging
to the defendant is located, any firearm or other weapon located there shall be
seized by a law enforcement officer. The order shall include notice to the
defendant of the penalties for a violation of any provision of the order,
including but not limited to the penalties for contempt of court and unlawful
possession of a firearm or other weapon pursuant to N.J.S.2C:39-5. Other
appropriate relief may include but is not limited to an order directing the
possession of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either
party or a minor child residing in the household and providing that the animal
shall not be disposed of prior to entry of a final order pursuant to section 13
of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-29).

���� The judge shall state with
specificity the reasons for and scope of any search and seizure authorized by
the order.� The provisions of this subsection prohibiting a defendant from
possessing a firearm or other weapon shall not apply to any law enforcement
officer while actually on duty, or to any member of the Armed Forces of the
United States or member of the National Guard while actually on duty or
traveling to or from an authorized place of duty.�

���� k.��� The judge may permit the
defendant to return to the scene of the domestic violence to pick up personal
belongings and effects but shall, in the order granting relief, restrict the
time and duration of such permission and provide for police supervision of such
visit.

���� l.���� An order granting
emergency relief, together with the complaint or complaints, shall immediately
be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency for service on the
defendant, and to the police of the municipality in which the plaintiff resides
or is sheltered, and shall immediately be served upon the defendant along with
a copy of the translated order, if applicable, by the police, except that an
order issued during regular court hours may be forwarded to the sheriff for
immediate service upon the defendant in accordance with the Rules of Court.� If
personal service cannot be effected upon the defendant, the court may order
other appropriate substituted service.� At no time shall the plaintiff be asked
or required to serve any order on the defendant.

���� m.�� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1994, c.94.)

���� n.��� Notice of temporary
restraining orders issued pursuant to this section shall be sent by the clerk
of the court or other person designated by the court to the appropriate chiefs
of police, members of the State Police and any other appropriate law enforcement
agency or court.�

���� o.��� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1994, c.94.)

���� p.��� Any temporary or final
restraining order issued pursuant to this act shall be in effect throughout the
State, and shall be enforced by all law enforcement officers.�

���� q.��� Prior to the issuance of
any temporary or final restraining order issued pursuant to this section, the
court shall order that a search be made of the domestic violence central
registry with regard to the defendant's record.

����
r.� A victim 65 years of
age or older with a physical disability or whose ambulatory mobility has been
impaired by age or illness filing a complaint pursuant to this section shall be
allowed to file such complaint electronically.

����
s.� The Supreme Court may
promulgate Rules of Court to effectuate the purposes of subsection r. of this section.

(cf: P.L.2023, c.234, s.2)

���� 2. �Section 13 of P.L.1991,
c.261 (C.2C:25-29) is amended to read as follows:

���� 13.� a.� Except as otherwise
provided in this subsection, a hearing shall be held in the Family Part of the
Chancery Division of the Superior Court within 10 days of the filing of a
complaint pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-28) in the county
where the ex parte restraints were ordered, unless good cause is shown for the
hearing to be held elsewhere.� A copy of the complaint shall be served on the
defendant in conformity with the Rules of Court. If a criminal complaint
arising out of the same incident which is the subject matter of a complaint
brought under P.L.1981, c.426 (C.2C:25-1 et seq.) or P.L.1991, c.261
(C.2C:25-17 et seq.) has been filed, testimony given by the plaintiff or
defendant in the domestic violence matter shall not be used in the simultaneous
or subsequent criminal proceeding against the defendant, other than domestic
violence contempt matters and where it would otherwise be admissible hearsay
under the rules of evidence that govern where a party is unavailable.� If there
are law enforcement records related to an incident which is the subject of a
complaint or the domestic violence history described in the complaint, and the
plaintiff has requested the records, the court shall grant plaintiff's request
for an adjournment if reasonably needed to collect evidence contained in the
law enforcement records.� If the plaintiff has requested records from a law
enforcement agency pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2023, c.322 (C.2C:25-23.1), but
has not received the records as of the date of the original or rescheduled
hearing, the law enforcement agency's failure to provide the requested records
shall be noted on the record prior to the court making a final determination on
the request for restraints.� The absence of law enforcement records shall not
be a basis to deny relief pursuant to this section.� At the hearing the
standard for proving the allegations in the complaint shall be by a
preponderance of the evidence.

���� In considering the necessity
of ordering a restraining order the court shall consider but not be limited to
the following factors:

���� (1)�� The previous history of
domestic violence between the plaintiff and defendant, including threats,
harassment and physical abuse;

���� (2)�� The existence of
immediate danger to person or property;

���� (3)�� The financial
circumstances of the plaintiff and defendant;

���� (4)�� The best interests of
the victim and any child;

���� (5)�� In determining custody
and parenting time the protection of the victim's safety;�

���� (6)�� The existence of a
verifiable order of protection from another jurisdiction; and

���� (7)�� Any pattern of coercive
control against a person that in purpose or effect unreasonably interferes
with, threatens, or exploits a person's liberty, freedom, bodily integrity, or
human rights with the court specifically considering evidence of the need for
protection from immediate danger or the prevention of further abuse.� If the
court finds that one or more factors of coercive control are more or less
relevant than others, the court shall make specific written findings of fact
and conclusions of law on the reasons why the court reached that conclusion.�
Coercive control may include, but shall not be limited to:

���� (a) isolating the person from
friends, relatives, transportation, medical care, or other source of support;

���� (b) depriving the person of
basic necessities;

���� (c) monitoring the person's
movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or
access to services;

���� (d) compelling the person by
force, threat, or intimidation, including, but not limited to, threats based on
actual or suspected immigration status;

���� (e) threatening to make or
making baseless reports to the police, courts, the Division of Child Protection
and Permanency (DCPP) within the Department of Children and Families, the Board
of Social Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other
parties;

���� (f) threatening to harm or
kill the individual's relative or pet;

���� (g) threatening to deny or
interfere with an individual's custody or parenting time, other than through
enforcement of a valid custody arrangement or court order pursuant to current
law including, but not limited to, an order issued pursuant to Title 9 of the
Revised Statutes; or

���� (h) any other factors or
circumstances that the court deems relevant or material.

���� An order issued under this act
shall only restrain or provide damages payable from a person against whom a
complaint has been filed under this act and only after a finding or an
admission is made that an act of domestic violence was committed by that person.�
The issue of whether or not a violation of this act occurred, including an act
of contempt under this act, shall not be subject to mediation or negotiation in
any form.� In addition, where a temporary or final order has been issued
pursuant to this act, no party shall be ordered to participate in mediation on
the issue of custody or parenting time.

���� The Administrative Office of
the Courts shall prepare standard templates for final restraining orders in
English, Spanish and the other high-demand languages identified in its Language
Access Plan as approved by the Supreme Court.� These templates shall be
available for judges and staff of the Superior Court Family Part to provide to
the victim and defendant when issuing final restraining orders pursuant to this
section.

���� b.��� In proceedings in which
complaints for restraining orders have been filed, the court shall grant any
relief necessary to prevent further abuse.� In addition to any other
provisions, any restraining order issued by the court shall bar the defendant
from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling a firearm and from receiving
or retaining a firearms purchaser identification card or permit to purchase a
handgun pursuant to N.J.S.2C:58-3 during the period in which the restraining
order is in effect or two years, whichever is greater. The order shall require
the immediate surrender of any firearm or other weapon belonging to the
defendant.� The order shall include notice to the defendant of the penalties
for a violation of any provision of the order, including but not limited to the
penalties for contempt of court and unlawful possession of a firearm or other
weapon pursuant to N.J.S.2C:39-5.

���� A law enforcement officer
shall accompany the defendant, or may proceed without the defendant if
necessary, to any place where any firearm or other weapon belonging to the
defendant is located to ensure that the defendant does not gain access to any
firearm or other weapon, and a law enforcement officer shall take custody of
any firearm or other weapon belonging to the defendant.� If the order prohibits
the defendant from returning to the scene of domestic violence or other place
where firearms or other weapons belonging to the defendant are located, any
firearm or other weapon located there shall be seized by a law enforcement
officer.� The provisions of this subsection requiring the surrender or removal
of a firearm, card, or permit shall not apply to any law enforcement officer
while actually on duty, or to any member of the Armed Forces of the United
States or member of the National Guard while actually on duty or traveling to
or from an authorized place of duty.� At the hearing the judge of the Family Part
of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court may issue an order granting any
or all of the following relief:�

���� (1)�� An order restraining the
defendant from subjecting the victim to domestic violence, as defined in this
act.�

���� (2) (a) An order granting
exclusive possession to the plaintiff of the residence or household regardless
of whether the residence or household is jointly or solely owned by the parties
or jointly or solely leased by the parties.� This order shall not in any manner
affect title or interest to any real property held by either party or both
jointly.� If it is not possible for the victim to remain in the residence, the
court may order the defendant to pay the victim's rent at a residence other
than the one previously shared by the parties if the defendant is found to have
a duty to support the victim and the victim requires alternative housing.

���� (b) An order that the landlord
of a residential dwelling unit shall change the locks on the dwelling unit in
which the victim resides pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2023, c.174
(C.46:8-9.14).

���� (3)�� An order providing for
parenting time.� The order shall protect the safety and well-being of the
plaintiff and minor children and shall specify the place and frequency of
parenting time. Parenting time arrangements shall not compromise any other
remedy provided by the court by requiring or encouraging contact between the
plaintiff and defendant.� Orders for parenting time may include a designation
of a place of parenting time away from the plaintiff, the participation of a
third party, or supervised parenting time.

���� (a)�� The court shall consider
a request by a custodial parent who has been subjected to domestic violence by
a person with parenting time rights to a child in the parent's custody for an
investigation or evaluation by the appropriate agency to assess the risk of
harm to the child prior to the entry of a parenting time order.� Any denial of
such a request must be on the record and shall only be made if the judge finds
the request to be arbitrary or capricious.

���� (b)�� The court shall consider
suspension of the parenting time order and hold an emergency hearing upon an
application made by the plaintiff certifying under oath that the defendant's
access to the child pursuant to the parenting time order has threatened the
safety and well-being of the child.

���� (4)�� An order requiring the
defendant to pay to the victim monetary compensation for losses suffered as a
direct result of the act of domestic violence.� The order may require the
defendant to pay the victim directly, to reimburse the Victims of Crime Compensation
Office for any and all compensation paid by the Victims of Crime Compensation
Office directly to or on behalf of the victim, and may require that the
defendant reimburse any parties that may have compensated the victim, as the
court may determine. Compensatory losses shall include, but not be limited to,
loss of earnings or other support, including child or spousal support,
out-of-pocket losses for injuries sustained, cost of repair or replacement of
real or personal property damaged or destroyed or taken by the defendant, cost
of replacing locks pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2023, c.174 (C.46:8-9.14), cost
of counseling for the victim, moving or other travel expenses, reasonable
attorney's fees, court costs, and compensation for pain and suffering. Where
appropriate, punitive damages may be awarded in addition to compensatory
damages.

���� (5)�� An order requiring the
defendant to receive professional domestic violence counseling from either a
private source or a source appointed by the court and, in that event, requiring
the defendant to provide the court at specified intervals with documentation of
attendance at the professional counseling.� The court may order the defendant
to pay for the professional counseling.� No application by the defendant to
dissolve a final order which contains a requirement for attendance at
professional counseling pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted by the
court unless, in addition to any other provisions required by law or conditions
ordered by the court, the defendant has completed all required attendance at
such counseling.

���� (6)�� An order restraining the
defendant from entering the residence, property, school, or place of employment
of the victim or of other family or household members of the victim and
requiring the defendant to stay away from any specified place that is named in
the order and is frequented regularly by the victim or other family or
household members.

���� (7)�� An order restraining the
defendant from making contact with the plaintiff or others, including an order
forbidding the defendant from personally or through an agent initiating any
communication likely to cause annoyance or alarm including, but not limited to,
personal, written, or telephone contact with the victim or other family
members, or their employers, employees, or fellow workers, or others with whom
communication would be likely to cause annoyance or alarm to the victim.

���� (8)�� An order requiring that
the defendant make or continue to make rent or mortgage payments on the
residence occupied by the victim if the defendant is found to have a duty to
support the victim or other dependent household members; provided that this
issue has not been resolved or is not being litigated between the parties in
another action.

���� (9)�� An order granting either
party temporary possession of specified personal property, such as an
automobile, checkbook, documentation of health insurance, an identification
document, a key, and other personal effects.

���� (10)� An order awarding
emergency monetary relief, including emergency support for minor children, to
the victim and other dependents, if any.� An ongoing obligation of support
shall be determined at a later date pursuant to applicable law.

���� (11)� An order awarding
temporary custody of a minor child.� The court shall presume that the best
interests of the child are served by an award of custody to the non-abusive
parent.

���� (12)� An order requiring that
a law enforcement officer accompany either party to the residence or any shared
business premises to supervise the removal of personal belongings in order to
ensure the personal safety of the plaintiff when a restraining order has been
issued.� This order shall be restricted in duration.

���� (13)� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1995, c.242).

���� (14)� An order granting any
other appropriate relief for the plaintiff and dependent children, provided
that the plaintiff consents to such relief, including relief requested by the
plaintiff at the final hearing, whether or not the plaintiff requested such
relief at the time of the granting of the initial emergency order.

���� (15)� An order that requires
that the defendant report to the intake unit of the Family Part of the Chancery
Division of the Superior Court for monitoring of any other provision of the
order.

���� (16)� In addition to the order
required by this subsection prohibiting the defendant from possessing any
firearm, the court may also issue an order prohibiting the defendant from
possessing any other weapon enumerated in subsection r. of N.J.S.2C:39-1 and
ordering the search for and seizure of any firearm or other weapon at any
location where the judge has reasonable cause to believe the weapon is
located.� The judge shall state with specificity the reasons for and scope of
the search and seizure authorized by the order.

���� (17)� An order prohibiting the
defendant from stalking or following, or threatening to harm, to stalk or to
follow, the complainant or any other person named in the order in a manner
that, taken in the context of past actions of the defendant, would put the
complainant in reasonable fear that the defendant would cause the death or
injury of the complainant or any other person.� Behavior prohibited under this
act includes, but is not limited to, behavior prohibited under the provisions
of P.L.1992, c.209 (C.2C:12-10).

���� (18)� An order requiring the
defendant to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

���� (19)� An order directing the
possession of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either
party or a minor child residing in the household. Where a person has abused or
threatened to abuse such animal, there shall be a presumption that possession
of the animal shall be awarded to the non-abusive party.

���� (20)� At the plaintiff's
request, an order providing that, if the plaintiff is pregnant, the plaintiff's
child shall be included in the restraining order immediately upon birth.

���� c.���� Notice of orders issued
pursuant to this section shall be sent by the clerk of the Family Part of the
Chancery Division of the Superior Court or other person designated by the court
to the appropriate chiefs of police, members of the State Police and any other
appropriate law enforcement agency.

���� d.��� Upon good cause shown,
any final order may be dissolved or modified upon application to the Family
Part of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court, but only if the judge who
dissolves or modifies the order is the same judge who entered the order, or has
available a complete record of the hearing or hearings on which the order was
based.�

���� e.���� Prior to the issuance
of any order pursuant to this section, the court shall order that a search be
made of the domestic violence central registry.�

���� f.���� A final judgment
rendered in favor of the State in any criminal proceeding brought pursuant to
the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261
(C.2C:25-17 et seq.) shall estop the defendant from denying the same conduct in
any proceeding brought pursuant to this section.

���� g.��� In connection with a
pending complaint filed with the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family
Part, pursuant to the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,"
P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), a party to the complaint may request the release
or unsealing of expunged records, or sealed records under prior law, or prior
arrests or convictions related to previous complaints filed pursuant to the
"Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261
(C.2C:25-17 et al.) involving both parties.

���� h.��� Expunged records, or
sealed records under prior law, of prior arrests or convictions shall be
provided to any party, county prosecutor, Criminal Division of the Superior
Court, or the Attorney General when requested for use in conjunction with
proceedings related to any of the following matters:�

���� (1)�� a temporary or final
restraining order or a weapons forfeiture complaint filed in the Superior
Court, Chancery Division, Family Part, pursuant to the "Prevention of
Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.); and

���� (2)�� a temporary or final
extreme risk protection order complaint filed in the Superior Court pursuant to
the "Extreme Risk Protective Order Act of 2018," P.L.2018, c.35
(C.2C:58-20 et al.).

���� i.�
A plaintiff 65 years of
age or older with physical disabilities or whose ambulatory mobility has been
impaired by age or illness may appear remotely by electronic means at a hearing
held pursuant to this section.

����
j.� The Supreme Court may
promulgate Rules of Court to effectuate the purposes of subsection i. of this section.

(cf: P.L.2023, c.322, s.2)

���� 3.� (New section)� a.� There
is established in the Office of the Attorney General an elder financial
exploitation prevention unit.� The unit shall be responsible for:

���� (1) identifying best practices
to assist financial institutions with their efforts to prevent elder financial exploitation;

���� (2) training the management
and staff of every financial institution doing business in the State to prevent,
detect, and respond to elder financial exploitation; and

���� (3) offering public education
programs and distributing materials to individuals 65 years of age or older maintaining
an account at a financial institution, caregivers, and the public on the
warning signs of, and steps that can be taken to prevent, elder financial
exploitation.

���� b.� The unit shall:

���� (1) establish a mandatory
training program for the management and staff of every financial institution
doing business in the State on methods to detect, respond to, and prevent the
financial exploitation of account holders 65 years of age or older, including,
but not limited to, identifying and recognizing behavior and transactions that
may indicate the financial exploitation of the account holder, using technology
to monitor for signs of elder financial exploitation, and reporting of
suspected elder financial exploitation to all relevant federal, state and local
officials; and

���� (2) periodically assess the training
program developed pursuant to subsection b. of this section and update the
information provided through the program where the unit finds appropriate.

���� c.� Every financial
institution doing business in the State shall annually provide training, under
the training program established pursuant to subsection b. of this section, to
the financial institution�s management and staff.� Upon completion of the
training program, the financial institution shall award a certificate to every
individual who successfully completes the program.

���� d.� As used in this section,
�financial institution� means: a depository institution as defined in 12 U.S.C.
s.1813(c); an institution affiliated party as defined in 12 U.S.C. s.1813(u); a
federal or State credit union as defined in 12 U.S.C. s.1752, including an
institution affiliated party of a credit union as defined in 12 U.S.C.
s.1786(r); a benefit association, insurance company, safe deposit company,
money market mutual fund, or similar entity authorized to do business in this
State.

���� 4.� Pursuant to the
"Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.),
the Attorney General shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes
of section 3 of P.L.���� , c.��� (C.����� ) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill).

���� 5.� This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill amends the
�Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991.�� Specifically, the bill amends
section 12 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-28) and section 13 of P.L.1991, c.261
(C.2C:25-29) to allow a victim of domestic violence, 65 years of age or older
with a physical disability or whose ambulatory mobility has been impaired by
age or illness to electronically file a complaint alleging domestic violence or
a restraining order electronically and to appear remotely at a hearing relating
to such complaint or restraining order, respectively.

���� The bill requires the Attorney
General�s Office to establish an elder financial exploitation prevention unit (the
unit) that would be responsible for:� (1) identifying best practices to assist
financial institutions with their efforts to prevent elder financial exploitation;
(2) train the management and staff of every financial institution doing
business in the State to prevent, detect, and respond to elder financial
exploitation; (3) offering public education programs and distributing materials
to account holders 65 years of age or older, caregivers, and the public on the
warning signs of, and steps that can be taken to prevent, elder financial
exploitation; (4) establish a mandatory training program for the management and
staff of every financial institution doing business in the State; and (5)
periodically assess the program, and update the information provided through
the program.

���� Under the bill, every financial
institution doing business in the State is to annually provide training under
the program established pursuant to the bill to the institution�s management
and staff and award a certificate to an individual who successfully completes
the program.