Establishes New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response; makes appropriation of $93,500.

S4392

SENATE, No. 4392

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 1, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes New Jersey Commission on Stalking
Prevention and Response; makes appropriation of $93,500.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing the New Jersey Commission on
Stalking Prevention and Response and making an appropriation of $93,500.

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

���� 1. The Legislature finds and
declares that:

���� a.� Stalking is a serious and
often escalating form of violence that affects thousands of New Jersey
residents each year and is too often minimized or misunderstood.

���� b.� Stalking behaviors,
whether in-person, digital, or through technology-enabled surveillance,
frequently precede more severe forms of violence, including sexual assault,
domestic violence, and homicide.

���� c.� Despite the enactment of
the �Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act,� P.L.2015, c.147
(C.2C:14-13 et al.), and the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,�
P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), significant gaps remain in awareness
concerning, prevention of, law enforcement training for, and civil protection from
stalking, including the fact that neither law applies to those who have caused
harm through stalking if� they are under 18 years of age unless emancipated.

���� d.� There is a lack of
coordinated, statewide understanding of stalking as a distinct and preventable
crime that demands comprehensive strategies spanning prevention, intervention,
justice, and healing.

���� e.� A multidisciplinary,
time-limited commission is necessary to evaluate current systems, identify
gaps, and recommend actionable reforms to improve New Jersey�s prevention
efforts, law enforcement response, and civil remedies for stalking survivors.

���� 2. a.� The �New Jersey Commission
on Stalking Prevention and Response� is hereby established.� The purpose of the
commission shall be to evaluate current systems, identify gaps, and make
recommendations to improve New Jersey�s prevention efforts, law enforcement
response, and civil remedies for stalking survivors.

���� b.� The commission shall
consist of 25 members as follows:

����������� (1) one member of the
Senate, appointed by the Senate President;

����������� (2) one member of the
Senate, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

����������� (3) one member of the
Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;

����������� (4) one member of the
Assembly, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;

����������� (5) the Attorney
General, ex officio;

����������� (6) the Commissioner of
the Department of Education, ex officio;

����������� (7) the Director of the
Division on Women within the Department of Children and Families, ex officio;

����������� (8) the Superintendent
of the State Police, ex officio;

����������� (9) the Administrative
Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, ex officio;

����������� (10) the Executive
Director of the Youth Justice Commission within the Department of Law and
Public Safety, ex officio;

����������� (11) a representative
of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, appointed by the Senate
President;

����������� (12) a representative
of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, appointed by the Speaker
of the Assembly;

����������� (13) a representative
of a county prosecutor�s office, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

����������� (14) a representative
of a law enforcement association, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Assembly;

����������� (15) a representative
of a disability advocacy organization, appointed by the Senate President;

����������� (16) a defense attorney,
appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;

����������� (17) a judge or retired
jurist with family or criminal court experience, appointed by the Senate
President;

����������� (18) a youth justice or
juvenile services professional, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;

����������� (19) a mental health
professional, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

����������� (20) a healthcare
professional, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;

����������� (21) a technology or
cybersecurity expert, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

����������� (22) a researcher or
academic specializing in gender-based violence or prevention, appointed by the
Minority Leader of the Assembly; and

����������� (23) Three survivors of
stalking or stalking advocates, appointed by the Governor.

���� c.� All appointments to the commission
shall be made within 60 days of the effective date of this act.� A designee may
represent an ex officio member.� A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner
as the original appointment.

���� d.� A member of the commission
appointed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (22) of subsection b. of section 2
of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill) shall serve without compensation but may
be reimbursed, within the limits of the funds made available to the commission,
for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.� A member
of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraph (23) of subsection b. of
section 2 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as
this bill) may be compensated for their work on the commission within the
limits of the funds made available to the commission for the purpose of
compensating a member of the commission pursuant to paragraph (23) of
subsection b. of section 2 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill) for the work of the member on the commission.

���� e.� A member of the commission
who is a member of the Senate or the Assembly shall serve during the two-year
legislative session in which the appointment is made or until the member�s term
of office in the Legislature ends, whichever date is earliest.

���� f.� The members of the commission
shall hold an initial organizational meeting within 30 days of the appointment
of a majority of the commission�s authorized membership. �The members shall
elect one of the members to serve as chair.� The chair shall appoint a
secretary, who need not be a member of the commission.� The chair shall hold
meetings at the times and in the places the chair may deem appropriate and
necessary to fulfill the charge of the commission.� A majority of the members of
the commission shall constitute a quorum.

���� 3. a.� The commission shall
establish four subcommittees: the Executive Subcommittee, the Prevention and
Public Awareness Subcommittee, the Law Enforcement and Justice Response
Subcommittee, and the Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee.� The
Executive Subcommittee shall consist of the members of the commission appointed
pursuant to paragraphs (5), (7), (9), (11), and (12) of subsection b. of
section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), and the chair of the commission if the
chair is not a member of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraphs (5),
(7), (9), (11), or (12) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L.��� , c.���
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).� The chair shall
appoint the members of the Prevention and Public Awareness Subcommittee, the
Law Enforcement and Justice Response Subcommittee, and the Civil Remedies and
Legal Protections Subcommittee from the members of the commission.� A member of
the commission may serve on more than one subcommittee.

���� b. The Executive Subcommittee shall:

����������� (1) coordinate the work
of the other subcommittees;

����������� (2) identify any challenges
facing the other subcommittees and work to resolve those challenges; and

����������� (3) modify the scope of
the commission�s work in response to unforeseen issues relating to stalking
prevention and response that emerge over the course of the commission�s
activity.

���� c. The Prevention and Public
Awareness Subcommittee shall:

���� ������ (1) assess existing
prevention and education initiatives related to stalking, including in schools,
workplaces, and community settings;

���� ������ (2) develop a statewide
strategy to increase public awareness of stalking behaviors and warning signs,
promote early intervention and bystander engagement, and enhance technology
safety education and responsible digital conduct; and

���� ������ (3) recommend
coordinated outreach campaigns and identify funding needs to expand prevention
efforts.

���� d.� The Law Enforcement and
Justice Response Subcommittee shall:

���� ������ (1) evaluate current
training and protocols for law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges related to
stalking investigation, charging, and victim support;

���� ������ (2) identify gaps,
resources, and best practices for trauma-informed, survivor-centered policing
and prosecution;

���� ������ (3) examine barriers to
effective enforcement of existing stalking statutes and effective responses to
a violation of a protective order or other protective mechanism; and

����������� (4) propose model
survivor-centered training programming, resource allocation, and data
collection measures to improve statewide consistency and accountability.

���� e.� The Civil Remedies and
Legal Protections Subcommittee shall:

���� ������ (1) review the
implementation of the �Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act,� P.L.2015,
c.147 (C.2C:14-13 et al.), the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of
1991,� P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), and related civil protections,
identifying barriers to accessibility and enforcement;

���� ������ (2) analyze the
exclusion of juvenile offenders from the �Victim's Assistance and Survivor
Protection Act,� P.L.2015, c.147 (C.2C:14-13 et al.), and the "Prevention
of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,� P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.) and
evaluate remedies to address this protection gap;

���� ������ (3) evaluate
intersectional barriers to access, including for juveniles, people with
disabilities, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ individuals; and

���� ������ (4) recommend
legislative and administrative reforms to expand access to civil remedies,
create and fund survivor direct services resources, improve court processes,
and enhance survivor safety.

���� f.� Each subcommittee of the commission
shall report interim findings and draft recommendations to the commission within
nine months after the date of organization of the commission.

���� 4. a.� The commission shall be
entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the
employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau,
commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its
purposes.� The commission may seek the advice of experts, such as persons
specializing in the fields of criminology, psychology, education, criminal, or
family law, as deemed appropriate by the membership of the commission.

���� b.� The Division of Violence
Intervention and Victim Assistance in the Department of Law and Public Safety
shall provide administrative and logistical support to the commission as may be
necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

���� c.� The commission shall issue
a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the
Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within 18
months of the commission�s date of organization.

���� 5. There is appropriated from
the General Fund $93,500 to the New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention
and Response to effectuate the purposes of the commission.� No more than
$24,000 of the appropriation may be used for the compensation of members of the
commission appointed pursuant to paragraph (23) of subsection b. of section 2
of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill)
for their work on the commission.

���� 6. This act shall take effect
immediately and expire upon the submission of the report pursuant to subsection
c. of section 4 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature
as this bill).

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the New
Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response.

���� This commission assembles
stakeholders to produce concrete, trauma-informed, survivor-centered
recommendations regarding the prevention of stalking and effective public policy
responses to stalking.� Stalking is a crime under State law, but systemwide
awareness, training, and coordination to prevent and respond to incidents of
stalking remain uneven.

���� The commission will consist of
25 members from the Legislature, the Executive Branch, the Judiciary, and the
public:

�

From the Legislature:

o

One member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate President;

o

One member of
the Senate, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

o

One member of
the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly; and

o

One member of
the Assembly, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly.

�

From the Executive Branch and the Judiciary:

o

The Attorney
General, ex officio;

o

The
Commissioner of the Department of Education, ex officio;

o

The Director of
the Division on Women within the Department of Children and Families, ex
officio;

o

The
Superintendent of the State Police, ex officio;

o

The
Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, ex officio;
and

o

The Executive
Director of the Youth Justice Commission within the Department of Law and
Public Safety, ex officio.

�

From the public:

o

A
representative of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault;

o

A
representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence;

o

A representative
of a county prosecutor�s office;

o

A
representative of a law enforcement association;

o

A
representative of a disability advocacy organization;

o

A defense
attorney;

o

A judge or
retired jurist with family or criminal court experience;

o

A youth justice
or juvenile services professional;

o

A mental health
professional;

o

A healthcare
professional;

o

A technology or
cybersecurity expert;

o

A researcher or
academic specializing in gender-based violence or prevention; and

o

Three survivors
of stalking or stalking advocates.

���� To help streamline and
organize its work, the commission will have four subcommittees: the Prevention
and Public Awareness Subcommittee, the Law Enforcement and Justice Response
Subcommittee, the Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee, and the
Executive Subcommittee.

���� The bill authorizes the commission
to seek the advice of experts and requires the commission to issue a report of
its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature within
18 months of the commission�s date of organization.� The commission will expire
upon the submission of its final report.

���� $93,500 is appropriated from
the General Fund to the commission to effectuate the purposes of the commission.�
Up to $24,000 of the appropriation may be used to compensate members of the
commission appointed as survivors of stalking or as stalking advocates for
their work on the commission.