The bill, known as Harrisons Law, mandates that every Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) in New Jersey must include a member who is specifically trained to interact with individuals who have developmental disabilities. This addition aims to ensure that victims with such disabilities receive appropriate support and understanding during the response to sexual assault incidents. The current composition of the SART includes a certified forensic sexual assault nurse examiner, a rape care advocate, and a law enforcement official, but this bill expands that requirement to include the specialized training for better interaction with a vulnerable population.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the trained individual in developmental disabilities will only be required to respond to cases where the victim has a developmental disability. This targeted approach ensures that the response team is equipped to handle the unique needs of these victims while maintaining the integrity of the response process for all sexual assault cases. The bill is set to take effect four months after its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:4B-54