This bill amends New Jersey's assault laws to enhance penalties for assaults against individuals with disabilities. Specifically, it establishes that causing bodily injury to a person with a disability constitutes a crime of the third degree, with a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years. The bill defines a "person with a disability" as someone who, due to a pre-existing medically determinable physical or mental impairment, is significantly limited in their ability to resist harm. This definition includes individuals recognized as disabled under the federal Social Security Act or similar governmental programs.

The legislation was inspired by the violent assault of Joey Damiano, a man with an intellectual disability, who was severely injured during a mugging in 2006. By upgrading the legal consequences for assaults against disabled individuals, the bill aims to provide greater protection for vulnerable populations and deter such crimes. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.