This bill amends New Jersey's bias intimidation law to explicitly include Sikhism as a protected class, recognizing the significant number of Sikhs in the state and the rising incidents of anti-Sikh hate crimes. The law now states that individuals can be charged with bias intimidation if they commit offenses with the intent to intimidate based on a person's membership in a protected class, which now includes Sikhism alongside other categories such as race, religion, and gender. Additionally, the bill mandates that all local, county, and state law enforcement agencies report violations of this law to relevant state and federal agencies.

Furthermore, the bill outlines several initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and education about Sikhism. The Office of the Attorney General, in collaboration with the Department of Education, is tasked with developing training for law enforcement on Sikh identity and bias intimidation cases, as well as creating public awareness campaigns. The Chief Diversity Officer's responsibilities are also expanded to ensure that anti-Sikh hate definitions are included in public entity policies. To support these efforts, the bill appropriates $100,000 annually for three years to fund educational initiatives and outreach to the Sikh community.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:32-18.1