This bill establishes a domestic violence Internet registry that will be publicly accessible, developed by the Administrative Office of the Courts in collaboration with the Superintendent of State Police and the Attorney General. The registry will contain detailed information about individuals convicted of domestic violence-related crimes, including their names, aliases, offense details, physical descriptions, photographs, vehicle information, and last known addresses. Individuals listed in the registry can petition for their names to be removed after specified periods—two years for a first offense, seven years for a second, and twenty years for a third or subsequent offense—provided they have not been convicted of further domestic violence-related crimes during those periods. However, those convicted of serious offenses such as homicide or sexual assault will not be eligible for removal.

Additionally, the bill mandates that courts order defendants found to have committed acts of domestic violence to undergo professional counseling and perform community service, with specific durations based on the number of offenses. It also increases the civil penalties for domestic violence offenders, setting fines at $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense, while allowing for waivers in cases of extreme financial hardship. The bill includes a provision to protect individuals from liability for failing to investigate or disclose information from the registry. It is set to take effect 90 days after enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:25-29.1