This bill establishes a domestic violence Internet registry that will be publicly accessible, allowing individuals to view records of those convicted of domestic violence-related crimes. The registry will include detailed information about the offenders, such as their names, aliases, conviction 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 like homicide or sexual assault will not be eligible for removal.

Additionally, the bill mandates that courts require offenders to undergo professional domestic violence counseling and perform community service, with the duration of counseling increasing with the number of offenses. The civil penalties for domestic violence offenses are also significantly increased, with fines set at $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense. The bill includes a provision that protects 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