This bill requires law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial personnel to undergo training on trauma-informed practices, particularly in their interactions with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The training will be integrated into existing curricula for municipal prosecutors, law enforcement officers, judges, and Sexual Assault Response Teams, covering topics such as the neurobiological effects of trauma, trauma responses, and best practices for interviewing survivors. The bill mandates that participation in domestic violence training is compulsory for municipal prosecutors, while other training programs remain voluntary. The Attorney General will ensure that newly appointed municipal prosecutors complete initial training within 90 days and participate in annual in-service training.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing laws to incorporate trauma-informed practices into training requirements for legal and law enforcement professionals. It specifies that county prosecutors and appropriate assistant county prosecutors must complete the training in person every six years, with new appointees required to finish the training within 60 days of their appointment. The Attorney General will oversee compliance and develop a bidding process for organizations to assist in providing the training. The act will take effect on the first day of the thirteenth month following its enactment, allowing time for necessary administrative preparations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2B:25-10, 2C:25-20, 52:4B-52, 52:4B-54.1, 52:4B-54.2