On September 12, 2016, the New Jersey Senate Law & Public Safety Committee will hear two very important bills that have the potential to have a positive impact on the rights of Crime Victims in our state:
S811 expands the rights of crime victims to include the right to allow certain non-victims to make an in-person statement at sentencing. The bill also allows victims to provide testimony at certain post adjudication hearings. This measure will ensure that the voices of those most deeply affected by violent crime will be heard, and given all due consideration concerning the impact of the crime committed against them and/or their loved ones.
S812 removes the age restriction on testifying via closed circuit television in certain sex crimes cases, where there is a substantial likelihood of severe emotional or mental distress if forced to testify in open court.
Both of these bills will enact much-needed reforms that will protect the rights of crime victims in New Jersey, and Keep NJ Safe strongly supports these measures.
THANK YOU to Senator Loretta Weinberg and Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman for sponsoring these important pieces of legislation.
A letter of support for both of these bills was sent to the members of the Law & Public Safety Committee from Keep NJ Safe today.
UPDATE as of 11:28am, 9/12/16: Both S811 & S812 were released from committee this morning. S811 was released “as is” and, after some discussion and the introduction of a Committee Substitute for S812, that bill was released as well.
