Bill Text: NJ S4392 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response; makes appropriation of $93,500.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-01 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S4392 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4392-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response; makes appropriation of $93,500.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response and making an appropriation of $93,500.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Stalking is a serious and often escalating form of violence that affects thousands of New Jersey residents each year and is too often minimized or misunderstood.
b. Stalking behaviors, whether in-person, digital, or through technology-enabled surveillance, frequently precede more severe forms of violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and homicide.
c. Despite the enactment of the "Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act," P.L.2015, c.147 (C.2C:14-13 et al.), and the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), significant gaps remain in awareness concerning, prevention of, law enforcement training for, and civil protection from stalking, including the fact that neither law applies to those who have caused harm through stalking if they are under 18 years of age unless emancipated.
d. There is a lack of coordinated, statewide understanding of stalking as a distinct and preventable crime that demands comprehensive strategies spanning prevention, intervention, justice, and healing.
e. A multidisciplinary, time-limited commission is necessary to evaluate current systems, identify gaps, and recommend actionable reforms to improve New Jersey's prevention efforts, law enforcement response, and civil remedies for stalking survivors.
2. a. The "New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response" is hereby established. The purpose of the commission shall be to evaluate current systems, identify gaps, and make recommendations to improve New Jersey's prevention efforts, law enforcement response, and civil remedies for stalking survivors.
b. The commission shall consist of 25 members as follows:
(1) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate President;
(2) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(3) one member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
(4) one member of the Assembly, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;
(5) the Attorney General, ex officio;
(6) the Commissioner of the Department of Education, ex officio;
(7) the Director of the Division on Women within the Department of Children and Families, ex officio;
(8) the Superintendent of the State Police, ex officio;
(9) the Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, ex officio;
(10) the Executive Director of the Youth Justice Commission within the Department of Law and Public Safety, ex officio;
(11) a representative of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, appointed by the Senate President;
(12) a representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
(13) a representative of a county prosecutor's office, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(14) a representative of a law enforcement association, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;
(15) a representative of a disability advocacy organization, appointed by the Senate President;
(16) a defense attorney, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
(17) a judge or retired jurist with family or criminal court experience, appointed by the Senate President;
(18) a youth justice or juvenile services professional, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly;
(19) a mental health professional, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(20) a healthcare professional, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly;
(21) a technology or cybersecurity expert, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(22) a researcher or academic specializing in gender-based violence or prevention, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly; and
(23) Three survivors of stalking or stalking advocates, appointed by the Governor.
c. All appointments to the commission shall be made within 60 days of the effective date of this act. A designee may represent an ex officio member. A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
d. A member of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraphs (1) through (22) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed, within the limits of the funds made available to the commission, for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. A member of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraph (23) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may be compensated for their work on the commission within the limits of the funds made available to the commission for the purpose of compensating a member of the commission pursuant to paragraph (23) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) for the work of the member on the commission.
e. A member of the commission who is a member of the Senate or the Assembly shall serve during the two-year legislative session in which the appointment is made or until the member's term of office in the Legislature ends, whichever date is earliest.
f. The members of the commission shall hold an initial organizational meeting within 30 days of the appointment of a majority of the commission's authorized membership. The members shall elect one of the members to serve as chair. The chair shall appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission. The chair shall hold meetings at the times and in the places the chair may deem appropriate and necessary to fulfill the charge of the commission. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
3. a. The commission shall establish four subcommittees: the Executive Subcommittee, the Prevention and Public Awareness Subcommittee, the Law Enforcement and Justice Response Subcommittee, and the Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee. The Executive Subcommittee shall consist of the members of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraphs (5), (7), (9), (11), and (12) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and the chair of the commission if the chair is not a member of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraphs (5), (7), (9), (11), or (12) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The chair shall appoint the members of the Prevention and Public Awareness Subcommittee, the Law Enforcement and Justice Response Subcommittee, and the Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee from the members of the commission. A member of the commission may serve on more than one subcommittee.
b. The Executive Subcommittee shall:
(1) coordinate the work of the other subcommittees;
(2) identify any challenges facing the other subcommittees and work to resolve those challenges; and
(3) modify the scope of the commission's work in response to unforeseen issues relating to stalking prevention and response that emerge over the course of the commission's activity.
c. The Prevention and Public Awareness Subcommittee shall:
(1) assess existing prevention and education initiatives related to stalking, including in schools, workplaces, and community settings;
(2) develop a statewide strategy to increase public awareness of stalking behaviors and warning signs, promote early intervention and bystander engagement, and enhance technology safety education and responsible digital conduct; and
(3) recommend coordinated outreach campaigns and identify funding needs to expand prevention efforts.
d. The Law Enforcement and Justice Response Subcommittee shall:
(1) evaluate current training and protocols for law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges related to stalking investigation, charging, and victim support;
(2) identify gaps, resources, and best practices for trauma-informed, survivor-centered policing and prosecution;
(3) examine barriers to effective enforcement of existing stalking statutes and effective responses to a violation of a protective order or other protective mechanism; and
(4) propose model survivor-centered training programming, resource allocation, and data collection measures to improve statewide consistency and accountability.
e. The Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee shall:
(1) review the implementation of the "Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act," P.L.2015, c.147 (C.2C:14-13 et al.), the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.), and related civil protections, identifying barriers to accessibility and enforcement;
(2) analyze the exclusion of juvenile offenders from the "Victim's Assistance and Survivor Protection Act," P.L.2015, c.147 (C.2C:14-13 et al.), and the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.) and evaluate remedies to address this protection gap;
(3) evaluate intersectional barriers to access, including for juveniles, people with disabilities, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ individuals; and
(4) recommend legislative and administrative reforms to expand access to civil remedies, create and fund survivor direct services resources, improve court processes, and enhance survivor safety.
f. Each subcommittee of the commission shall report interim findings and draft recommendations to the commission within nine months after the date of organization of the commission.
4. a. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes. The commission may seek the advice of experts, such as persons specializing in the fields of criminology, psychology, education, criminal, or family law, as deemed appropriate by the membership of the commission.
b. The Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall provide administrative and logistical support to the commission as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
c. The commission shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within 18 months of the commission's date of organization.
5. There is appropriated from the General Fund $93,500 to the New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response to effectuate the purposes of the commission. No more than $24,000 of the appropriation may be used for the compensation of members of the commission appointed pursuant to paragraph (23) of subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) for their work on the commission.
6. This act shall take effect immediately and expire upon the submission of the report pursuant to subsection c. of section 4 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the New Jersey Commission on Stalking Prevention and Response.
This commission assembles stakeholders to produce concrete, trauma-informed, survivor-centered recommendations regarding the prevention of stalking and effective public policy responses to stalking. Stalking is a crime under State law, but systemwide awareness, training, and coordination to prevent and respond to incidents of stalking remain uneven.
The commission will consist of 25 members from the Legislature, the Executive Branch, the Judiciary, and the public:
� From the Legislature:
o One member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate President;
o One member of the Senate, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
o One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly; and
o One member of the Assembly, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Assembly.
� From the Executive Branch and the Judiciary:
o The Attorney General, ex officio;
o The Commissioner of the Department of Education, ex officio;
o The Director of the Division on Women within the Department of Children and Families, ex officio;
o The Superintendent of the State Police, ex officio;
o The Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, ex officio; and
o The Executive Director of the Youth Justice Commission within the Department of Law and Public Safety, ex officio.
� From the public:
o A representative of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault;
o A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence;
o A representative of a county prosecutor's office;
o A representative of a law enforcement association;
o A representative of a disability advocacy organization;
o A defense attorney;
o A judge or retired jurist with family or criminal court experience;
o A youth justice or juvenile services professional;
o A mental health professional;
o A healthcare professional;
o A technology or cybersecurity expert;
o A researcher or academic specializing in gender-based violence or prevention; and
o Three survivors of stalking or stalking advocates.
To help streamline and organize its work, the commission will have four subcommittees: the Prevention and Public Awareness Subcommittee, the Law Enforcement and Justice Response Subcommittee, the Civil Remedies and Legal Protections Subcommittee, and the Executive Subcommittee.
The bill authorizes the commission to seek the advice of experts and requires the commission to issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature within 18 months of the commission's date of organization. The commission will expire upon the submission of its final report.
$93,500 is appropriated from the General Fund to the commission to effectuate the purposes of the commission. Up to $24,000 of the appropriation may be used to compensate members of the commission appointed as survivors of stalking or as stalking advocates for their work on the commission.
