Bill > A2277

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to release domestic violence central registry records to certain health care practitioners. Under current law, the AOC is required to maintain a central registry of all persons who have had domestic violence restraining orders entered against them, all persons who have been charged with a crime or offense involving domestic violence, and all persons who have been charged with a violation of a court order involving domestic violence. All records maintained pursuant to the registry are to be kept confidential and are only to be released to the following:· A public agency authorized to investigate a report of domestic violence;· A police or other law enforcement agency investigating a report of domestic violence or conducting certain background investigations; · A court, upon finding that access to the records may be necessary for determining an issue before the court; · A surrogate, in the surrogate's official capacity as deputy clerk of the superior court, in order to prepare documents that may be necessary for a court to determine an issue in an adoption proceeding; or· The Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families when the division is conducting certain background investigations. A person who is authorized to receive the records, but discloses or disseminates them for a purpose other than the purpose for which the records were received is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Under the bill, the records maintained in the central registry also are to be released to any individual who is licensed in the State of New Jersey to practice psychology, psychiatry, medicine, nursing, clinical social work, or marriage and family therapy, whether or not compensation is received or expected, who has incurred the statutory duty to warn and protect a patient who is a potential victim of violence.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Yvonne Lopez (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*,  Lisa Swain (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document