Bill > A2016

Introduced Session

The bill provides additional protections for elected public officials and members of their immediate family. Under current law, it is a disorderly persons offense to commit assault. However, when the assault is committed against enumerated persons, it is the crime of aggravated assault, a crime of the third degree. The bill adds elected public officials and the immediate family members of elected public officials to the enumerated list of persons who, when assaulted, constitutes the crime of aggravated assault. Further, the bill makes it a third degree crime to commit the crimes of stalking and harassment against an elected official or their immediate family. A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. The bill defines "immediate family member" as a spouse, domestic partner, partner in a civil union couple, parent, sibling, child, and stepchild, as related by blood or law. Upon the commission of the enumerated crimes of the bill, assault, harassment, or stalking against an elected public official or an immediate family member, the Superintendent of the State Police and the local police in the municipality in which the elected official or immediate family member reside are required to provide police protection to the elected official and the immediate family member of the elected official. The Superintendent of the State Police on a case-by-case basis determines the length of time that police provide protection to the elected public official and the immediate family member of the elected public official. The bill is being prepared in response to the recent assault committed against the husband of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Nancy Pelosi. The bill provides additional measures and protections to ensure the safety of elected public officials and their families.

Committee Categories

Gary Schaer (D)*,  Shanique Speight (D)*, 

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

Official Document