Bill > A5475

Introduced Session

This bill revises training requirements concerning sexual assault cases for prosecutors and assistant prosecutors. Currently, the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety is required to develop or approve triennial in-service training for county prosecutors and assistant county prosecutors assigned sexual assault cases. This bill increases the frequency of the training to every two years. In addition to the current requirement that the curriculum include a component emphasizing the value of restorative justice, the bill also specifies that the curriculum is required to include: (1) a component on cultural competency, including an understanding of the intersectionality of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in sexual assault cases; (2) a module on emotional intelligence and counseling techniques designed to support victims of sexual assault and harassment, emphasizing empathetic communication and psychological support to ensure victims are treated with sensitivity throughout their contact with the prosecutor's office; and (3) a module on victim-centered approaches with a focus on trauma-informed care, victim safety, and the importance of maintaining victim autonomy throughout the victim's contact with the prosecutor's office. This includes strategies to minimize the re-traumatization of a victim and to ensure a victim's interests are acknowledged and respected. Under the bill, the division is required to review the training curriculum every year. Currently, the requirement is for a review every five years. The training course and curriculum are currently available in an on-line format; however, prosecutors are required to attend training in person every six years. The bill increases the frequency for prosecutors to train in-person to every two years. The bill also requires that Attorney General (AG) implement a system to evaluate compliance with the training requirements set forth in the bill, including a periodic audit of county prosecutors' offices. The bill also requires the AG to develop a mechanism to address noncompliance. Finally, the bill requires that the sexual assault unit within the division include a rape care advocate. Currently, the sexual assault unit includes a sexual assault investigator and a certified forensic sexual assault nurse examiner.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Tennille McCoy (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 03/20/2025)

Official Document