SENATE, No. 1484

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 13, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  LORETTA WEINBERG

District 37 (Bergen)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Amends "Law Against Discrimination" to include crime victims as protected status.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


An Actconcerning victims of crime and amending P.L.1945, c.169. 

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Section 4 of P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-4) is amended to read as follows:

     4.    a. All persons shall have the opportunity to obtain employment, and to obtain all the accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of any place of public accommodation, publicly assisted housing accommodation, and other real property without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, disability, liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, nationality, sex, gender identity or expression [or], source of lawful income used for rental or mortgage payments, or crime victim status subject only to conditions and limitations applicable alike to all persons.  This opportunity is recognized as and declared to be a civil right.

     b.    For the purposes of this section, "crime victim status" shall include a victim as defined in section 4 of P.L.1985, c.249 (C.52:4B-37) and a victim of domestic violence as defined in subsection d. of section 3 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-19).

(cf: P.L.2017, c.184, s.1)

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill adds crime victim as a protected status under this State's "Law Against Discrimination."

     As defined under the bill, "crime victim status"  includes a victim defined in the Crime Victim's Bill of Rights as: 1) a person who suffers personal, physical, or psychological injury or death or incurs loss of or injury to personal or real property as a result of a crime committed by an adult, or an act of delinquency that would constitute a crime if committed by an adult, against that person; and 2) a spouse, parent, legal guardian, grandparent, child, sibling, domestic partner or civil union partner of the decedent in the case of a criminal homicide or act of juvenile delinquency that would constitute a criminal homicide if committed by an adult.  The term also includes a victim defined in the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," as: 1) a person protected under the act who is 18 years of age or older or who is an emancipated minor and who has been subjected to domestic violence by a spouse, former spouse, or any other person who is a present household member or was at any time a household member; 2) any person, regardless of age, who has been subjected to domestic violence by a person with whom the victim has a child in common, or with whom the victim anticipates having a child in common, if one of the parties is pregnant; and 3) any person who has been subjected to domestic violence by a person with whom the victim has had a dating relationship.

     Discrimination in the workplace and in public and private housing has become an additional burden crime victims bear as a result of their victimization.  Victims of homicide, sexual offenses, and domestic violence who are required to cooperate with law enforcement in prosecuting the defendant often experience adverse employment treatment, including termination.  Victims also have been subject to eviction when a landlord discovers they have been involved in a violent crime.