A New Jersey bill aimed at improving communication between courts and parole officials in domestic violence cases passed the Assembly without a single opposing vote.
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey lawmakers have unanimously approved legislation requiring prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to notify the State Parole Board when a parolee is charged with violating a domestic violence restraining order.
Assembly Bill A2240 cleared the Assembly on June 11 by a 78-0 vote, with two members not voting. The measure previously received unanimous support in both the Assembly Judiciary Committee and Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Key Points
• A2240 requires notification to the State Parole Board when a parolee is charged with violating a domestic violence restraining order.
• The bill creates new procedures linking parole supervision records with New Jersey’s domestic violence central registry.
• The legislation passed the Assembly 78-0 after receiving unanimous committee approval.
Current New Jersey law requires the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to maintain a domestic violence central registry containing information on individuals subject to restraining orders and domestic violence-related charges.
However, lawmakers said existing law does not establish a formal process to notify parole officials when a parolee is charged with violating a restraining order.
New Data-Sharing System Required
Under the legislation, the State Parole Board would be required to notify the Administrative Office of the Courts when a person listed in the domestic violence registry is serving a term of parole supervision.
The AOC would then update the registry to reflect that status.
The bill also directs the AOC and State Parole Board to develop a data-sharing system within one year of the law taking effect to facilitate the exchange of information.
Additional Oversight for Domestic Violence Cases
To improve monitoring, the bill authorizes the State Parole Board to access the domestic violence central registry to determine whether a parolee is the subject of a restraining order or has been charged with violating one.
The legislation further requires the parole board to notify the courts when a parolee’s supervision ends.
In addition, parole reports prepared before an inmate becomes eligible for parole would be required to indicate whether the individual is subject to a domestic violence restraining order.
Parole Conditions Could Reflect Court Orders
If a restraining order is in effect, the bill authorizes the State Parole Board to impose parole conditions that mirror the terms of the court order.
Supporters say the measure is intended to strengthen communication between agencies and help ensure parole supervision aligns with existing domestic violence protections.
Fiscal Impact Expected
The Office of Legislative Services said the bill will likely result in a one-time increase in state expenditures tied primarily to the development of the required data-sharing system.
According to the fiscal analysis, both the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board could face technology and implementation costs, though the exact amount could not be determined.