TRENTON — The New Jersey Senate has approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Doug Steinhardt and Sen. Brian Stack that would create a new criminal offense for acts of political violence and require specialized training for law enforcement officers.
The measure, Senate Bill 1090, would establish the crime of political violence when a person commits, attempts to commit or conspires to commit a violent crime against an individual, a family member or another victim with the intent to interfere with or retaliate against a person because of that individual’s political affiliation or political expression.
Supporters of the legislation said the bill is intended to address politically motivated violence and intimidation while protecting participation in the democratic process.
“This political violence bill protects everyone—Conservative, Liberal, and Independent,” said Sen. Steinhardt, R-Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren. “No person should fear hate-fueled political violence for expressing their opinion, and anyone who resorts to such violence to silence that opinion will suffer the full weight of the law. Hate-fueled political violence hurts everyone and erodes the very principles on which our Republic was built.”
Steinhardt and Stack, a Democrat representing Hudson County, introduced the legislation on a bipartisan basis.
“I’m proud to stand with Doug on this critical legislation and will do everything I can to help move it through the legislative process,” said Sen. Stack. “Politically motivated violence is an attack on the foundation of our democracy. No one in this country should live in fear for speaking their mind, and elected officials must be able to govern free from threats, harassment, or attempts to silence them for their beliefs. This bill protects people’s rights to participate in our democracy freely and without fear. By imposing tougher penalties, we are making it clear: if you use violence to punish, deter, or silence a victim from engaging in political expression or participation, there will be consequences. Enough is enough; this kind of behavior has no place in a free society.”
In addition to creating the offense, the bill would require law enforcement training related to identifying and investigating politically motivated acts of violence.
The legislation now advances for further consideration in the state Legislature.
