ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2143

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 11, 2009

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2143.

      Under current law, a conviction for stalking operates as an application for a permanent restraining order limiting the contact of the defendant and the victim. This bill would provide that, in addition to the restraints that a stalking victim may currently obtain, the court may also order that the defendant be restrained from communicating to the victim by email sent via the Internet.  Specifically, this bill amends N.J.S.A.2C:12-10.1 to expand the list of prohibited contact to include emails via the Internet.

      The bill would take effect on the 60th day following enactment.