Garden State Times

A bill aimed at supporting victims of domestic violence has been signed into law by Senator Bucco. In a statement, Bucco emphasized the importance of the new legislation, stating, "Police records are a powerful tool that can be used to corroborate testimony in domestic violence cases and help survivors obtain restraining orders. This new law will increase the likelihood that perpetrators of domestic violence will be held accountable for their repulsive actions."

The key components of the bill, known as A-5285/S-3708, include provisions such as requiring law enforcement agencies to provide copies of investigatory records to domestic violence victims or their legal representatives upon request. Additionally, the law mandates that requested records must be provided within 10 calendar days of the victim's request and allows for the release of expunged records in certain circumstances related to domestic violence complaints.

For those interested in reading the full version of the bill that was signed into law, it is available online. To discuss the legislation further, individuals can reach out to Sen. Bucco's Deputy Director of Communications, Chris Sivel, at [email protected].