Committee adopts substitute for $15 million electronic‑monitoring pilot for high‑risk cases

The committee adopted a substitute and advanced Assembly Bill 375, which would establish a three‑year pilot in Middlesex, Monmouth and Union counties for electronic monitoring of certain defendants charged with or convicted of specified serious offenses. The substitute narrows the original proposal, requires victim informed consent, and includes a $15,000,000 appropriation to fund the pilot.

Calandra Ortiz Resende of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence testified that while electronic monitoring may be beneficial in some cases, the bill’s broad scope and fee structure raised concerns; she urged investment in training for law enforcement, advocates and expanded support services instead of primarily funding monitoring. “Domestic violence survivors are not being taken seriously and restraining orders are already being as good as a piece of paper. It’s time to believe survivors,” Ortiz Resende said.

Linda J. Wiles, a trauma therapist and vice president of In His Image Justice Coalition, described clinical experiences where supervised monitoring could improve survivor safety during vulnerable periods between temporary and final restraining orders. Carol Gable, founder of a New Brunswick crisis center and a survivor, urged the committee to treat the program as victim‑centered, noting the substitute includes judicial oversight and waivers for defendants who cannot afford fees. Gable said the measure is fully funded with a $15,000,000 appropriation, with $12,000,000 to the crime‑victim notification fund and $3,000,000 to support victims through the domestic violence victims fund.

After testimony and questions, the committee adopted the substitute and released the bill for further legislative processing.