TRENTON, N.J. — Bipartisan legislation that would create a new crime of political violence and establish an independent review board advanced Monday after clearing the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Doug Steinhardt, R-23, and Sen. Brian Stack, D-33, would create a separate criminal offense for acts of violence motivated by a victim’s political affiliation or expression. The measure also calls for the creation of an independent review board to ensure investigations and prosecutions of political violence are handled in a fair and unbiased manner, and would establish a training mandate for law enforcement officials.
“This political violence bill protects everyone—Conservative, Liberal, and Independent,” Steinhardt said. “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.”
Stack said the legislation is aimed at protecting democratic participation and discouraging politically motivated threats and violence.
“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,” Stack said. “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.”
Under the bill, S-4934, political violence would be defined as committing, attempting to commit or conspiring to commit an underlying violent crime against a targeted individual or related victim — such as a family member or bystander — with the intent to interfere with or retaliate against the target because of political affiliation or expression.
