WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 3684

Makes various revisions to the Crime Victims' Bill of Rights.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Kristin Corrado and 2 co-sponsors

The bill strengthens crime victims’ rights by expanding their ability to communicate with prosecutors, be present in more proceedings, and receive faster incident reports and broad

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 3684

Summary of Bill S 3684 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Purpose and overall aim

Senate Bill 3684, as reported with amendments by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, makes a series of revisions to the Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights. The bill aims to strengthen and clarify crime victims’ rights within the state, ensuring broader access to information, participation in judicial processes, and support services. It aligns with the Victims’ Rights Amendment to the New Jersey Constitution (Article I, para. 22, enacted in 1991) by expanding how rights are realized through legislative and administrative actions.

Key provisions and changes

  • Plea negotiations and victim communication

    • Expands victims’ and witnesses’ right to communicate with the prosecuting authority about plea negotiations.
    • Victims may share any relevant perspective before plea negotiations begin and prior to their conclusion.
    • Requires the prosecutor to inform the court of the victim’s position on the plea, unless the victim affirms that they do not want the position conveyed.

  • Right to be present at proceedings

    • Broadens the right to be present to include not only judicial proceedings but also quasi-judicial proceedings involving crimes or offenses against the victim.
    • Applies to a wide range of forums: Superior Court, Family Court, municipal court, and any Administrative Procedure Act–related proceedings.

  • Court-facilitated communication safeguards

    • Allows courts to establish procedures to determine whether a victim had a meaningful opportunity to communicate with the prosecutor about a plea.
    • Includes review of whether the prosecutor made reasonable efforts to contact the victim when contact did not occur.

  • Access to incident reports (domestic violence and protective orders)

    • Requires law enforcement agencies to provide incident reports to the victim or the victim’s attorney within 24 hours, or as soon as practicable but no later than five days after a request, in cases involving pending domestic violence or protective order applications under the Victim’s Assistance and Survivor Protection Act.

  • Definition of “victim”

    • Expands the definition to include a parent or legal guardian acting on behalf of a minor victim.

  • Victim Witness and Advocacy Fund (VWA Fund) and grant eligibility

    • Clarifies that the Fund’s grants are for legal support services.
    • Removes enumerated organizations from grant-eligibility lists.
    • Expands eligibility to include service providers and county-based programs statewide that serve victims of violence.

Who is affected

  • Victims and witnesses in criminal cases (and juveniles) gain enhanced rights to communicate with prosecutors and to be present in more types of proceedings.
  • Court systems and prosecutors gain clearer statutory obligations to relay victim positions and ensure meaningful victim participation.
  • Law enforcement agencies must comply with faster reporting of incident reports in specific protective-order contexts.
  • Minor victims, through expanded definitions, and their guardians now receive broader recognition and access to rights.
  • Legal service providers and victim-support organizations may receive clearer funding parameters from the Victim Witness and Advocacy Fund.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill introduces procedural mechanisms for courts to assess victim consultation opportunities with prosecutors.
  • It imposes specific timelines for providing incident reports (within 24 hours to five days after request) in relevant cases.
  • Committee amendments made technical and clarifying changes to the bill’s language.

Status

  • Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee after reporting from Law and Public Safety.
  • Introduced and amended in 2026, with sponsors including Kristin Corrado, Linda Greenstein, and Angela McKnight.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.