State senate passes injury compensation act updates

The New Jersey Senate has passed legislation sponsored by Senator Steven Oroho to update the “Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1971,” in order to ensure that crime victims or their surviving loved ones receive the compensation and support they deserve.
The 1971 law created an agency designed to award funds to victims to help them recover. As a result, the right to receive compensation became the first right legally provided to crime victims in New Jersey. The compensation is intended to cover costs such as counseling, funeral expenses, attorney fees, medical bills, and ongoing costs for rehabbing a catastrophic injury.
“We have a responsibility to help people who have been impacted by crime rebuild their lives. It’s in the best interest of our state to break the cycle of violence, by giving these families the resources they need to recover,” Oroho said. “This agency was established to help people secure funds to bury a loved one with dignity, pay for legal bills, or heal from an injury after a brutal attack. These are simple, humane requests the state should honor and process in a expedient manner.”
“It’s been nearly 50 years since the original law was enacted. I think it’s fair to say that an update is long overdue. I hope this legislation will help crime victims statewide get the justice and support they deserve,” Oroho added.
Senator Oroho’s bipartisan legislation updates the 1971 law to ensure the program is actually fulfilling its intended purpose, so that crime victims or their surviving loved ones can get the funds they need to recover and rebuild.