LEGISLATION TO TOUGHEN RULES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INTRODUCED

Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo has introduced legislation that would toughen the punishment for individuals convicted of committing a domestic violence offense in front of a child younger than 16 years of age. The bill makes a domestic violence offense committed in the presence of a child under 16 years of age an aggravating factor. An aggravating factor is any fact or circumstance that increases the severity or culpability of a criminal act. A court will consider the aggravating factors in a case when determining the appropriate sentence for a person who has been convicted of an offense. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.