A 5040 — Establishes Hope Card Program to provide victims of domestic violence with restraining order quick reference wallet card; makes appropriation.

A5040 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

Assemblywoman  KATIE BRENNAN District 32 (Hudson) Assemblywoman  MAUREEN ROWAN District 2 (Atlantic)  Assemblywoman   TENNILLE  R.   SYNOPSIS      Establishes Hope Card Program to provide victims of domestic violence with restraining order quick reference wallet card;

makesMCCOY appropriation. District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)   CURRENT  VERSION  OF  TEXTSYNOPSIS      AsEstablishes introduced.Hope Card Program to provide victims of domestic violence with restraining order quick reference wallet card;

makes appropriation.    CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee on September 10, 2026, with amendments.

(New section)section)  a.

(1) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall develop and implement the Hope Card Program in all Superior Courts of this State.  The program shall provide for the issuance of a Hope Card at no cost to any person protected by a final domestic violence restraining order.       1(a)1 The Hope Card shall be issued, upon request, as soon as practicable following entry of a final restraining order, which1[which shall not exceed 10 business days.days.  A parent or guardian with custody of a minor child protected by a final restraining order shall be entitled to receive a Hope Card for each protected child.] but no later than 10 business days after the request is received.

 A     parent(b)  orA guardianHope withCard custodymay ofidentify aall minorprotected childpersons protectedcovered by athe finalorder.  restrainingA orderparent shallor beguardian entitledwith tocustody receiveof a Hope Card for each protected child. child Theor Administrativechildren Officemay of the Courts shall develop and maintain methods to request a Hope Card throughidentifying its website and through printed forms available in all Superiorprotected Courts.persons.

     (2)(c)1  The HopeAdministrative CardOffice shallof notthe replaceCourts orshall supersededevelop a final domestic violence restraining order, and anymaintain personmethods investigatingto arequest report of domestic violence committed against a person who has been issued a Hope Card pursuantthrough toits thiswebsite sectionand shallthrough beprinted requiredforms toavailable verifyin theall informationSuperior containedCourts. on the Hope Card with the domestic violence central registry pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.421 (C.2C:25-34).  A Hope Card shall remain the property of the State.

     (3)1(d)  AThe Administrative Office of the Courts may satisfy the requirements of this section through an electronic application or other digital format through which a protected party may access information authorized by this section.1      (2) The Hope Card shall not replace or supersede a final domestic violence restraining order, and any person investigating a report of domestic violence committed against a person who has been issued a Hope Card pursuant to thethis programsection shall be arequired laminated,to durable,verify plastic,the wallet-sizedinformation cardcontained containing,on tothe Hope Card with the extentdomestic possible,violence essentialcentral informationregistry aboutpursuant theto finalsection restraining1 order,of suchP.L.1999, asc.421 (C.2C:25-34).  1[A Hope Card shall remain the courtproperty of issuance,the dateState.]1 of     issuance,(3) andA caseHope number;Card issued pursuant to the program shall 1[be] consist of either:

     (a)1 a laminated, durable, plastic, wallet-sized card 1[containing] ;

or      (b)   a secure electronic record accessible through a mobile device, website, application, or other technology as approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

     A Hope Card issued pursuant to this subsection shall contain1, to the extent possible, essential information about the final restraining order, such as the court of issuance, date of issuance, and case number;

and the names of all persons protected by the restraining order.  The Administrative Office of the Courts shall consult with the Attorney1[Attorney General, the Advisory Council on Domestic Violence, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police,Police,] State Domestic Violence Working Group1 and other knowledgeable persons or organizations as directed by the Administrative Director of the Courts, concerning the design of the Hope Card, which may be modified from time to time.

     b.  In addition to any other violation of law which may be charged, theft, defacement, alteration, or falsification of a Hope Card by the defendant subject to the restraining order shall be 1[a]1 contempt of court in the fourth degree pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection b.

In addition to any other violation of law which may be charged, theft, defacement, alteration, or falsification of a Hope Card by the defendant subject to the restraining order shall be a contempt of court in the fourth degree pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection b.

     c.c.  Upon the modification of the terms of a final restraining order, a person who has been issued a Hope Card may request 1[and]1 an updated Hope Card 1or electronic record1 pursuant to subsection a.

Uponof this section 1in accordance with procedures established by the modificationAdministrative Office of the termsCourts1.  Upon the dissolution of a final restraining order, a personHope whoCard hasissued beenpursuant issuedto athe Hoperestraining Cardorder mayshall request1[be returned to the issuing court within 10 business days] no longer be valid and updatedmay Hopeno Cardlonger pursuantbe torelied subsectionupon a.as evidence of an active restraining order1.

     d.  Notwithstanding the provisions of thissection section. 1 Uponof P.L.1999, c.421 (C.2C:25-34) concerning the dissolutionreceipt, use, dissemination, and disclosure of domestic violence central registry information, a finalperson restrainingwho order,has been issued a Hope Card issuedmay pursuantdisclose, toand a person who is presented with a Hope Card may use, the restraininginformation ordercontained shallon bethe returnedcard tofor any lawful purpose in furtherance of receiving or providing services for victims of domestic violence or for the issuingenforcement courtof withinthe businessrestraining days.order.  However, any person who receives information contained on a Hope Card shall take all reasonable measures to preserve confidentiality.

     d.e.  In addition to, and as part of, the domestic violence training required pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-20)1[,] :

Notwithstanding     (1)1 the provisionsAttorney ofGeneral section1[and 1 of P.L.1999, c.421 (C.2C:25-34) concerning the receipt,Administrative use,Director dissemination, and disclosure of domestic violence central registry information, a person who has been issued a Hope Card may disclose, and a person who is presented with a Hope Card may use, the informationCourts]1 containedshall onensure thethat cardall forlaw anyenforcement lawfulofficers purpose1[,] inand1 furtheranceprosecutors of1[,] receivingrequired orto providingreceive servicesdomestic forviolence victimstraining ofreceive domesticappropriate violencetraining orconcerning for the enforcementadministration of the restraining order.  However, any person who receives information contained on a Hope Card shallProgram; take all reasonable measures to preserve confidentiality.

and      e.(2) the Administrative Director of the Courts shall ensure that all1 judges1[,]1 and court personnel required to receive domestic violence training also receive appropriate training on the implementation of the Program.  1[The Supreme Court of New Jersey may adopt any Rules of Court necessary to implement and operate the Program.]1      f.  There is appropriated annually from the General Fund to the Judiciary such funds as shall be necessary for the implementation of this section, as certified by the Administrative Director of the Courts, and subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.

In addition to, and as part of, the domestic violence training required pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-20), the Attorney General and the Administrative Director of the Courts shall ensure that all law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and court personnel required to receive domestic violence training also receive appropriate training on the implementation of the Program.  The Supreme Court of New Jersey may adopt any Rules of Court necessary to implement and operate the Program.

     f.

There is appropriated annually from the General Fund to the Judiciary such funds as shall be necessary for the implementation of this section, as certified by the Administrative Director of the Courts, and subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.

    STATEMENT        This bill establishes the Hope Card Program in New Jersey.  Under the bill, a victim of domestic violence who obtains a final restraining order may request a Hope Card from the court at no cost.  The Hope Card is a laminated, durable, plastic, wallet-sized card containing essential information about the restraining order, such as the court of issuance, date of issuance, and case number;

the identifying information and characteristics of the defendant;

the terms of the restraining order, including any firearms restrictions;

and the names of all persons protected by the restraining order.       The Hope Card is intended to provide persons protected by a final restraining order with a convenient and portable means of carrying their restraining order information, which may be quickly and easily presented to law enforcement, if necessary.  Under the bill, a law enforcement officer presented with a Hope Card shall verify the information with the State’s domestic violence central registry as part of any domestic violence investigation.  The bill provides that a person who is issued a Hope Card is exempt from the confidentiality restrictions that would otherwise apply to information from the domestic violence central registry.  However, the bill requires any person who receives information contained on a Hope Card to take all reasonable measures to preserve confidentiality.  The bill provides that the Administrative Office of the Courts will develop both an online and a paper-based method to request a Hope Card.  The bill also provides that the Administrative Office of the Courts will consult with the Attorney General, the Advisory Council on Domestic Violence, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, and other knowledgeable persons or organizations concerning the design of the card.  The bill further requires the Attorney General and the Administrative Director of the Courts to provide training to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and court personnel on the implementation of the program.       The bill additionally provides that theft, defacement, or alteration of a Hope Card by the defendant subject to the restraining order is deemed a contempt of court in the fourth degree.  A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.

     Finally, the bill provides for an annual appropriation to the Judiciary for the implementation of the program.  According to information provided by the Virginia Supreme Court, the initial cost of the Virginia Hope Card Program was approximately $307,000.

     The Hope Card Program under this bill is modeled on similar programs now in effect in the states of Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington.