For Every Person, for Every Family —
Protection Under the Law from the
Psychological Abuse of Undue Influence and Predatory Alienation

SENATE, No. 2562
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

Sponsored by:
Senator  LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator  GERALD CARDINALE
District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS
     Requires DCF and DHS to study predatory alienation and its effects on young adults and senior citizens.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
     As introduced.
  
An Act requiring the Departments of Children and Families and Human Services to jointly study predatory alienation and its effects on young adults and senior citizens.

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.  a.  The Departments of Children and Families and Human Services shall conduct a joint study and make recommendations concerning predatory alienation and its effects on young adults and senior citizens.  The study shall examine:
     (1) how online predators, human traffickers, con artists, gangs, cults, and other groups use predatory alienation to isolate young adults and senior citizens from their family and friends;
     (2) the grooming practices used to target and control young adults;
     (3) the high pressure tactics used in scams and exploitative relationships to manipulate, control, and take advantage of senior citizens;
     (4) why young adults and senior citizens are vulnerable to predatory alienation;
     (5) what young adults and senior citizens can do to protect themselves from predatory alienation; and
     (6) any other information relative to the subject matter of the study.
     b.  As used in the section, “predatory alienation” means a person’s extreme undue influence on, or coercive persuasion or psychologically damaging manipulation of, another person that results in physical or emotional harm or the loss of financial assets, disrupts a parent-child relationship, leads to a deceptive or exploitative relationship, or isolates the person from family and friends.

     2.  A report on the joint study’s findings and recommendations shall be submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of the P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than six months after the effective date of this act. 

     3.  This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire on the 30th day after the Departments of Children and Families and Human Services jointly submit the report as prescribed in section 2 of this act.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires the Departments of Children and Families and Human Services to conduct a joint study and make recommendations concerning predatory alienation and its effects on young adults and senior citizens.
     As used in the bill, “predatory alienation” means a person’s extreme undue influence on, or coercive persuasion or psychologically damaging manipulation of, another person that results in physical or emotional harm or the loss of financial assets, disrupts a parent-child relationship, leads to a deceptive or exploitative relationship, or isolates the person from family and friends.
     The study would examine: how online predators, human traffickers, con artists, gangs, cults, and other groups use predatory alienation to isolate young adults and senior citizens from their family and friends;  the grooming practices used to target and control young adults; the high pressure tactics used in scams and exploitative relationships to manipulate, control, and take advantage of senior citizens; why young adults and senior citizens are vulnerable to predatory alienation; what young adults and senior citizens can do to protect themselves from predatory alienation; and any other information relative to the subject matter of the study.
     A report on the joint study’s findings and recommendations would be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature within six months of the effective date of the bill.