New Jersey lawmakers are overhauling their harassment policies for the first time in nearly a decade, mandating training for legislators and staff and creating a process by which complaints can be made public.

The update, which also addresses discrimination, comes about a year after the start of the #MeToo movement, which has revealed how mostly men have abused their power and committed sexual misconduct in a wide range of fields.

It also follows a nationwide analysis by The Associated Press earlier this year that found New Jersey’s existing policy, dating to 2009, is among the weakest in the country.

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, announced the new policy for his chamber and affiliated staff last week, hailing it as “the most rigorous policy possible.” The full Assembly is expected to adopt it during a Thursday voting session.

Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, has said the Senate is working on a similar update that will be released soon.

On Monday, a separate measure, A-3312, started moving through the Legislature. It would write into law that the Legislature must maintain a harassment policy that includes mandatory training.

“We want to do it by statute to make sure those who come behind us don’t ignore this,” Assemblywoman Carol Murphy, D-Burlington, a prime sponsor, said after an Assembly committee unanimously approved the bill. “This has to be a continuous part of our governing.”

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Also Monday, a half-dozen Democratic lawmakers convened in a Statehouse courtyard as part of a national #BelieveSurvivors walkout meant to show solidarity with Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez, two women who have publicly accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct.

Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, whose call for an investigation into potential child sex abuse by leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in New Jersey was recently heeded by the Attorney General's Office, also used the occasion to renew calls for extending the civil statute of limitations for child sex assault beyond two years — a change he says would remove a barrier to justice for many victims.

Need for reform

Since the beginning of 2017, at least 30 lawmakers across the country have resigned or been kicked out of office after allegations of sexual misconduct, according to a tally by the AP. The tally does not include any New Jersey lawmakers.

The AP also filed a public records request seeking information on the number of sexual misconduct or harassment complaints in the New Jersey Legislature. The request did not turn up any records, although officials said that even if there were records, they could be exempt from disclosure.

The new policy announced by Coughlin last week sets out to bar discrimination in a number of categories, including race, sex and nationality, and says it aims to make the Legislature a place of "civility and mutual respect."

Other changes include specific examples of prohibited conduct. For instance, the new policy bars unwanted sexual contact or using slurs or derogatory language toward any of the groups protected by the policy.

The policy also spells out a pathway for so-called final determination letters to become public under the state's Open Public Records Act. Under the previous policy, such letters were deemed not covered by transparency law.

The new policy says that if the person complaining of a violation under the policy agrees to it, such documents can be released 30 days after the letter is issued or legal proceedings end, whichever is later.

Another change is the sped-up time frame for issuing a final determination, from 120 days to 60 days.

The policy spells out that complaints are to be filed with any of a handful of "intake officers." An investigation is then to take place.

This article contains material from The Associated Press.

Email: pugliese@northjersey.com