TRENTON, N.J. — After assaults on transit employees more than tripled in each of the last two years, New Jersey has enacted a law that increases penalties for such attacks.
New Jersey 101.5 FM reports the Motorbus and Passenger Rail Service Employee Violence Prevention Act will make attacks on NJ Transit workers at least third-degree aggravated assault, and allows offenders to be banned from the transit system for at least year. If a deadly weapon is involved, they can be banned for life.
“You know it’s one thing if somebody has a temper issue verbally, but when it actually gets to physical assault or spitting, we wanted to get more teeth in that, so there would be more serious consequences,” NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett told the broadcaster.
The new law came after 158 assaults were reported in 2020 and 183 in 2021. It took effect in January.
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