TRENTON: The New Jersey Family Policy Council (NJFPC) voiced its pleasure today as the Assembly Judiciary Committee passed unanimously the Jessica Lunsford Act on to a full vote in the Assembly. This bill A1719sponsored by the late Assemblyman Dr. Eric Munoz and now taken up by his widow,Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz has passed in 44 other states.

            Gregory Quinlan, Director of Government Affairs for New Jersey Family First (NJFF), the legislative action arm of NJFPC stated: “This has been a long time coming. Assemblyman Munoz introduced this bill 6 years ago and these protections are needed for our children.” In 2008 The New Jersey State Attorney General’s office reported that there are 11,445 convicted registered pedophiles in the Garden State.

            Through the ongoing efforts of Mr. Quinlan, co-sponsors of the bill increased from 9 to 50. “We have been dialoguing with Assemblymen/woman and Senators and have secured bi-partisan support to do the right thing and afford greater protections for the youngest citizens in the Garden State,our children,” continued Quinlan.

            “I am proud of the efforts of the NJFPC and NJFF on this issue,” stated Len Deo Founder and President of New Jersey Family Policy Council. “As part of our efforts to build strong families in the Garden State, we must recognize that part of that effort borders in the realm of protection from criminals who would do children harm,” Deo continued.

“There has been much talk about mandatory minimums in sentencing. While we support judicial discretion and understand that there may be mitigating circumstances that should be considered in sentencing, this law has to do with sex offenders who commit violent acts and are pre-disposed to repeat those horrendous acts upon release. These perpetrators who commit violent acts against a minor will receive a 25 year to life sentence with a minimum time served to be no less than 25 years,” Quinlan concluded.

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