News & Releases

NEWARK – Senator Joseph F. Vitale will attend a candlelight vigil this Saturday night in Newark in support of clergy sex abuse victims, and legislation he sponsored to remove a charitable organization’s immunity from lawsuits when they act negligently and put children at risk for sexual molestation.

“This vigil is a grassroots call for justice in New Jersey,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “For too long, irresponsible charitable organizations have hid behind the shield of charitable immunity while the organizations’ policies have continually put kids in harm’s way, exposing them to dangerous sexual predators because the charity opted not to do what’s right. I am proud to stand with those seeking justice and demand a better standard in the Garden State.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would amend and expand the duties and powers of the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) to facilitate greater scrutiny of New Jersey State government was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a unanimous vote.

“Reports of unethical behavior in New Jersey government have always been a blight on the record of good work that government officials do on behalf of New Jersey citizens every day,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “The SCI exists as a police organization to keep government an institution ‘for the people,’ instead of allowing it to degenerate into an institution for themselves. If we are going to rid ourselves from the blight of corruption on New Jersey government, we have to give the SCI greater and broader authority to keep government honest.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would amend the State’s charitable immunity clause to allow sexual assault victims to sue charitable organizations when the organization negligently hired or retained in their employment a sexual predator, will be considered on Monday by the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

“When an organization threatens a child’s physical safety or psychological welfare by placing the child in an unsafe environment, that organization must be held liable,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “For too long, charitable groups have shrugged off their responsibility under charitable immunity edicts to ensure child safety, and in the meantime, they’ve harbored vicious sexual predators who have done so much damage to their victims. We need to have a higher standard when the safety of our kids is at risk.”