New Jersey lawmakers move domestic violence bills

TRENTON – A New Jersey legislative committee has advanced bills designed to cut down on domestic violence.

Among the bills are measures that would require counseling for certain offenders and let domestic violence victims who are accused of crimes against their batterers to claim self-defense.

Some domestic violence victims who are in prison could be let out under certain conditions and alleged victims would be allowed to testify in court by closed-circuit television.

The bills were all approved unanimously Thursday by the Assembly Women and Children Committee and sent to the full Assembly.

They were scheduled for a vote before video surfaced of former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee in an Atlantic City casino. Lawmakers say the case makes the issue timely.