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2 N.J. Lawmakers Push For New Stalker Tracking Bill

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – When restraining and no-contact orders don't suffice, how can stalking victims be protected?

As CBS2's Christine Sloan reported, two New Jersey lawmakers believe they have a solution.

One couple Sloan spoke with said their 23-year-old daughter went into hiding after being stalked by a stranger.

"She's had to leave her school, leave her friends, leave her home," Roger Kriete said.

CBS2 is withholding the daughter's name because she fears for her life.

The man they say stalked their daughter is twice her age.

"She was living at home, going to school, was working in a local store and a stranger came in and started following her," her mother, Ann Kriete, said.

The man allegedly stalked her for a year until he was arrested and charged. But as CBS2 reported, he will get out.

"There is continued fear that she is not going to be able to live her life without continually looking over her shoulder," Ann Kriete said.

The Krietes, who are OK with us using their names, testified before a committee in Trenton. They asked lawmakers to pass a bill allowing judges to force suspects convicted of a second stalking offense to wear electronic monitoring devices.

Each time the stalker is near, the victim would get an alert through their smartphone.

"That will allow her to reach safety and then she may contact the police," Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz said.

"It would be so tremendous for her to be able to feel that security. And for all of us, I don't feel safe," Ann Kriete said.

Attorney John Patti applauds the bill, but said there are constitutional concerns.

"It would be that someone has already paid for their crime and is still being punished by continuing to wear an ankle bracelet for an certain period of time that's been undefined as of yet," Patti said.

Co-sponsors of the bill say their legislation will pass because it has bi-partisan support.

However, Patti says even if it is signed into law, it could be overturned by the Supreme Court.

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