Charlie Kirk murder spurs first-in-the-nation state political violence hate crime legislation

In a Friday interview shortly after announcing the legislation, state Sen. Doug Steinhardt, R-Belvidere, told Fox News Digital the bill has support from at least one major Democrat; portending potential good political fortunes.

Steinhardt's bill, to be introduced when the session returns from recess, has the support of state Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Brian Stack, D-Union City, who is also mayor of that New York City suburb.

"No person should fear hate-fueled political violence for expressing their opinion, and anyone who resorts to such violence to silence that opinion will suffer the full weight of the law," Steinhardt said.

He noted that West Virginia, the District of Columbia and Iowa have references to politics in terms of bias-fueled violence but that New Jersey would be the first to unconditionally categorize violence like Kirk's murder as a hate crime.

Sussex County Commission Director Chris Carney was also recorded as a supporter of the bill.

In a separate statement, Steinhardt credited Carney, who leads the rural county at the Garden State's northwestern tip often dubbed "The Skylands," for offering "leadership and foresight" in formulating the bill.

"Like a lot of things in life, there's some predicate act that prompts all of us to speak up and act, and I think taking steps toward calling political violence what it is was long overdue," Steinhardt told Fox News Digital during his interview.

He said the bill does not create a new category of crime but provides enhanced hate-crime penalties for crimes committed to "punish or silence" someone from engaging in politics or expressing their personal views.

Steinhardt lamented that American political discourse has devolved to a point where someone as physically peaceful as Kirk could be murdered for simply expressing interest in discourse and debate.

In separate comments on Kirk's murder, state Sen. Joe Pennacchio called the activist a "warrior" who "fought for the principles he believed in, such as traditional American values and politics, but especially his faith."

"As a warrior, his weapon of choice was the 'word.' Our foundation as human beings is built upon and expressed by words," said Pennacchio, R-Morristown.

He echoed Steinhardt's call for civility, adding in a statement that "demonizing someone with words has proven to be as lethal as any other weapon man has known.

"To those who choose to do so, stop."

Fox News Digital reached out to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy about whether he would support Steinhardt's legislation.