Expands purposes for which civil asset forfeiture funds may be used by law enforcement agency.
This bill expands the allowable uses of civil asset forfeiture funds (money from property seized in criminal cases) by New Jersey law enforcement agencies. It specifically adds community outreach, diversity training for officers, and minority recruitment programs to the list of permitted "law enforcement purposes." The bill codifies these additions to the existing definition, which already included crime prevention education, equipment purchases, and federal grant matching. These funds remain restricted to the law enforcement agency that contributed to the case that generated the forfeiture, and cannot be used for general budgetary purposes.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2022
Committee Review
Jun 2023
General Assembly Passage
Mar 2022
Senate Passage
Dec 2023
Signed into Law
Jan 2024
Introduced Jan 11, 2022
Signed Jan 8, 2024
Floor votes · General Assembly Mar 24, 2022
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
8
Key actions
5
Committee
3
Jan 8, 2024
Signed into law
Approved P.L.2023, c.228.
executive
Dec 11, 2023
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (32-0)
upper
Jun 12, 2023
Upper · Passed
Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
upper
May 12, 2022
Committee
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
upper
Mar 24, 2022
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (68-7-1)
lower
Mar 14, 2022
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
lower
Jan 11, 2022
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee
lower
4 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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