Establishes rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention and increases penalties for motor vehicle theft offenses; authorizes home detention for minors adjudicated delinquent for motor vehicle theft offenses; establishes Grants for Underage Auto-Theft Risk Deterrence Pilot Program in Juvenile Justice Commission; appropriates $7 million.

This New Jersey bill increases penalties for motor vehicle theft by elevating it to a second-degree crime (up from third-degree), establishes a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for those charged with such offenses, and authorizes home detention for minors convicted of motor vehicle theft instead of jail. It also creates a $7 million two-year pilot program through the Juvenile Justice Commission to provide at-risk youth with services including mental health care, substance use treatment, education support, and job training to prevent auto theft. The program will operate in counties with populations over 300,000, with service providers selected through a competitive process, and requires courts to hold hearings for minors arrested for motor vehicle theft within 48 hours.