Requires court to provide certain defendants with referral for mental health and substance abuse evaluation.

This New Jersey bill (A 1804) requires courts to refer certain defendants to mental health and substance abuse evaluations as part of pretrial release decisions. It directly affects eligible defendants who are being considered for release before trial but have potential mental health or substance use needs. The key provision mandates that courts must provide these referrals when determining release conditions, ensuring defendants have access to treatment as part of their pretrial supervision. The bill amends existing pretrial release laws (P.L.2014, c.31) to integrate these evaluations into the court's decision-making process. This policy change focuses on connecting defendants with treatment resources while maintaining court safety and appearance requirements.