S 2146 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires prosecutors and courts to consider additional aggravating factors and habitual offender status in certain serious motor vehicle offense cases.

This bill (S 2146) requires New Jersey prosecutors and courts to evaluate drivers’ records for "habitual offender" status in serious traffic cases. It directly affects drivers convicted of offenses like driving while suspended, intoxicated driving, or reckless driving (listed in Section 1 of P.L.2004, c.95) who have three or more related convictions within three years. Key provisions mandate prosecutors to check driving records before sentencing, consider a pattern of traffic law violations as an aggravating factor, and consult victims if injury occurred before offering plea deals. The bill also expands the "habitual offender" definition to include any combination of listed offenses and shifts determination authority from the Motor Vehicle Commission to the court.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Paul Moriarty
Paul Moriarty
DDemocratic
NJ
4