Criminal Justice

signed · New Jersey · Senate Jul 2, 2026

S 4406: Clarifies sentencing under certain circumstances.

This bill allows New Jersey courts to reduce sentences for first- or second-degree crimes when mitigating factors outweigh aggravating ones and justice requires it. Under the new rule, a judge could sentence a defendant to a term appropriate for a crime one degree lower than the one they were convicted of. Additionally, if a reduced or noncustodial sentence is given, there is a ten-day waiting period before the sentence becomes final, allowing the prosecution time to appeal. The legislation restores language previously removed by a 2025 law and applies retroactively to that earlier date.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allows sentence reductions based on mitigating factors, promoting judicial discretion and potential criminal justice reform.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 3946: Expands criminal and civil penalties for human trafficking, and expands human trafficking training requirements for law enforcement. *

This bill expands protections for victims of human trafficking and other sexual crimes by removing the statute of limitations for prosecuting these offenses. It establishes specialized human trafficking response teams and increases training requirements for professionals who may encounter trafficking situations. The legislation also appropriates $1 million to the Commission on Human Trafficking to support these initiatives. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to allow victims to testify via closed-circuit television in court to reduce trauma during legal proceedings.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens criminal justice by expanding human trafficking protections, removing statute of limitations, establishing response teams, and funding anti-trafficking initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 2565: Permits victims and witnesses of human trafficking to testify in criminal proceedings via closed circuit television; permits judge to make motion to seek closed circuit testimony.

This bill (S 2565) expands access to closed-circuit television testimony for victims and witnesses specifically in human trafficking cases. It allows courts to order such testimony after finding clear evidence that testifying in person would cause severe emotional distress, with safeguards ensuring the victim/witness testifies under oath, faces cross-examination, and their demeanor remains observable. The law permits victims, prosecutors, defendants, or judges to request this testimony, and includes special confidentiality rules for minors (under 18) regarding audio recordings of their testimony. This directly affects human trafficking victims and witnesses in New Jersey criminal trials, making it easier for them to participate without facing traumatic in-person courtroom settings.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enhances victim protection in criminal court proceedings for human trafficking cases, reducing trauma while maintaining judicial safeguards like cross-examination and sworn testimony.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 1270: Eliminates statute of limitations for human trafficking and criminal sexual contact prosecutions and eliminates statute of limitations for civil cases arising from human trafficking.*

This New Jersey bill eliminates time limits for prosecuting human trafficking crimes, allowing criminal charges to be filed at any time. For civil cases where victims sue traffickers, it extends the filing deadline to 10 years after the crime occurred, or until the victim turns 18 if they were a minor at the time, or two years after discovering the harm. The bill directly affects victims of human trafficking (who gain extended legal options) and individuals accused of trafficking offenses (who face no time limit for prosecution). It modifies existing laws to remove fixed time periods for both criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits related to human trafficking.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates statute of limitations for human trafficking prosecutions, extending victim access to justice and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 18, 2026

S 1090: Creates crime of political violence and establishes training requirement for law enforcement.*

This New Jersey bill (S 1090) creates a new criminal offense called "political violence" for committing specific crimes - such as assault, kidnapping, or homicide - intentionally to interfere with or retaliate against someone because of their political affiliation (e.g., party membership) or political expression (e.g., attending protests or donating to campaigns). It requires law enforcement to provide training on this offense and establishes an independent "Political Violence Review Board" to collect data on cases, analyze potential disparities in how cases are handled based on factors like race or political affiliation, and publish annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. The bill also mandates separate sentencing for political violence and the underlying crime, and prohibits defenses based on mistaken political affiliation. This directly affects individuals committing such acts, law enforcement agencies, and the judicial system in New Jersey.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates new offense for political violence with law enforcement training and independent review board, enhancing accountability and protecting civil rights in criminal justice system.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · New Jersey · Senate May 28, 2026

S 1279: Creates "Youth Detention Task Force."

S 1279 establishes a 25-member "Youth Detention Task Force" to assess New Jersey's current youth detention system and recommend a better approach. The task force will evaluate existing county facilities, Youth Justice Commission-managed sites, or alternatives, considering factors like safety, rehabilitation opportunities, resources, and security. It includes legislative members, state agency heads (like the Attorney General and Youth Justice Commission Director), and public representatives from counties with and without detention facilities. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its first meeting.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates task force to evaluate youth detention system with focus on rehabilitation opportunities and safety, directly advancing criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 3884: Requires expedited risk assessment and community notification for certain registered sex offenders who move to this State from another jurisdiction.*

This bill establishes faster notification procedures for sex offenders moving to New Jersey from other states. It requires individuals already registered as sex offenders in another jurisdiction to register in New Jersey if they enroll in state educational institutions or work in the state for more than 14 consecutive days or over 30 days in a calendar year. The legislation defines specific sex offenses that trigger registration requirements and sets a 120-day deadline for new registrants to complete the process. Failure to register as required would result in a third-degree criminal charge.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens sex offender registration requirements, enhancing public safety and law enforcement oversight of offenders moving to the state.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 1288: Concerns "Sexual Violence Restorative Justice Pilot Program."

This bill establishes a three-year "Sexual Violence Restorative Justice Pilot Program" in New Jersey, administered by the Attorney General through the Division of Violence and Victim Assistance. The program offers voluntary, trauma-informed restorative justice services to survivors of sexual violence (including those who haven’t reported to police), allowing them to participate in healing-focused processes like facilitated conferences or sharing circles. Key provisions include strict confidentiality protections for all communications (preventing use in court proceedings unless waived), removal of requirements to serve only specific counties (expanding statewide access), and a requirement for the Attorney General to evaluate the program and recommend next steps after completion. It directly affects survivors and accused individuals who choose to participate, with no mandatory involvement for either party.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes restorative justice program for sexual violence survivors, promoting victim-centered reform and aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like trauma-informed approaches.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 1291: Expands "Daniel's Law" to prohibit disclosure of personal identifying information of victim support advocates and victim support care providers.

This bill expands New Jersey's "Daniel's Law" to protect victim support advocates and victim support care providers by prohibiting the online disclosure of their home addresses and unpublished phone numbers. It creates a process where authorized representatives (like family members or legal agents) can request removal of this personal information from the internet. Violating this prohibition could result in criminal charges, ranging from a fourth-degree crime for reckless disclosure to a third-degree crime for intentional violations. The law directly affects professionals working with crime victims who face safety risks from public exposure of their personal contact details.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands victim support privacy protections under Daniel's Law, enhancing safety for advocates within criminal justice system, aligning with civil rights protection.92% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill prohibits online disclosure of personal info for victim support providers, strengthening data privacy protections in digital spaces.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 1835: Reallocates fines incurred for violations of "Antwan's Law" to local municipality for pedestrian safety and law enforcement purposes.

This bill redirects fines for speeding violations under "Antwan's Law" in specific Burlington City zones (Route 130) to local municipalities. Currently, these tripled fines go to general municipal funds and county road funds, but this bill requires all such fines to be paid directly into the municipality's treasury. The funds must be used exclusively for pedestrian safety initiatives and law enforcement purposes within the municipality. It affects drivers who speed in the designated Burlington City areas covered by Antwan's Law, which reduces speed limits to 25-35 mph near schools and residential zones following a pedestrian fatality.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing traffic fines to fund pedestrian safety and law enforcement, supporting specific public safety programs within municipal budget allocation.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRedirects traffic fines to fund law enforcement and pedestrian safety, directly supporting criminal justice system funding priorities.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRedirects speeding fines to pedestrian safety initiatives, directly enhancing transportation safety infrastructure per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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