This bill appropriates $2.5 million in supplemental funding from the General Fund to Salvation and Social Justice for its "Return and Restore" program. The funds will be administered by the Trenton Restorative Street Team (TRST), a community-based initiative that directly serves formerly incarcerated individuals in Trenton at risk of gang involvement or recidivism. Key provisions include providing comprehensive supportive services - such as outreach, counseling, and conflict mediation - through a team of trained workers, including former gang members and formerly incarcerated residents. The program aims to reduce gang-related activities, gun violence, and recidivism by addressing root causes in high-risk communities. This funding supplements existing state appropriations for the 2026 fiscal year and takes effect immediately.
This New Jersey bill updates protections for military personnel who are victims of sexual assault, child abuse, or neglect. It allows service members (including National Guard and Reserve members) to file for protective orders in any New Jersey court, regardless of where the incident occurred. The bill also removes fees for applicants, clarifies procedures for minors and victims with disabilities, and specifies that military protective orders can be used to initiate state court applications. It directly affects military victims and streamlines access to legal protections without requiring criminal charges first.
This bill clarifies New Jersey's definition of domestic violence to explicitly include the **attempt or conspiracy** to commit any of the 19 specific offenses listed (such as assault, kidnapping, sexual assault, or stalking). It directly affects victims of domestic violence and individuals facing charges related to these offenses, ensuring that threats or planning of such acts are legally recognized as domestic violence. The key change amends the statute to cover "attempt or conspiracy" alongside completed acts, resolving a prior court ruling that excluded attempted murder from the definition. This adjustment ensures the $100 domestic violence surcharge applies consistently to related offenses, as intended by the Legislature.
This New Jersey bill establishes the Domestic Violence Shelter Pet Grant Program within the Department of Human Services. It provides funding to domestic violence shelters so victims can keep their pets with them during shelter stays, covering costs for pet food, medication, supplies, and veterinary care. Shelters must apply for grants (capped at $50,000 each) with preference given to those housing more pets, using $1 million in state funds. The program directly affects domestic violence shelters and victims who own pets, enabling them to remain together during emergencies.
This bill increases the daily credit for incarceration toward unpaid court debts from $50 to $90 per day. It directly affects individuals who default on court-imposed financial obligations, including fines, fees, restitution, or child support payments. The key provision amends New Jersey law to provide greater credit for each day served in jail due to nonpayment, reducing the total amount owed more quickly. This change applies to cases where incarceration results from failure to pay court-ordered financial obligations.
This bill allows New Jersey municipal courts to issue restricted driving permits instead of full license suspensions for eligible drivers. It applies to people whose licenses are suspended (excluding those suspended for specific violations like certain traffic offenses under R.S.39:4-50), requiring courts to consider financial hardship and repeat offense risk before granting the permit. The permit would only allow driving for work or school commutes during specified hours, require a visible placard on the vehicle, and cost up to $100. It expires when the regular license is restored following the suspension period.
This bill allows county sheriffs to directly certify that law enforcement officers in their departments meet specific renewal criteria for their licenses. It affects officers employed by county sheriff's departments in New Jersey. The certification requires verifying the officer has good moral character (via background check), completed required training, has no disqualifying convictions (like domestic violence, DUIs, or hate crimes), is not affiliated with groups advocating violence or discrimination, and has no social media posts supporting bias. This changes the current process where chief law enforcement officers (not sheriffs) typically handled this certification.
This bill requires New Jersey's correctional facilities' Special Investigations Division to submit two types of reports to the Department of Corrections and facility administrators: (1) an executive summary of any inmate sexual abuse complaint within 48 hours of receipt, and (2) a monthly report by the 10th day summarizing all sexual assault investigations from the prior month, including status updates for ongoing cases. It directly affects correctional facilities and their investigations teams by mandating faster, more transparent reporting on inmate sexual abuse allegations. The key mechanism is establishing strict deadlines for both initial complaint summaries and monthly comprehensive updates to improve accountability. This procedural bill focuses on reporting requirements, not on changing penalties or creating new legal standards.
This bill establishes the New Jersey Forensic Science Planning Commission, a 23-member body to oversee and plan for the state's forensic science system. The commission includes diverse stakeholders such as crime lab directors, judges, defense attorneys, academic experts, wrongful conviction advocates, and forensic science professionals. It will develop standards and strategies for forensic laboratories and services, focusing on quality, accreditation, and addressing issues like cognitive bias. The commission is procedural in nature and does not change existing laws; it is pending before the Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
This bill increases the size of New Jersey's Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission from 13 to 17 members and expands its reporting requirements. The commission now includes additional public members appointed by legislative leaders and the governor, with specific instructions to seek diverse expertise in criminal justice fields. It must review sentencing laws to address racial and ethnic disparities throughout the criminal justice process - including policing, charging, and sentencing - and make recommendations on sentencing options, judicial discretion, and alternatives to incarceration. These changes directly affect the commission's structure and its role in shaping New Jersey's criminal justice policies.
