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support advocates and victim support care providers by prohibiting the online disclosure of their home addresses and unpublished phone numbers.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 requires individuals or entities sharing such information online to remove it upon written notice from an authorized person (like a family member or legal representative). The law imposes criminal penalties for reckless or intentional violations but exempts news media from liability for past publications or directory listings where protection was requested. This directly affects victim support professionals by enhancing their privacy protections against online harassment risks.
This bill requires New Jersey law enforcement officers to follow specific procedures when a parent or guardian requests child removal from a home where illegal drugs are suspected to be used near the child. Officers must secure and remove the drugs as evidence, immediately refer the request to child protective services, ensure a prompt investigation, and coordinate with investigators. It directly affects children at risk of exposure to drug use, parents/guardians seeking protection, and law enforcement responding to such requests. The bill takes effect immediately and mandates coordination with the State Central Registry for child abuse/neglect investigations.
This bill requires New Jersey's Law Revision Commission to specifically identify statutes containing racially discriminatory language as part of its ongoing review of state laws. The Commission, already tasked with examining statutes for defects, redundancies, and outdated language, must now add racial discrimination to its review criteria. It will propose amendments or repeals for such statutes to the Legislature. This change directly affects the Commission's existing duties under state law, aiming to update the legal code to align with current standards of equality.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Corrections (DOC) to offer reunification therapy sessions to inmates scheduled for release within six months, and to inform those with nine months until release about this option. The therapy sessions must involve the inmate participating virtually while immediate family members attend in person at approved locations like mental health provider offices or nonprofit reentry centers. If family members decline to participate, the DOC must still provide individual counseling to the inmate. The bill also mandates DOC to seek supplemental funding from private or federal sources and provide inmates with information about post-release support programs.
This bill (A 1817) changes penalties for underage gambling in New Jersey from criminal charges to civil fines. It affects minors who gamble (under 21), casino employees who allow it, and adults responsible for minors who gamble. Instead of facing criminal penalties (like a "disorderly persons offense"), offenders now face civil fines: up to $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $2,000 for third or subsequent offenses. All collected fines will be deposited into Atlantic City’s public safety services trust fund, to be used solely for public safety services. The change moves the issue from criminal to civil enforcement while directing funds to local public safety.
This bill (A-582) upgrades penalties for recruiting individuals into criminal street gangs in New Jersey. It makes gang recruitment a crime with escalating penalties: a fourth-degree offense for general recruitment, third-degree for threatening victims twice in 30 days, and second-degree for causing significant injury or recruiting minors (with a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence for general offenses and 7 years for recruiting those under 18). The law also establishes accomplice liability for recruiters and requires consecutive sentencing for those violating these provisions while in official detention. It directly affects individuals who recruit others into gangs, particularly targeting minors and actions occurring on school property.
This New Jersey bill expands the definition of "burglar's tools" to include devices or software designed to bypass keyless locking mechanisms (like smart locks or digital keypads). It makes manufacturing, possessing, or publishing instructions for such tools a crime: manufacturing or publishing is a fourth-degree offense (up to 18 months jail or $10,000 fine), while mere possession is a lesser disorderly persons offense (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine). The law directly affects individuals who create, distribute, or possess tools specifically adapted to access premises without physical keys. It targets modern security vulnerabilities without altering existing burglary statutes for traditional methods. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
This bill makes it a crime to refuse to provide valid identification or true identity to law enforcement upon request, if the purpose is to hinder arrest or prosecution. It directly affects individuals who withhold ID during police interaction, particularly in cases involving motor vehicle accidents, insurance fraud, or other serious offenses. Penalties range from a fourth-degree crime (for less serious underlying offenses) to a third-degree crime carrying a mandatory minimum one-year prison term for severe cases like fatal hit-and-runs. The law aligns refusal to provide ID with existing penalties for giving false information to police.
This bill upgrades simple assault against crossing guards or parking enforcement officers to aggravated assault under New Jersey law. If someone commits a simple assault (like causing bodily injury) while the victim is clearly identifiable as performing their duties - such as wearing a uniform or working in their official capacity - the offense is classified as aggravated assault. This change means these specific assaults will now be treated as more serious crimes, potentially leading to harsher penalties under the state's criminal code. The bill specifically adds "parking enforcement officer" and "crossing guard" to the list of protected individuals in the aggravated assault statute.
This bill would prevent individuals incarcerated in New Jersey state or county facilities from receiving Medicaid, Work First New Jersey, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. It requires the Department of Human Services to obtain monthly updates on incarcerated individuals from correctional facilities and courts, then compare these lists to benefit enrollment data. If someone is identified as incarcerated, their benefits would be immediately suspended. The bill directly affects people currently held in custody, removing their eligibility for these programs.
