This bill requires all New Jersey state and county correctional facilities to offer hepatitis B and C blood testing to every new inmate at the start of their sentence. Inmates cannot be forced to take the test, but facilities must provide the option. The Commissioner of Corrections must create implementing rules within six months of the bill's enactment. This directly affects all individuals entering state or county correctional facilities by expanding access to preventative health screenings during incarceration.
This bill establishes a 17-member "Police Body Camera Implementation Task Force" to study and recommend best practices for body cameras used by law enforcement in New Jersey. The task force, including representatives from police unions, civil rights groups, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers, will examine implementation requirements and rules for accessing body camera recordings. It must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by December 30, 2021. The bill does not mandate body cameras but aims to inform future policy decisions affecting law enforcement agencies and public safety practices.
This bill eliminates the two-year time limit for filing civil lawsuits related to sexual assault or other sexual crimes against adults aged 18 or older. It allows victims to file lawsuits at any time, regardless of when the crime occurred. The law is retroactive, meaning it can revive civil cases previously dismissed solely because the statute of limitations had expired, but it does not apply to cases dismissed for other reasons or already finalized. It specifically affects civil claims, not criminal cases, and applies to all victims 18+ who were assaulted. The change takes effect immediately upon passage.
This bill requires New Jersey law enforcement agencies to collect and publicly report de-identified data on all "stops" (detentions based on articulable suspicion for on-the-spot investigation), including the reason, location, outcome, and officer-perceived race, ethnicity, gender, and age. The Attorney General must publish annual summaries of this aggregated data online, expanding current motor vehicle stop reporting to cover all stops. It also establishes a 12-member Racial and Identity Profiling Elimination Advisory Council - comprising law enforcement, community advocates, and experts - to analyze the data and issue annual recommendations for reducing profiling. The council’s report will be published online, aiming to improve transparency and inform policy changes.
This bill, S 3345, authorizes state funding to cover relocation expenses and safety costs for people who help police by testifying in court (including confidential informants). It directly affects cooperating witnesses who face threats due to their involvement in criminal cases. The bill adds specific protections to New Jersey’s Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights, guaranteeing these witnesses "protection from harm and threats of harm arising out of their cooperation" with law enforcement. Key mechanisms include requiring the Victims of Crime Compensation Office to fund relocation and safety measures, and explicitly listing safety protection as a right under the existing bill.
ACR 40 is a concurrent resolution urging the U.S. Congress to pass the "Alice Paul Voter Protection Act" (H.R. 1583), a proposed federal law. This resolution does not create new law but supports H.R. 1583, which would criminalize interfering with voter registration - such as preventing someone from registering or helping others register - with penalties including fines or up to five years in prison. It also requires the federal Election Assistance Commission to develop best practices for states to prevent such violations. The resolution honors suffrage leader Alice Paul, a New Jersey native whose work led to the 19th Amendment, though the resolution itself has no binding effect.
This bill imposes a 50% tax on gross receipts from contracts between private companies and public entities for operating carceral facilities in New Jersey (e.g., private jails or detention centers). It directly affects private businesses running such facilities, requiring them to pay the tax annually based on their prior year’s revenue from these contracts. All tax revenue must be deposited into a new "Immigrant Protection Fund," which the state will use exclusively to fund immigration-related services. The fund is non-lapsing, meaning money stays available for future appropriations without annual renewal.
This bill requires all members of New Jersey's county Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) to receive mandatory training on effectively interacting with victims who have developmental disabilities. It amends existing law by adding "interacting with victims who have developmental disabilities" as a required training topic within the standardized education program for SART members. The training will cover communication strategies and sensitivity to the unique needs of these victims, alongside other existing topics like trauma response and evidence handling. This change directly affects SART members - including nurses, advocates, and law enforcement - by expanding their required training curriculum under current protocols.
This New Jersey bill requires law enforcement officers (including state, county, municipal, and federal officers working under local agencies) to visibly identify themselves during public interactions. Officers must display their agency name (or common initials) and either their name or unique badge number on their uniform. The law prohibits wearing masks or disguises that conceal identity during routine public duties, except for specific exceptions like undercover operations, SWAT team safety gear, water rescues, extreme weather, fire protection, biohazard response, medical masks with physician approval, or face shields that don't cover the face. Violations are punishable as disorderly persons offenses with fines up to $1,000.
This New Jersey bill (A-598) ensures victims of sexual assault have the right to a rape care advocate during medical and legal processes. It requires law enforcement officers and medical providers to immediately notify designated rape crisis centers (county organizations under state contract) whenever a sexual offense is reported. Victims must be informed of their right to have an advocate present and consult with them before and during medical exams, police interviews, and legal proceedings. The bill directly affects all sexual assault victims 12+ in New Jersey, establishing clear notification protocols to support their access to counseling and advocacy.
