This bill amends New Jersey's existing cannabis employment protections to specifically allow law enforcement agencies to prohibit recreational cannabis use by officers. It directly affects law enforcement officers, exempting them from the general rule that protects most employees from employment actions based on off-duty cannabis use. The key mechanism permits agencies to discipline officers for using cannabis during work hours, being impaired while working, or following work-related accidents - consistent with existing drug testing policies for impaired performance. This change aligns law enforcement workplace rules with other public safety professions while maintaining broader cannabis use protections for non-law enforcement employees.
ACR 93 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require all tax revenue from New Jersey's legal recreational marijuana sales to be dedicated exclusively to mental health, addiction recovery, and drug rehabilitation services. If approved by voters, this amendment would mandate that funds collected under the state's marijuana sales tax (per the Sales and Use Tax Act) must be used solely for these specific services and cannot be diverted to other state budget needs. The amendment would become part of the state constitution only after voter approval in a general election.
This bill establishes a 500-foot drug-free zone around licensed child care centers in New Jersey, prohibiting the distribution, possession, or dispensing of controlled dangerous substances within that area. It directly affects individuals who sell or distribute drugs near these centers, with violations classified as a third-degree crime carrying mandatory minimum prison terms (one-third to one-half of the sentence, or one year for small marijuana amounts, or three years for other drugs). Key provisions require courts to impose parole ineligibility during these minimum terms, though judges may reduce penalties if children weren't present, violence wasn't involved, or the offense occurred outside school hours. The law also includes an affirmative defense for offenses entirely within private residences with no minors present and no profit motive. The bill is currently pending before the Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee.
This bill establishes a New Jersey Community Learning Program within the Department of Education to fund comprehensive after-school programs in specific "impact districts" - communities with high historical rates of cannabis-related arrests, poverty, and unemployment. It directly affects school districts in these designated areas, requiring them to create after-school programs offering academic support and enrichment during non-school hours. The program will be funded entirely by dedicating a portion of New Jersey’s cannabis tax revenue to a new "Community Learning Assistance Fund," with funds distributed annually to impact districts to cover all program costs. Districts must submit detailed program plans for approval by the Education Commissioner before implementation, and funding is contingent on annual state appropriations from the cannabis revenue fund.
S 2886 revises New Jersey's Work First New Jersey program to allow individuals convicted of drug-related offenses (involving possession, use, or distribution of controlled substances) to qualify for general assistance benefits if they enroll in or complete a licensed drug treatment program. Previously ineligible individuals can now access benefits through treatment participation, with exceptions if no program is available or for approved "good cause" excuses. Benefits are paid directly to the treatment provider during participation and to the individual after completion, requiring drug testing for 60 days post-treatment (except for prescribed medications). This change applies to those convicted on or after August 22, 1996, under state or federal law.
S 2271, "CJ's Law," amends New Jersey's controlled substances law to criminalize the manufacture and distribution of substances containing kratom under specific circumstances. This bill directly affects kratom businesses, distributors, and retailers by making these activities illegal under state law. The key mechanism adds kratom to the definition of "controlled dangerous substances" in N.J.S. 2C:35-2, treating it like other illegal drugs, while explicitly excluding hemp and cannabis products regulated under separate state laws. The law does not change existing legal status for hemp or cannabis products under the New Jersey Hemp Farming Act or Cannabis Regulatory Act.
This bill legalizes personal cultivation and possession of marijuana plants for adults aged 21 or older in New Jersey. It allows individuals to grow and possess up to six marijuana plants for recreational use (with a maximum of 12 plants per household), and qualifying medical patients or their designated caregivers to grow and possess up to 10 plants for medical use (also capped at 12 plants per household). The bill amends criminal law to remove penalties for these specific amounts, making such activity not a crime, offense, or civil violation. It applies only to personal use and does not authorize commercial sales or cultivation beyond these limits.
This bill creates a new "Opioid Prevention and Rehabilitation Program Fund" to support treatment services for people with substance use disorders. It imposes a 1-cent tax per milligram of active opioid ingredient on pharmaceutical distributors at the first wholesale sale in New Jersey. The collected tax funds will be used annually by the Department of Human Services to provide treatment for uninsured, underinsured, or Medicaid-enrolled individuals. The tax applies to opioid drugs distributed by licensed wholesale distributors, with definitions aligning with existing pharmaceutical distribution laws.
This bill creates new criminal penalties for selling or buying marijuana from unlicensed businesses in New Jersey. It makes it a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison or $15,000 fine) for unlicensed business owners to manufacture, distribute, or dispense marijuana, and a second-degree crime (up to 10 years or $150,000 fine) for leaders of multi-location illegal networks. Purchasing from unlicensed sources becomes a disorderly persons offense (up to 6 months jail or $1,000 fine). The New Jersey State Police can shut down violating businesses and seize illegal marijuana.
S 829, titled "CJ's Law," would make it illegal to manufacture, sell, or possess substances containing kratom in New Jersey. The bill amends state drug laws to explicitly include kratom under prohibited "controlled dangerous substances," creating new criminal penalties for these activities. This change would directly affect individuals who use or sell kratom products, as current law does not ban kratom. The law would apply to all kratom-containing substances, including those sold as dietary supplements or recreational products.
