Asm. Vicky Flynn

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5391 creates the Riot Related Property Destruction and Restitution Act, which establishes new criminal offenses for aggravated riot and riot-related property destruction. The bill defines aggravated riot based on factors such as group size, use of weapons, obstruction of emergency responders, or leadership roles, while grading property destruction charges according to the total value of damage caused during the event. It mandates that courts order full restitution from convicted individuals to cover repair costs, cleanup expenses, and lost business revenue, in addition to any criminal penalties. Furthermore, the legislation creates a civil cause of action allowing victims to sue for economic damages and requires noncustodial sentences to include enforceable payment schedules for restitution.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill 5392 elevates aggravated assault against law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical providers, and correctional personnel to a first-degree crime if the attack occurs during a civil disturbance and causes serious bodily injury. This change imposes a mandatory prison sentence of at least ten years with a ten-year period of parole ineligibility for such offenses. The bill also removes the legal presumption that defendants charged with this specific type of aggravated assault are eligible for pretrial release, requiring courts to justify any decision to free them before trial.