Requires automatic waiver of juvenile age 16 and older to be tried as adult for criminal matters.

This bill requires juveniles aged 16 or older charged with any offense that would be a crime, disorderly persons offense, or similar violation if committed by an adult to be automatically tried in adult court, without judicial discretion or the juvenile's consent. It directly affects teenagers 16+ facing criminal charges in New Jersey, shifting their cases from juvenile court to adult court by default for all qualifying offenses. The bill eliminates the current process where judges could consider factors like age, maturity, or prior record when deciding whether to waive jurisdiction for 16+ defendants. Juveniles aged 15 remain subject to the existing waiver process, which requires judicial review of specific factors before transferring cases to adult court.