A 3224 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes rebuttable presumption that person charged with motor vehicle theft be detained prior to trial; imposes mandatory sentencing for thefts involving motor vehicle.

This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption requiring courts to detain individuals charged with motor vehicle theft (N.J.S.2C:20-2) before trial, unless the defendant proves they pose no flight risk or danger to the community. It directly affects defendants charged with stealing cars in New Jersey, shifting the burden to them to challenge the presumption of detention. Key mechanisms include: prosecutors automatically triggering the presumption for motor vehicle theft charges, a court hearing where defendants must rebut the presumption, and expedited appeals for detention orders. The bill does not address sentencing but focuses solely on pretrial detention requirements for this specific offense. (Note: This is a proposed bill introduced January 2026; it has not yet been enacted.)
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jay Webber
Jay Webber
RRepublican
NJ
26