Amends felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated assault statutes to include death or bodily injury occurring during commission of auto theft.

This New Jersey bill (A 406) amends three criminal statutes to explicitly include "theft of a motor vehicle" (car theft) as a qualifying crime under felony murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated assault laws. It expands existing provisions so that if someone causes death or serious bodily injury while committing or fleeing after a car theft, the offense will be prosecuted as murder (not a lesser charge) under N.J.S.2C:11-3, or aggravated manslaughter under N.J.S.2C:11-4. This directly affects individuals who cause injury or death during car thefts, potentially elevating their charges and penalties. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee after introduction on January 13, 2026.