Judiciary

This bill clarifies the investigatory powers and duties of the State Commission of Investigation, which is New Jersey's independent agency responsible for overseeing public officials and government programs. It reaffirms the commission's role as the primary oversight body and mandates collaboration with other state, county, and local investigative entities when appropriate. The legislation also outlines the commission's specific powers to investigate misconduct, waste, fraud, and organized crime while defining the appointment process and term limits for its four-member leadership.

This bill would prevent a parent from inheriting any part of a deceased child's estate or managing that estate if the parent owes at least six months of unpaid child support with no current payments. The law also bars the parent from filing wrongful death or survival lawsuits on the child's behalf, though other relatives could still pursue such claims. A parent can avoid these penalties by proving they were not willfully unemployed, did not intentionally default on payments, took responsibility for the child's care, and maintained a relationship that served the child's best interests.

This bill allows parents in New Jersey to request additional court-ordered parenting time if their scheduled visits were interrupted by investigations into unsubstantiated child abuse, neglect, or related custody issues. Under the new rules, the Superior Court must grant this compensatory time unless a judge determines it is not in the child's best interest, provided the investigation did not result in a finding of abuse or neglect. The replacement time must match the original schedule in type and duration, occur within two years of the denial, and be selected by the affected parent. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that these provisions do not create civil liability for investigative agencies or their employees.

This bill updates New Jersey's parole system by clarifying when incarcerated individuals can be released and how future release dates are determined. It requires the parole board to provide specific reasons for denying parole, including evidence for subjective decisions, and mandates that denied parolees be given a scheduled date for their next hearing. Additionally, the bill adjusts how future eligibility dates are calculated by considering the severity of the offense and the offender's history, while also outlining stricter conditions for issuing arrest warrants for parole violations.

This bill expands the types of damages available in New Jersey wrongful death cases specifically when the deceased person was a minor at the time of their death. It allows juries to award additional compensation to surviving parents for emotional distress, the loss of guidance and companionship, past care costs, and the pain the child suffered before dying. Under current law, families can only recover monetary losses and funeral expenses, but this change permits recovery for non-financial harms like grief and the child's own suffering. The provision applies to any wrongful death action occurring on or after the bill's effective date.