This bill establishes New Jersey's Deepfake Technology Unit within the Division of Criminal Justice to combat AI-generated deceptive media (deepfakes). The unit will provide law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts with technical expertise, training, and evidence analysis to detect and investigate deepfakes - defined as AI-manipulated videos, audio, or images that falsely depict people or events. It requires the unit to issue annual reports on detection methods, technological advances, and policy recommendations, and appropriates $2 million from the General Fund to cover operational costs. The unit directly supports state and local agencies in addressing a growing threat to public safety and legal integrity.
This bill requires the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences to collect specific data for six months on drug evidence testing conducted by law enforcement. It mandates recording details like whether field tests were performed, their results, whether lab analysis followed, and instances where field tests may have been incorrect. The Office must then issue a report to the legislature within 90 days, analyzing false positive rates and trends related to drug field test reliability. The data collection applies to all drug evidence specimens gathered during investigations of controlled substance violations. This is a data-gathering measure, not a policy change, aimed at understanding current testing practices.
This bill establishes gender-specific policies for female inmates in New Jersey state correctional facilities. It requires the Corrections Commissioner to create separate disciplinary rules for women (avoiding gender-inappropriate sanctions), implement trauma-informed care, and establish a nursery program allowing mothers to keep newborns with them if eligible (excluding those with certain violent crimes, child abuse history, or active warrants). The bill also mandates doula services during childbirth, parenting classes, and annual reporting on disciplinary actions by gender. These provisions directly affect incarcerated women in state facilities, particularly those who are pregnant or have young children.
This bill expands when juveniles (under 18) can be sent to adult court for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking. It adds specific offenses - like theft of a motor vehicle under N.J.S.2C:20-10.1 or unlawful taking under N.J.S.2C:20-10 - to the list of crimes that automatically trigger a waiver to adult court if the juvenile has *previously* been found delinquent for the same offense. The key mechanism requires prosecutors to seek waiver for these cases without the juvenile’s consent, with courts considering factors like the juvenile’s prior record and maturity. It directly affects juveniles with prior adjudications for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking, potentially leading to adult criminal sentencing instead of juvenile court processing.
This bill redirects unspent animal control funds that municipalities and the state have held for over three years. Instead of returning to general funds, excess municipal funds are sent to county prosecutors (40%) and redistributed to municipalities (60%). Excess state funds go to the State Police (40%), county humane law enforcement officers (50%), and the Police Training Commission (10%). These funds must be used exclusively for enforcing animal cruelty laws and training law enforcement officers.
This bill changes how New Jersey courts handle sentencing for people with drug or alcohol dependency who commit certain crimes. It allows courts to place eligible individuals on "special probation" instead of prison time, requiring them to complete licensed substance use treatment (including medication-assisted treatment) and undergo regular drug/alcohol testing. To qualify, offenders must have committed their current crime while under the influence or to support their addiction, not possess firearms, have no prior convictions for violent offenses (like murder or sexual assault), and be assessed as needing treatment. The bill directly affects drug/alcohol dependent offenders convicted of specific non-violent crimes who would otherwise face mandatory prison sentences, and it modifies court procedures for approving treatment-based probation.
This bill, if passed, would criminalize using a defaced or stolen firearm to harm police officers in New Jersey. It creates two new offenses: using such a firearm to cause *serious* injury would be a first-degree crime (enhanced penalties), while causing *less severe* injury would be a second-degree crime. The law defines "defaced" as removing identification marks (like serial numbers), excluding normal wear or damage. It also ensures these convictions don't merge with other charges the offender intended to commit. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Judiciary Committee (introduced January 2026).
This bill requires county prosecutors and assistant prosecutors handling sexual assault cases to complete in-person training every two years (up from every six years under current law). The training curriculum must now include cultural competency (addressing race, gender, and socioeconomic factors), emotional intelligence techniques for victim support, and trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches to prioritize safety and autonomy. The Division of Criminal Justice must review the training annually (instead of every five years), and the Attorney General must implement a compliance system with audits. Additionally, the state's sexual assault unit must now include a rape care advocate, expanding its existing roles.
This bill removes the default assumption that defendants charged with specific serious offenses can be released before trial. It directly affects individuals accused of sex offenses (as defined by law), violent crimes involving a deadly weapon (like aggravated assault or robbery), or repeat vehicle theft/receiving stolen property. Courts must now actively assess each case for safety risks and flight risk before granting pretrial release, rather than presuming release is appropriate. The bill does not eliminate pretrial release entirely but requires judges to justify release decisions for these offenses based on individual circumstances.
This New Jersey bill requires licensed healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, and midwives) to conduct regular, private screenings for intimate partner violence during patient visits, using evidence-based guidelines. If a provider identifies potential abuse, they must document findings, provide immediate resources for victims (like local support services), and ensure patients can revoke access to their medical records for alleged abusers under federal privacy laws. The bill mandates that healthcare professionals advise victims during the same visit about removing perpetrators from their authorized medical record access list. The state departments of Children and Families and Health must maintain and update a biennial resource list for providers on victim support services. It directly affects healthcare providers and patients experiencing abuse by current or former intimate partners.
