Bill Text: NJ S3205 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Makes FY 2024 supplemental appropriation of $500,000 to Judiciary to support expansion of Pretrial Services Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S3205 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S3205-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Makes FY 2024 supplemental appropriation of $500,000 to Judiciary to support expansion of Pretrial Services Program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, P.L.2023, c.74.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2023, c.74, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purpose specified:
98 The Judiciary
10 Public Safety and Criminal Justice
04 Criminal Courts
9725 Criminal Courts
DIRECT STATE SERVICES
04-9725 Criminal Courts ....................................................... $500,000
Total Direct State Services appropriation,
Criminal Courts ................................................... $500,000
Direct State Services:
04 Statewide Pretrial Services Program............ $500,000
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill supplements the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations act to provide $500,000 in supplemental funding to the Judiciary's Statewide Pretrial Services Program. The Pretrial Services Program was established in New Jersey in 2017 pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform Act.
A 2023 Report of the Reconvened Joint Committee on Criminal Justice made a recommendation to provide addition funding to enable the Judiciary to increase Pretrial Services Program staffing in order to ensure adequate oversight of the large number of defendants on pretrial release. During a March 7, 2024 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting, a similar concern about the lack of adequate resources for pretrial services was raised during oral and written testimonies. The Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts reiterated the recommendation for increased funding and staffing for pretrial services. Furthermore, during oral testimonies, multiple county prosecutors also underscored the need for additional funding for pretrial services, particularly with regard to staff and equipment for electronic monitoring of defendants.
The FY 2025 Governor's Budget recommends a $24.2 million for Statewide Pretrial Services Program, which is unchanged from the FY 2024 appropriation of the same amount.
