A4297 ACS

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JOHN S. WISNIEWSKI

District 19 (Middlesex)

Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblywoman CONNIE WAGNER

District 38 (Bergen)

Assemblyman CHARLES MAINOR

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON

District 27 (Essex)

Assemblyman VINCENT PRIETO

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Assemblywoman ELEASE EVANS

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblyman ANGEL FUENTES

District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen O'Donnell, Diegnan, Rumpf, Assemblywoman Gove, Assemblyman Coughlin, Assemblywomen Tucker, Stender, Pou, Assemblymen Giblin, Malone, Dancer, Assemblywoman Nardello, Assemblymen Thompson, Bramnick, Assemblywomen Angelini, N.Munoz, McHose, Assemblyman Ciattarelli, Assemblywoman Casagrande, Assemblyman O'Scanlon, Assemblywoman Vandervalk, Assemblymen Schroeder, A.M.Bucco, Amodeo, Polistina, DeCroce, Rible, Wolfe, Rumana, Assemblywoman Handlin, Senators Sacco, Greenstein, T.Kean, Allen, Codey, Girgenti, Buono, Vitale, Ruiz, Scutari, Rice, Weinberg, Beach, Turner, Gordon, Stack, Cunningham, Van Drew, Norcross, Madden, B.Smith, Sarlo, Whelan, Lesniak, Sweeney, Addiego, S.Kean, Connors, Kyrillos, O'Toole, Bateman, Singer, Oroho and A.R.Bucco

SYNOPSIS

“Caylee’s Law;” upgrades penalties for failing to report a death; criminalizes failure to report disappearance of child within 24 hours.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Substitute as adopted by the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee.

An Act concerning certain reporting requirements, designated as Caylee’s Law, amending P.L.1967, c.234, and supplementing chapter 12 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 12 of P.L.1967, c.234 (C.52:17B-89) is amended to read as follows:

12. Any person who may become aware of any death by criminal violence [or], by accident or suicide, or in any suspicious or unusual manner, shall report [such] that death to the office of county medical examiner, the office of State Medical Examiner, or to the police department of the municipality in which [such] the person died.

Any person who shall willfully neglect or refuse to report [such] the death, or who, without an order from the office of county medical examiner or the office of State Medical Examiner, shall willfully touch, remove, or disturb the body of [any such] the person, or touch, remove or disturb the clothing upon or near [such] the body, is [a disorderly person] guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

(cf: P.L.1967, c.234, s.12)

2. (New section) a. A parent, guardian, or other person with legal custody of a child shall report the disappearance of the child to police not more than 24 hours after becoming aware of such disappearance. A parent, guardian, or other person with legal custody of a child who knowingly fails to report the disappearance of the child to the appropriate law enforcement agency not more than 24 hours after becoming aware of the disappearance shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

b. For the purposes of this section, "child" means a person 13 years of age or younger.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.