ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 128

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 17, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  AMY H. HANDLIN

District 13 (Monmouth)

Assemblywoman  BETTYLOU DECROCE

District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Schepisi, Assemblymen Dancer, S.Kean, Assemblywoman DiMaso, Assemblymen Giblin and DiMaio

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes “New Jersey Megan’s Law Risk Assessment Review Task Force” to review current registrant risk assessment scale used in tier classification for sex offenders.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


A Joint Resolution establishing the “New Jersey Megan’s Law Risk Assessment Review Task Force.”

 

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

 

     1.    a.   There is established the “New Jersey Megan’s Law Risk Assessment Review Task Force” to review the current registrant risk assessment scale used as the basis for the Megan’s Law tier designation for sex offenders. 

     b.    The task force shall update or revise, if necessary, the current risk assessment scale to more effectively classify sex offenders into the most appropriate tier.  The task force shall consider, among other things, the current data and research regarding sex offenders and the risk of re-offense, including, but not limited to, Internet-based offenses.

 

     2.    The task force shall be comprised of 10 members, as follows:

     a.     two members of the Senate and two members of the General Assembly, with no more than one of whom in each case shall be of the same political party;

     b.    the Chief Justice, ex officio, or the Chief Justice’s designee;

     c.     the Public Defender, ex officio, or the Public Defender’s designee;

     d.    the Attorney General, ex officio, or the Attorney General’s designee;

     e.     a county prosecutor selected by the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey;

     f.     a psychologist with expertise in the treatment of sex offenders; and

     g.    a licensed social worker with expertise in the area of sex offenders.

 

     3.    The task force shall be chaired by the Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee.  The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.  The task force shall meet at the call of the chair, and the presence of five members of the task force shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof. 

 

     4.    Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made.  The members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.

     5.    The Attorney General’s Office shall provide staff and related support services as the task force requires to carry out its work. 

 

     6.    The task force shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes, and to incur such traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary for the proper execution of its duties and as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for these purposes. 

 

     7.    The task force shall present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than 12 months after the organization of the task force.

 

     8.    The task force shall dissolve three months after presenting the report. 

 

     9.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This joint resolution establishes the “New Jersey Megan’s Law Risk Assessment Review Task Force” to examine the current registrant risk assessment scale used as the basis for a Megan’s Law tier designation for sex offenders. 

     The task force would, if appropriate, update or revise the current risk assessment scale, based on, among other things, the current data and research regarding sex offenders and the risk of re-offense, including, but not limited to, Internet-based offenses.

     The task force would be comprised of 10 members, as follows:

     (1)   two members of the Senate and two members of the General Assembly, with no more than one of whom in each case shall be of the same political party;

     (2)   the Chief Justice, ex officio, or the Chief Justice’s designee;

     (3)   the Public Defender, ex officio, or the Public Defender’s designee;

     (4)   the Attorney General, ex officio, or the Attorney General’s designee;

     (5)   a county prosecutor selected by the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey;

     (6)   a psychologist with expertise in the treatment of sex offenders; and

     (7)   a licensed social worker with expertise in the area of sex offenders.

     The task force would be chaired by the Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee.  It may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.  The task force would meet at the call of the chair, and the presence of five members of the task force would constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof. 

     The task force would present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature no later than 12 months after the organization of the task force.