ASSEMBLY LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 744

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 27, 2020

      The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 744.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 744 requires law enforcement agencies to provide internal affairs and personnel files of law enforcement officers to other law enforcement agencies under certain circumstances.

      Under the provisions of this bill, prior to appointing an applicant who was previously employed by another law enforcement agency in this State, every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency is required to request the files, which include but are not limited to internal affairs and personnel files of the applicant from each law enforcement agency that employed the applicant.

      The bill requires every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency that receives a request pursuant to the provisions of this bill to provide the applicant’s files to the law enforcement agency that requested them.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.