ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 4907

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

  ADOPTED NOVEMBER 12, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  BENJIE E. WIMBERLY

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman  VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman  CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblyman  THOMAS P. GIBLIN

District 34 (Essex and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman McKeon, Assemblywomen Timberlake and McKnight

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Concerns body worn cameras for law enforcement officers; appropriates $58 million.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Substitute as adopted by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

  

 


An Act concerning body worn cameras, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

 

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

 

     1.  a.  Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury or any other appropriate State agency shall enter into a contract in accordance with the provisions of chapter 34 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes or, if feasible, renegotiate a contract that was entered into prior to the effective date of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) by the division or the agency for the purchase of body worn cameras and related services for the purpose of enabling contracting units to purchase body worn cameras and related services under that contract.  The division or State agency may enter into contracts with multiple bidders in accordance with section 1 of P.L.1986, c.26 (C.52:34-12.1).

     b.  Upon adoption of a resolution, any contracting unit under the Local Public Contracts Law, P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.), without advertising for bids or having rejected all bids obtained pursuant to advertising therefor, may purchase body worn cameras or related services under any contract entered into for body worn cameras or related services pursuant to subsection a. of this section on behalf of the State by the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury or a State agency. 

     c.  Any contracting unit may make purchases under the contract awarded or renegotiated pursuant to subsection a. of this section if the contract terms and conditions are most advantageous to the unit, taking into consideration price and other factors.

     d.  All purchases made by contracting units under this section shall be reported to the director of the division or the State agency, in a manner prescribed by the director or agency. 

 

     2.  Every State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency shall store data from body worn cameras using a tamper-proof digital evidence management system that is compliant with Criminal Justice Information Services and has the ability to securely share data while maintaining an audit trail and chain of custody.

 

     3.  There is appropriated $58 million from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety for the purchase of body worn cameras and related services by State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies.  On or after January 1, 2022, a law

enforcement agency that purchased body worn cameras prior to the effective date of P.L.     c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) may apply for reimbursement from the appropriation under this section for the cost of the body worn cameras.

 

     4.    This act shall take effect immediately.