[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 415

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman  ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Assemblyman  ANTHONY S. VERRELLI

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires reentry assistance to be provided to certain inmates who have served their maximum sentence.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee on March 8, 2021, with amendments.

  


An Act concerning 1[defendants] inmates1 who serve their maximum sentence and supplementing 1[P.L.1979, c.441] Title 30 of the Revised Statutes1 .

 

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

 

     1.    a.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, 1[a defendant who has served] an inmate serving1 the maximum term of imprisonment shall, upon request, be offered 1[the same] reentry1 assistance 1[available to a defendant released on parole pursuant to the procedures and standards set forth in section 15 of P.L.1979, c.441 (C.30:4-123.59)] from a non-profit inmate reentry service provider contracted by the Department of Community Affairs.1

     b.    The Commissioner of Corrections shall advise 1[a defendant] an inmate1 who 1[has served the] is scheduled to be released following1 the maximum term of imprisonment of the assistance to which the defendant is entitled pursuant to subsection a. of this section

1[prior to the defendant’s release from incarceration] at least six months prior to the inmate’s release date.

     In addition to any other requirements under current law related to the provision of information and services to inmates, the commissioner shall provide the inmate with information concerning non-profit inmate reentry organizations contracted to provide reentry assistance pursuant to subsection a. of this section, and1 provide contact information necessary to access available resources.

      c.   The 1[State Parole Board shall include in its annual report the number of defendants who request services pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a summary of the particular assistance received, and the recidivism rates of these defendants] commissioner shall allow a non-profit service provider to communicate with an inmate who requests reentry services pursuant to subsection a. of this section prior to the inmate’s release date in order assess the needs of the inmate1 .

 

     2.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.