FISCAL NOTE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 363

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: AUGUST 9, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 363 of 1996 would provide, as a condition of probation or suspension of sentence, that a defendant convicted of an offense which was committed, at least in part, with ill will, hatred or bias toward, and with a purpose to intimidate, an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity be required to attend a cultural diversity and racial sensitivity program. The bill appropriates $90,000 to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to develop the program.

      The Administrative Office of the Courts states that based on the historical arrest trends, it is assumed that probation departments in New Jersey will continue to receive approximately 250 defendants each year who have been convicted of bias crimes.

      The AOC contends that in order to implement the provisions of the bill, it would be necessary to contract with a training firm to provide initial training to two representatives from each vicinage to conduct the program, as well as to purchase miscellaneous training equipment such as video monitors, VCRs, and supplies, for a first-year cost of about $34,000. Since the training firm and equipment purchase would not be required after the first year, second and subsequent year costs would be reduced to about $2,000.

      The Office of Legislative Services concurs.

This fiscal note has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.