ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 688

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 5, 1996

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 688.

      As introduced, this bill would have required that crime victims and complainants be informed in advance of pending plea bargains and dismissals of charges in their cases to allow them a reasonable opportunity to submit statements to the prosecutor and the court concerning the impact of the crime.

      The committee amendments provide that the State's reasonable effort to notify concerning the plea agreement or dismissal (under this bill's provisions) must be made to the law enforcement agency which acted as the complainant in a case, in addition to the notification to victims. The committee amendments also add that the bill would not apply to municipal court proceedings. This provision concerning municipal courts had been added to the bill last session as Senate floor amendments adopted 12/18/95. The bill (Assembly Bill No. 1574 of 1994) was conditionally vetoed by the Governor last session and returned with suggested amendments. These committee amendments narrow the scope of the complainants involved (specifically, law enforcement agencies). The committee amendments make language changes refering to the current law on victims as suggested by last session's conditional veto.

       The committee amendments also eliminate the reference to submission of a statement to the court.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 1996 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which has been performed.