ASSEMBLY, No. 689

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblymen ZISA and GARCIA

An Act concerning the unlawful possession of firearms and other weapons in public schools, establishing toll-free telephone hotlines, and supplementing chapter 39 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.

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

    1. a. The Attorney General, after consultation with the several county prosecutors of this State and the Commissioner of Education, shall establish a toll-free telephone hotline in each county to facilitate the reporting of information relating to the unlawful possession of firearms or other weapons in the public schools.

    b. The source of any information provided under this act shall, to the greatest extent possible, be deemed and treated as confidential and privileged.

    c. Any person who knowingly gives or causes to be given false information relating to the unlawful possession of a firearm or other weapon in a public school shall be subject to the penalties set forth in N.J.S.2C:28-4.

    d. The Attorney General, in conjunction with the several county prosecutors of this State and the Commissioner of Education, shall develop and conduct a program of public education to inform students and the general public of the availability and purposes of the toll-free telephone hotlines established under this act.

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill directs the Attorney General, after consultation with the various county prosecutors and the Commissioner of Education, to establish a toll-free telephone hotline in each county to facilitate the reporting of information relating to the unlawful possession of firearms or other weapons in the public schools. The bill stipulates that to the greatest extent possible, any information provided is to be treated as confidential and privileged.

    The bill further provides that anyone using a hot-line to knowingly provide false information about an individual unlawfully possessing a firearm or other weapon in a public school is guilty of violating N.J.S.2C:28-4 which is punishable either as a crime of the fourth degree or a disorderly persons offense.

    Finally, the Attorney General is directed to develop and conduct a program of public education to inform students and the general public about the availability and purposes of the telephone hotlines.

Establishes a toll-free telephone hotline in each county for reporting guns and other weapons in public schools.