FISCAL NOTE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 704

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: AUGUST 9, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 704 of 1996 would raise the maximum fines for crimes under Title 2C as follows: for crimes of the first degree, up to $200,000; for crimes of the second degree, up to $150,000; for crimes of the third degree, up to $15,000; and for crimes of the fourth degree, up to $10,000. The bill also raises fines for a variety of drug-related criminal offenses and for gambling offenses.

      The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) states that based on the number of sentences handed down during 1995 for first through fourth degree offenses, 23,668 individuals would be affected by the increased fines for these offense. The AOC further states that based on the number of drug and gambling offenses specifically mentioned in the bill, about 8,560 individuals per year would be subjected to the higher fines imposed by the bill. The AOC notes that it does not collect data concerning the fines that were actually imposed for these offenses, however, and therefore would be unable to estimate the increased revenue to be generated by this bill.

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