ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, Nos. 1158 and 1159

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: NOVEMBER 7, 1996

 

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably an Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill Nos. 1158 and 1159.

      The committee substitute creates a new offense. Under this new offense, a person would be guilty of a crime if the person knowingly violated a law intended to protect public safety or health or knowingly failed to perform a duty imposed by such a statute. This offense would be graded as a crime of the second degree if the offense recklessly caused death. This offense would be graded as a crime of the third degree if the offense recklessly placed another person in danger of death or serious bodily injury. If the offense recklessly placed another person in danger of significant bodily injury, the offense would be graded as a crime of the fourth degree. The committee substitute also amends N.J.S.2C:2-1 which deals with omission of a duty as a basis for criminal liability to include reference to the "Uniform Fire Safety Act" (N.J.S.A.52:27D-192 et seq.), the "Uniform Construction Code Act" (N.J.S.A.52:27D-119 et seq.) and any other law intended to protect public health and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.