ASSEMBLY LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2835

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 5, 1997

      The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2835.

      Assembly Bill No. 2835 amends N.J.S.2C:35-15 to provide annual funding for the "Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey" from the Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction (DEDR) fund. The moneys in the DEDR fund are generated by penalties the court assesses against drug offenders. Under the statute, a drug offender who is guilty of a crime of the first degree is assessed a penalty of $3,000; a crime of the second degree, $2,000; a crime of the third degree, $1,000; a crime of the fourth degree, $750; and a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense, $500. It is estimated that these penalties will generate approximately $10 million for deposit in the DEDR fund in Fiscal Year 1997.

      The bill also makes a current year appropriation of $350,000 from the fund to the partnership program.

      The "Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey" is the State affiliate of the national "Partnership for a Drug Free America." The partnership is a nonprofit coalition of professionals whose mission is to reduce the demand for drugs and incidences of substance abuse in New Jersey through a statewide media campaign.