SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 295

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: OCTOBER 24, 1996

 

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 295.

  This bill authorizes the State of New Jersey to issue $355 million in bonds for State and county prison construction. The funding may be used for new construction, expansion or renovation of existing facilities. Approval of this bond referendum would trigger the implementation of a bill that would initiate more stringent parole eligibility requirements for the State's prison inmates, thus increasing time served by inmates in State and county correctional facilities. The construction authorized under this bill would address the present and anticipated deficit of bed spaces for inmates denied earlier parole. Of the $355 million authorized, $50 million would be available for increased county correctional facility bedspace expansions, and $80 million would be available for construction of a new juvenile correctional facility.

      The committee amended the bill to increase the total amount of bonds from $275 million to $355 million. The committee amendments also provide that $80 million of the $355 million authorized would be available for a new juvenile correctional facility. Other committee amendments are clarifying and technical in nature.