SENATE, No. 2082

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 15, 1997

By Senators BENNETT and MARTIN

An Act concerning payment of Victim of Crime Compensation Board assessments and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

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

    1. Every commissary operated and maintained in a county or State correctional facility for the sale of commodities to inmates shall collect a surcharge of 10% of the sales price of any item sold to an inmate of the facility. The surcharge shall be known and may be cited as the "VCCB Surcharge." All funds collected pursuant to this section shall be forwarded to the Victims of Crime Compensation Board for use in compensating crime victims pursuant to the "Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.317 (C.52:4B-1 et seq.) and any other relevant provision of law.

    2. The Department of Corrections shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement this act.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill supplements Title 30 of the Revised Statutes to impose a 10% surcharge on all commissary sales in State and county correctional facilities to generate additional revenues to compensate crime victims pursuant to the "Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.317 (C.52:4B-1 et seq.) or any other law.

    Every defendant found guilty of a criminal offense is required by law to pay an assessment to the Victims of Crime Compensation Board (VCCB). The moneys paid into the VCCB's account are used to provide compensation to the victims of crime.

    Although every defendant is assessed a penalty payable to the VCCB, not all of those assessments are paid.

    The VCCB surcharge authorized under this bill will generate additional funds for the VCCB to distribute as compensation to crime victims.

Imposes VCCB surcharge on prison inmates' commissary purchases.