ASSEMBLY, No. 5836

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JUNE 16, 2025

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  MICHELE MATSIKOUDIS

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

     Requires county prosecutors to publish annual report related to plea agreements and controlled dangerous substances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act concerning plea agreements and controlled dangerous substances, and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

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

     1.    In addition to the report prepared by county prosecutors pursuant to subsection b. of  section 15 of P.L.1970, c.74 (C.52:17B-111), and the report prepared by the Attorney General in accordance with section 1 of P.L.2020, c.120 (C.52:17B-111.1), each county prosecutor shall submit to the Attorney General a written report for the last preceding calendar year of data concerning plea agreement negotiations for crimes related to controlled dangerous substances.  The information prepared by county prosecutors pursuant to this section shall be compiled by the Attorney General and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), be annually reported to the Legislature by the Attorney General.  Such plea agreement information shall include data concerning plea offers extended and accepted or rejected by the defendant, plea agreements entered or rejected by the court, and the type and quantity of the controlled dangerous substance involved in the alleged indictable offense. 

     "Controlled dangerous substance" shall have the same meaning as defined in N.J.S.2C:35-2.

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires county prosecutors to annually provide the Attorney General with detailed information related to plea offers and agreements in controlled dangerous substance-related cases. 

     Under current law, county prosecutors are required to submit to the Attorney General a report for the last preceding calendar year covering dispositions of complaints, investigations, criminal actions, and proceedings.  Moreover, the Attorney General is required to collect and record data regarding certain defendants in the State who commit indictable offenses, and include information on plea agreement negotiations.  The Attorney General is required to annually prepare and transmit the report to the Governor and Legislature.  However, current law does not specifically require reporting of data concerning controlled dangerous substance-related plea agreements.

     Under the bill, a county prosecutor would report data for the last preceding calendar year concerning plea offers in instances of offenses related to controlled dangerous substances, including plea offers extended and rejected by the defendant, plea agreements entered or rejected by the court, and the type and quantity of the controlled dangerous substance involved in the alleged indictable offense.  The Attorney General is required to compile and annually report the data and information under the bill to the Legislature.