ASSEMBLY, No. 5561

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED APRIL 10, 2025

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  JOE DANIELSEN

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Hutchison

SYNOPSIS

     Requires AG to establish ballistics analysis device pilot program in certain municipalities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act establishing a ballistics analysis device pilot program in the Department of Law and Public Safety.

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

     1.    a.  The Attorney General shall establish a 90-day pilot program in the 10 municipalities with the highest violent crime rate, as set forth in the most recent Uniform Crime Report. Pursuant to the pilot program, each participating local law enforcement agency shall receive a ballistics scanning device. The device shall be used by each participating law enforcement agency as part of the agency's evidentiary and firearm intelligence and investigatory processes.

     b.    No later than 30 days following completion of the pilot program, the chief law enforcement officer of each law enforcement agency shall submit a report to the Attorney General that provides a detailed summary of each incident in which the agency used the device and recommends whether the agency should continue to use the device.

     c.     No later than 60 days following receipt of the reports submitted pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the Attorney General shall issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), with a recommendation concerning whether the pilot program should be made permanent with an annual appropriation made to fund use of the devices in municipalities with the highest violent crime rates.

     2.    This act shall take effect on the first day of second month next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

     This bill requires the Attorney General to establish a 90-day pilot program in the 10 municipalities with the highest violent crime rate to assist with ballistics analysis.

     Under the provisions of the program, each municipality would receive a ballistics scanning device. These devices allow law enforcement officers to scan cartridge cases at the scene of an incident where a firearm has been discharged and immediately upload the information to an investigative portal. Shortly after uploading the information, an officer is provided with a crime scene analysis report to assist in the timely investigation of the incident. The pilot program would require each participating law enforcement agency to use the device as part of the agency's evidentiary and firearm intelligence and investigatory processes.

     Following completion of the pilot program, the bill requires the chief law enforcement officer of each participating municipality submit a report to the Attorney General within 30 days that provides a detailed summary of each incident in which the agency used the device and recommends whether the agency should continue to use the device. Not later than 60 days following receipt of the reports, the bill requires the Attorney General to issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature recommending whether the pilot program should be made permanent with an annual appropriation made to fund use of the devices in municipalities with the highest violent crime rates.