Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires public emergency credits for certain inmates and parolees during a public health emergency.

Highlights:

• Requires inmates that were in the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections during the public health emergency and the state of emergency declared by the governor concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to receive public health emergency credits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that inmates scheduled to be released from custody following an award of public health emergency credits shall be released on their scheduled released date based on the award of public health emergency credits (Sec. 1).

• Requires an inmate being released due to the aforementioned reasons to acknowledge in writing that they are prohibited from contacting the victim of the crime they committed (Sec. 1).

• Requires the commissioner to, no later than 30 days following an inmate’s release from custody following a public health emergency, provide information related to the inmates (Sec. 1):

• Eligibility for Medicaid;

• Housing information;

• Identification information; and

• Eligibility for any other benefits and services.

• Requires an inmate to be tested for COVID-19 prior to their release from custody following an award of public health emergency credits (Sec. 1).

• Defines “public health emergency credits” as good behavior credits reducing 4 months (122 days) of their original sentence for every previous month served (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the aforementioned public health emergency credits apply to any juvenile serving a sentence in a state correctional facility that is scheduled to be released from custody within 12 months (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a juvenile scheduled to be released within 5 days of the enactment date of this act will be released either on the day of its passing or on the date the prosecutor notifies the court, whichever occurs sooner (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Commissioner of Corrections to immediately identify any inmate scheduled to be released from custody within 12 months as a result of the award of public health emergency credits (Sec. 4).

• Requires the prosecutor or attorney general to, no less than 5 days prior to an inmate’s scheduled release date, use any reasonable means available to notify any identifiable victim of the crime for which the inmate is incarcerated of their scheduled release date (Sec. 5).

• Requires the prosecutor or attorney general to immediately notify the court and Department of Corrections if there is a no-contact order placed between the inmate and victim (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires public emergency credits for certain inmates and parolees during a public health emergency.

Highlights:

• Requires inmates that were in the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections during the Public Health Emergency and the State of Emergency declared by the Governor concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic receive public health emergency credits (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that inmates scheduled to be released from custody following an award of public health emergency credits shall be released on their scheduled released date based on the award of public health emergency credits (Sec. 1).

• Establishes that the aforementioned public health emergency credits shall apply to any juvenile serving a sentence in a state correctional facility who is scheduled to be released from custody within 12 months (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a juvenile scheduled to be released within 5 days of the enactment date of this act shall be released either on the day of its passing or on the date the prosecutor notifies the court, whichever occurs sooner (Sec. 3).

• Requires the Commissioner of Corrections to immediately identify any inmate scheduled to be released from custody within 12 months as a result of the award of public health emergency credits (Sec. 4).

• Requires the prosecutor or Attorney General to not less than 5 days prior to an inmate’s scheduled release date to use any reasonable means available to notify any identifiable victim of the crime for which the inmate is incarcerated of their scheduled release date (Sec. 5).

• Requires the prosecutor or Attorney General to immediately notify the court and Department of Corrections if there is a no-contact order placed between the inmate and victim (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text