Bill > A1422

This bill mandates that the Department of Corrections (DOC) create and put into practice specific rules for the size of prison cells, aiming to improve living conditions for incarcerated individuals. These standards must be at least as good as those set by the American Correctional Association, a national organization that develops guidelines for correctional facilities. Specifically, the bill requires single-occupancy cells to offer a minimum of 35 square feet of usable space, meaning space not taken up by furniture or fixtures, and a ceiling height of at least eight feet. For cells holding more than one person, each occupant must have at least 25 square feet of unencumbered space, also with an eight-foot ceiling. This legislation follows a recommendation from the Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson in October 2024, which highlighted the need for minimum habitability standards in prisons, including cell size, and addresses a gap where state prison cell sizes are not currently regulated, unlike county jail cells. The DOC will have 25 months after the bill is enacted to implement these new standards, and they can begin preparing for this change sooner.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A1422