Bill > A1791

Introduced Session

This bill would permit persons with certain older, multiple criminal convictions to be eligible for placement in the special probation drug court program. Under current law, a person is ineligible for the drug court program if: (1) the person has been previously convicted on at least two separate occasions for crimes of the first or second degree, unless any one of those convictions was for a violent crime rendering the person automatically ineligible (crimes such as murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault); or (2) the person has been previously convicted on at least two separate occasions, based on one offense being a crime of the first or second degree and the other offense being a crime of the third degree, but not counting any crime of the third degree for possessing a controlled dangerous substance pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-10 (such possession convictions do not court towards the two conviction "cap" on eligibility), and neither conviction was for a violent crime rendering the person automatically ineligible. This ineligibility criterion concerning past convictions would remain in place; however, the bill would permit a person with two or more past convictions to be eligible for special probation drug court, so long as none of the convictions rendered the person automatically ineligible and any conviction for a crime of the first or second degree was at least five years old, measured from the date of the person's satisfactory completion of probation or parole, or release from incarceration, whichever date is later.

AI Summary

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Anthony Verrelli (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document