Bill > A972

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the New Jersey Forensic Science Planning Commission to make recommendations to establish a permanent New Jersey Forensic Science Commission. The bill establishes the following 23 members of the planning commission: the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety; the Chief State Medical Examiner; the Director of the Division of State Police Crime Laboratory; the Public Defender of the State of New Jersey; one member of the General Assembly; one member of the Senate; one New Jersey Supreme Court Justice; one New Jersey Superior Court judge; lab directors of two county crime laboratories; a statistician; an expert in cognitive bias; four members of faculty, each from a different four-year institution of higher education in the State, with expertise representing the various fields of forensic science; a representative of an organization serving the wrongfully convicted; a representative of a private forensic science laboratory; a county prosecutor; a defense attorney; an individual exonerated of wrongful conviction; and two representatives of forensic science professional organizations or societies. The bill requires the planning commission to study and make recommendations to establish a permanent New Jersey Forensic Science Commission that will have Statewide oversight of persons, laboratories, facilities, and other entities related to the field of forensic science as determined by the planning commission. Under the bill, the planning commission is required to determine elements necessary to establish the permanent commission including, but not limited to, staff and funding allocations, membership, policies, and procedures. The purpose of the permanent commission will be to improve the field of forensic science through oversight and coordination of forensic science in the State. The bill provides that within 22 months of organizing the planning commission is required to produce final recommendations for the establishment of the permanent commission. The recommendations are to include, but not be limited to the: (1) jurisdiction, scope of responsibility, duties, and authority of the commission; (2) commission membership structure and staffing needs; (3) appropriate level of funding and operational costs for the commission; and (4) frequency of the commission's meetings and its communication structure. The recommendations are required to be submitted for a public comment period of 30 days. A report containing the final recommendations is required to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature not later than 30 days following the conclusion of the public comment period. The planning commission will expire upon submission of the report.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Carol Murphy (D)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document