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Bill > A2196
NJ A2196
NJ A2196Requires AG to collect and report law enforcement detention data; creates Racial and Identity Profiling Elimination Advisory Council.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires the collection and reporting of all law enforcement detentions and establishes a council to make recommendations to eliminate racial and identity profiling in policing. This bill would require the Attorney General to direct law enforcement agencies to collect data on all detentions and to report the aggregated, de-identified data on the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety. Currently, the Department of Law and Public Safety collects data on motor vehicle stops. Under the bill, law enforcement agencies would have to report data on all stops, which the bill defines as any detention of an individual by a law enforcement officer based on no more than an articulable suspicion of wrongdoing for the purpose of investigation on the spot. The bill also establishes the Racial and Identity Profiling Elimination Advisory Council in the Department of Law and Public Safety. The council will be charged with analyzing the data published by the Attorney General's office and making recommendations to advance the progress of eliminating identity profiling in policing. The council shall be composed of 12 members including: the Attorney General, or a designee; the Superintendent of the Division of State Police, or a designee; a member of the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey; a member of the Office of the Public Defender; two appointees of the Governor who are representatives of New Jersey based community justice organizations focused on civil rights; four members of the public with experience in reducing racial and identity bias who will be appointees of the Governor upon recommendation of the Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the General Assembly, and Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and a university professor with demonstrated expertise in criminal justice and experienced in the study of evidence based methods of reducing racial and identity profiling, who would be appointed by the Governor.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that the Attorney General collect and report comprehensive data on all law enforcement detentions, referred to as "stops," which are defined as any temporary detainment of an individual by an officer based on a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing for immediate investigation. This data, which will exclude personal identifying information, will include details about the stop's time, date, location, reason, outcome (such as a warning, citation, or arrest), any offenses charged, the perceived race, ethnicity, gender, and age of the person stopped (based solely on the officer's observation), and any actions taken during the stop, including requests for consent to search and actual searches or property seizures. Additionally, the bill requires reporting on citizen complaints alleging racial or identity profiling and their disposition (sustained, exonerated, or unfounded). This aggregated, de-identified data will be published annually online. To address racial and identity profiling, the bill also establishes a 12-member Racial and Identity Profiling Elimination Advisory Council within the Department of Law and Public Safety. This council, composed of various officials including the Attorney General, law enforcement leaders, public defenders, community representatives, and academics, will analyze the collected data and provide recommendations for eliminating profiling in policing through an annual report. This initiative expands upon current data collection practices, which are limited to motor vehicle stops.
Committee Categories
Military Affairs and Security
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A2196 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A2500/2196_I1.HTM |
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