Bill > A1856

Introduced Session

This bill provides that a veteran who committed a third or fourth degree crime, or lesser drug related offense prior to service in the armed forces, and who has not been convicted of any subsequent offense since being accepted into the armed forces, is eligible to be issued a certificate of registration as a security officer under the Security Officer Registration Act (SORA). Under current law, any person who has been convicted of a first, second, third or fourth degree crime, or any offense involving the unlawful use, possession, or sale of a controlled dangerous substance, is barred from being issued a certificate of registration as a security officer. The law also grants the superintendent the discretion to refuse to issue a certificate of registration where the registration of the individual would be contrary to the public interest. This bill specifically provides that a veteran who was convicted of a crime of the third or fourth degree, or a lesser offense involving the unlawful use, possession or sale of a controlled dangerous substance, prior to service in the armed forces; and who has not been convicted of any other charge since enlistment and acceptance in the armed forces, shall be issued a certificate of registration as a security officer except where the registration of the individual would be contrary to the public interest, as determined by the superintendent. For the purposes of this bill, a "veteran" is defined as "any resident of the State who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the armed forces of the United States."

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Colin Bell (D)*,  Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)*,  Patricia Jones (D)*,  Benjie Wimberly (D)*,  Arthur Barclay (D),  Gordon Johnson (D),  Fred Madden (D),  Sheila Oliver (D), 

Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (69-2-0) (on 01/08/2018)