Requires local government notification of sex offender registration and prohibits sex offenders from living near schools, child care centers or playgrounds.

A1273

ASSEMBLY, No. 1273

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman MICHAEL INGANAMORT

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

Assemblyman ERIK PETERSON

District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Kanitra, Auth, Assemblywoman Dunn and
Assemblyman Azzariti Jr.

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires local government notification of sex
offender registration and prohibits sex offenders from living near schools,
child care centers or playgrounds.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

concerning sex offenders and supplementing P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-1 et seq.).

����
Be It Enacted

by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that public safety will be enhanced by preventing sex offenders,
who have committed crimes against minors, from residing within 500 feet of
certain areas where children congregate.� It is not the intent of the Legislature
to further penalize certain sex offenders.

���� 2.��� When a person who is
listed on the Internet registry maintained by the Superintendent of the State
Police pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2001, c.167 (C.2C:7-13) registers with the
chief law enforcement officer of a municipality, the chief law enforcement officer
shall forward the name and address of the person registering to the members of
the governing body of the municipality.� If a person is listed on the Internet
registry maintained by the Superintendent of the State Police pursuant to
section 2 of P.L.2001, c.167 (C.2C:7-13) and required to register with the
Superintendent of State Police pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1994, c.133
(C.2C:7-2) because the person is moving to a municipality that does not have a
police force, then the Superintendent of State Police shall forward the name
and address of the person registering to the members of the governing body of
the municipality where the person registering intends to reside.

���� 3.��� It shall be unlawful for
a person subject to the registration requirements set forth in P.L.1994, c.133
(C.2C:7-1 et seq.)

who has committed a sex
offense as defined in section 2 of P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-2) and whose
victim was under the age of 18 to reside within 500 feet of the real property
comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center as defined in
section 3 of P.L.1983, c.492� (C.30:5B-3), or playground as defined in section
1 of P.L.1999, c.50 (C.52:27D-123.9) unless:

���� a.���� The person is required
to serve a sentence at a jail, prison, juvenile facility, or other correctional
institution or facility which is located within 500 feet of the real property
comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or playground;

���� b.��� The person is receiving
treatment at a mental health facility located within 500 feet of the real
property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or
playground;

���� c.���� The person established
the residence prior to the effective date of this act;

���� d.��� An elementary or
secondary school, child care center, or playground is built or established
within 500 feet of the person's existing residence;

���� e.���� The parole board, after
considering an individual's housing options, determines that a needs based
exception is required; or�

���� f.���� A court that discharges
the person from a psychiatric facility with conditions pursuant to section 15
of P.L.1987, c.116 (C.30:4-27.15) determines that an exemption is appropriate.

���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the sixth month following enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill expands Megan's Law
to require that members of municipal governing bodies be notified when a sex
offender moves into a municipality and restricts sex offenders from residing in
areas frequented by children.

���� Under the provisions of the
bill, when a sex offender listed on the Internet registry maintained by the
Superintendent of the State Police registers with the chief law enforcement
officer of a municipality, the officer is to forward the name and address of
the sex offender to the members of the governing body of the municipality.� If
the sex offender is required to register with the Superintendent of State
Police because he is moving to a municipality that does not have a police
force, then the Superintendent of State Police is to forward the sex offender's
name and address to the members of the governing body of the municipality in
which the sex offender intends to reside.

���� Under the provisions of the
bill, it is unlawful for a person who is subject to the Megan's Law
registration requirements for a sex offense against an individual under the age
of 18 to reside within 500 feet of an elementary or secondary school, playground
or child care center.� The residential ban would not cover a sex offender who:
resides at a prison or mental health facility; resides at a residence
established before the bill's enactment; has a school, playground or child care
center established or built within 500 feet of his or her existing residence;
was granted a needs based exception by the parole board; or was discharged from
a psychiatric facility by a court and was granted an exemption by a court.