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A1650
ASSEMBLY, No. 1650
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MELINDA KANE
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman� MITCHELLE DRULIS
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Moen
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to construct suicide
prevention barriers at certain bridges or overpasses.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
requiring the construction of suicide prevention
barriers on certain bridges and overpasses and supplementing Title 27 of the
Revised Statutes
.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Suicide prevention barrier�
means a physical barrier on a bridge or overpass used to reduce access to, or
deter individuals from attempting suicide by jumping from, the elevated
structure.
���� b.��� Within one year of
enactment, the Department of Transportation shall conduct and complete a study
to identify any bridge or overpass carrying a State road or highway that is
under the jurisdiction of the department, is not a local or county bridge or
overpass, and poses a significant suicide threat.� To determine whether a
bridge or overpass poses a significant suicide threat, the department shall
consider:
���� (1) the height of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (2) the location of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (3) potential transportation
hazards; and
���� (4) information on the
occurrence of suicide at the bridge or overpass.
���� The department shall consider,
for each bridge or overpass included in the study, the feasibility of adding a
suicide prevention barrier to each, including an assessment of the structural
impact of constructing a suicide prevention barrier on each.
���� c.���� The Department of
Transportation shall erect suicide prevention barriers on every bridge or
overpass carrying a State road or highway that is under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Transportation, is not a local or county bridge or overpass, is
determined to pose a significant suicide threat, based on the results of the
study required to be conducted pursuant to subsection b. of this section, and
is feasible.� The department shall determine the type of suicide prevention
barrier for each bridge or overpass.
���� d.��� In the event that it is infeasible
to erect a suicide prevention barrier on a bridge or overpass determined by the
department to pose a significant suicide threat, the department shall erect
secondary suicide prevention methods, including, but not limited to: surveillance
systems, emergency phones connected to crisis hotlines, increased patrols, and
informational signs to direct individuals to support services.�
���� 2.��� a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Suicide prevention barrier�
means a physical barrier on a bridge or overpass used to reduce access to, or
deter individuals from attempting suicide by jumping from, the elevated
structure.
���� b.��� Within one year of
enactment, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority shall conduct and complete a study
to identify any bridge or overpass carrying a State road or highway that is
under the jurisdiction of the authority, is not a local or county bridge or
overpass, and poses a significant suicide threat.� To determine whether a
bridge or overpass poses a significant suicide threat, the authority shall
consider:
���� (1) the height of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (2) the location of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (3) potential transportation
hazards; and
���� (4) information on the
occurrence of suicide at the bridge or overpass.
���� The authority shall consider,
for each bridge or overpass included in the study, the feasibility of adding a
suicide prevention barrier to each, including an assessment of the structural
impact of constructing a suicide prevention barrier on each.
���� c.���� The New Jersey Turnpike
Authority shall erect suicide prevention barriers on every bridge or overpass
that is under the jurisdiction of the authority, is not a local or county
bridge or overpass, is determined to pose a significant suicide threat, based
on the results of the study required to be conducted pursuant to subsection b.
of this section, and is feasible.� The authority shall determine the type of
suicide prevention barrier for each bridge or overpass.
���� d.��� In the event that it is
infeasible to erect a suicide prevention barrier on a bridge or overpass
determined by the authority to pose a significant suicide threat, the authority
shall erect secondary suicide prevention methods, including, but not limited to:
surveillance systems, emergency phones connected to crisis hotlines, increased
patrols, and informational signs to direct individuals to support services.�
���� 3.��� a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Suicide prevention barrier�
means a physical barrier on a bridge or overpass used to reduce access to, or
deter individuals from attempting suicide by jumping from, the elevated
structure.
���� b.��� Within one year of
enactment, the South Jersey Transportation Authority shall conduct and complete
a study to identify any bridge or overpass carrying a State road or highway
that is under the jurisdiction of the authority, is not a local or county
bridge or overpass, and poses a significant suicide threat.� To determine whether
a bridge or overpass poses a significant suicide threat, the authority shall
consider:
���� (1) the height of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (2) the location of the bridge
or overpass;
���� (3) potential transportation
hazards; and
���� (4) information on the
occurrence of suicide at the bridge or overpass.
���� The authority shall consider,
for each bridge or overpass included in the study, the feasibility of adding a
suicide prevention barrier to each, including an assessment of the structural
impact of constructing a suicide prevention barrier on each.
���� c.���� The South Jersey
Transportation Authority shall erect suicide prevention barriers on every
bridge or overpass that is under the jurisdiction of the authority, is not a
local or county bridge or overpass, is determined to pose a significant suicide
threat, based on the results of the study required to be conducted pursuant to
subsection b. of this section, and is feasible.� The authority shall determine
the type of suicide prevention barrier for each bridge or overpass.
���� d.��� In the event that it is infeasible
to erect a suicide prevention barrier on a bridge or overpass determined by the
authority to pose a significant suicide threat, the authority shall erect
secondary suicide prevention methods, including, but not limited to: surveillance
systems, emergency phones connected to crisis hotlines, increased patrols, and
informational signs to direct individuals to support services.
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the
Department of Transportation (department), the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
(NJTA), and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to erect suicide
prevention barriers, as defined in this bill, on certain bridges or overpasses that
are determined to pose a significant suicide threat.�
���� Within one year of the
enactment of this bill, the department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each
required to conduct and complete a study to identify any bridge or overpass carrying
a State road or highway that is under its jurisdiction, is not a local or
county bridge or overpass, and that poses a significant suicide threat.� To
determine whether a bridge or overpass poses a significant suicide threat, the
department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each to consider the height of the
bridge or overpass; the location of the bridge or overpass; potential
transportation hazards; and information on the occurrence of suicide at the
bridge or overpass.� The department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are each to
consider for any bridge or overpass included in the study, the feasibility of
adding a suicide prevention barrier to each, including an assessment of the
structural impact of constructing a suicide prevention barrier on each.� The
department, the NJTA, and the SJTA are to determine the type of suicide
prevention barrier for each bridge or overpass under their respective
jurisdiction.
���� In the event that erecting a
suicide prevention barrier is infeasible on a bridge or overpass, the bill
requires the erection of secondary suicide prevention methods, including, but
not limited to: surveillance systems, emergency phones connected to crisis
hotlines, increased patrols, and informational signs to direct individuals to
support services.