Requires certain county inmates be provided with reentry assistance before their release.

A1764

ASSEMBLY, No. 1764

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires certain county inmates be provided with
reentry assistance before their release.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

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

��

An Act

concerning certain county inmates and
supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.�

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� �1.�� a.� The superintendent
of each county correctional facility shall provide to each county inmate at
least 10 days prior to release from that facility:

���� (1)�� A copy of the inmate�s
criminal history record and written information on the inmate�s right to have
his criminal records expunged under chapter 52 of Title 2C of the New Jersey
Statutes, eligibility requirements for expungement, and the procedural process
for seeking expungement;

���� (2)�� General written
information on the inmate�s right to vote under R.S.19:4-1;

���� (3)�� General written
information on the availability of programs, including faith-based and secular
programs, that would assist in removing barriers to the inmate�s employment or
participation in vocational or educational rehabilitative programs, including,
but not limited to information concerning the �Rehabilitated Convicted
Offenders Act,� P.L.1968, c.282 (C.2A:168A-1 et seq.) and the certificate of
rehabilitation under P.L.2007, c.327

(C.2A:168A-7 et seq.);

���� (4)�� A detailed written
record of the inmate�s participation in educational, training, employment, and
medical or other treatment programs while the inmate was incarcerated;

���� (5)�� A written accounting of
the fines, assessments, surcharges, restitution, penalties, child support
arrearages, and any other obligations due and payable by the inmate upon
release;

���� (6)�� A non-driver
identification card, which shall be issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle
Commission and for which the Motor Vehicle Commission shall accept a former
inmate�s Department of Corrections identification card to have a two-point
value in applying for the non-driver identification card;

���� (7)�� A copy of the inmate�s
birth certificate if the inmate was born in New Jersey;

���� (8)�� Assistance in obtaining
a Social Security card;

���� (9)�� General written
information concerning child support, including child support payments owed by
the inmate, information on how to obtain child support payments and information
on where to seek services regarding child support, child custody, and
establishing parentage; and

���� (10)��� A copy of the inmate�s
full medical record at no charge to the inmate made available to the inmate in
a safe and secure manner.

���� �b.�� The provisions of
subsection a. of this section shall apply only to those inmates who have been
sentenced to a term of incarceration and to inmates who have been denied bail
pursuant to the provisions P.L.2014, c.31 (C.2A:162-15 et al.).

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the superintendent
of each county correctional facility to provide to inmates at least 10 days
prior to their release certain information, documents, and other assistance to
facilitate their reentry into the community.�

���� Specifically, the bill
requires these inmates to be provided with: a copy of their criminal history
record and written information on the right to have criminal records expunged;
general written information on their right to vote; general written information
on the availability of programs, including faith-based and secular programs, that
would assist in removing barriers to their employment or participation in
vocational or educational rehabilitative programs; a detailed written record of
their participation in educational, training, employment, and medical or other
treatment programs while incarcerated; a written accounting of the fines,
assessments, surcharges, restitution, penalties, child support arrearages, and
any other obligations due and payable upon their release; a non-driver
identification card; a copy of the their birth certificate; assistance in
obtaining a Social Security card; general written information concerning child
support, including child support payments they owe, information on how to obtain
child support payments, and information on where to seek services regarding
child support, child custody, and establishing parentage; and a copy of their
full medical record.

���� The provisions of the bill
apply only to those inmates who have been sentenced to a term of incarceration
and who have been denied bail pursuant to the provisions of recently enacted
bail reform law.� Under the bail reform law, courts have the authority to deny
defendants pretrial release and order pretrial detention.�