Establishes grant program in DCA for installation of suicide deterrents on certain infrastructure; appropriates $10 million.

A4937

ASSEMBLY, No. 4937

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� KENYATTA STEWART

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblyman� VINCENT M. "VINNIE" KEARNEY

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes grant program in DCA for installation of
suicide deterrents on certain infrastructure; appropriates $10 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
establishing a grant program for the installation of
suicide deterrents on certain infrastructure, supplementing chapter 27D of
Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.� ��

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

�� 1.����� As used in P.L.��� ,
c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� "Covered location"
means a bridge; building; parking garage; a highway-rail grade crossing; a rail
station; and any other structure determined by the Department of Community
Affairs to be the types of structures that attract a high number of individuals
attempting suicide.�

���� "Eligible entity"
shall mean an entity that seeks to facilitate the installation of: (1) a
suicide prevention net; (2) a suicide prevention barrier; or (3) any other
evidence-based suicide deterrent that is determined by the commissioner to be
appropriate; on or at a covered location.�

���� "Evidence-based suicide
deterrent" means a suicide deterrent that demonstrates a rationale based
on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such deterrent is
likely to reduce or prevent suicide, and includes ongoing efforts to examine
the effects of such deterrent.�

���� "Program" means a
grant program, established pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), facilitating the installation of
evidence-based suicide deterrents.�

���� 2.��� a.���� There is
established in the Department of Community Affairs a grant program to facilitate
the installation of evidence-based suicide deterrents, including but not
limited to suicide prevention nets and barriers, on or at a covered location.�

���� b.��� To be approved for a
grant under the program, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the
Commissioner of Community Affairs, in accordance with application procedures
and requirements prescribed by the commissioner.�

���� c.���� An application shall
include, but shall not be limited to: (1) the specific grant amount that the
entity is applying for, including the estimated cost of installing the suicide
deterrent; (2) the street address of the covered location; and (3) any history
of completed and attempted suicides in that location.�

���� d.��� The commissioner may award
a grant under the program only to an eligible entity for a project that
facilitates the installation on or at a covered location of: (1) a suicide
prevention net; (2) a suicide prevention barrier; or (3) any other
evidence-based suicide deterrent that is determined by the commissioner to be
appropriate.� The commissioner shall also consider the feasibility of adding a
suicide deterrent to a project, including an assessment of the structural
impact of constructing a suicide deterrent on each.�

���� e.���� The commissioner shall
give priority to a project located in an area with a high rate of suicide,
taking into consideration the number of suicides and rate of suicides per
capita in an area, or other priority characteristics, as determined by the commissioner.�

���� f.���� The approved applicant
shall use the grant award to install evidence-based suicide deterrents on or at
a covered location.� If it is infeasible to build an evidence-based suicide
deterrent on or at a covered location, the qualifying applicant shall use the
grant award to install 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.

���� g.��� The approved applicant shall
provide the department with the data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of
the installed evidence-based suicide deterrents.�

���� 3.��� a.���� Within one year
of the enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), the Department of Community Affairs shall
conduct and complete a study to identify:

���� (1)�� the types of structures
that attract a high number of individuals attempting suicide-by-jumping;

���� (2)�� the characteristics that
distinguish structures identified under paragraph (1) of this subsection from
similar structures that do not attract a high number of individuals attempting
suicide-by-jumping;

���� (3)�� the types of nets or
barriers, including manufactured and natural barriers, that are effective at
reducing suicide-by-jumping with respect to the structures identified under paragraph
(1) of this subsection;

���� (4)�� methods of reducing
suicide-by-jumping with respect to the structures identified under paragraph
(1) of this subsection other than nets and barriers;

���� (5)�� quantitative measures of
the effectiveness of the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3) of
this subsection;

���� (6)�� quantitative measures of
the effectiveness of the additional methods identified under paragraph (4) of
this subsection;

���� (7)�� the entities that
typically install the nets and barriers identified under paragraph (3) of this
subsection; and

���� (8)�� the costs of the nets
and barriers identified under paragraph (3) of this subsection.

���� b.��� Upon completion of the
study conducted pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a report summarizing
the findings of the study shall be made publicly available on the department's
Internet website.

���� 4.��� In accordance with the
"Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.),
the Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt rules and regulations
necessary to effectuate the provisions of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill).�

���� 5.��� There is appropriated to
the Department of Community Affairs from the General Fund a sum of $10,000,000 to
effectuate the provisions of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).

���� 6.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.�

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes a grant
program in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to facilitate the
installation of evidence-based suicide deterrents, including but not limited to
suicide prevention nets and barriers, on or at a covered location, as defined
in the bill.� The bill describes the application process and eligibility for
the grant program.� The bill requires an approved applicant to provide DCA with
the data necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the installed
evidence-based suicide deterrents.� The bill requires the DCA to conduct and
complete a study within one year of the enactment, and make available a summary
of the study on the DCA�s Internet website.�

���� The bill requires the
Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt rules and regulations necessary to
effectuate the provisions of the bill.�

���� Appropriates $10,000,000 to the
DCA to effectuate the provisions of the bill.� �