KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to New Jersey

S3617 • 2026

Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.

Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.

Crime
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Mukherji, Raj
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.

Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.
  • Topic: Law and Public Safety Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-19 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee

Official Summary Text

Authorizes State, county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.
Topic:
Law and Public Safety
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S3617

SENATE, No. 3617

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Authorizes State, county, and municipal law
enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes and evidence.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning crime scenes and supplementing Title 52 of
the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� a.� Every State, county,
and municipal law enforcement officer shall be authorized to access a crime
scene and any evidence at the location of the crime scene which is under the
jurisdiction of the law enforcement agency that employs the officer.

���� b.� Any person, including a
federal law enforcement officer, who prevents a State, county, or municipal law
enforcement officer from accessing a crime scene or any evidence at a crime
scene as set forth in subsection a. of this section shall be guilty of a
violation of N.J.S.2C:29-1.

���� c.���� The Attorney General
shall issue guidelines or directives to effectuate the purposes of this
section.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of
enactment, except the Attorney General may take any anticipatory administrative
action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

STATEMENT

���� This bill authorizes State,
county, and municipal law enforcement officers to access certain crime scenes
and evidence.

���� Specifically, under the
provisions of this bill, every State, county, and municipal law enforcement
officer is authorized to access a crime scene and any evidence at the location
of the crime scene which is under the jurisdiction of the law enforcement
agency that employs the officer.

���� Under the bill, any person,
including a federal law enforcement officer, who prevents a law enforcement
officer from accessing a crime scene or any evidence at a crime scene is guilty
of a violation of obstructing the administration of law or other governmental
function.� Under current law, obstructing the administration of law or other
governmental function is a disorderly persons offense.� A disorderly persons
offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,
or both.