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S3762 • 2026

Establishes Department of State Police.

Establishes Department of State Police.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
McKnight, Angela V.
Last action
2026-03-05
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation 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.

Establishes Department of State Police.

Establishes Department of State Police.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes Department of State Police.
  • Topic: State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Fiscal note: This bill has 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. 2026-03-05 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee

Official Summary Text

Establishes Department of State Police.
Topic:
State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation
Fiscal note:
This bill has been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S3762

SENATE, No. 3762

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 5, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Department of State Police.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning the organization of State government and supplementing Title 53 of
the Revised Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� There is established in
the Executive Branch of State government a principal department which shall be
known as the Department of State Police. The department shall assume the
functions, powers, and duties of the Division of State Police in the Department
of Law and Public Safety.

���� 2.��� The executive and
administrative head of the department shall be the Commissioner of State
Police, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience to direct
the work of the department. The commissioner shall be appointed by the
Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve during the
term of the appointing Governor and until a successor is appointed and
qualifies.� However,� the person serving as Superintendent of State Police on
the effective date of this act shall assume the office of Commissioner of State
Police and shall hold that office for the unexpired period of the term for
which the Superintendent was appointed or until a successor is appointed and
qualifies.

���� 3.��� a.� Pursuant to the�
"State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.),
the functions, powers, duties, and employees of� the Division of State Police
in the Department of Law and Public Safety are hereby� transferred to the Department
of State Police established by this act.

���� b.��� The functions, powers,
and duties of the Superintendent of State Police in the Division of State
Police are hereby transferred to and vested in the Commissioner of State Police
established by this act.

���� 4.��� a.� Whenever the term
"Division of State Police" occurs or any reference is made thereto in
any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the
Department of State Police established by this act.

���� b.��� Whenever the term
"Superintendent of State Police" occurs or any reference is made in
any law, contract, or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to
the Commissioner of State Police established by this act.

���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would establish the
New Jersey State Police as the Department of State Police, a distinct
department of the Executive Branch of State government.� The Division of State
Police would no longer be a division of the Department of Law and Public Safety.

���� All functions, powers, and
duties of the current division would be transferred to the department pursuant
to the �State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.).�
This bill would ensure that the tenure, retirement, and other rights of
employees of this division are maintained and protected.� The functions,
powers, and duties of the Superintendent of State Police would be transferred
to the Commissioner of State Police, who would head the new department.� Upon
enactment of the bill, the person serving in the capacity of superintendent
would assume the position of Commissioner of State Police.

���� Under this bill, the
Commissioner of State Police would report directly to the Governor.� The
Attorney General would no longer exercise supervisory authority over State
Police operations.