New Jersey-2012-S1065-Introduced

An Act concerning computer criminal activity, supplementing chapter 158 of Title 2A and chapter 43 of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes and amending P.L.1979, c.396 and P.L.1991, c.329.

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

1. (New section) a. There is created in the Department of Treasury a non-lapsing fund entitled the "Internet Predator Investigation and Prosecution Fund." The fund shall be the depository for assessments collected pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The State Treasurer shall administer the fund and dispense money from the fund to county prosecutor's offices as directed by the Attorney General.

b. The Attorney General shall award grants from the fund to county prosecutor's offices to pay for the training and equipment necessary to investigate and prosecute persons who violate N.J.S.2C:13-6 via electronic means.

c. Applications for grants from the fund shall be made in a manner prescribed by the Attorney General. The grant application shall describe the county prosecutor's office's need for grant funding and how the funding will be used to further the objectives stated in subsection b. of this section.

2. (New section) a. In addition to any other fine, fee or assessment imposed, any person convicted of a violation section 4 of P.L.1984, c.184 (C.2C:20-25) shall be assessed $200 for each conviction.

b. All assessments provided for in this section shall be collected as provided for collection of fines and restitutions in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:46-4) and shall be forwarded to the Department of the Treasury to be deposited into the Internet Predator Investigation and Prosecution Fund.

3. Section 3 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:46-4) is amended to read as follows:

3. a. All fines, assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.2C:43-3.6), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.73 (C.2C:14-10), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.143 (C.2C:43-3.8) and restitution shall be collected as follows:

(1) All fines, assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.2C:43-3.6), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.73 (C.2C:14-10), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.143 (C.2C:43-3.8) and restitution imposed by the Superior Court or otherwise imposed at the county level, shall be collected by the county probation division except when such fine, assessment or restitution is imposed in conjunction with a custodial sentence to a State correctional facility or in conjunction with a term of incarceration imposed pursuant to section 25 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-44) in which event such fine, assessment or restitution shall be collected by the Department of Corrections or the Juvenile Justice Commission established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1995, c.284 (C.52:17B-170). An adult prisoner of a State correctional institution or a juvenile serving a term of incarceration imposed pursuant to section 25 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-44) who has not paid an assessment imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), a penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5), a penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.73 (C.2C:14-10), a penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.143 (C.2C:43-3.8) or restitution shall have the assessment, penalty, fine or restitution deducted from any income the inmate receives as a result of labor performed at the institution or on any type of work release program or, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections or the Juvenile Justice Commission, from any personal account established in the institution for the benefit of the inmate.

(2) All fines, assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), any penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5) and restitution imposed by a municipal court shall be collected by the municipal court administrator except if such fine, assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), or restitution is ordered as a condition of probation in which event it shall be collected by the county probation division.

b. Except as provided in subsection c. with respect to fines imposed on appeals following convictions in municipal courts and except as provided in subsection i. with respect to restitution imposed under the provisions of P.L.1997, c.253 (C.2C:43-3.4 et al.), all fines imposed by the Superior Court or otherwise imposed at the county level, shall be paid over by the officer entitled to collect same to:

(1) The county treasurer with respect to fines imposed on defendants who are sentenced to and serve a custodial term, including a term as a condition of probation, in the county jail, workhouse or penitentiary except where such county sentence is served concurrently with a sentence to a State institution; or

(2) The State Treasurer with respect to all other fines.

c. All fines imposed by municipal courts, except a central municipal court established pursuant to N.J.S.2B:12-1 on defendants convicted of crimes, disorderly persons offenses and petty disorderly persons offenses, and all fines imposed following conviction on appeal therefrom, and all forfeitures of bail shall be paid over by the officer entitled to collect same to the treasury of the municipality wherein the municipal court is located.

In the case of an intermunicipal court, fines shall be paid into the municipal treasury of the municipality in which the offense was committed, and costs, fees, and forfeitures of bail shall be apportioned among the several municipalities to which the court's jurisdiction extends according to the ratios of the municipalities' contributions to the total expense of maintaining the court.

In the case of a central municipal court, established by a county pursuant to N.J.S.2B:12-1, all costs, fines, fees and forfeitures of bail shall be paid into the county treasury of the county where the central municipal court is located.

d. All assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

e. All mandatory Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction penalties imposed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-15 shall be forwarded and deposited as provided for in that section.

f. All forensic laboratory fees assessed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-20 shall be forwarded and deposited as provided for in that section.

g. All restitution ordered to be paid to the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency pursuant to N.J.S.2C:44-2 shall be forwarded to the agency for deposit in the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency Account.

h. All assessments imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1993, c.220 (C.2C:43-3.2) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

i. All restitution imposed on defendants under the provisions of P.L.1997, c.253 (C.2C:43-3.4 et al.) for costs incurred by a law enforcement entity in extraditing the defendant from another jurisdiction shall be paid over by the officer entitled to collect same to the law enforcement entities which participated in the extradition of the defendant.

j. All penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

k. All penalties imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.2C:43-3.6) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

l. All mandatory penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.73 (C.2C:14-10) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

m. All mandatory Computer Crime Prevention penalties imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.143 (C.2C:43-3.8) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

n. All penalties imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.

(cf: P.L. 2009, c.143, s.2)

4. Section 13 of P.L.1991, c. 329 (C.2C:46-4.1) is amended to read as follows:

13. Moneys that are collected in satisfaction of any assessment imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1), or in satisfaction of restitution or fines imposed in accordance with the provisions of Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes or with the provisions of section 24 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-43), shall be applied in the following order:

a. first, in satisfaction of all assessments imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:43-3.1);

b. second, except as provided in subsection f. of this section, in satisfaction of any restitution ordered;

c. third, in satisfaction of all assessments imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1993, c.220 (C.2C:43-3.2);

d. fourth, in satisfaction of any forensic laboratory fee assessed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-20;

e. fifth, in satisfaction of any mandatory Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction penalty assessed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35-15;

f. sixth, in satisfaction of any anti-drug profiteering penalty imposed pursuant to N.J.S.2C:35A-1 et seq.;

g. seventh, in satisfaction of any anti-money laundering profiteering penalty imposed pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1999, c.25 (C.2C:21-27.2);

h. eighth, in satisfaction of restitution for any extradition costs imposed pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1997, c.253 (C.2C:43-3.4);

i. ninth, in satisfaction of any penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1999, c.295 (C.2C:43-3.5);

j. tenth, in satisfaction of any penalty imposed pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2001, c.81 (C.2C:43-3.6);

k. eleventh, in satisfaction of the mandatory penalty imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.73 (C.2C:14-10);

l. twelfth, in satisfaction of any mandatory Computer Crime Prevention penalty assessed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2009, c.143 (C.2C:43-3.8); [and]

m. thirteenth, in satisfaction of an assessment imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

n. fourteenth, in satisfaction of any fine.

(cf: P.L.2009, c.143, s.3)

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill imposes a $200 assessment on persons convicted of computer criminal activity or a sex offense. The money collected is to be forwarded to the State Treasurer to be placed in a fund called the "Internet Predator Investigation and Prosecution Fund" which the bill establishes. The Attorney General shall grant money from the fund to county prosecutor offices for training and equipment necessary to investigate and prosecute persons who use the Internet to arrange meetings with children for the purpose of committing a crime.