Bill Text: NJ S1181 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates new $100 assessment for convictions of certain sexual offenses to fund counseling for victims and their families; establishes Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-25 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee [S1181 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1181-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator SANDRA B. CUNNINGHAM
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Creates new $100 assessment for convictions of certain sexual offenses to fund counseling for victims and their families; establishes Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning an assessment for convictions of certain sexual offenses to fund counseling for victims and their families, amending P.L.1979, c.396 and P.L.1991, c.329 and supplementing Title 2C and chapter 4B of Title 52 of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. In addition to any other fine, fee or assessment imposed, any person convicted of the following offenses: aggravated sexual assault; sexual assault; aggravated criminal sexual contact; kidnapping pursuant to N.J.S.2C:13-1; endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals of the child pursuant to subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:24-4; endangering the welfare of a child pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:24-4; luring or enticing pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.291 (C.2C:13-6); criminal sexual contact pursuant to N.J.S.2C:14-3b if the victim is a minor; criminal restraint pursuant to N.J.S.2C:13-2, or false imprisonment pursuant to N.J.S.2C:13-3 if the victim is a minor and the offender is not the parent of the victim; or an attempt to commit any of these enumerated offenses shall be assessed $100 for each conviction for the Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund.
b. All assessments provided for in this section shall be collected as provided for the 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 as provided in subsection c. of this section.
c. All money collected pursuant to this section shall be forwarded to the Department of the Treasury to be deposited into the Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund established in the State Treasury by section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill).
2. (New section) a. The Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund shall be a separate, nonlapsing, revolving fund and shall be administered by the Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Law and Public Safety and all moneys deposited in that fund pursuant to this act shall be used for the provision of counseling services to victims of specified sexual offenses set forth in section 1 of P.L. c. (C. )(now pending before the Legislature as this bill) and the families of these victims.
b. The development and provision of counseling services to victims and their families shall be pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. The Director of the Division of Criminal Justice shall coordinate these counseling services with other services offered by the State Office of Victim and Witness Advocacy, the 21 county offices of Victim and Witness Advocacy and as otherwise deemed appropriate for the implementation of the Attorney General Standards to Ensure the Rights of Crime Victims.
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), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97) 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), all penalties imposed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97) [and] restitution imposed by the Superior Court or otherwise imposed at the county level, and assessments imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), 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), a penalty imposed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97), or assessments imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), 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.
(a) A payment of restitution collected by the Department of Corrections pursuant to this paragraph shall be maintained by the department for two years during which the department shall attempt to locate the victim to whom the restitution is owed. If the department has not located the victim and the victim has not come forward to claim the payment within this two-year period, the payment shall be transferred to the Victims of Crime Compensation Office Account to be used in satisfying claims pursuant to the provisions of the "Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.317 (C.52:4B-1 et seq.).
(b) If the Department of Corrections has transferred a payment of restitution to the Victims of Crime Compensation Office pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, the department shall provide the office with the order for restitution and any other information regarding the identity of the victim to whom the payment is owed. The office shall be responsible for maintaining this information and for distributing payments of restitution to victims who can prove they are owed the payments.
(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), assessments imposed pursuant to P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), 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 or assessment imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) 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 Office pursuant to N.J.S.2C:44-2 shall be forwarded to the office for deposit in the Victims of Crime Compensation Office 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 mandatory Sex Offender Supervision penalties imposed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97) shall be forwarded and deposited as provided in that section.
(cf: P.L.2015, c.55, s.1)
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 assessment imposed pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) 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);
m. thirteenth, in satisfaction of any mandatory Sex Offender Supervision penalty assessed pursuant to section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97); and
n. in satisfaction of any fine.
(cf: P.L. 2013, c.214, s.6)
5. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill creates a new $100 assessment to be imposed on person convicted of specified sexual offenses. These sexual offenses are the same as those which currently trigger the registration provisions of P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-1 et seq.) under "Megan's Law." This $100 assessment would be collected in the same manner as other assessments and would be given the same priority as other assessments. The moneys collected would be deposited in the Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund established in the State Treasury by this bill. These special $100 assessments would be used by the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety to fund counseling for victims of sexual offenses and their families.
The development and provision of counseling services to victims and their families would be done in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. The Director would be required to coordinate these counseling services with other services offered by the State Office of Victim and Witness Advocacy, the 21 county offices of Victim and Witness Advocacy, and as otherwise deemed appropriate for the implementation of the Attorney General Standards to Ensure the Rights of Crime Victims.
