Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DAWN FANTASIA
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Requires law enforcement officers to follow certain procedures when illegal drugs are suspected of being used in presence of children.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning children and supplementing Title 9 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding any provision of law or regulation to the contrary, upon receipt of a request from a parent or guardian to remove a child who resides in a home where illegal drugs are suspected of being used in the presence of the child, a law enforcement officer shall:
a. secure and remove the illegal drugs being used in the presence of the child and place the drugs into evidence in accordance with State law and regulations;
b. forward information about the request to the State Central Registry for referral to a child protective investigator for investigation of a possible allegation of child abuse or neglect;
c. request an immediate response from a child protective investigator to the report referred by the State Central Registry for investigation in accordance with N.J.A.C.3A:10-2.2; and
d. coordinate, pursuant to N.J.A.C.3A:10-5.4, in the investigation of the report referred for investigation pursuant to subsection c. of this section, at the request of the child protective investigator.
2. The Department of Children and Families, in consultation with the Department of Law and Public Safety, shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill stipulates that upon request from a parent or guardian to remove a child who resides in a home where illegal drugs are suspected of being used in the presence of the child, a law enforcement officer is to: (1) secure and remove the illegal drugs being used in the presence of the child and place the drugs into evidence in accordance with State law and regulations; (2) forward information about the request to the State Central Registry (SCR) for referral to a child protective investigator for investigation of a possible allegation of child abuse or neglect; (3) request an immediate response from a child protective investigator to the report referred to the SCR; and (4) coordinate in the investigation of the report at the request of the child protective investigator.