Bill Text: NJ A2093 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires AG to establish program to detect fentanyl in State's illegal drug supply and make information related to presence of fentanyl available in database accessible by law enforcement.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [A2093 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A2093-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman WILLIAM W. SPEARMAN
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Houghtaling, Assemblywomen Downey, Lopez, Assemblymen Space, Wirths and Verrelli
SYNOPSIS
Requires AG to establish program to detect fentanyl in State's illegal drug supply and make information related to presence of fentanyl available in database accessible by law enforcement.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the testing of illegal substances seized by law enforcement 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. The Attorney General shall maintain a program to monitor drug activity in this State and surrounding regions. The program shall provide for multi-jurisdictional sharing of drug incident information among law enforcement agencies. Information related to drug seizures, overdoses, criminal behavior, and health care-related services shall be collected and analyzed for the purpose of:
(1) assisting in facilitating the development of enhanced policies and practices to prevent drug abuse and misuse; and
(2) mitigating the harm drugs inflict on communities.
The program shall monitor and analyze trends related to the presence and content of fentanyl in illegal substances seized by law enforcement throughout the State. In order to identify these trends, the Attorney General shall require controlled dangerous substances seized by law enforcement officers in the State to be tested for the presence of fentanyl in accordance with protocols established by the Division of State Police.
b. The seized substances shall be tested in accordance with protocols established by the Division of State Police to determine whether fentanyl or other potentially lethal substances are present in the substance and, if so, any available information related to the presence and content of fentanyl in the substance shall be reported to the Attorney General in a timely manner.
c. The testing shall be performed using forensic laboratory analysis techniques the Division of State Police determines to be appropriate to evaluate whether a substance contains fentanyl.
d. The information received pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall be compiled into a database that is accessible by all law enforcement agencies throughout the State. The information shall be continuously updated to reflect the most current information available concerning the presence of fentanyl in illegal substances in the State.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Attorney General to maintain a program to monitor drug activity in this State and surrounding regions. The program is to provide for multi-jurisdictional sharing of drug incident information among law enforcement agencies. Information related to drug seizures, overdoses, criminal behavior, and health care-related services is to be collected and analyzed to assist in facilitating the development of enhanced policies and practices to prevent drug abuse and misuse and to mitigate the harm drugs inflict on communities.
The program is to monitor and analyze trends related to the presence and content of fentanyl in illegal substances seized by law enforcement throughout the State. To identify these trends, the Attorney General is to require controlled dangerous substances seized by law enforcement officers in the State to be tested for the presence of fentanyl in accordance with protocols established by the Division of State Police.
The substances are to be tested in accordance with protocols established by the Division of State Police to determine whether fentanyl or other potentially lethal substances are present in the seized substance. The testing is to be performed using appropriate forensic laboratory analysis techniques. Available information related to the presence and content of fentanyl in the substance is to be reported to the Attorney General in a timely manner.
The Attorney General is to compile this information into a database that is accessible to all law enforcement agencies throughout the State. The information is to be continuously updated to reflect the most current information available.
