Bill Text: NJ A5319 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Eliminates fee on electronic transfer of funds into incarcerated persons' accounts; makes appropriation.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-23 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee [A5319 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5319-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman KENYATTA STEWART
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates fee on electronic transfer of funds into incarcerated persons' accounts; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act eliminating fee on electronic transfer of funds for incarcerated persons, supplementing Titles 30 and 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Corrections shall establish uniform rules and regulations or departmental procedures, which shall be applicable to every correctional facility in the State, including county and private correctional facilities, to eliminate transaction fees when depositing funds electronically via online platforms, such as mobile applications, the Internet, or over the phone into an incarcerated person trust account.
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Corrections such funds as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act, as certified by the Commissioner of Corrections, and subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.
3. The Youth Justice Commission shall establish uniform rules and regulations or departmental procedures, which shall be applicable to every youth correctional facility in the State, including county and private correctional facilities, to eliminate transaction fees when depositing funds electronically via online platforms, such as mobile applications, the Internet, or over the phone into an incarcerated youth trust account.
4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Youth Justice Commission such funds as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act, as certified by the Executive Director of the Youth Justice Commission, and subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the thirteenth month following enactment. However, the Commissioner of Corrections and the Executive Director of the Youth Justice Commission may take such anticipatory administrative action as necessary for the timely implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill eliminates any fee on the electronic transfer of funds into an incarcerated person's account in State and county correctional facilities, including private correctional facilities and youth offender facilities. This bill also makes an appropriation for the implementation of this act.
Currently, a third-party vendor charges a fee for any electronic transfer of funds to persons incarcerated in State and county correctional facilities for providing these transaction services. This bill provides for free electronic transfer of funds.
This bill makes an appropriation for such funds as may be necessary for the implementation of the bill.
