Bill Text: NJ S3487 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes Department of State Police as principal department in executive branch of State government.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2026-02-12 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S3487 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S3487-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Department of State Police as principal department in executive branch of State government.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the Division of State Police and amending, supplementing, and repealing various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.1948, c.439 (C.52:17B-3) is amended to read as follows:
3. There is hereby established in the Department of Law and Public Safety a Division of Law, [a Division of State Police,] a Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, [a Division of Motor Vehicles,] a Division of Weights and Measures and a Division of Professional Boards.
The Attorney General shall have the authority to organize and maintain in his offices an Administrative Division and to assign to employment therein such secretarial, clerical and other assistants in the department as his office and the internal operations of the department shall require.
(cf: P.L.1948, c.439, s.3)
2. Section 51 of P.L.1948, c.439 (C.52:17B-51) is amended to read as follows:
51. Whenever the term "Attorney-General" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Attorney General designated herein as the head of the Department of Law and Public Safety established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Department of Law" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Division of Law established hereunder.
Whenever the term "deputy Attorney-General" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to a deputy Attorney-General employed in the Division of Law established hereunder.
Whenever the term "assistant deputy Attorney-General" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to an assistant deputy Attorney-General employed in the Division of Law established hereunder.
Whenever the term "member of the Department of Law" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to a member of the Division of Law established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control established hereunder.
Whenever the term "State Commissioner of Alcoholic Beverage Control" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Department of Motor Vehicles" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Division of Motor Vehicles established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Commissioner of Motor Vehicles" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles established hereunder.
[Whenever the term "Department of State Police" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Division of State Police established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Superintendent of State Police" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Superintendent of State Police designated as the head of the Division of State Police established hereunder.]
Whenever the term "Department of Weights and Measures" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Division of Weights and Measures established hereunder.
Whenever the term "State Superintendent of Weights and Measures" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Superintendent of the Division of Weights and Measures designated as the head of the Division of Weights and Measures established hereunder.
Whenever the term "Board of Tenement House Supervision of the State of New Jersey" occurs or any reference is made thereto in any law, contract or document, the same shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Board of Tenement House Supervision of the State of New Jersey constituted the Bureau of Tenement House Supervision in the Division of State Police established hereunder.
(cf: P.L.1948, c.439, s.51)
3. R.S.53:1-1 is amended to read as follows:
53:1-1. [The department of state police, created and established by an act entitled "An act creating a department of state police, providing for the appointment of a superintendent thereof, together with the officers and men who shall constitute the force, defining their powers and duties, and making an appropriation for the expenses connected therewith," passed March twenty-ninth, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one (L.1921, c. 102, p. 167), as amended and supplemented, is continued. The executive and administrative head of such department shall be a superintendent of state police.] The Division of State Police, together with all of its functions, powers, and duties is continued, but the division is transferred to and constituted the Department of State Police, which is established as a principal department in the executive branch of the State government.
The transfer directed by this section shall be made in accordance with the "State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.).
(cf: R.S.53:1-1)
4. R.S.53:1-2 is amended to read as follows:
53:1-2. [The Superintendent of State Police, hereinafter referred to as the superintendent, shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall serve during the term of office of the Governor appointing him and until the superintendent's successor is appointed and has qualified and shall be removable by the Governor after charges have been preferred and a hearing granted.
The superintendent shall receive such salary as shall be provided by law, and shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, give a bond to the State of New Jersey in the sum of $20,000.00 for the faithful performance of his duties.] The executive and administrative head of the Department of State Police shall be the Superintendent of State Police, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience with the Department of State Police or its predecessor, the Division of State Police, to direct the work of the department. The Superintendent of State Police shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall serve during the term of office of the Governor appointing the superintendent and until the superintendent's successor is appointed and has qualified; provided, however, that the person in office as the superintendent on the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall hold the office of Superintendent of State Police in the Department of State Police for the unexpired period of the term for which the superintendent was appointed, and until the superintendent's successor is appointed and qualifies. The Superintendent of State Police shall receive a salary as shall be provided by law and shall devote the superintendent's entire time and attention to the duties of the office. The superintendent may be removed from office by the Governor, for cause, upon notice and opportunity to be heard.
(cf: P.L.1971, c.105, s.2)
5. (New section) The functions, powers, and duties of the Superintendent of State Police in the existing Division of State Police are continued, but the functions, powers, and duties are transferred to and vested in the Superintendent of State Police designated as the executive and administrative head of the Department of State Police, and shall be exercised and performed by the superintendent through the department. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, the Superintendent of State Police shall be designated as the State Director of Emergency Management.
6. (New section) a. Except as otherwise provided, or as may be changed pursuant to authorization provided under any law, the organization of the existing Division of State Police is continued as the organization of the Department of State Police. Any personnel change made within the Department of State Police shall be subject only to the approval of the Superintendent of State Police. The approval of the Attorney General shall not be required.
b. Whenever, in any law, contract, or document, reference is made to the term "Division of State Police," that term shall mean the Department of State Police.
Whenever, in any law, contract, or document, reference is made to the term "Superintendent of State Police," that term shall mean the Superintendent of State Police designated as the head of the Department of State Police.
7. (New section) The provisions of P.L.2009, c.121 (C.52:17B-222 et seq.) applicable to the Division of State Police shall apply to the Department of State Police established pursuant to P.L. c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
8. Sections 6 through 9 of P.L.1948, c.439 (C.52:17B-6 through C.52:17B-9) are repealed.
9. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the Department of State Police as a principal department in the executive branch of State government.
Under current law, the Division of State Police is situated in the Department of Law and Public Safety, which is headed by the Attorney General.
Under the provisions of this bill, the Division of State Police is transferred to and constituted as the Department of State Police, which is established as a principal department in the executive branch of State government. The Superintendent of State Police is established as the head of the Department of State Police.
The bill provides that the Superintendent of State Police is to be designated as the State Director of Emergency Management and that any personnel change made within the Department of State Police is subject only to the approval of the Superintendent of State Police. The approval of the Attorney General is not required. Currently, the Office of Emergency Management is allocated within the Division of State Police, with the superintendent serving as the Director of Emergency Management.
Finally, the bill clarifies that the oversight and monitoring of the current Division of State Police performed by the Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards under current law would apply to the Department of State Police established under this bill.
