ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1061

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1061.

     This bill requires sports and entertainment facilities capable of seating more than 5,000 people, movie theaters capable of seating more than 1,000 people, and places of worship capable of seating more than 500 people to annually prepare and maintain an emergency operations plan in coordination with the appropriate local fire, law enforcement, and emergency response agencies.

     Under section 1 of P.L.2010, c.78 (C.52:27D-224.3), sports and entertainment facilities are required to annually file an emergency operations plan with the municipal emergency management coordinator. This bill extends this requirement to movie theaters and places of worship and requires that the emergency operations plan be submitted to the chief law enforcement officer who serves the municipality in which the sports and entertainment facility, movie theater, or place of worship is located.  The emergency operations plan is required to include, but not be limited to, a copy of the building plans or building layout that identifies the internal and external access routes of the sports and entertainment facility, movie theater, or place of worship.  The chief law enforcement officer is required to utilize the emergency operations plans to prepare and train for mass casualty and active shooter incidents at these venues.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2022-2023 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.