SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE, No. 269
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MAY 18, 2023
The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 269.
As reported by the committee, the committee substitute clarifies a juvenile’s right to attorney representation.
Under current law, a juvenile has the right to an attorney at every critical stage in the proceeding which, in the opinion of the court, may result in the institutional commitment of the juvenile.
Under the committee substitute, a juvenile has the right to an attorney at every critical state of a court proceeding. The committee substitute defines “critical state of a court proceeding” to include every court appearance by the juvenile, including all post dispositional appearances and any interrogation, identification procedure, or other investigative activity involving the juvenile undertaken by law enforcement or prosecutorial personnel subsequent to the filing of the complaint.
As reported by the committee, the Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 269 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 3117 (1R), which also was amended and reported by the committee on this same date.