LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
ASSEMBLY, No. 5906
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: DECEMBER 30, 2025
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Requires AOC, in conjunction with State Parole Board, to conduct comprehensive study on Megan’s Law. |
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Type of Impact: |
Ongoing State expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Judiciary, State Parole Board, County Prosecutors. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
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Ongoing State Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that State costs will increase by an indeterminate amount in the first year the bill is implemented for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board to complete the required study of Megan’s Law. State costs will increase by a lesser amount every two years thereafter to produce a report detailing ongoing findings and recommendations.
· The OLS lacks the informational basis to determine the resources the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board would utilize to conduct the initial study and biannual reports.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the Administrative Office of the Courts, in conjunction with the State Parole Board, to conduct a comprehensive study on Megan’s Law.
The Violence Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was tasked in or about 2007 with conducting a study on the implementation and application of Megan’s Law. However, it appears that this study was never completed or made publicly available. In 2013, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey was dissolved, and its components were mostly transferred to Rutgers University and Rowan University. This bill amends current law to place the onus on the Administrative Office of the Courts, in conjunction with the State Parole Board, to conduct this study.
Under the bill, the study is to examine the implementation and application of Megan’s Law, specifically regarding the registration of sex offenders and community notification for certain sex offenders.
In addition, the study is to evaluate the current procedures utilized by county prosecutors and the courts in determining a sex offender’s tier designation and implementing community notification. In evaluating these procedures, the study is to examine the disposition of all sex offenders who have registered and have been assigned a tier rating since the enactment of Megan’s Law, or from the earliest date permitted by the availability of reliable records.
Additionally, the study is to make recommendations regarding the standardization of procedures for evaluating the risk of re-offense, assigning tier designations, implementing community notification, and ensuring uniform application of the Attorney General’s guidelines by law enforcement in providing community notification. Furthermore, the study is to examine the use of the Internet registry in providing information to the public about sex offenders. The study is to also examine whether a central agency should be charged with the administration of Megan’s Law and the determination as to which offenders should appear on the Internet registry.
The Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board are to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing their findings and recommendations within 12 months of the bill’s effective date and every two years thereafter.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS finds that State costs will increase by an indeterminate amount in the first year the bill is implemented for the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board to complete the required study of Megan’s Law. State costs will increase by a lesser amount every two years thereafter to produce a report detailing ongoing findings and recommendations, which is to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature. The OLS lacks the informational basis to determine the resources the Administrative Office of the Courts and the State Parole Board would utilize to conduct the initial study and biannual reports.
Megan’s Law has been in operation since 1994 in New Jersey. A comprehensive study could possibly involve extensive data collection, offender tracking, a case-by-case analysis of each offender, and the rationale for tier selection in all 21 counties in the State. Further, the study is to examine whether a central agency should be charged with the administration of Megan’s Law and the determination as to which offenders should appear on the Internet registry. According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, as of November 2024, there were 18,205 registrants in the Megan’s Law case tracking system.
Though unclear, county prosecutors may also have to potentially commit time and resources to the study. Under the bill, the study must evaluate current procedures utilized by county prosecutors and the courts in determining a sex offender’s tier designation and implementing community notification since the enactment of Megan’s Law. As of November 2024, 13,342 sex offenders in the Megan’s Law case tracking system had been assigned tiers by county prosecutors.
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Section: |
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Analyst: |
Senior Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).