LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 3530
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: NOVEMBER 17, 2025
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Establishes "Incarcerated Women's Protection Act" and concerns correctional facility board of trustees. |
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Type of Impact: |
Annual State expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Corrections. |
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Fiscal Impact |
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Annual |
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State Expenditure Increase |
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Indeterminate |
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· In an informal response to the OLS, the department indicated that it is already addressing certain of the bill’s requirements, through its Special Victims Unit, Prison Rape Elimination Act Compliance Unit, and in-service training.
· The department informally estimated the total cost of a gender responsive risk and needs assessment classification tool to be $355,439, but did not provide a breakdown of these costs. The OLS can neither confirm nor refute this informal estimate.
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The OLS does not have sufficient information to quantify
expenditure increases from the bill’s numerous remaining provisions and the
overall magnitude of these increases.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill establishes the Incarcerated Women’s Protection Act. Under the bill, the Department of Corrections is required to provide a gender responsive risk and needs assessment as part of the institutional classification process based upon certain principles. In addition, the department is required to establish a system of community supervision and reentry with comprehensive, collaborative services and ensure direct supervision and oversight by correctional staff in order to identify potential issues and respond proactively before the issues escalate.
The bill also provides that the department is required to institute mandatory in-service training for every correctional police officer who supervises female incarcerated persons regarding gender responsive policies and ensure that every correctional police officer who supervises female incarcerated persons completes this training annually.
Further, the bill establishes in the department the Division of Women’s Services. The department is to develop policies, programs, and services necessary to service incarcerated women. The bill also establishes a Prison Rape Elimination Act Compliance Unit within the division that is responsible for ensuring the department is in compliance with this federal law.
Under the bill, the department is required to provide doula services to incarcerated females who are pregnant and provide support services to incarcerated mothers, including parenting classes.
The bill also establishes within the department a special victim’s unit that is to be under the Special Investigations Division.
The bill also requires certain information regarding sexual abuse and sexual harassment of incarcerated persons to be provided to every incarcerated person at orientation upon intake and periodically thereafter.
Finally, the bill requires the establishment of a board of trustees for all adult male State correctional facilities and a board of trustees for all adult female State correctional facilities.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The Department of Corrections provided an informal response to the OLS. Regarding the bill’s requirements, the department noted that:
1) a Prison Rape Elimination Act Compliance Unit is established within the Division of Women’s Services;
2) a Special Victims Unit was established within the Special Investigations Division in 2022; and
3) an in-service training requirement was established in 2020.
The department further noted that it does not anticipate any cost increases for the doula services for pregnant incarcerated women since these services would be provided by volunteers.
The department indicated that the only cost it anticipates
is related to the adoption of the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment classification tool.
The department estimates the total cost of the classification tool at $355,439.
The department has not provided a breakdown for these costs but
notes that it is currently pursuing the classification tool notwithstanding the
provisions of this bill. The department added that the tool can be
partially funded by Inmate Welfare funds.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes the bill will result in an indeterminate annual State expenditure increase for the Department of Corrections.
As noted above, the department indicated in an informal response that it is already addressing certain of the bill’s requirements, through its Special Victims Unit, Prison Rape Elimination Act Compliance Unit, and in-service training.
The department does not anticipate any costs associated with providing doula services to incarcerated women who are pregnant, as the doula services would be provided by volunteers. However, it is unclear if there are any other medical costs associated with providing the doula services.
The department informally estimated the total cost of a gender responsive risk and needs assessment classification tool to be $355,439. The department did not provide a breakdown of these costs, but noted that it is currently pursuing the classification tool notwithstanding the provisions of this bill. The department added that the tool could be partially funded by the dedicated, off-budget Inmate Welfare Fund, which is funded by sources such as commissary sales, inmate trust account interest, gifts, and investments. The OLS can neither confirm nor refute this informal estimate.
The OLS does not have sufficient information to quantify expenditure increases from the bill’s numerous remaining provisions and the overall magnitude of these increases.
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Section: |
Judiciary |
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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.).