ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1407

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1407.

      The bill upgrades the criminal penalties for the promotion of prostitution to a crime of the second degree and imposes a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed, or five years, whichever is greater, during which time the defendant would not be eligible for parole.  Under current law, all crimes under the umbrella of promotion of prostitution are crimes of the third degree, except the crimes of soliciting a person to patronize a prostitute and procuring a prostitute for a patron, which are crimes of the fourth degree.

      The bill also upgrades the criminal penalties for compelling another to engage in or promote prostitution and promoting prostitution of one’s spouse from crimes of the third degree to crimes of the second degree, and imposes a mandatory minimum term of incarceration of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed, or five years, whichever is greater, during which time the defendant would not be eligible for parole.

      The bill creates two new crimes: (1) leader of a prostitution network, a crime of the second degree; and (2) participant in a prostitution network, a crime of the third degree.  The bill provides that it is an affirmative defense to the crime of participant in a prostitution network that the defendant was a victim of human trafficking during the commission of the crime.

      A disorderly persons offense is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.  A crime of the fourth degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.  A crime of the third degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.  A crime of the second degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of five to 10 years, a fine of up to $150,000, or both.

      Under the bill, crimes related to prostitution, with the exception of engaging in prostitution as a prostitute, would be ineligible for admission into the State’s Pretrial Intervention Program.

      This bill is in response to the State Commission of Investigation report released on October 17, 2024, entitled “An Inquiry into Human Trafficking Activity in the Massage and Bodywork Therapy Industry in New Jersey.”

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.