SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1276

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 11, 2026

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1276.

      As reported by the committee, this bill makes permanent the ARRIVE Together Crisis Response Pilot Program established pursuant to P.L.2022, c.36.

      The bill establishes the Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation (ARRIVE) Together Program in the Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS).  The bill requires the Attorney General (AG) to issue guidelines for a mental health services provider or mental health services agency to contract with a law enforcement agency to respond to a request for assistance involving a person alleged, reported or suspected to be experiencing a mental health crisis or substance use crisis. 

      The bill permits an eligible police force to participate in the ARRIVE Together Program, including the Division of State Police, a county police department or force, a municipal police department or force, or any other police department or force the AG deems appropriate. 

      Under the bill, a law enforcement agency that chooses to participate in the ARRIVE Together Program is required to designate at least one person as the crisis response support coordinator to develop and implement the agency’s procedures to comply with the AG’s guidance.  The bill also requires the county prosecutors to designate a county crisis response support coordinator to develop and implement county level guidance issued by the AG and to provide documentation or information to the AG as necessary.

      The bill also provides certain protections for personal identifying information.  Under the bill, “personal identifying information” is defined as information pertaining to the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or health status of an individual, including an individual’s name or identity; whether the individual is the subject of an emergency call or other report; whether the individual is alleged to be or suspected of experiencing a mental health crisis  or substance use crisis or other emergency, incident or distress; and whether the individual is receiving an assessment for crisis intervention, a mental health screening, or other support services through the ARRIVE Together Program. 

      Under the bill, personal identifying information is confidential and is not to be disclosed except upon express consent of the individual subject to an ARRIVE Together response, as determined necessary by the AG to implement the provisions of the bill, or as otherwise required by court or by law.  In addition, information and records created by a law enforcement agency solely as a result of the ARRIVE Together Program or maintained by the DLPS for the ARRIVE Together Program are also confidential and exempt from the open public records act under the bill’s provisions.

      Finally, the bill supplements the Good Samaritan Act, P.L.1963, c.140 (C.2A:62A-1 et seq.), by providing that a licensed mental health services provider or mental health services agency contracted to provide crisis response services for the ARRIVE Together Program or a substantially similar program would not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any acts or omissions taken in good faith.

      This bill was prefiled 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.