LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 2847
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 30, 2022
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Prohibits possession and requires registration of body armor in certain
circumstances.
Type of Impact: Annual State expenditure and revenue increases.
Agencies Affected: Department of Law and Public Safety; Judiciary; Department of
Corrections; Office of the Public Defender; State Parole Board.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
State Cost Increase Indeterminate
State Revenue Increase Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that making the possession or purchase of
body armor crimes of the third degree will result in an indeterminate annual increase in State
expenditures and revenues. The OLS lacks sufficient information to quantify the fiscal impact,
as it is not possible to know how many individuals will be prosecuted, tried, and sentenced for
the crimes established by the bill.
 The following State agencies would incur caseload and expenditure increases: a) the
Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS) would have to prosecute additional cases; b) the
Judiciary would have to adjudicate additional complaints and monitor additional probationers;
c) the Office of the Public Defender would have to represent additional low-income criminal
defendants; d) the Department of Corrections (DOC) would have to house and care for more
individuals who are sentenced to prison terms; and e) the State Parole Board would have to
supervise the return to society of additional formerly incarcerated persons. The OLS notes that
crimes of the third degree carry a presumption of non-incarceration for first time offenders.
 The DLPS will incur indeterminate, annual cost increases to establish and maintain the body
armor registration and application and permitting processes. The OLS notes that the State or
local law enforcement agencies may also incur indeterminate costs to store or destroy body
armor surrendered by individuals who do not wish to register body armor owned prior to the
effective date of the bill.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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 The OLS also notes the State may receive indeterminate revenue from fines, fees, and civil
penalties imposed on individuals violating the provisions of this bill; however, the State’s
ability to collect these monetary penalties has historically been limited.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill establishes prohibitions on the possession and purchase of body armor by certain
persons, a registration requirement for body armor, and a permit to purchase body armor.
The bill provides that it is unlawful for a person to own or otherwise possess body armor unless
the person has registered the body armor in accordance with the bill’s provisions. The bill requires
the Attorney General to effectuate the provisions of this bill, including establishing a permit to
purchase body armor and an application process for a person to obtain the permit.
Under current law, it is a crime of the second or third degree, depending on circumstances, to
use a body vest during the commission of certain crimes. The bill redefines the term “body vest”
as “body armor” and expands the current law to include all body armor.
The bill provides certain permit requirements for the sale or other transfer of body armor and
any seller who violates these provisions would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 for a first
offense and up to $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense.
Further, the possession or purchase of body armor in violation of the bill’s provisions are both
crimes of the third degree. A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years
imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that making the possession or purchase of body armor crimes of the third
degree will result in an indeterminate annual increase in State expenditures and revenues. The
OLS lacks sufficient information to quantify the fiscal impact, as it is not possible to know how
many individuals will be prosecuted, tried, and sentenced for the crimes established by the bill.
The following State agencies would incur caseload and expenditure increases: a) the
Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS) would have to prosecute additional cases; b) the
Judiciary would have to adjudicate additional complaints and monitor additional probationers; c)
the Office of the Public Defender would have to represent additional low-income criminal
defendants; d) the Department of Corrections (DOC) would have to house and care for more
individuals who are sentenced to prison terms; and e) the State Parole Board would have to
supervise the return to society of additional formerly incarcerated persons.
A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to
$15,000, or both. However, for crimes of the third degree a presumption of non-incarceration
applies to first-time offenders. Based on information provided by the DOC, the FY 2021
average annual costs for housing an inmate were $55,389, whereas the average daily cost was
$151.75.
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The DLPS will incur indeterminate, annual cost increases to establish and maintain the body
armor registration and application and permitting processes. The OLS notes that the State or local
law enforcement agencies may also incur indeterminate costs to store or destroy body armor
surrendered by individuals who do not wish to register body armor owned prior to the effective
date of the bill.
The OLS also notes the State may receive indeterminate revenue from fines, fees, and civil
penalties imposed on individuals violating the provisions of this bill; however, the State’s ability
to collect monetary penalties has historically been limited.
Section: Law and Public Safety
Analyst: Kristin Brunner Santos
Lead Fiscal Analyst
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.).


Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:39-13