The bill amends New Jersey's criminal homicide laws to establish a presumption of pretrial detention for individuals charged with reckless vehicular homicide and strict liability vehicular homicide. This new provision includes specific language that aligns these vehicular offenses with existing laws that warrant pretrial detention for more serious crimes, such as murder. The bill emphasizes that no monetary bail or conditions can guarantee the defendant's court appearance or ensure community safety. It also outlines the process for pretrial detention hearings, detailing the rights of defendants and the standards of proof necessary to rebut the presumption of detention.

In addition to the pretrial detention measures, the bill mandates the forfeiture of vehicles used in the commission of these offenses unless the defendant can prove that such forfeiture would impose undue hardship on their family. The court is also empowered to suspend or revoke the defendant's driver's license if it opts against pretrial detention. Overall, the bill aims to enhance public safety by imposing stricter penalties and pretrial measures for serious vehicular offenses, ensuring that individuals charged with these crimes are appropriately detained while awaiting trial.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:11-5.3, 2A:162-17, 2A:162-19