This bill amends existing legislation regarding the use of telephone privileges as a disciplinary measure for incarcerated persons in New Jersey. It establishes new rules and regulations that limit the suspension of telephone privileges, ensuring that if such a suspension is imposed, the incarcerated individual must be allowed at least one opportunity every two weeks to make a phone call. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Administrator of the correctional facility must notify either the emergency contact of the incarcerated person or allow the person to do so when their telephone access is suspended.

The bill further stipulates that no suspension of telephone privileges can exceed 90 consecutive days or a total of 180 days within a year. It also prohibits additional suspensions for individuals placed in a Restorative Housing Unit and ensures that no telephone sanctions can be imposed within 60 days of an individual's scheduled release. If any sanctions were imposed prior to this 60-day period, they must be terminated. The Commissioner of Corrections is tasked with adopting necessary rules and regulations to implement these provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 30:4-8.14