This bill amends existing New Jersey law to include human trafficking-related crimes under the No Early Release Act (NERA), which mandates that individuals convicted of certain serious offenses serve a minimum percentage of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Specifically, the bill stipulates that individuals convicted of human trafficking, assisting in human trafficking, and commercial sexual abuse of a minor must serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole. The bill also revises the sentencing structure for human trafficking, establishing a term of imprisonment of 24 years to life, with the requirement that 85% of the sentence be served before parole eligibility.

Additionally, the bill modifies the penalties for assisting in human trafficking and commercial sexual abuse of a minor, aligning them with the NERA requirements. Under the new provisions, a person convicted of assisting in human trafficking will also need to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole, while those convicted of commercial sexual abuse of a minor will face similar parole ineligibility requirements. The bill aims to strengthen the legal framework surrounding human trafficking offenses and ensure that offenders serve a significant portion of their sentences, thereby enhancing public safety and accountability.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:13-8, 2C:43-7.2