This bill amends the existing juvenile waiver law in New Jersey to mandate that juveniles be tried as adults for certain serious offenses under the No Early Release Act (NERA), regardless of their age. Previously, only juveniles aged 15 and older could be waived to adult court for specific offenses, such as criminal homicide and first-degree robbery. The new legislation expands the scope to include all crimes classified under NERA, which encompasses a wide range of serious offenses including murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and various drug-related crimes.

Additionally, the bill removes specific offenses from the previous law, such as criminal homicide and first-degree robbery, and replaces them with a broader category of NERA crimes. This change allows for a more comprehensive approach to prosecuting juveniles who commit serious crimes, ensuring that they face adult penalties regardless of their age at the time of the offense. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:4A-26.1