This bill amends the current law regarding pretrial release by eliminating the presumption of pretrial release for defendants charged with sex offenses and certain violent crimes committed with a deadly weapon. Specifically, it modifies Section 3 of P.L.2014, c.103 (C.2A:162-17) to state that the presumption of pretrial release does not apply to defendants charged with theft of a motor vehicle under certain conditions, first or second-degree crimes involving a deadly weapon, or sex offenses as defined under Megan's Law. The bill aims to enhance public safety by allowing courts to deny pretrial release for these serious offenses.

Under the existing Criminal Justice Reform Law, courts have the authority to order pretrial release or detention based on the risk posed by the defendant. The bill expands the list of offenses that do not benefit from the presumption of pretrial release, which previously included only murder and certain serious crimes. The newly included offenses under the No Early Release Act encompass a range of violent crimes, thereby reinforcing the legal framework to ensure that individuals charged with particularly dangerous offenses are not automatically granted pretrial release. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:162-17