This bill amends the distribution process of funds from the Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF) to municipalities in New Jersey, specifically for the maintenance of municipal courts. Starting January 15, 2023, each municipality is required to report the number of drunk driving arrests made in the previous calendar year to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). The AOC will then certify these reported numbers, which will be used to determine the allocation of funds from the AEREF.

The funding allocation for each municipality will be calculated based on two key factors: the total amount of funding received from the AEREF in the previous year and the number of drunk driving arrests in the municipality. The bill specifies that the total funding amount will be multiplied by 50 percent and divided by the number of arrests to establish a unit dollar value for each arrest. Additionally, the bill introduces a five-year average calculation for determining funding, ensuring that municipalities receive appropriate financial support for their court operations, including payments to court personnel.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2B-35