S 587 — Creates neutral safe exchange zones at county sheriff offices for certain custody and parenting time exchanges of minor children; makes appropriation.*

S587 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

Senator McKnight         SYNOPSIS      Creates neutral safe exchange zones at county sheriff offices for certain custody and visitationparenting time exchanges of minor children;

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingreported Technicalby Reviewthe bySenate LegislativeLaw Counsel.and Public Safety Committee on June 11, 2026, with amendments.

   An Act concerning child custody and visitation1[visitation] parenting time1 exchanges, supplementing Title 9 of the Revised Statutes and Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.         Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

At1[At] Upon1 the request of a party who1[who hashas] to1 an order for visitation1[visitation] parenting time1 or custody that1[that] which1 provides for the exchange of a minor child, 1the court shall order that1 the exchange shall1[shall] of the minor child1 be conducted at a neutral safe exchange zone,zone 1[,]1 established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.     (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) or at an exchange site designated by the court.

     b.    If1[If] When a motion to enforce compliance with a parenting time or custody order is filed, the court may order that the exchange of a minor child be conducted at an exchange site designated by the court upon request of a party to the order if1 there has been a history of domestic violence between the parties or if there is a temporary or final restraining order issued pursuant to the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991,” P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et seq.),seq.)1[, and at the request of a party to enforce compliance with a visitation or custody order, the court may order an exchange of the minor child at a court approved site.site]1.

Each county sheriff shall designate at least one parking lot at the sheriff’s office, or a substation thereof, as a neutral safe exchange zone at which parents who are required to exchange a minor child pursuant to a parenting time-sharing1[time-sharing schedule or childchild] time or1 custody or1[or visitationvisitation]1 order may meet to exchange the minor child.

of this section, shall have the capability to record the neutral safe exchange zone during both 1the1 day and night, capture and record images clearly, and accurately display the time and date.

The county sheriff shall retain the video surveillance recordings or images for at least 45 days.

     d.    Nothing contained in this act shall hold a county, sheriff, law enforcement officer, or employee thereof,thereof 1[,]1 liable for civil damages for any act or omission relating to an incident arising from a meeting to exchange a minor child at a neutral safe exchange zone.

       4.

    STATEMENT         This bill requires each county sheriff to designate at least one parking lot at the sheriff’s office, or a substation thereof, as a neutral safe exchange zone at which parents may meet to exchange a minor child for the purpose of visitation or custody.       Under the bill, each neutral safe exchange zone is required to:

     (1)   have a sign on the premises to clearly identify the designated area as a neutral safe exchange zone;

     (2)   be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week;

     (3)   provide adequate lighting;

and      (4) maintain an external video surveillance system that records continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

     The surveillance system is required to have the capability to record the neutral safe exchange zone during both day and night, capture and record images clearly, and accurately display the time and date.

The county sheriff is required to retain the video surveillance recordings or images for at least 45 days.  However, nothing contained in the bill holds a county, sheriff, law enforcement officer, or employee thereof, liable for civil damages for any act or omission relating to an incident arising from a meeting to exchange a minor child at a neutral safe exchange zone.

     Under the bill, the court may order an exchange of the minor child at a court approved site at the request of a party to enforce compliance with a visitation or custody order if there has been a history of domestic violence between the parties or if there is a temporary or final restraining order issued pursuant to the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991.”         Finally, the bill makes a General Fund appropriation to each county sheriff’s office in this State to fund the creation of the neutral safe exchange zones.