S 3884 — Requires expedited risk assessment and community notification for certain registered sex offenders who move to this State from another jurisdiction.*

S3884 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

Senators Henry and Space         SYNOPSIS      EstablishesRequires expedited proceduresrisk forassessment and community notification regardingfor certain registered sex offenders who move to this State from otheranother jurisdictions.jurisdiction.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee on May 18, 2026, with amendments.

and       (8)   Recent threats against persons or expressions of intent to commit additional crimes.       c.     The regulations shall provide for three levels of notification depending upon the risk of re-offense by the offender as follows:       (1)   If risk of re-offense is low, law enforcement agencies likely to encounter the person registered shall be notified;       (2)   If risk of re-offense is moderate, organizations in the community including schools, religious and youth organizations shall be notified in accordance with the Attorney General's guidelines, in addition to the notice required by paragraph (1) of this subsection;       (3)   If risk of re-offense is high, the public shall be notified through means in accordance with the Attorney General's guidelines designed to reach members of the public likely to encounter the person registered, in addition to the notice required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.       d.    In order to promote uniform application of the notification guidelines required by this section, the Attorney General shall develop procedures for evaluation of the risk of re-offense and implementation of community notification.  These procedures shall require, but not be limited to, the following:       (1)   The county prosecutor of the county where the person was convicted and the county prosecutor of the county where the registered person will reside, together with any law enforcement officials that either deems appropriate, shall assess the risk of re-offense by the registered person;       (2)   The county prosecutor of the county in which the registered person will reside, after consultation with local law enforcement officials, shall determine the means of providing notification.       e.     The Attorney General's guidelines shall provide for the manner in which records of notification provided pursuant to this act shall be maintained and disclosed.       f.     The Attorney General shall develop procedures for the1[the]1 county prosecutors to utilize1[utilize inin] evaluatinguse thewhen1 sexevaluating 1[the] 1sex offender registration records of1[of] from1 other jurisdictions and comparing those records with the factors relevant to the risk of re‑offense and any other criteria utilized1[utilized in determiningdetermining] used to determine1 an offender's risk of re‑offense.  Whenever a sex offender who is registered in another jurisdiction and1[and intends to establish residence in this StateState]1 registers pursuant to section1paragraph 2 of P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7‑2), the county prosecutor shall evaluate the offender's registration record compiled by the other jurisdiction prior to the offender establishing residence.  If the county prosecutor determines the offender's risk of re‑offense is moderate or high, notification shall be provided within 72 hours of the offender first residing in this State pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection c.

of1 section 2 of thisP.L.1994, section,c.133 unless(C.2C:7‑2), the offendercounty requestsprosecutor judicialshall reviewevaluate of the prosecutor'soffender's determination. registration Ifrecord compiled by the offenderother requestsjurisdiction judicial1and review,make a hearingdetermination shallregarding bethe conductedoffender’s onrisk anof expeditedre-offense1 basis prior to notification. the Uponoffender entering1[establishing residence] first residing or returning to this StateState1.  andIf untilthe county prosecutor determines the completionoffender's risk of judicialre‑offense review,is themoderate offenderor high, notification shall be subjectprovided within 72 hours of the offender first residing in 1or returning to1 this State pursuant to continuous,paragraphs satellite‑based(2) monitoring.and (3) of subsection c.

of this section, unless the offender requests judicial review of the prosecutor's determination.  1Requests for review shall be made using a form approved by the Administrative Director of the Courts.1  If the offender requests judicial review, a hearing shall be conducted on an expedited basis prior to notification.

1[Upon entering this State and until] Until1 the completion of judicial review, 1[the] an1 offender 1residing in this State1 shall be subject to continuous, satellite‑based monitoring 1in accordance with the “Sex Offender Monitoring Act,” P.L.2007, c.128 (C.30:4-123.89 et seq.).  The State Parole Board shall provide the offender with written notice of the conditions of monitoring and any fines, fees, or penalties that may be imposed for a violation of those conditions pursuant to Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, P.L.2007, c.128 (C.30:4-123.89 et seq.), or section 7 of P.L.2013, c.214 (C.30:4-123.97)1.

    STATEMENT        This bill revises Megan's Law by establishing procedures for expedited notification when a sex offender who is registered in another jurisdiction moves into New Jersey.

     The bill requires the Attorney General to develop procedures for the county prosecutors to use in evaluating and comparing the sex offender registration records of other jurisdictions with the factors relevant to the risk of re‑offense set forth in Megan's Law and any other criteria utilized in determining an offender's risk of re‑offense.  The bill also amends current law to require sex offenders to register not less than 10 days prior to establishing residence in New Jersey, rather than after establishing residency.  Under the bill, when a sex offender who is currently registered in another jurisdiction registers with a New Jersey law enforcement agency, the county prosecutor is to evaluate the offender's registration record compiled by the other jurisdiction.  If the county prosecutor determines the offender's risk of re‑offense is moderate or high, community notification is to be provided within 72 hours of the person first residing in New Jersey.  If the offender requests judicial review of the prosecutor's determination, the bill requires that a hearing is to be conducted on an expedited basis.  The offender also would be subject to continuous, satellite‑based monitoring upon entering the State until the hearing is conducted.