52:11-57.1 Preparation of racial and ethnic impact statement for certain proposed legislation.

2. a. The Legislative Services Commission shall direct the Office of Legislative Services to prepare a racial and ethnic community criminal justice and public safety impact statement for each proposed criminal justice bill, resolution, or amendment that would affect pretrial detention, sentencing, probation, or parole policies concerning adults and juveniles in this State including, but not limited to, any bill, resolution, or amendment that establishes a new crime or offense; modifies a crime or offense or the penalties associated with a crime or offense established under current law; or modifies procedures under current law for sentencing, parole, or probation, prior to any vote being taken on the bill, resolution, or amendment in either House of the Legislature.

b. The racial and ethnic community criminal justice and public safety impact statement required in subsection a. of this section shall include, but not be limited to, an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed legislation on racial and ethnic minorities, including whether it is likely to have a disproportionate or unique impact on the racial and ethnic communities in the State and the rationale, if any, for the proposed legislation having an identifiable impact on racial and ethnic persons in this State, a statistical analysis of how the change in policy would affect racial and ethnic minorities, the impact of the change in policy on correctional facilities and services for racial and ethnic minorities, the estimated number of criminal and juvenile justice matters involving racial and ethnic minorities adjudicated each year, and the anticipated effect of the change in policy on public safety in racial and ethnic communities in the State and for victims and potential victims in those communities.

c. State agencies shall make data available to the Office of Legislative Services for the purposes of preparing racial and ethnic community criminal justice and public safety impact statements.

L.2017, c.286, s.2.