Prison-jail-cell
Prison-Jail-Cell

Lawmakers Introduce Criminal Information Protection Bill in Trenton

Posted by
1 min read
October 22, 2024

TRENTON, N.J. — A new bill introduced in the New Jersey legislature aims to update procedures for handling criminal background checks in the state, particularly focusing on individuals with pending expungement orders. The proposed law would amend P.L.1985, c.169, requiring the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) within the New Jersey State Police to verify and update criminal records before disseminating any background information.

The amendment mandates that before providing criminal history information, the SBI must check whether an individual has been granted an expungement order by the Superior Court that remains unprocessed. If an unprocessed order exists, the SBI must update its records to reflect the expungement before releasing any information to state, county, local government agencies, or authorized nongovernmental entities.

A key provision of the bill, which takes immediate effect upon passage, is intended to address potential issues arising from delays in expungement processing. “This bill would specify that prior to disseminating background information, the SBI is required to determine whether the person to whom the background information pertains has an unprocessed order of expungement,” according to the legislative statement accompanying the bill.

Under current regulations, the SBI is authorized to disseminate criminal history records upon request, but the statute does not specifically address situations involving unprocessed expungement orders. The bill’s authors highlighted that this lack of specification can lead to the release of outdated records, potentially affecting individuals seeking employment, volunteer positions, or licenses.

The bill also reinforces the SBI’s authority to collect fees for processing background checks and fingerprint identification, with certain exemptions in cases involving volunteer applicants or prospective resource family parents. However, in such instances, state or local government departments overseeing volunteer programs may bear the cost of processing.

The amendment is designed to prevent errors in criminal background checks and ensure individuals are not unfairly precluded from opportunities due to delays in expungement processing.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version