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Bill

S 3487

Establishes Department of State Police as principal department in executive branch of State government.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Jim Beach and 1 co-sponsor

Creates the Department of State Police as a principal department, led by the Superintendent who also serves as State Director of Emergency Management.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
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Bill Summary · S 3487

Summary of Bill S 3487 (Session 222) — New Jersey

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes the Department of State Police as a principal department within the executive branch of New Jersey state government.
  • Transfers the Division of State Police from the Department of Law and Public Safety to the new Department of State Police.
  • Reaffirms and relocates leadership, authority, and certain functions (notably emergency management) under the new departmental structure.

Key Provisions and Changes

  1. ** organizational restructuring (Division to Department)**

    • Changes the status of the Division of State Police from being part of the Department of Law and Public Safety to the Department of State Police as a principal department in the executive branch.
    • The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Division of Motor Vehicles, and related units are preserved within the updated framework by cross-referencing (see Section 1 and 2, which reflect ongoing organizational naming conventions within the broader department structure).

  2. Head of Department and Leadership

    • The Superintendent of State Police becomes the executive and administrative head of the Department of State Police.
    • The Superintendent is appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves for the Governor’s term (and until a successor is qualified), and may be removed for cause after notice and hearing.
    • The Superintendent is designated as the State Director of Emergency Management.

  3. State Agency Transfers and Definitions

    • The bill provides that the Division of State Police continues to exist in organization, powers, and duties but within the Department of State Police; the transfer is to be executed under the State Agency Transfer Act.
    • All references to “Division of State Police” or “State Police Superintendent” in law, contracts, or documents are to be interpreted as referring to the new Department and its head, ensuring continuity of prior law and practice.

  4. Administrative and Personnel Controls

    • Within the Department of State Police, personnel changes are subject to the approval of the Superintendent of State Police; the Attorney General’s prior approval is not required for such changes.

  5. Operational and Regulatory Oversight

    • Existing provisions applicable to the Division of State Police under P.L.2009, c.121 (and related sections) would apply to the new Department of State Police.
    • Oversight by the Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards would continue to monitor the Department of State Police.

  6. Effective Date

    • The act is stated to take effect immediately upon enactment.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Internal Structure: Reorganization of the Division of State Police into the Department of State Police; placement as a principal department.
  • Leadership: The Superintendent of State Police becomes the head of the new department and the State Director of Emergency Management.
  • Personnel Decisions: Staffing and internal changes within the department would no longer require Attorney General approval, but would require the Superintendent’s approval.
  • Regulatory Oversight: The Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards continues to monitor and oversee standards within the department.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Introduced in the Senate on February 12, 2026.
  • Referred to the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.
  • The act states immediate effect upon enactment.

Notes for Readers

  • The bill preserves the substantive functions of the current Division of State Police but elevates its status to a principal department, aligning the leadership and emergency management role under the same umbrella.
  • It clarifies terminology so that existing laws and contracts referencing the Division or the Superintendent continue to apply, with consistent renaming to the Department and its head.
  • The change centralizes control of personnel decisions within the Superintendent’s purview, potentially reducing the Attorney General’s direct involvement in routine staffing changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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