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A 5899

Establishes the universal child care act; repealer; appropriation

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pat Carroll and 20 co-sponsors

Allows waiving juvenile court to adult court if probable cause shows the juvenile killed a law enforcement officer; court may deny if abuse of discretion, effective immediately.

REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
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Bill Summary · A 5899

Summary of Bill A 5899 – Universal Child Care Act / Juvenile Waiver Provision (Introduced June 27, 2025)

Overview

Bill A 5899, introduced in the New Jersey Legislature, focuses on juvenile waiver procedures in cases involving homicide against a law enforcement officer. The introduced text provided stops short of the bill title’s broader “universal child care act” framework and instead establishes a specific modification to the juvenile waiver law: allowing a juvenile to be tried as an adult if there is probable cause that the juvenile committed a delinquent act that, if committed by an adult, would constitute criminal homicide against a law enforcement officer performing duties or by virtue of the officer’s status.

Purpose and Intent

  • To expand the circumstances under which a juvenile can be waived from juvenile court jurisdiction to adult court when the alleged victim is a law enforcement officer who was murdered while performing duties or because of status as an officer.
  • To enable prosecutorial authority to seek waiver without the juvenile’s consent in specific homicide-related cases against law enforcement officers.

Key Provisions (Introduced Version)

  • New section establishing waiver authority:
    • A court shall waive juvenile court jurisdiction and refer the case to the appropriate court and prosecuting authority if there is probable cause that: 1) The juvenile committed a delinquent act that, if committed by an adult, would constitute criminal homicide (excluding death by auto) for purposes of purposely or knowingly causing the death of another person; and 2) The victim was a law enforcement officer who was murdered while performing duties or due to the officer’s status.
  • Court’s discretion to deny waiver:
    • The court may deny a prosecutor’s waiver motion if it is clearly convinced that seeking the waiver is an abuse of the prosecutor’s discretion.
  • Effective date:
    • The act takes immediate effect upon enactment.

Who Is Affected

  • Juveniles accused of delinquent acts fitting the described criteria (i.e., homicide against a law enforcement officer).
  • Law enforcement officers who are victims in cases meeting the criteria (as the protected victim class).
  • Prosecutors and trial courts (juvenile and adult courts) involved in waiver decisions.
  • Potentially impacted families and communities by the shift in jurisdiction for certain offenses.

Timeline and Procedural Aspects

  • Introduced in the Assembly on June 27, 2025; referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee.
  • Earlier related referrals listed: referred to Children and Families (Feb 24, 2025) with subsequent actions under the bill’s development.
  • If enacted, the waiver would be applied immediately upon the procedural determination of probable cause and fulfillment of the statutory criteria; the court retains discretion to reject waivers lacking a legitimate prosecutorial rationale.

Legislative Action and Sponsorship

  • Primary Sponsor: Andrew Hevesi
  • Notable Co-Sponsors: Sarahana Shrestha, Jo Anne Simon, Brian Cunningham, Jordan Wright, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Maritza Davila, Zohran Mamdani, Emily Gallagher, Tony Simone, Phara Souffrant Forrest, William Conrad, Steven Raga, Karines Reyes, David Weprin, Harvey Epstein, Anna Kelles, Ron Kim, Sarah Clark, Jeffrey Dinowitz (with additional cosponsors listed).
  • Related/Companion Bills: S 3415 (companion), S 7595, S 3245 (prior-session references).

Related Context

  • The bill’s stated purpose in the summary is to reform juvenile waiver law in a manner that channels certain homicide cases involving law enforcement officers directly to adult prosecution when probable cause exists.
  • It is part of broader discussions on juvenile justice and public safety, as reflected by related companion and prior-session bills.

Notes

  • The text provided focuses on the juvenile waiver provision and its immediate effect; the bill’s title mentions broader topics (universal child care act; repealer; appropriation), but those elements are not reflected in the introduced version excerpt. Additional language would be needed to confirm any broader universal child care provisions or fiscal components.

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

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