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Bill

S 4460

Relates to abolishing the office of coroner

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Julia Salazar and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes a 90-day pilot placing ballistics scanning devices in 10 high-violence NJ municipalities to speed at-scene analysis and inform a permanent program decision.

REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Bill Summary · S 4460

Summary — S 4460: Pilot program to provide ballistics scanning devices; abolishing coroner (title mismatch)

Note: The bill’s formal short title in the header (“Relates to abolishing the office of coroner”) does not match the substance of the bill text reported by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee. The operative text establishes a ballistics analysis device pilot program administered by the Attorney General. The summary below reflects the bill text and committee statement.

Main purpose

Establish a 90‑day pilot program to place ballistics scanning devices with local law enforcement agencies in the 10 New Jersey municipalities with the highest violent crime rates (per the most recent Uniform Crime Report) to assist timely ballistics analysis and investigations. Evaluate the pilot and report to the Governor and Legislature on whether to make the program permanent with annual funding.

Key provisions

  • Pilot duration: 90 days.
  • Locations: the 10 municipalities with the highest violent crime rate according to the most recent Uniform Crime Report data.
  • Equipment: each participating local law enforcement agency receives a ballistics scanning device that can scan cartridge cases at the scene and upload data to an investigative portal; shortly after upload an officer receives a crime scene analysis report.
  • Required use: devices must be used as part of each participating agency’s evidentiary, firearm‑intelligence, and investigatory processes.
  • Reporting by local agencies: within 30 days after the pilot ends, each chief law enforcement officer must submit a report to the Attorney General summarizing every incident where the device was used and recommending whether the agency should continue use.
  • State reporting and recommendation: within 60 days after receiving those reports, the Attorney General must report to the Governor and Legislature with a recommendation on making the pilot permanent and with a recommendation on an annual appropriation to fund device use in high‑violent‑crime municipalities.
  • Effective date: first day of the second month following enactment.

Who is affected

  • Participating local law enforcement agencies in the 10 designated municipalities (receiving devices, required to use them and report on use).
  • New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety / Attorney General’s Office (responsible for running the pilot, aggregating reports, and making recommendations).
  • Potential budgetary impact if the program is recommended for permanent implementation (annual appropriation to fund devices).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced: May 19, 2025.
  • Committee action: Reported favorably with committee amendments by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (6/19/2025); amendments clarified use of Uniform Crime Report data and made technical changes.
  • Subsequent referrals: Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee after committee report. Legislative status entries also show referral to Local Government earlier in the process.
  • Effective: as noted above (first day of the second month after enactment).

Sponsors and related legislation

  • Sponsors: Senator James Skoufis (primary); Senator Julia Salazar (cosponsor).
  • Companion / related bills: A5561 (companion), prior‑session related bills S1887, S2760, and S7258.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Intended benefits: faster at‑scene ballistics linkage, more timely investigative leads, improved firearm‑intelligence integration.
  • Considerations: costs for devices, training, maintenance, data integration and privacy/chain‑of‑custody procedures if program is made permanent; evaluation relies on local reporting and AG analysis.

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

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