Relates to the workers' compensation benefit of certain disabled employees

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Harry Bronson and 5 co-sponsors

The bill limits jail telephone-privilege suspensions to 90 consecutive days and 180 days per year, guarantees biweekly call opportunities, and requires emergency-contact notificati

REFERRED TO LABOR

Summary: Assembly Bill A-4906

Note on inconsistency: The bill’s introductory content appears to address incarcerated persons’ telephone calls, while the bill’s formal title listed is “Relates to the workers' compensation benefit of certain disabled employees.” The substantive text and actions described below pertain to inmate telephone-privilege policies. The listed status and sponsorship refer to the A-4906 filing as introduced and acted upon in 2024–2025.

Purpose and intent

The bill establishes tighter controls on the disciplinary use of telephone-privilege suspensions for incarcerated individuals, aiming to limit the duration and impact of such sanctions and to enhance communication during confinement and prior to release.

It responds to recommendations from the New Jersey Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson (April 2024) on visits and phone calls.

Key provisions and changes

Security and governance: The Department/Commissioner of Corrections must adopt rules to ensure telephone systems preserve safety and security for facilities, staff, and recipients outside facilities.

Disciplinary sanctions on telephone privileges:

Inmates receiving a disciplinary sanction that suspends telephone privileges must be given at least one opportunity every two weeks to place a telephone call.
The Administrator must notify the inmate’s emergency contact (or allow the inmate to notify) when telephone access is suspended.
Suspension limits:
No more than 90 consecutive days of telephone-privilege suspension.
No more than 180 days of suspension in any given year.
Restorative Housing Units: No additional suspension of telephone privileges can be imposed on inmates in Restorative Housing Units.
Release planning: No telephone sanctions may be imposed within 60 days of an inmate’s scheduled release; if sanctions were imposed within 60 days of release, those sanctions shall be terminated for the 60-day period preceding release.

Rulemaking authority: The Commissioner of Corrections will adopt rules/regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the act.

Effective date: The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Affected parties

Incarcerated individuals subject to disciplinary actions that suspend telephone privileges.

Correctional facility administrators and staff responsible for implementing disciplinary sanctions.

Emergency contacts of incarcerated persons.

The Department/Commissioner of Corrections and associated prison/Correctional Facility administrations.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: October 17, 2024.

Initial referral: Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (status notes show subsequent referrals to Labor).

As of February 10, 2025, listed as REFERRED TO LABOR (with the typical companion and related bills noted).

Sponsors: Primary sponsor Harry B. Bronson; cosponsors Nikki Lucas, Andrew Hevesi, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, Steven Raga, Sarah Clark.

Related bills

Companion measures: S 3660 and S 3235 (and related A measures A 9897, A 8991).

Practical impact

Strengthens protections around disciplinary use of telephone suspensions by setting minimum contacting opportunities and clear time limits.

Aims to reduce prolonged isolation from phone contact and to ensure timely communication with emergency contacts, especially as inmates approach release.

Requires concrete rulemaking to implement these protections, potentially affecting how facilities administer sanctions and communicate with inmates and external contacts.