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A 5458

Relates to World Trade Center benefits

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Griffin and 3 co-sponsors

Expands up to six months of housing for recently released nonviolent ex-offenders with a family member in public/assisted housing, while tightening criminal-history use.

SUBSTITUTED BY S4554A
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Bill Summary · A 5458

Summary — A5458 (Introduced March 17, 2025)

Relates to World Trade Center benefits / housing of nonviolent ex‑offenders
Status (as of June 16, 2025): Substituted by S4554A; introduced in Assembly, referred to committee, print 5458A and placed on Rules calendar.

Main purpose

A5458 seeks to expand short‑term housing access for certain recently released, nonviolent ex‑offenders by preventing housing authorities from blocking them from moving into public or assisted housing to live with a qualifying family member for up to six months. The bill also tightens and clarifies rules governing when housing providers may consider an applicant’s criminal history when making rental decisions.

Key definitions

  • Nonviolent ex‑offender: someone leaving prison or released within the prior 12 months who has never been convicted of (1) certain enumerated violent crimes, (2) manufacturing/producing methamphetamine on federally assisted housing premises, or (3) an offense that results in lifetime sex‑offender registration.
  • Family member: spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling (and steps), child (and stepchild), grandchild — related by blood or law.
  • Housing project: public/municipal housing as defined in existing law, including project‑based federal Section 8 and the State Rental Assistance Program.

Major provisions

  1. Housing authorities shall not prohibit a nonviolent ex‑offender from moving into a housing project to reside with a family member; however, a housing authority may prohibit the ex‑offender from staying more than six months.
  2. Amends existing tenant‑screening law (P.L.2021, c.110):
    • Prohibits housing providers from evaluating (before or after a conditional offer) certain records: arrests not leading to conviction, expunged convictions, pardoned convictions, vacated/nullified convictions, juvenile adjudications, and sealed records.
    • After a conditional offer, permits consideration of criminal records only in limited circumstances: convictions for enumerated serious sexual/violent offenses or convictions within lookback windows (first‑degree: 6 years; second/third‑degree: 4 years; fourth‑degree: 1 year) measured from issuance of the conditional offer or the end of any resulting prison term.
    • Bars withdrawing a conditional offer based on an applicant’s family member’s criminal record and bars prohibiting a qualifying nonviolent ex‑offender from moving in to reside with a family member for six months or less.
    • Requires written notice of withdrawal with specific reasons, an opportunity to appeal, an individualized assessment considering offense severity, age at offense, time elapsed, evidence of rehabilitation, safety risk, and whether the offense related to rented property.
    • Applicants may request the records used in the decision and must be provided those records free within 10 days.
  3. Amends the State Rental Assistance Program law (P.L.2004, c.140) — updates program description and reserved portions (text truncated in introduced version).

Who is affected

  • Nonviolent ex‑offenders released within 12 months and their family members seeking temporary shared housing in public/assisted housing.
  • Housing authorities and public housing providers — required to revise admissions/occupancy policies and screening procedures.
  • Current and prospective tenants of assisted housing (may see changes in screening processes and guest/occupancy rules).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced in Assembly March 17, 2025; referred to committee(s).
  • Print number 5458A; amended/recomitted through committee process; substitute action recorded June 16, 2025 (Substituted by S4554A). Companion bill S4554 (Senate) filed.

Potential impacts

  • Expands short‑term housing options for recently released, nonviolent individuals, reducing barriers to family reunification and reentry transitions.
  • Imposes stricter limits on when criminal history can be used to deny housing, strengthening procedural protections (notice, appeal, individualized assessment).
  • May require housing authorities to update policies and training; raises operational considerations about safety assessments and monitoring short‑term occupancy.

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

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