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Bill

A 3101

Requires State Police to biannually report to Legislature number of sex offenders who fail to register as required by Megan's Law.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Shama Haider and 4 co-sponsors

New Jersey would require state police to biannually report to the Legislature the number of Megan’s Law sex offenders who fail to verify their addresses.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
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Bill Summary · A 3101

Overview

Assembley Bill 3101 (A-3101), 222nd New Jersey Legislature, introduced in 2026, would require the New Jersey State Police to biannually report to the Legislature on the number of sex offenders who fail to register as required by Megan’s Law. The bill amends the state’s sex offender registration statute (P.L.1994, c.133) to create this reporting obligation and to clarify existing registration and verification requirements.

Main purpose and intent

  • Improve transparency and accountability by providing regular, Legislature-directed data on noncompliance with sex offender registration and verification requirements.
  • Specifically track the incidence of offenders who fail to verify or update their addresses as required by Megan’s Law.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends Section 2 of P.L.1994, c.133 (C.2C:7-2) to include a requirement that the State Police biannually report to the Legislature the number of individuals who fail to verify their address as required.
  • Reiterates and governs existing Megan’s Law registration and verification rules:
    • Offenders subject to annual verification (for most offenders).
    • Repetitive/compulsive offenders must verify every 90 days; all others annually, with possible future adjustments by the Attorney General.
    • Specific scenarios for registration include offenses defined as sex offenses, cross-border registrations for those attending school or employed in the state, and out-of-state offenders moving to New Jersey.
  • Provisions for reporting:
    • The appropriate county or municipal law enforcement agency must report every 180 days to the State Police a list of offenders who failed to verify their address.
    • The State Police must biannually report to the Legislature the number of such failures and the offenses for which the offenders were registered.
  • Registration and verification mechanics:
    • Various timelines for registration upon changes in address, employment, school status, or relocation from another jurisdiction.
    • Office of the Attorney General may require additional information beyond address verification (e.g., internet access, cohabitants, employment).
    • False information or failure to verify is generally a third-degree crime.
  • Termination of registration:
    • Allows a court to terminate the registration obligation after 15 years since conviction or release (whichever is later) if the offender shows no further offenses and is unlikely to pose a threat.
    • Ineligible for termination if the offender has multiple qualifying sex offenses or certain aggravated offenses.

Who or what would be affected

  • Sex offenders required to register under Megan’s Law in New Jersey.
  • County and municipal law enforcement agencies responsible for compiling and reporting verification data.
  • The New Jersey State Police, which would aggregate and report the statewide data to the Legislature.
  • Educational institutions and employers involved with offenders who are registered in the state (through registration and verification requirements).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: The bill states it takes effect immediately.
  • Reporting cadence:
    • Local law enforcement must report to the State Police every 180 days a list of offenders who failed to verify their address.
    • State Police must biannually report to the Legislature the number of address verification failures and the offenses for which those individuals were registered.
  • Verification timelines and potential adjustments:
    • Repetitive/compulsive offenders: verification every 90 days.
    • Other offenders: verification annually.
    • The Attorney General may modify verification requirements after one year.
  • Penalties:
    • Failure to register or to verify is generally a third-degree crime, with additional penalties for providing false information.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Enhanced legislative visibility into noncompliance with sex offender registration and verification.
  • Could inform policy discussions on enforcement resources, compliance rates, and potential adjustments to verification schedules.
  • May influence operational workloads for local agencies and the State Police due to the new biannual reporting requirement.
  • Maintains existing registration standards while adding a systemic reporting mechanism to the Legislature.

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

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