Proposal Number: PRN 2014-201

Proposal Description:

The Division of Criminal Justice is proposing new rules for administration of the Human Trafficking Survivor’s Assistance Fund, which was established by the Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act, P.L. 2013, c. 51, effective July 1, 2013, and which is partially funded by a $500 monetary penalty imposed against all offenders convicted of the newly designated offense of engaging in prostitution as a patron.  Such offenders must attend a prostitution offender educational program approved by the Attorney General in consultation with the Commission on Human Trafficking.  The new rules also establish certain required instructional content, standards and procedures for such prostitution offender educational programs conducted by county or local government entities, or conducted on their behalf by a nonprofit or other private provider. The Act provides that $200 of the $500 penalty shall be distributed to the educational program provider for each offender ordered by the court to attend.  Program attendance can be waived by the court on request of the prosecutor.

Summary of Proposal:

A summary of the proposed amendments is posted at www.nj.gov/oag/dcj/rulesproposals/. The full text of the proposal is published in the November 17, 2014 issue of the New Jersey Register.

Public Comment:

Public comment on these proposed rule amendments will be accepted until January 16, 2015. Please direct all comments to:

Tracy M. Thompson
Assistant Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
P.O. Box 085
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0085
Or electronically at humantrafficking@njdcj.org.

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