New Jersey S 4263: Revises certain provisions concerning, and establishes certain education and data reporting requirements related to, involuntary commitment.*

Bill Text

(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 6/30/2025)
[Second Reprint]
SENATE, No. 4263
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED MARCH 17, 2025

Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman SHAVONDA E. SUMTER
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:
Senators McKeon, Burgess and Assemblyman Atkins

SYNOPSIS
Revises certain provisions concerning, and establishes certain education and
data reporting requirements related to, involuntary commitment.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Health Committee on June 12, 2025, with
amendments.

S4263 [2R] VITALE, SCUTARI
2

EXPLANATION – Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is
not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law.

Matter underlined thus is new matter.
Matter enclosed in superscript numerals has been adopted as follows:
1Senate SHH committee amendments adopted May 19, 2025.
2Assembly AHE committee amendments adopted June 12, 2025.

AN ACT
1[removing certain sunset provisions]
1 concerning 1
involuntary commitment
1[and] and mental health care,
1 2
amending
1[P.L.2023, c.139] and supplementing various parts of 3
statutory law
1 . 4
5
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 6
of New Jersey: 7
8

11. Section 2 of P.L.2023, c.139 (C. 30:4-27.3a) is amended to 9
read as follows: 10
2. a. The Department of Human Services and the Department of 11
Health shall jointly conduct a study concerning the challenges of 12
placing individuals in appropriate treatment settings, and the supply 13
of and demand for both involuntary commitment beds and voluntary 14
commitment beds in this State. In conducting the study, the 15
departments shall solicit input from interested stakeholders 16
including, but not limited to, hospitals, the Office of the Public 17
Defender, the Administrative Office of the Courts, advocates 18
representing mental health patients, advocates representing 19
individuals with disabilities, and representatives of psychiatric 20
screening centers. 21
b. No later than 18 months after the effective date of P.L.2023, 22
c.139 (C.30:4-27.9a et al.), the Commissioner of Human Services 23
shall submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, 24
c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, a report, which shall 25
include, but not be limited to: 26
(1) a summary of the findings from the study conducted 27
pursuant to subsection a. of this section; 28
(2) an analysis of the supply of and demand for involuntary 29
commitment beds and voluntary commitment beds, including 30
consideration of, to the extent practicable, the geographic location 31
of the patient and whether the patient is an adult patient or a 32
pediatric patient, whether the patient has a criminal history, whether 33
the patient is uninsured or underinsured, and whether the patient has 34
been diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability and 35
a mental health condition, or has been diagnosed with a substance 36
use disorder and a mental health condition; 37
(3) the number of temporary licenses granted by the Department 38
of Health pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection c. of section 1 of 39
[this act] P.L.2023, c.139 (C.30:4-27.9a) as of the date the 40
information concerning the licenses is submitted to the 41
Commissioner of Human Services pursuant to paragraph (3) of 42
subsection c. of section 1 of [this act] P.L.2023, c.139 (C.30:4-43
27.9a)
; and 44

S4263 [2R] VITALE, SCUTARI
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(4) any recommendations for legislative action. 1
c. The Department of Human Services and the Department of 2
Health shall jointly conduct a follow-up study to the study 3
conducted pursuant to subsection a. of this section. In conducting 4
the study, the departments shall solicit input from interested 5
stakeholders including, but not limited to, hospitals, the Office of 6
the Public Defender, the Administrative Office of the Courts, 7
advocates representing mental health patients, advocates 8
representing individuals with disabilities, and representatives of 9
psychiatric screening centers. 10
No later than April 30, 2026, the Commissioner of Human 11
Services shall submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of 12
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, a report, which 13
shall include, but not be limited to: 14
(1) a summary of the findings from the study conducted 15
pursuant to this subsection; 16
(2) an analysis of the supply of and demand for involuntary 17
commitment beds and voluntary commitment beds, including 18
consideration of, to the extent practicable, the geographic location 19
of the patient and whether the patient is an adult patient or a 20
pediatric patient, whether the patient has a criminal history, whether 21
the patient has a complex medical condition, whether t