New Jersey A 4313: Establishes endangerment of a domestic companion animal as an animal cruelty offense.

Bill Text

A4313 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4313 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Danielsen

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows persons who qualify under Deferred Action for 
Childhood Arrivals program to become law enforcement and corrections officers.� 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning law enforcement and amending various parts 
of the statutory law.� 

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.1991, c.110 
(C.30:4-3.11) is amended to read as follows:� 

���� 1.��� A 
person shall not be appointed as a correctional police officer of any 
correctional institution assigned, maintained, or operated by the Department of 
Corrections unless that person:

���� a.���� is 
a citizen of the United States or has been granted relief from federal 
immigration laws under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 
program;

���� b.��� is able to read, write 
and speak the English language well and intelligently and has a high school 
diploma or its equivalent;

���� c.���� is sound in body and of 
good health;

���� d.��� is of good moral 
character; and

���� e.���� has not been convicted 
of any offense which would make the person unfit to perform the duties of the 
office as evidenced by a criminal history record background check.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.305, s.3)� 

���� 2.��� Section 2 of P.L.1991, 
c.110 (C.30:8-18.1) is amended to read as follows:�� 

���� 2.��� No person shall be 
appointed as a corrections officer of any county correctional institution 
unless that person:� 

���� a.���� Is a citizen of the 
United States or has been granted relief from federal immigration laws under 
the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program;

���� b.��� Is able to read, write 
and speak the English language well and intelligently and has a high school 
diploma or its equivalent;� 

���� c.���� Is sound in body and of 
good health;

���� �d.�� Is of good moral 
character;

���� �e.��� Has not been convicted 
of any offense which would make him unfit to perform the duties of his office.� 

(cf: P.L.1991, c.110, s.2)�� 

���� 3.��� N.J.S.40A:14-122 is 
amended to read as follows:� 

���� 40A:14-122. Except as 
otherwise provided by law, no person shall be appointed as a member of the 
police department and force, unless he:

���� (1) is a citizen of the United 
States or has been granted relief from federal immigration laws under the 
federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program;

���� (2) is sound in body and of 
good health sufficient to satisfy the board of trustees of the police and 
firemen's retirement system of New Jersey as to his eligibility for membership 
in the retirement system;

���� (3) is able to read, write and 
speak the English language well and intelligently;

���� (4) is of good moral 
character, and has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral 
turpitude.

���� The appointing body, officer 
or officers of the municipality when authorized� so to do, may employ such 
officers and other personnel for said police� department and force as temporary 
employees in emergencies, or for certain� specified parts of the year, as 
needed.

���� Except as otherwise provided 
by law, any permanent member or officer of such� police department and force 
who shall be absent from duty without just cause or� leave of absence, for a 
continuous period of 5 days, shall cease to be a member� of such police 
department and force.

(cf: P.L.1971, c.443, s.4)� 

���� 4.��� Section 6 of P.L.1995, 
c.284 (C.52:17B-174) is amended to read as follows:

���� 6.��� a.� The Youth Justice 
Commission shall employ, within the limits of available funds, juvenile 
corrections officers to staff each State secure juvenile facility and to 
provide security for other State juvenile facilities and programs including 
parole programs as deemed appropriate and to perform all other duties related 
to enforcement of confinement and conditions of release including execution of 
warrants and legal process.� Juvenile corrections officers shall be in the 
competitive division of the career service established pursuant to 
N.J.S.11A:3-2, "policemen" within the meaning of section 1 of 
P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-1) and members of the Police and Firemen's Retirement 
System of New Jersey established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1944, c.255 (C.43:16A-2), 
and shall be "employees" within the meaning of section 3 of P.L.1941, 
c.100 (C.34:13A-3).

���� b.��� Except as provided in 
subsection c. of this section, no person shall be appointed as a juvenile 
corrections officer unless that person:

���� (1)�� Is a citizen of the 
United States or has been granted relief from federal immigration laws under 
the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program;

���� (2)�� Is able to read, w