Public Administration

New Jersey to Launch Rape Kit Tracking System in 2025 – On January 23rd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S715 (P.L.2025, c.1) into law, requiring the creation of an online rape kit tracking system. The system, mandated to launch by August 1st, will allow victims, law enforcement, and healthcare providers to track kits from collection to results. Supporters say the law is a crucial step in improving transparency and accountability in handling sexual assault cases. The measure follows previous reforms in handling rape kits and aims to address a longstanding backlog of untested kits in the state, which a 2019 audit found exceeded 2,800 in law enforcement agencies.

Murphy Signs Bill Expanding Tax Incentive Programs – On January 23rd, Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S1323 (P.L.2025, c.2.), designating Camden, East Orange, and New Brunswick as government-restricted municipalities. The bill will allow these cities to take advantage of special tax incentives and lower developer capital investment requirements. Under prior law, only Trenton, Atlantic City, and Paterson were similarly designated. The law also restricts the state’s authority to reclaim surplus tax credits and requires commercial developers with occupancy rates below 60% to forfeit tax incentives, among other minor provisions. The tax incentives are available under the Aspire and Emerge programs, which are expected to grant around $6.6 billion in credits over their lifetime.

State Supreme Court Upholds Victims’ Access to Body-Cam Footage – On January 21st, The New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously ruled that government officials cannot withhold police body-camera footage from individuals featured in the footage, with limited exceptions.  Advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Partners for Women and Justice, filed amicus briefs for the case and expressed support for the ruling as a means of increasing victim rights and transparency around policing. Despite the court ruling, apprehensions remain surrounding the complexity of the state’s current body-cam law, which could lead to inconsistent enforcement of body-camera access rights.

New Jersey Leads Lawsuit Challenging Birthright Citizen Order – On January 21st, Attorney General Matt Platkin announced that New Jersey is leading a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a recent presidential executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. Seventeen other states have joined New Jersey in this court challenge. There are currently around 470,000 undocumented immigrants living in the state, and New Jersey law prohibits state law enforcement from collaborating with federal immigration raids solely because the targeted individuals are undocumented.