SENATE, No. 2031

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 5, 2014

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  RICHARD J. CODEY

District 27 (Essex and Morris)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Creates crime of home invasion; makes crime subject to No Early Release Act.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning home invasion and amending N.J.S.2C:18-2 and P.L.1997, c.117.

 

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

 

     1.    N.J.S.2C:18-2 is amended to read as follows:

     2C:18-2.  Burglary. a. Burglary defined.  A person is guilty of burglary if, with purpose to commit an offense therein or thereon he:

     (1)   Enters a research facility, structure, or a separately secured or occupied portion thereof unless the structure was at the time open to the public or the actor is licensed or privileged to enter;

     (2)   Surreptitiously remains in a research facility, structure, or a separately secured or occupied portion thereof knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so; or

     (3)   Trespasses in or upon utility company property where public notice prohibiting trespass is given by conspicuous posting, or fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders.

     b.    Grading.  Burglary is a crime of the second degree if in the course of committing the offense, the actor:

     (1)   Purposely, knowingly or recklessly inflicts, attempts to inflict or threatens to inflict bodily injury on anyone; or

     (2)   Is armed with or displays what appear to be explosives or a deadly weapon.

     Otherwise burglary is a crime of the third degree.  An act shall be deemed "in the course of committing" an offense if it occurs in an attempt to commit an offense or in immediate flight after the attempt or commission.

     c.    A person is guilty of home invasion if, with purpose to commit an offense therein or thereon, he unlawfully enters or surreptitiously remains in a person's residence and purposely, knowingly, or recklessly places the homeowner or other occupant in fear of bodily injury.

     Home invasion is a crime of the second degree.

(cf: P.L.2009, c.283, s.2)

 

     2.    Section 2 of P.L.1997, c.117 (C.2C:43-7.2) is amended to read as follows:

     2C:43-7.2  Mandatory service of 85 percent of sentence for certain offenses.

     2.    a.  A court imposing a sentence of incarceration for a crime of the first or second degree enumerated in subsection d. of this section shall fix a minimum term of 85% of the sentence imposed, during which the defendant shall not be eligible for parole.

     b.    The minimum term required by subsection a. of this section shall be fixed as a part of every sentence of incarceration imposed upon every conviction of a crime enumerated in subsection d. of this section, whether the sentence of incarceration is determined pursuant to N.J.S.2C:43-6, N.J.S.2C:43-7, N.J.S.2C:11-3 or any other provision of law, and shall be calculated based upon the sentence of incarceration actually imposed. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not be construed or applied to reduce the time that must be served before eligibility for parole by an inmate sentenced to a mandatory minimum period of incarceration.  Solely for the purpose of calculating the minimum term of parole ineligibility pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a sentence of life imprisonment shall be deemed to be 75 years.

     c.    Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary and in addition to any other sentence imposed, a court imposing a minimum period of parole ineligibility of 85 percent of the sentence pursuant to this section shall also impose a five-year term of parole supervision if the defendant is being sentenced for a crime of the first degree, or a three-year term of parole supervision if the defendant is being sentenced for a crime of the second degree.  The term of parole supervision shall commence upon the completion of the sentence of incarceration imposed by the court pursuant to subsection a. of this section unless the defendant is serving a sentence of incarceration for another crime at the time he completes the sentence of incarceration imposed pursuant to subsection a., in which case the term of parole supervision shall commence immediately upon the defendant's release from incarceration.  During the term of parole supervision the defendant shall remain in release status in the community in the legal custody of the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and shall be supervised by the State Parole Board as if on parole and shall be subject to the provisions and conditions of section 3 of P.L.1997, c.117 (C.30:4-123.51b).

     d.    The court shall impose sentence pursuant to subsection a. of this section upon conviction of the following crimes or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these crimes:

     (1)   N.J.S.2C:11-3, murder;

     (2)   N.J.S.2C:11-4, aggravated manslaughter or manslaughter;

     (3)   N.J.S.2C:11-5, vehicular homicide;

     (4)   subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:12-1, aggravated assault;

     (5)   subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.1996, c.14 (C.2C:12-11), disarming a law enforcement officer;

     (6)   N.J.S.2C:13-1, kidnapping;

     (7)   subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:14-2, aggravated sexual assault;

     (8)   subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:14-2 and paragraph (1) of subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:14-2, sexual assault;

     (9)   N.J.S.2C:15-1, robbery;

     (10)  section 1 of P.L.1993, c.221 (C.2C:15-2), carjacking;

     (11)  paragraph (1) of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:17-1, aggravated arson;

     (12)  subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:18-2, burglary;

     (13)  subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:20-5, extortion;

     (14)  subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.1997, c.185 (C.2C:35-4.1), booby traps in manufacturing or distribution facilities;

     (15)  N.J.S.2C:35-9, strict liability for drug induced deaths;

     (16)  section 2 of P.L.2002, c.26 (C.2C:38-2), terrorism;

     (17) section 3 of P.L.2002, c.26 (C.2C:38-3), producing or possessing chemical weapons, biological agents or nuclear or radiological devices;

     (18)  N.J.S.2C:41-2, racketeering, when it is a crime of the first degree[:];

     (19)  subsection i. of N.J.S.2C:39-9, firearms trafficking; [or]

     (20)  paragraph (3) of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:24-4, causing or permitting a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act, knowing that the act may be reproduced or reconstructed in any manner, or be part of an exhibition or performance; or

     (21)  subsection c. of N.J.S.2C:18-2, home invasion.

     e.    (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2001, c.129).

(cf:  P.L.2013, c.136, s.4)

 

     3.    This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month after enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill creates the crime of home invasion and makes this crime subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA).

     Under the provisions of this bill, a person commits the crime of home invasion if he or she unlawfully enters a person's residence with the intent to commit an offense and places the homeowner or other occupant in fear of bodily injury.  Under this bill, home invasion is a crime of the second degree.

     A second degree crime is punishable by five to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both.

     In addition, the bill provides that a person who is convicted of the crime of home invasion is subject to sentencing under the NERA.  A person sentenced under the NERA is required to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed, during which he or she is not eligible for parole.