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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill Establishes Pretrial Detention Presumption for Violent Motor Vehicle Theft
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary CommitteeSponsors: Al Barlas and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Assembly Bill 119 establishes a that individuals charged with motor vehicle theft who cause death, serious bodily injury, or create a substantial risk thereof during the crime should be detained prior to trial. Under the measure, prosecutors may seek , and courts may hold the defendant in jail pending trial unless the defendant rebuts the presumption by a .
Changes criminal procedure for specific vehicle theft defendants by shifting the burden to prove release eligibility onto the accused, directly impacting pretrial incarceration rates for those facing severe vehicular theft charges.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Defendants charged with motor vehicle theft involving injury
They face a legal presumption requiring pretrial detention unless they meet the burden of proof to rebut it.
Prosecutors
They are granted explicit statutory backing to file motions seeking pretrial detention for qualifying dangerous motor vehicle theft cases.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the presumption of pretrial detention under this bill?
Can a defendant challenge the pretrial detention order?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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