The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill A327 Establishes Stolen Car Accountability Act for Juveniles
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary CommitteeSponsor: Paul Kanitra
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
Assemblyman Paul Kanitra introduced Assembly Bill 327, known as the Stolen Car Accountability Act, which mandates the transfer of certain non-violent juvenile offenders charged with residential burglary and motor vehicle theft to adult court. The bill provides structured plea-bargaining and sentencing reduction options for juveniles who cooperate with law enforcement to arrest and convict adult auto theft leaders.
Changes criminal court jurisdiction and sentencing guidelines for specific juvenile offenders, offering reduced prison terms and accelerated timelines in exchange for cooperation against adult criminal organizers.
- Assemblyman Paul Kanitra represents New Jersey's 10th Legislative District, which includes parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties. context
- In New Jersey, juvenile delinquency cases are normally heard in the Family Part of the Superior Court unless a judicial waiver transfers jurisdiction to the Law Division for adult prosecution. context
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.
Juvenile defendants charged with residential burglary and motor vehicle theft
Juveniles meeting specific criteria are subject to mandatory waiver to adult court and face potential plea agreements, mandatory minimum prison terms, or reduced expungement waiting periods based on cooperation.
County prosecutors
Prosecutors receive explicit statutory authority to offer negotiated plea agreements and sentencing reductions in exchange for cooperation against adult auto theft leaders.
Youth Justice Commission
The commission is tasked with collecting, recording, and analyzing data regarding juvenile waivers and publishing biennial reports on its website.
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 criteria must a juvenile meet to qualify for the plea agreement under this bill?
What is the mandatory minimum sentence under the proposed plea agreement?
How does the bill change the expungement timeline for qualifying juveniles?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
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- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools