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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey bill bars criminal defendants from entering victims' homes and restricts crime scene access
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness CommitteeSponsor: Azzariti Jr., John V., M.D.
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What This Bill Would Do
Assembly Bill 903 amends the New Jersey "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights" to prohibit criminal defendants from entering a crime victim's home under any circumstances during the criminal justice process. The measure takes effect on the 60th day following enactment.
Criminal defendants and their attorneys seeking evidence must navigate new limitations that bar the accused personally from entering an alleged victim's home while permitting only defense counsel or court-appointed representatives to inspect the location under strict court orders.
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.
Crime victims
Crime victims gain a statutory right protecting them from risk of the defendant entering their home during investigations or discovery.
Criminal defendants
Criminal defendants are prohibited from entering alleged victims' homes personally and must rely on legal counsel or court-appointed representatives for crime scene inspections.
Criminal defense attorneys
Defense attorneys may be authorized by the court to inspect a crime scene that is a victim's home on behalf of a defendant under specific restrictions.
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
Can a criminal defendant still inspect a crime scene located inside a victim's home under this bill?
When does this legislation take effect if enacted?
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 Public Safety and Preparedness 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Restriction on Defendant Home Access
The bill modifies established New Jersey jurisprudence under State ex rel. A.B. by stripping defendants of personal entry rights into victims' homes for discovery purposes while retaining limited access through legal representatives.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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