Garden State Times

Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) that would upgrade penalties for residential home burglaries was advanced by the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.

"Law enforcement personnel have expressed an urgent need to pass legislation to combat the troubling wave of residential home burglaries spreading across New Jersey. This legislation would help provide law enforcement and prosecutors with the necessary tools to hold bad actors accountable and ensure safety within our communities," said Sen. Bucco. "By enforcing stricter penalties, we're sending a clear message that individuals who burglarize homes or engage in other associated criminal activities will face severe consequences."

Sen. Bucco's bill, S-3006, would upgrade the penalty for burglarizing a residential home or overnight dwelling to help combat the wave of reported criminal behavior from law enforcement.

Currently, home burglary is punishable as a crime of the third degree and upgraded to a second-degree crime when an individual is armed or attempts to inflict or threaten bodily harm.

Under the bill, the penalty for home burglary would be upgraded to a crime of the second degree and upgraded to the first degree when the defendant is armed or if the burglary is committed in connection with another first- or second-degree crime.

You can read the full version of the bill online.

To speak with Sen. Bucco about this legislation, please contact Chris Sivel, SRO Deputy Director of Communications at [email protected].