---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminalizes possession and sale of alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) commonly known as \"flakka,\" or \"flocka.\""
description: "Criminalizes possession and sale of alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) commonly known as \"flakka,\" or \"flocka.\""
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "A 2176"
citation: "New Jersey A 2176 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["CRIM PROCED", "CRIMES", "DRUG ABUSE"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Benson, Daniel R.", "Chiaravalloti, Nicholas", "Eustace, Tim", "Madden, Fred H.", "Mazzeo, Vincent", "Ruiz, M. Teresa", "Taliaferro, Adam J."]
version_count: 1
action_count: 8
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2016-01-27T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2017-08-07T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/1eef8761-c40f-46b0-b971-9bb1ee680445"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "f827cda899beeca176d704858ba86291ebf78e1185832c7f5e3d689ac8a554af"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey A 2176 (217) — Criminalizes possession and sale of alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP) commonly known as "flakka," or "flocka."

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/A2500/2176_I1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported favorably out of committee — **8–1** (pass) · legislature
- Reported favorably out of committee — **9–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Benson, Daniel R. — primary (person)
- Chiaravalloti, Nicholas — primary (person)
- Eustace, Tim — primary (person)
- Madden, Fred H. — primary (person)
- Mazzeo, Vincent — primary (person)
- Ruiz, M. Teresa — primary (person)
- Taliaferro, Adam J. — primary (person)
- Holzapfel, James W. — cosponsor (person)
- Rooney, Kevin J. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-01-27T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2017-02-27T05:00:00+00:00** Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee `referral-committee`
- **2017-06-01T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2017-06-22T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (71-3-0) `passage`
- **2017-06-22T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2017-06-26T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for S156
- **2017-06-26T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (39-0) `passage`
- **2017-08-07T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2017, c.209. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/1eef8761-c40f-46b0-b971-9bb1ee680445`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).