---
type: "Bill"
title: "Creates Mental Health Diversion Program to divert eligible persons away from criminal justice system and into appropriate case management and mental health services.*"
description: "Creates Mental Health Diversion Program to divert eligible persons away from criminal justice system and into appropriate case management and mental health services.*"
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "220"
identifier: "S 524"
citation: "New Jersey S 524 (220)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["MENTAL HEALT"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Atkins, Reginald W.", "Cunningham, Sandra B.", "Mukherji, Raj", "Quijano, Annette", "Ruiz, M. Teresa"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 16
vote_count: 0
first_action: "2022-01-11T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2023-12-21T05:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/46082fa1-770b-4d32-87bc-888c40aaac27"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "4c70dadf25ae3e8efbdacc5126cfc11da43ebc7608706490b2cf7a38a80f1a31"
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 S 524 (220) — Creates Mental Health Diversion Program to divert eligible persons away from criminal justice system and into appropriate case management and mental health services.*

## Version chain

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

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S1000/524_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint of Substitute SBA 6/20/23 1R SCS** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S1000/524_R1.HTM)
3. **Reprint of Substitute Senate 12/11/23 2R SCS** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S1000/524_R2.HTM)
4. **Senate Committee Substitute SJU 6/12/23 SCS** (committee substitute) — [source](https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2022/S1000/524_U1.HTM)

## Sponsors

- Atkins, Reginald W. — primary (person)
- Cunningham, Sandra B. — primary (person)
- Mukherji, Raj — primary (person)
- Quijano, Annette — primary (person)
- Ruiz, M. Teresa — primary (person)
- Burgess, Renee C. — cosponsor (person)
- Codey, Richard J. — cosponsor (person)
- Diegnan, Patrick J. — cosponsor (person)
- Lopez, Yvonne — cosponsor (person)
- McKeon, John F. — cosponsor (person)
- Murphy, Carol A. — cosponsor (person)
- Pou, Nellie — cosponsor (person)
- Reynolds-Jackson, Verlina — cosponsor (person)
- Stack, Brian P. — cosponsor (person)
- Turner, Shirley K. — cosponsor (person)
- Verrelli, Anthony S. — cosponsor (person)
- Wimberly, Benjie E. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2022-01-11T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2023-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** Reported from Senate Committee as a Substitute, 2nd Reading
- **2023-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee `referral-committee`
- **2023-06-20T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Motion To Sa (Steinhardt)
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Motion To Table Sa (18-15) (Ruiz)
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (21-15) `passage`
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly without Reference, 2nd Reading
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for A1700 (ACS/1R)
- **2023-06-30T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (45-28-2) `passage`
- **2023-11-27T05:00:00+00:00** Conditional Veto, Received in the Senate `executive-veto`
- **2023-12-11T05:00:00+00:00** 2nd Reading on Concur with Governor's Recommendations (22-12)
- **2023-12-21T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (23-12) `passage`
- **2023-12-21T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Assembly, 2nd Reading - Concur. w/Gov's Recommendations
- **2023-12-21T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (54-13-0) `passage`
- **2023-12-21T05:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2023, c.188. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/46082fa1-770b-4d32-87bc-888c40aaac27`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).