TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Gov. Chris Christie has nixed a bill requiring that both county and state prosecutors publicly disclose information regarding how they use civil courts to seize property from criminal investigations.
The measure passed unanimously in both houses of the state Legislature before it was vetoed by the Republican governor on Monday.
The practice of civil asset forfeiture remains an issue because it means that police can seize assets such as money and vehicles from people who have not yet been convicted of a crime.
While the bill was meant to provide more transparency, Christie rejected it because he believes making the information public would “hamper ongoing law enforcement operations” while jeopardizing residents’ safety.
The governor instead recommended the establishment of a quarterly report for prosecutors to identify seized assets.
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