Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. — Republican Gov. Chris Christie has rejected a bill prohibiting solitary confinement in New Jersey’s prisons.
Christie vetoed the measure on Monday saying that it amounted to an “ill-informed politically motivated press release.”
Christie said in a statement accompanying his absolute veto that the measure sought to solve a problem that doesn’t exist in the state. He says his administration does not use isolation confinement as outlined in the legislation.
The bill called for prohibiting solitary conferment except in cases where there was a reasonable cause to think the inmate posed a substantial risk.
The bill also required a medical and mental health evaluation before an inmate could be placed into solitary confinement.
Democratic state Sen. Ray Lesniak was the bill’s sponsor and didn’t immediately reply to a message seeking comment.