48 state laws to be decriminalised

The shift would permit in-house adjudication and monetary penalties, eliminating the burden of criminal prosecution

- HD Bureau

The state law department is preparing to transform the state’s regulatory landscape by proposing to decriminalise offences under as many as 48 state statutes, converting many criminal penalties into civil infractions enforceable by administrative processes rather than the criminal courts.

The shift would permit in-house adjudication and monetary penalties, eliminating the burden of criminal prosecution for comparatively minor breaches.