If the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections shall determine that a county jail, workhouse or penitentiary is in willful and continuous disregard of the minimum standards for such facilities promulgated by the department pursuant to section 10 of P.L.1976, c. 98 (C. 30:1B-10), he shall order a phased restriction of admission of new inmates to such facility. Upon such determination, the commissioner shall notify the county governing body of his decision to impose such a restriction, which notification shall include a written statement specifying the reasons therefor. If the commissioner shall determine that no appropriate action has been initiated within 60 days following such notification to correct the violations specified in the notice, he shall order the following:

a. That such county jail, workhouse or penitentiary shall immediately cease to admit persons sentenced to State penal facilities and awaiting transfer or admittance to such facilities;

b. That such county jail, workhouse or penitentiary shall, upon the expiration of 30 days after such order, immediately cease to admit persons sentenced to terms in said county penal facility; and,

c. That such county jail, workhouse or penitentiary shall, upon the expiration of 90 days after such order, immediately cease to admit all persons sent to said facility.

Any county jail, workhouse or penitentiary so restricted shall continue under such order until such time as the commissioner determines that the violations specified in the notice have been corrected or that the facility has initiated actions which will ensure the correction of said violations.

L.1979, c. 472, s. 1, eff. Feb. 27, 1980.