Upgrades criminal penalties for use or possession of payment card scanning device; requires merchant to take reasonable safety measures to prevent scanning of payment card.

This New Jersey bill (A1211) upgrades criminal penalties for stealing payment card data and requires merchants to prevent such theft. It increases penalties for using scanning devices to steal card information: first-time use becomes a third-degree crime (up to 5 years in prison), while repeated offenses causing $50,000+ in theft become a second-degree crime (5-10 years). Merchants must implement reasonable security measures like regular terminal inspections, employee training on scanning devices, security cameras, and encryption software, as defined by the Division of Consumer Affairs. The law applies to all businesses accepting payment cards in New Jersey and takes effect seven months after enactment.