Removes criminal liability for law enforcement officers who have investigative encounter with underage person for possession of alcohol or cannabis unless civil rights are violated.

This bill removes criminal liability for New Jersey law enforcement officers during investigations involving underage individuals possessing or consuming alcohol or cannabis, unless the officer violates civil rights. Specifically, officers won’t face criminal charges for actions like stops or searches related to these violations - unless they act with discriminatory intent (e.g., targeting based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics) or commit other unlawful acts like excessive force. The bill modifies existing law to align criminal liability for such encounters with standard civil rights violation standards, requiring proof of discriminatory purpose. It directly affects police conduct during underage alcohol/cannabis enforcement but doesn’t change penalties for the minors involved.