Eliminates provision in bias intimidation statute concerning victim's perception of defendant's purpose; replaces provision with language concerning "reasonable" victim.

S 979 amends New Jersey's bias intimidation statute (N.J.S.2C:16-1) by removing a provision that required courts to consider a victim's *perception* of the defendant's purpose. The bill replaces this with a standard based on whether a *reasonable person* would believe the offense was intended to intimidate someone due to protected characteristics like race, religion, or sexual orientation. This change directly affects prosecutors and courts in bias intimidation cases, aligning the law with a standard previously upheld in New Jersey's stalking statute. The amendment responds to a 2015 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that found the previous "victim's perception" language unconstitutional due to vagueness.