New Jersey bill S 2395 elevates impersonating a public servant - specifically contact tracers during public health or state emergencies - to a fourth-degree crime, punishable by up to 18 months in prison or a $10,000 fine. It also creates a new offense for defrauding people by falsely claiming an emergency (even if none is declared) to obtain personal identifying information. The bill targets individuals exploiting crisis situations to coerce others into sharing sensitive data like Social Security numbers, biometrics, or financial details. It directly affects those impersonating officials or misusing emergency claims to steal personal information, strengthening penalties from prior disorderly persons offenses. The law defines "personal identifying information" broadly to include names, addresses, account numbers, and unique biometric data.
This bill, the "Reader Privacy Act," protects the privacy of people using book services (like libraries, e-book platforms, or book rental services). It prohibits book service providers from sharing users' reading habits or personal details with law enforcement or government entities, except when the user consents, a court order exists, or for specific student book voucher reimbursements at schools. It also allows emergency disclosure if law enforcement claims an imminent threat to life or safety, requiring written confirmation within seven days. The law extends existing library privacy protections to all book services, including e-books, affecting both providers and users.
This bill creates a new fourth-degree crime for using GPS or location-tracking devices to follow a vehicle with intent to commit an unlawful act, such as in domestic violence, sexual assault, or vehicle theft cases. It directly affects individuals who misuse tracking technology to monitor others for criminal purposes. The key provision mandates that this offense be sentenced under enhanced penalties, requiring a minimum five-year prison term (instead of standard penalties for fourth-degree crimes). The bill aims to address risks posed by technology misuse, without altering existing sentencing for other offenses.
S 2580 requires licensed healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, and midwives) to conduct regular screenings for intimate partner violence during patient visits, using private settings or telehealth options. If abuse is suspected, providers must document findings, immediately provide patients with local resources and referrals, and ensure patients reapprove who can access their medical records - preventing perpetrators from obtaining copies. This directly affects healthcare facilities and patients experiencing abuse by current or former partners. Key provisions include mandatory screening documentation, resource lists maintained by state departments, and same-visit interventions to protect victims' medical privacy.
This bill allows New Jersey lottery players who win $600 or more to submit and validate their winning claims online or via mobile app instead of mailing or delivering paper forms to lottery headquarters. The State Lottery Commission must create a secure electronic system that works with iOS and Android devices, offering payment options like crediting winnings to an online account or direct bank deposit. The system must include fraud prevention, underage access prevention, and protection for players' personal and financial information. This change applies specifically to claims of $600 or higher, which currently require in-person or mailed submissions.
This bill allows public schools designated as polling places on election days to offer virtual or remote instruction instead of in-person classes. It requires school boards to ensure all students have access to necessary technology (like computers or broadband) before implementing remote learning on those days. The virtual instruction day counts toward the state's required 180-day school year, and schools aren't required to provide hybrid (in-person + remote) options on election days. The provision only applies to schools actually serving as polling locations during elections, not to other schools.
This bill establishes a voluntary, three-year pilot program in New Jersey to provide Medicaid-covered remote maternal health services for eligible pregnant beneficiaries. It allows access to tele-ultrasound, remote patient monitoring (like digital blood pressure checks), and remote non-stress tests via secure digital tools, with services offered only upon a healthcare provider's referral. Eligibility includes those with high-risk pregnancies (e.g., due to diabetes, age, or previous preterm births), residents in areas lacking obstetric providers, or individuals facing socioeconomic barriers like transportation issues. Participation is strictly voluntary and requires federal reimbursement approval before implementation.
This bill requires New Jersey's Office of Information Technology (OIT) to partner with private companies to build and operate a statewide wireless network through a public-private partnership agreement. It directly affects state government agencies that would use the network and private telecommunications companies eligible to bid on the contract. Key provisions include: requiring OIT to hold public hearings, prove the partnership costs less than a public option, and structure agreements where the private entity manages the network for a set term before returning full control to the state. The private entity finances construction and receives network revenue during the agreement, while OIT retains ownership and final oversight. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Economic Growth Committee after introduction on January 13, 2026.
This bill imposes a monthly tax on commercial data collectors (businesses that gather personal data for business purposes) based on the number of New Jersey consumers whose data they collect. Tax rates range from $0.05 to $0.50 per consumer, with higher tiers for larger data volumes. The first $60 million in annual tax revenue will be dedicated to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund, specifically to support New Jersey’s 9-8-8 crisis hotline and behavioral health services. The tax applies to data collected from consumers with New Jersey addresses or IP connections, and businesses may claim credits for similar taxes paid to other states.
This bill requires all New Jersey counties to transition to paper ballot voting systems using optical scanners by 2029, replacing electronic voting machines. It mandates that any voting technology used must employ open-source software (with publicly available code) and prohibits proprietary systems, except for limited disability-accessible voting machines approved by the Secretary of State. Counties must retain all paper ballots for two years after elections and verify results by reconciling scanner records with voter logs and precinct totals. The law directly affects all local election officials and voters in New Jersey by changing how votes are cast and counted.
