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Assembly committee releases package of bills on crime, labor, free-speech and property law
Summary
A New Jersey Assembly committee released a slate of bills and one resolution after brief consideration, advancing measures on fertility fraud, prevailing-wage penalties, anti-SLAPP protections, defamation standards, heirs' property and criminal procedure; several items drew written testimony or a recorded no vote citing First Amendment concerns.
A New Jersey Assembly committee met for a short session and voted to release a package of bills and a concurrent resolution, moving measures on criminal offenses, labor penalties, civil-procedure protections and property law to the next stage of consideration.
The committee considered Assembly Bill A3735, which creates the crime of "fertility fraud," and released the bill after a motion and voice vote. Chairwoman Park thanked Vice Chair Murphy for bringing some items to the committee's attention and announced the bill's release.
Members took a closer look at Assembly Bill A4374, which would impose criminal penalties for certain violations of the New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act. The committee adopted an amendment that replaces the culpability term "willfully" with "knowingly." Written opposition was filed by the National Federation of Independent Business, while multiple construction and labor organizations registered in favor. The committee released the bill as amended; one member was recorded as having left a no vote.
The panel also released Assembly Bill A4857 to extend anti-SLAPP protections to complainants of assault, harassment and discrimination; written support came from the National Women's Law Center and Professor Victoria Burke, and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities registered in favor.
Assembly Bill A5004, which criminalizes the creation or manipulation of images that appear to depict a child engaged in a sexual act, was released as amended. The bill includes a findings and declaration section addressing obscenity and image manipulation; the New Jersey Business & Industry Association sought technical amendments.
On Assembly Bill A5262, which would codify the U.S. Supreme Court standard that a public official must prove "actual malice" in a defamation suit, one committee member spoke against the measure on First Amendment grounds. The member said: "I'm voting no because this is the standard and, I don't like to engage in any legislation that interferes with the First Amendment in any way," and referenced the New York Times v. Sullivan standard in New Jersey. Despite that objection, the committee voted to release the bill.
The committee also released bills on pretrial release for offenses against minors (A5427), the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (A5448, noted as identical to Senate bill S1400), and a bill directing the Division of Parole to set certain residency restrictions (A5614); the Office of the Public Defender registered opposition to both A5427 and A5614. The committee unanimously released AJR222, a resolution designating May 1 as Rule of Law Day in New Jersey.
The session lasted roughly 20 minutes, and the chair closed the meeting after the package of items was reported out for further consideration.
What happens next: Each released bill will proceed through committee or floor scheduling according to legislative procedure; the committee did not adopt any final enactments during this brief session.
