This bill amends New Jersey law to criminalize the use of signal jammers, which are devices designed to block or interfere with authorized radio communications. Currently, it is already illegal to make unauthorized radio transmissions or interfere with licensed radio stations. The bill expands these prohibitions to include interference with any radio communications authorized by federal law or operated by the U.S. government. Additionally, it criminalizes the use of scanning receivers that can receive cellular telecommunications frequencies, can be easily modified to do so, or are equipped with decoders for digital cellular transmissions.

The bill specifies that violations of these provisions would be classified as a crime of the fourth degree. It aligns state law with existing federal regulations, reinforcing the illegality of signal jammers and similar devices that can disrupt essential communications, including those used by first responders. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:33-23.1, 2C:33-23.2