LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
ASSEMBLY, No. 3739
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: OCTOBER 21, 2024
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Criminalizes the use of “signal jammers.”
Type of Impact: Annual State expenditure and revenue increases; annual local
expenditure increases.
Agencies Affected: Department of Law and Public Safety; County Prosecutors; the
Judiciary; Office of the Public Defender; Department of Corrections;
State Parole Board.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact Annual
State Cost Increase Indeterminate
State Revenue Increase Indeterminate
Local Cost Increase Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that the bill would result in an indeterminate
increase in annual State and local expenditures. The following State and local agencies would
or may incur caseload and expenditure increases: a) the Department of Law and Public Safety
would provide guidance and other information related to the prosecution of the cases; b) county
prosecutors would have to prosecute additional cases; c) the Judiciary would have to adjudicate
additional complaints and monitor additional probationers; d) the Office of the Public Defender
would have to represent additional low-income criminal defendants; e) the Department of
Corrections may have to house and care for more individuals in cases where the sentencing
involves incarceration; and f) the State Parole Board may have to supervise the return to society
of additional convicts. The OLS notes, however, that a presumption of non-incarceration
generally applies to first time offenders of a crime of the fourth degree.
 The OLS finds that the State may receive indeterminate revenues from court filing fees, fines,
and penalties for the crime established under the bill. However, the State’s ability to collect
these revenues has historically been limited.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill would criminalize the use of signal jammers under State law. Such devices are already
illegal under federal law.
Signal jammers are radio frequency transmitters designed to block, jam, or otherwise interfere
with authorized radio communications. These devices can prevent cell phones from making or
receiving calls, texts, and emails; block Wi-Fi devices from connecting to the Internet; prevent a
GPS from receiving correct positioning signals; and prevent a first responder from locating a
person in an emergency.
Under current law, it is a crime of the fourth degree to: (1) make, or cause to be made, a radio
transmission of energy in this State unless the person obtains a license, or an exemption from
licensure, from the Federal Communications Commission pursuant to applicable federal law or
regulation, or (2) do any act to cause an unlicensed radio transmission of energy or interference
with a public or commercial radio station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
or to enable the radio transmission of energy or interference to occur.
This bill provides that it would also be a crime of the fourth degree to interfere with or cause
interference to any radio communications of any station licensed or authorized by or under any
federal law or regulation or operated by the United States government; or, in violation of federal
law or regulation, to use any scanning receiver that is capable of:
(1) receiving transmissions in the frequencies allocated to the domestic cellular radio
telecommunications service,
(2) readily being altered by the user to receive transmissions in such frequencies, or
(3) being equipped with decoders that convert digital cellular transmissions to analog voice
audio.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS finds that the bill would result in an indeterminate increase in annual State and local
expenditures. The OLS lacks sufficient information to quantify the fiscal impact of this bill, as it
is not possible to know how many individuals are likely to commit the new criminal offense
established by the bill.
A crime of the fourth degree is typically punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18
months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. There is, however, a presumption of non-incarceration
for first time offenders of a crime of the fourth degree. The following State and local agencies
would or may incur caseload and expenditure increases: a) the Department of Law and Public
Safety would provide guidance and other information related to the prosecution of the cases; b)
county prosecutors would have to prosecute additional cases; c) the Judiciary would have to
adjudicate additional complaints and monitor additional probationers; d) the Office of the Public
Defender would have to represent additional low-income criminal defendants; e) the Department
of Corrections may have to house and care for more individuals in cases where the sentencing
involves incarceration; and f) the State Parole Board may have to supervise the return to society
of additional convicts. Based on information provided by the Department of Corrections, the FY
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2023 average cost for housing, ensuring security, and providing services to an incarcerated
individual was $75,574, with an average daily cost was $207.
The OLS also notes that the State may receive indeterminate revenues from court filing fees,
fines, and penalties for the crime established under the bill. However, the State’s ability to collect
these revenues has historically been limited.
Section: Judiciary
Analyst: Anuja Pande Joshi
Senior Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).


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