The proposed bill aims to strengthen New Jersey's legal framework against child exploitation and abuse, particularly focusing on child pornography and related offenses. It introduces new definitions and provisions that specifically target items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children, including computer-generated or manipulated images. The bill categorizes various offenses related to the distribution, possession, and creation of such materials, establishing a rebuttable presumption that any purported child depicted is under 18 years of age, thereby imposing strict liability on offenders. Additionally, it enhances penalties for serious crimes against children, including mandatory minimum sentences for large quantities of child pornography, and emphasizes the confidentiality of victims' identities in legal proceedings.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing laws to clarify the disqualification of individuals from employment in child care and community service roles based on their criminal history, specifically including child pornography as a disqualifying offense. It mandates criminal history record checks for employees and volunteers in settings involving children and allows for rehabilitation opportunities under certain conditions. The legislation also separates child pornography from broader child endangerment laws, revising penalties and definitions to address modern technological challenges, such as manipulated depictions or "deepfakes." Overall, the bill reflects a comprehensive approach to safeguarding minors and ensuring that offenders face significant consequences for their actions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:4A-71.1, 2A:53A-7.4, 2A:82-46, 2A:84A-16.1, 2A:84A-32.4, 2A:156A-8, 2A:162-12, 2A:162-19, 2A:168A-8, 2C:7-2, 2C:13-6, 2C:13-7, 2C:13-10, 2C:14-9, 2C:24-4.1, 2C:39-7, 2C:43-3.8, 2C:43-6.4, 2C:44-6.3, 3B:5-14.1, 5:12-86, 9:2-4.1, 9:3-40.5, 9:6-8.84, 9:6A-10, 18A:6-7.1, 30:4-3.5, 30:4-91.8, 30:4-91.9, 30:4-123.53, 30:4-123.54, 30:4C-26.8, 30:4C-27.19, 30:5B-6.14, 30:5B-25.7, 30:6D-64, 39:5G-2, 39:5H-20, 46:8-56, 46:8-59, 53:1-20.20