This bill amends New Jersey's wiretapping laws to make it unlawful for any private citizen to record a telephone call or other conversation unless all parties involved provide their consent. The current law allows for one-party consent, meaning that only one participant in a conversation needs to agree to the recording. The proposed change would shift New Jersey to an all-party consent state, aligning it with 11 other states that have similar requirements. The bill maintains existing exceptions for law enforcement activities, which are not impacted by this legislation.

The bill also includes specific legal language changes, such as the deletion of references to the previous act and the insertion of new provisions that clarify the conditions under which interception of communications is permissible. Notably, it stipulates that all parties must consent to the interception, and it prohibits the use of such recordings for any criminal or tortious acts. Violations of this law would continue to be classified as a crime of the third degree, carrying penalties of imprisonment and fines. The act is set to take effect 90 days after its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:156A-4