This bill amends New Jersey's wiretapping laws to make it unlawful for any private citizen to record a telephone call or other conversation without the consent of all parties involved. The current law allows for one-party consent, meaning that only one participant in the 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 change.

The bill also includes specific legal language adjustments, such as the deletion of references to the previous act and the insertion of new provisions that clarify the conditions under which interception is permissible. Notably, it stipulates that all parties must give prior consent for a recording to be lawful, and it outlines that any interception for the purpose of committing a criminal or tortious act remains prohibited. Violations of this law would continue to be classified as a crime of the third degree, carrying potential penalties of imprisonment and fines. The act is set to take effect 90 days after its enactment.

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