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Bill

Bill

S 1966

Creates offense of tracking for unlawful purpose; imposes enhanced penalties.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Holly Schepisi

New Jersey bill criminalizes non-consensual tracking activities with enhanced penalties to address surveillance enabled by modern location technology.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
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Bill Summary · S 1966

Legislative bill overview

S 1966 creates a new criminal offense in New Jersey specifically for tracking another person for an unlawful purpose and establishes enhanced penalties for this conduct. The bill addresses tracking activities beyond existing stalking or harassment laws by creating a distinct statutory violation focused on the act of tracking itself.

Why is this important

Tracking technology has become increasingly accessible and affordable, enabling non-consensual surveillance that may not fit neatly into existing stalking or harassment statutes. This bill attempts to close a legal gap by directly criminalizing the act of tracking someone without lawful justification, addressing a growing concern related to GPS devices, smartphone location data, and similar technologies used for unwanted monitoring.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition clarity: The bill's success depends on how precisely "tracking" and "unlawful purpose" are defined—overly broad language could capture innocent uses of location technology (shared family apps, fleet management, parental monitoring of minors) while overly narrow language may fail to address the intended conduct.
  • Relationship to existing laws: Questions about whether this duplicates or conflicts with existing stalking, harassment, and cyberstalking statutes, and whether separate charges could lead to inconsistent prosecution or sentencing disparities.
  • Technology scope: Uncertainty about which tracking methods are covered (GPS devices, phone location data, wireless network tracking, vehicle telematics) and whether legitimate monitoring contexts (employers tracking work vehicles, parents tracking children) are adequately exempted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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