Relates to providing for prompt payment by contractors receiving public funds of amounts owed to small businesses and minority-owned business enterprises

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and 9 co-sponsors

Establishes a third‑degree crime for intentionally desecrating a military monument, upgrading punishment from a misdemeanor while leaving other venerated object desecration as a le

PRINT NUMBER 5491B

Overview

A.5491 (Print No. 5491B), introduced March 20, 2025, amends New Jersey criminal law (N.J.S.2C:33‑9) to increase the criminal penalty for purposely desecrating a military monument. The bill retains the existing treatment of other venerated objects but creates a separate, more serious offense when the target is a military monument. The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Note: the metadata supplied with the request included an inconsistent title about contractor prompt payment. The text of the bill and the statutory citation (N.J.S.2C:33‑9) make clear this measure concerns desecration of venerated objects and military monuments.

Key provisions

Amends N.J.S.2C:33‑9 (Desecration of Venerated Objects).

Establishes that a person who purposely desecrates a military monument commits a crime of the third degree.

Leaves in place that purposely desecrating other public monuments, insignia, symbols, structures, places of worship, or burial sites is a disorderly persons offense.

Defines the principal terms used in the statute:

"Desecrate" — means defacing, damaging, or polluting.
"Military monument" — any monument erected with the intent to honor a current or former member(s) of the armed forces or to mark or commemorate a past military action or battle.

Penalties and legal effect

The bill upgrades intentional desecration of a military monument from a disorderly persons offense to a third‑degree crime.

Under New Jersey law, a third‑degree crime generally carries a potential prison term of 3 to 5 years and a fine of up to $15,000 (see N.J.S.2C:43‑2). The bill text does not specify alternative penalties; statutory sentencing rules would apply.

Who would be affected

Individuals who intentionally deface, damage, or pollute military monuments would be subject to felony prosecution rather than the lesser disorderly persons charge.

Veterans, military families, municipal officials, and communities that host monuments could be affected indirectly through heightened criminal enforcement and potential civil‑community impacts.

Law enforcement and prosecutors would apply the elevated charge when elements of the new third‑degree offense are met.

Legislative status and timeline

Introduced in the Assembly: March 20, 2025; referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Subsequent actions: Referred to Governmental Operations (2/14/2025 listed), amendments and recommitments and printings issued on April 14 and April 30, 2025 (Print Nos. A5491A and A5491B).

Effective date: immediate upon enactment.

Sponsors and related measures

Primary sponsor listed: Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (with multiple cosponsors).

Related/companion bills: S.563 and S.2284; prior‑session analog A.9153.

This bill creates a statutory distinction that increases criminal liability for intentional harm to military monuments while retaining lesser treatment for desecration of other venerated objects.

Bill