Bill Text: NJ A3179 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits certain deceptive elections-related practices within 90 days before any election.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-15 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A3179 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3179-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CARMELO G. GARCIA
District 33 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits certain deceptive elections-related practices within 90 days before any election.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act prohibiting certain deceptive election-related practices and supplementing chapter 34 of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Any person who, within 90 days before the day of any election, knowingly and willfully communicates, or causes to be communicated, by any means, including written or printed materials or by any electronic medium, any information regarding the time, location, purpose, and procedure for that election that the person knows is false or misleading, or who provides false or misleading information concerning the qualification for being eligible to register to vote in that election and the penalties for registering under false pretenses or using false information, and does so for the purpose of inhibiting or preventing a person from exercising the right to vote in the election, is guilty of a crime of the third degree and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to such additional penalties as are authorized by law.
b. Any person who, within 90 days before the day of any election, knowingly and willfully communicates to the general public, or causes to be communicated to the general public, by any means, including written or printed materials or by any electronic medium, information that the person knows is false or misleading regarding the endorsement of a candidate for any elective office, or the support in favor or against a public question, by any individual or group, is guilty of a crime of the third degree and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to such additional penalties as are authorized by law.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits certain deceptive elections-related practices within 90 days before the day of any election.
Specifically, the bill provides that any person who, within 90 days before the day of any election, knowingly and willfully communicates, or causes to be communicated, by any means, including written or printed materials or by any electronic medium, any information regarding the time, location, purpose, and procedure for that election that the person knows is false or misleading, or who provides false or misleading information concerning the qualification for being eligible to register to vote in that election and the penalties for registering under false pretenses or using false information, and does so for the purpose of inhibiting or preventing a person from exercising the right to vote in the election, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.
The bill also provides that any person who, within 90 days before the day of any election, knowingly and willfully communicates to the general public, or causes to be communicated to the general public, by any means, including written or printed materials or by any electronic medium, information that the person knows is false or misleading regarding the endorsement of a candidate for any elective office, or the support in favor or against a public question, by any individual or group, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.
A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years of imprisonment and a fine of $15,000.
