Bill Text: NJ A5216 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires hotels to establish telecommunications system that connects callers directly to NJ Human Trafficking Hotline; requires hotel employees to report human trafficking alerts to law enforcement.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee [A5216 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5216-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN V. AZZARITI JR., M.D.
District 39 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires hotels to establish telecommunications system that connects callers directly to NJ Human Trafficking Hotline; requires hotel employees to report human trafficking alerts to law enforcement.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning human trafficking and supplementing P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
"Guest room" means a private room made available by a hotel for occupancy by a guest. A guest room may be comprised of several interconnected rooms, such as a bathroom, living room, or multiple bedrooms, in the case of a suite.
"Guest room telephone" means a telecommunications device located in a guest room of a hotel that can make or receive phone calls.
"Hotel" means the same as that term is defined in paragraph (j) of section 3 of P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-3).
"Hotel employee" means any natural person who works full-time or part-time performing housekeeping, room service, or security duties at a hotel for or under the direction of the hotel employer or any subcontractor of the hotel employer for wages, salary, or remuneration of any type under a contract or subcontract of employment.
2. a. Except as provided in subsection c. of this section, the owner of a building or structure that qualifies as a hotel under P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.), or registered as a hotel with the Commissioner of Community Affairs, shall:
(1) establish and maintain a telecommunications system that allows a person to dial "4-8" from a guest room telephone to connect that person directly to the New Jersey Human Trafficking Hotline that is operated by the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety; and
(2) ensure that at least one guest room telephone is installed and operational in each guest room.
b. The telecommunications system required pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be:
(1) approved by the commissioner and registered on forms provided by the Department of Community Affairs; and
(2) capable of providing an alert to a hotel employee when a person has dialed the number "4-8" on a guest room telephone. An employee who receives an alert pursuant to this subsection shall immediately report the alert to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
c. The commissioner may exempt certain hotels or similar establishments from the requirements of this section based on factors including, but not limited to, the size of the establishment, the availability of guest room telephones, or other criteria as determined by the commissioner.
d. The commissioner, in consultation with the Attorney General, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Community Affairs may take any anticipatory action necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires hotels to establish a telecommunications system that connects callers directly to the New Jersey Human Trafficking Hotline when "4-8" is dialed from a guest room telephone. The bill also requires hotel employees to report human trafficking alerts to law enforcement.
The bill defines "hotel" as "any building, including but not limited to any related structure, accessory building, and land appurtenant thereto, and any part thereof, which contains 10 or more units of dwelling space or has sleeping facilities for 25 or more persons and is kept, used, maintained, advertised as, or held out to be a place where sleeping or dwelling accommodations are available to transient or permanent guests."
An owner of a building or structure that qualifies as a hotel under current law or registered as a hotel with the Commissioner of Community Affairs is required to establish and maintain a telecommunications system that allows a person to dial "4-8" from a guest room telephone to connect that person directly to the New Jersey Human Trafficking Hotline. Additionally, the bill requires that at least one guest room telephone be installed and operational in each guest room.
Under the bill, the telecommunications system is to be approved by the commissioner and registered with the Department of Community Affairs. Additionally, the telecommunications system is to be capable of providing an alert to a hotel employee when a person has dialed the number "4-8" on a guest room telephone. An employee who receives an alert is required to immediately report the alert to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
The commissioner may exempt certain hotels or similar establishments from the requirements of this bill based on factors including the size of the establishment, the availability of guest room telephones, or other criteria as determined by the commissioner.
