Bill Text: NJ S2477 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes offense of unlawfully accessing location information of law enforcement vehicles through certain electronic means.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-06-24 - Substituted by A1677 (ACS) [S2477 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2477-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes offense of unlawfully accessing location information of law enforcement vehicles through certain electronic means.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the access to information indicating the location of law enforcement vehicles and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. (1) A person commits a disorderly persons offense if, without license or privilege to do so, he knowingly intercepts a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the current location of a law enforcement vehicle.
(2) A person commits a disorderly persons offense if, without license or privilege to do so, he knowingly discloses information provided by a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the current or prior location of a law enforcement vehicle to a person who is not authorized to receive or access such information.
(3) A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if he uses information provided by a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the current or prior location of a law enforcement vehicle for an unlawful purpose.
b. (1) This section shall not in any way limit the authority of any law enforcement officer acting within the scope of his official duties.
(2) It shall not be deemed an unlawful purpose for any person to use information provided by a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the prior location of a law enforcement vehicle to evaluate or examine the operations of a law enforcement agency; provided, however, that nothing in this act shall be deemed to authorize any person to receive or access information provided by a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the location of a law enforcement vehicle if such receipt or access could reasonably jeopardize the safety of a law enforcement officer or the public, or compromise the integrity of any ongoing investigation.
c. Nothing in this act shall preclude an indictment and conviction for any other offense defined by the laws of this State.
d. For purposes of this section:
"Automatic vehicle location system" means an automated system, such as a global positioning system, for tracking the geographic location of a motor vehicle and transmitting that location information to an authorized receiving entity; and
"Global positioning system" means a reporting technology that is monitored by a network of electronic navigation components in which a vehicle may be identified and tracked via satellite.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill sets forth certain penalties for unauthorized access to information transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the current or prior location of a law enforcement vehicle. The bill defines automatic vehicle location system as an automated system, such as a global positioning system, used for tracking the geographic location of a motor vehicle and transmitting that location information to an authorized receiving entity.
Under the provisions of this bill, it is a disorderly persons offense to intercept a signal transmitted by an automatic vehicle location system which identifies the current location of a law enforcement vehicle. In addition, it is a disorderly persons offense to disclose such information indicating the current or prior location of a law enforcement vehicle to another person. The bill establishes a fourth degree crime if a person uses such information for an unlawful purpose.
Under current law, a disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Fourth degree crimes are punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
The bill clarifies that it is not unlawful for any person to use such vehicle location information to evaluate or examine the operations of a law enforcement agency. The bill further clarifies that no person is to receive or access police vehicle location information if it would jeopardize the safety of a law enforcement officer or the public, or compromise the integrity of any ongoing investigation.
