Bill > A4652

This bill modifies New Jersey's disorderly conduct laws by establishing a new offense of "inciting a public brawl" and updating existing statutes related to disorderly behavior. The bill defines inciting a public brawl as purposefully encouraging a group of four or more people to engage in disorderly conduct, with the actions likely to produce such conduct, which can be charged as either a fourth-degree crime or a disorderly persons offense depending on the specific circumstances. The legislation also adds new provisions to the disorderly conduct statute, including a section about concealing one's identity while engaging in disorderly conduct (such as wearing a mask) and a new subsection addressing disruptions at public gatherings. Additionally, the bill updates language to be gender-neutral, replacing terms like "he" with "the person" and clarifies that certain actions, like wearing a mask for medical, religious, or expressive purposes, would not automatically be considered problematic. The changes aim to provide law enforcement with more precise tools to address public disturbances and potential crowd-related misconduct while maintaining distinctions between different levels of offensive behavior.

Budget and Finance, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A4652