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The Assembly Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear several bills on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., in Committee Room 12 on the fourth floor of the State House Annex in Trenton.
One bill on the agenda is A4674, which would amend New Jersey's cyber-harassment statute to elevate what is ordinarily a fourth-degree crime to a third-degree crime whenever the alleged target of the cyber-harassment is a "public servant" or a member of a public servant's family. The bill defines "public servant" broadly and includes not only elected officials and judges, but also appointed officials, public employees, and others performing governmental functions.
The bill does not change the underlying conduct required to constitute cyber-harassment. Instead, it defines a broad political class and assigns more severe criminal penalties when members of that class, or their family members, are the targets of cyber-harassment than when ordinary citizens or their families are targeted.
The bill would also ease the prosecution's burden of proving intent in cases involving public servants. It provides that judges and juries may infer a purpose to harass if a person knows or should have known that the conduct was directed to or about a public servant, and there is a nexus between the conduct and the performance of the public servant's official duties.
There is no question that public officials are often confronted with rough, unpleasant, and sometimes abusive social media commentary. However, using criminal law to suppress harsh criticism raises constitutional and civil liberties concerns, particularly in light of longstanding First Amendment principles that afford heightened protection to speech criticizing government and public officials.
Also on the agenda are a trio of bills: A6308, A6309, and A6310. All three were introduced on Friday, January 2, 2026, immediately referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee, and scheduled for a full committee hearing on Monday, January 5. In practical terms, they moved from nonexistence to a full hearing in a matter of hours.
These bills address New Jersey agencies' cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement, institutional policies governing access and information-sharing, data collection and disclosure practices, and the codification of Attorney General directives affecting law enforcement and other public institutions.
Immigration enforcement is a highly controversial and politically charged issue. But regardless of one's position on immigration policy or the merits of these proposals, the process by which they are being advanced is troubling. Introducing three complex and far-reaching bills and scheduling a hearing almost immediately leaves little opportunity for public review or meaningful testimony. The compressed timeline, particularly coming during the post-holiday period when many people are disorganized or disengaged, appears designed to minimize public awareness and participation.