A 5848 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Modifies child endangerment statute to include AI technology; establishes criminal penalties.

This bill amends New Jersey's child endangerment statute to specifically address AI technology that can simulate sexual conduct with children. It creates a new fourth-degree crime for anyone who knowingly or recklessly causes or allows a child to be subjected to such AI-generated sexual conduct through the creation, control, possession, or promotion of the technology. The law includes an exception for AI systems designed to prevent sexual interaction with children, and violations would be punishable by up to 18 months in prison or a $10,000 fine. This amendment targets situations where AI chatbots or similar technology are deliberately programmed to engage in sexual interactions with children, as highlighted in recent reports.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
General Assembly Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jun 16, 2025 Last action Oct 20, 2025
Floor votes · General Assembly Jun 30, 2025

How they voted

780
Passed
Total votes 78
Jun 30, 2025
D Democratic50
50 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican28
28 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Oct 20, 2025
Committee
Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
upper
Jun 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (80-0-0)
lower
Jun 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
lower
Jun 16, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
lower
3 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors