Clarifies crime of unlawful access concerning certain password protected communications in electronic storage.

This New Jersey bill (S 480) clarifies that unauthorized access to password-protected communications (like email or cloud storage) is a crime. It makes it a fourth-degree offense to access such communications without the password or explicit consent from at least one party, even if the device was left logged in. For commercial gain, private profit, or malicious intent, the offense becomes a third-degree crime with stricter penalties. The law specifically closes a loophole where leaving a device logged in wouldn’t automatically grant implied consent, and it clarifies both criminal penalties and civil liability for victims.