A 1146 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Adopts State definition of Islamophobia for certain civil and criminal purposes.

This bill defines "Islamophobia" for New Jersey state law as a form of racism targeting Muslim identity or perceived Muslim identity, including discrimination, stereotyping, harassment, or violence against Muslims or Muslim-majority communities. It requires state officials and law enforcement to use this definition when reviewing civil or criminal cases involving anti-Muslim bias. The definition explicitly excludes criticism of Muslim-majority countries similar to criticism of other nations. The bill does not override First Amendment protections or existing anti-discrimination laws. This is New Jersey's first state-level definition of Islamophobia, adopted to standardize responses to anti-Muslim hate incidents.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

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