A 4522 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes presumption of knowledge that display of noose or Nazi or Confederate symbol would cause bias intimidation; enhances penalties.

This New Jersey bill amends bias intimidation law to establish that displaying a noose, Nazi symbol, or Confederate symbol during a crime allows a court to infer the perpetrator knew or should have known the display would intimidate based on race, religion, gender, or other protected characteristics. It applies to any underlying offense (such as vandalism or assault) and treats these symbols as an aggravating factor, potentially leading to harsher penalties. The law directly affects individuals who commit crimes involving these symbols by making it easier to prove bias motivation in court. This change is based on documented historical uses of these symbols to intimidate and harm marginalized groups, as cited in the bill's findings.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 9, 2026 Last action Mar 9, 2026
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Mar 9, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Gary Schaer
Gary Schaer
DDemocratic
NJ
36