AI 'Revenge Porn' Penalties, Early Voting Extension: New NJ Laws

NEW JERSEY — Newly-signed laws in New Jersey include measures to extend the early voting period for primary elections, combat retail theft, and establish penalties for artificial intelligence "deepfakes."

Take a look at these new laws in the Garden State:

Establishing criminal penalties for deceptive AI

This bipartisan measure (A3540/S2544) was partly inspired by the advocacy of Westfield High School student Francesca Mani, who was "exploited, abused, and victimized" by artificial intelligence-generated fake pornographic images in 2023. Lawmakers had been pushing for legislation to prevent bad actors from using AI to target other people — particularly minors — by creating "revenge porn."

The bill creates penalties for this who produce or distribute deceptive audio or video, also known as "deepfakes," for an unlawful purpose.

Those who violate the law may be subject to a fine of up to $30,000 and a term of imprisonment.

“This victory belongs to every woman and teenager told nothing could be done, that it was impossible, and to just move on," Mani said in a statement. "It's proof that with the right support, we can create change together.”

As of last year, governors in more than a dozen states had signed laws cracking down on digitally created or altered child sexual abuse imagery, according to the Associated Press.

Making expungement process more accessible

With this law (A3881/SS2513), anyone who is going through the process of clearing their record of certain criminal convictions in New Jersey will be able to check their status in an online database. This database will be maintained by New Jersey State Police, and will continue to help address a backlog of expungement orders, officials said.

The bill also requires the NJSP to provide an annual, public report with a status update on expungement processing.

This comes after the state Attorney General, State Police, and the Public Defender's Office came to an agreement to improve expungement processing earlier this year.

Extending in-person early voting for primary elections

In-person early voting will now be extended to six days for presidential and non-presidential primary elections, under this measure (S3990/A5370). Previously, the early voting period for non-presidential primary elections was three days, and it was five days for presidential primaries.

The law appropriates $6 million for early voting expansion across the state. It takes effect immediately, meaning residents will have a longer period to vote early in-person for this June's primary — which includes candidates for governor.

“Beyond benefiting voters, this bill will also relieve poll workers from overwhelming Election Day crowds and reduce financial strain on municipalities for the additional days," said Assemblyman Gabriel Rodriguez (D-Hudson), one of the bill's sponsors. "It’s a practical solution that enhances accessibility, efficiency, and participation in our democratic process.”

Upgrading criminal penalties for retail theft crimes

This bill (A4755/S3587) directs the Attorney General to crack down on organized retail theft, and establishes tougher penalties for certain crimes. Gov. Phil Murphy signed it on April 1.

Under this legislation, the sale of stolen property is a disorderly persons offense, and anyone who attacks a retail employee while they are working could be charged with aggravated assault.

Offenders may also be sentenced to an extended prison term for repeat convictions.

“Over the past few years, we have worked to crack down on organized retail theft, which threatens livelihoods and public safety. With today’s bill, we are taking decisive action to combat this growing threat and protect businesses and workers statewide," Murphy said.