Politics & Government

Governor Signs Bill Aimed At Deterring Pop-Up Parties

The new law will allow authorities to charge those who provoke or attempt to provoke at least four others into disorderly conduct.

The bill is a legislative attempt to combat unruly gatherings of teens and young people that officials say have caused havoc, especially in Shore towns.
The bill is a legislative attempt to combat unruly gatherings of teens and young people that officials say have caused havoc, especially in Shore towns. (Lori M. Nichols)

June 4, 2025

The Senate on Monday joined the Assembly in concurring with Gov. Phil Murphy’s conditional veto of a bill that would create new criminal charges to deter disruptive pop-up parties that have harried some New Jersey towns in recent years, and the bill became law after Murphy signed it Monday afternoon.

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The new law will allow authorities to charge those who provoke or attempt to provoke at least four others into disorderly conduct with inciting a public brawl or who conceal their identities to instill fear or frustrate authorities’ attempts to apprehend or prosecute them.

“This law makes it clear that if you incite a public brawl, you will be held accountable. We need to give law enforcement the tools to stop this kind of chaos before someone gets seriously hurt, or worse,” said bill sponsor Assemblyman Dan Hutchison (D-Gloucester).

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