SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, Nos. 1364 and 889

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 13, 1996

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably the Committee Substitute for Assembly Bill Nos.1364 and 889.

      This substitute bill repeals section 1 of P.L.1989, c.232 (C:2C:33-18), which prohibited the sale or transfer of remotely activated paging devices to persons under 18 years of age, unless authorized by a physician for medical reasons or by the minor's lawful employer for legitimate business purposes. A violation of that section is a disorderly person's offense.

      The substitute bill also permits a student who is an active member in good standing of a volunteer fire company or a volunteer first aid, ambulance or rescue squad to possess a paging device on school property if the chief executive officer of that company or squad states that the student is required to respond to emergencies. Currently, section 2 of P.L.1989, c.232 (C.2C:33-19) prohibits an elementary or secondary school student from bringing a paging device onto school property without the permission of the school board or school principal.

      It is the committee's understanding that the current law is intended to limit the availability and use of such devices in illegal activity such as drug trafficking, but is so broadly written that parents who use these devices to keep track of their children may be charged under its provisions.

      This substitute bill is identical to the Senate Bill No.534, which was released by the committee on May 9, 1996.