[Second Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 802
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Holley, Mejia, Assemblywomen McKnight and Timberlake
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain retailers to train employees on gift card fraud.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Commerce Committee on June 16, 2021, with amendments.
An Act concerning gift cards and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Every retail mercantile establishment in this State that displays gift cards for sale shall train employees on how to identify and respond to gift card fraud. 1A retail mercantile establishment shall conduct the training in accordance with guidelines issued pursuant to section 2 of this 2[section] act2.1
b. A retail mercantile establishment that violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000, which may be collected and enforced by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety in a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of proceedings for the enforcement of the penalty provided by this section.
A violation of this section shall not be considered an unlawful practice in violation of P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
c. As used in this section:
"Gift card" means a tangible device, whereon is embedded or encoded in an electronic or other format a value issued in exchange for payment, which promises to provide to the bearer merchandise of equal value to the remaining balance of the device.
“Merchandise” means any objects, wares, goods, commodities, services, or anything offered, directly or indirectly, to the public for sale.
"Retail mercantile establishment" means any place of business where merchandise is exposed or offered for sale at retail to members of the consuming public.
12. The Director
of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety,
in consultation with the Attorney General, shall issue guidelines concerning
the detection and prevention of gift card fraud. The guidelines shall include,
but not be limited to: (1) information raising public awareness of the
prevalence of gift card fraud; (2) information concerning common gift card
fraud schemes; and (3) best practices for retail mercantile establishments to
prevent gift card fraud. The guidelines shall be published on the Internet
websites of the Department of Law and Public Safety and the Division of
Consumer Affairs, and updated periodically, as necessary.1
1[2.] 3.1 This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.