Bill Text: NJ A789 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits first responders from photographing persons being assisted or disclosing photographs of such persons without their consent.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-21 - Substituted by S199 (SS) [A789 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A789-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman NANCY F. MUNOZ
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman CAROLINE CASAGRANDE
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Gove and Assemblyman Rumpf
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits first responders from disseminating photographs of accident victims and patients to public without consent of victim or patient.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning first responders and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Any first responder who takes one or more photographs or electronic images or makes a video recording of an accident victim or other person receiving emergency medical services and distributes, disseminates, or otherwise makes available through any means such photographs, images, or video recording to members of the public without the prior written consent of the accident victim or person receiving emergency medical services, or the victim's or person's next-of-kin if the victim or person cannot provide consent, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
As used in this act, "first responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, or other paid or volunteer person who has been trained to provide emergency medical first response services in a program recognized by the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
The purpose of this bill is to ensure the privacy of accident victims and other persons receiving emergency medical services from first responders.
This bill provides that any first responder who takes one or more photographs or electronic images or makes a video recording of an accident victim or other person receiving emergency medical services and distributes, disseminates, or otherwise makes available through any means such photographs, images, or video recording to members of the public without the prior written consent of the accident victim or person receiving emergency medical services, or the victim's or person's next-of-kin if the victim or person cannot provide consent, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A fourth degree crime is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, or a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, or both.
The bill defines "first responder" to mean a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, or other paid or volunteer person who has been trained to provide emergency medical first response services in a program recognized by the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services.
