SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2163

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 11, 2026

      The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2163.

      As amended and reported by the committee, this bill creates a disorderly persons offense for persons who conceal or attempt to conceal their identity while committing another crime or offense. 

      Under the provisions of the bill, it is a disorderly persons offense for a person to conceal or attempt to conceal the person’s identity by wearing a mask or disguise with the purpose of instilling fear, hindering prosecution, or avoiding apprehension while committing another crime or offense.

      The bill provides that a person who wears a mask or disguise for medical, religious, or expressive purposes is not to be deemed to have acted with the purpose to instill fear, hinder prosecution, or avoid apprehension.

      As amended, a person would not be charged with a disorderly persons offense pursuant to the bill’s provisions unless the person was charged with an underlying crime or offense under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, or any other law of this State, and was wearing a mask or disguise at the time the person committed the underlying crime or offense.

      Finally, the bill also prohibits the merger of this offense with any other criminal offense for the purpose of reducing a defendant’s sentence.  It is a disorderly persons offense to violate the provisions of the bill.  A disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to clarify that a person would not be charged with a disorderly persons offense unless the person: is charged with an underlying crime or offense under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes or any other law of this State; and was wearing a mask or disguise at the time the person committed the underlying crime or offense.  As introduced, the provisions of the bill applied only to crimes or offenses under Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.