CHILD INTERNET SAFETY BILLS SPONSORED BY ALBANO, BARNES, EVANS, GREENSTEIN, MILAM & SCALERA NOW LAW

CHILD INTERNET SAFETY BILLS SPONSORED BY ALBANO, BARNES, EVANS, GREENSTEIN, MILAM & SCALERA NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Assembly Democratic legislation sponsored by Nelson Albano, Peter Barnes III, Elease Evans, Linda Greenstein, Matt Milam and Fred Scalera sponsored to give law enforcement enhanced abilities to crackdown on child Internet crimes was signed Tuesday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

The bills are part of Attorney General Anne Milgram’s Internet safety initiatives. They were approved by the Assembly in March.

“This helps give law enforcement the tools they need to better protect children who use the Internet for education and recreation,” said Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer). “No longer will Web sites be the playgrounds of criminals looking to prey on vulnerable children.”

The laws:

• Authorize the interception of wire or electronic communications of a suspected computer trespasser. (A-3761 – Scalera/ /Milam/Greenstein)

• Create a “Computer Crime Prevention Fund” by imposing a penalty for crimes and offenders. (A-3763 –Barnes/Albano/Evans/Greenstein).

“Law enforcement needs the tools to keep pace with today’s ever-changing technology and ward off predators who lurk behind a computer screen in hopes of preying on children,” said Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “This is a common-sense step forward to help give parents peace of mind that we’re doing all we can to protect their children in this technological age.”

“Every parent worries when their child logs onto a computer and enters that new world that has evolved on the Internet,” said Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “It can be a wonderful tool for education and keeping in touch with friends and loved ones, but it can also be a dangerous place. These laws aim to give authorities what they need to keep pace with the criminals.”

“Online stalkers who target children cannot be treated lightly,” said Assemblyman Fred Scalera (D-Essex/Bergen/Passaic.) “We need to be able to go after these individuals swiftly and bring the full force of the law to bear.”

“Times and technology have changed and so must our laws,” said Assemblywoman Elease Evans (D-Passaic).

“Penalizing the people who force us to investigate these nightmarish crimes is sensible public policy that puts the burden on offenders, not taxpayers,” said Assemblyman Peter J. Barnes III (D-Middlesex).

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