Bill Text: NJ A2932 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: "The Anti-Big Brother Act."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-28 - Substituted by S2057 (1R) [A2932 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A2932-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman RUBEN J. RAMOS, JR.
District 33 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
"The Anti-Big Brother Act."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning notification to certain persons using certain electronic devices and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A school district that furnishes a student with a laptop computer, cellular telephone, or other electronic device shall provide the student with written notification that the electronic device may record or collect information on the student's activity or the student's use of the device if the electronic device is equipped with a camera, global positioning system, or other feature capable of recording or collecting information on the student's activity or use of the device. The written notification shall be affixed with a form acknowledging receipt of the notification which shall be signed by the parent or guardian of the student and returned to the school district. The school district shall retain the form as long as the student retains the use of the electronic device.
A school district failing to provide the written notification required by this section shall be subject to a fine of $250.
2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill, "The Anti-Big Brother Act," requires a school district that furnishes a student with a laptop computer, cellular telephone, or other electronic device to provide the student with written notice that the electronic device may record or collect information on the student's activity, or the student's use of the device if it is equipped with a camera, global positioning system, or other feature capable of recording or collecting information. The notice is required to have a form attached which provides for a parent or guardian signature acknowledging receipt of the form. The bill requires that the school district retain the signed form as long as the student uses the electronic device. A school district that fails to provide the written notification required by this bill would be subject to a fine of $250.
This bill is in response to incidents in the Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania in which cameras in laptops furnished by the school district recorded the activity of students without their knowledge. Images from the camera were transmitted to administrators of the school district.
