TRENTON, N.J. — Phone companies, internet providers and social media platforms must now turn over records quickly when New Jersey investigators serve search warrants in domestic violence and stalking cases, under a law Gov. Mikie Sherrill has signed, according to the New Jersey Senate Democrats.
The measure, S-4409, requires social media companies to respond to such warrants within 72 hours. Other communications providers have five business days.
State Sen. Raj Mukherji, D-Hudson, sponsored the bill, which the Senate Democrats described as bipartisan. Mukherji handled domestic violence cases as a municipal prosecutor before entering the Legislature, the release said.
“In domestic violence and stalking investigations, a few days can mean the difference between life and death,” Mukherji said. “A search warrant isn’t a polite suggestion, and a victim’s safety shouldn’t be subject to a massive corporation’s processing queue.”
The law is patterned on Oregon’s “Kristil’s Law,” named for Kristil Krug, a woman who was killed by her husband after he posed as her former boyfriend and stalked her online for months, according to the release.
“Had telecommunications companies complied with search warrants more quickly in Kristil Krug’s case, she might still be alive today,” Mukherji said. “These same providers can deliver hyper-targeted ads to your phones in milliseconds; surely they can figure out how to comply with search warrants and subpoenas before someone gets hurt.”
The deadlines apply to warrants seeking documents, records or other information in investigations involving domestic violence, stalking or violations of a domestic violence court order.
The law defines communications providers broadly, covering internet service providers, cellphone carriers, social media platforms, digital communications companies and any other business offering telecommunications or electronic communications services in New Jersey.
Warrants covered by the law must be labeled “Immediate Response Required” in both the title and the body, and must spell out the deadline the provider is expected to meet.
This report is based on a press release from the New Jersey Senate Democrats.
Leave a Reply