Mug Shot Ban Bill OK’d in Assembly

A bill to ban the release of mug shots of those accused of crimes overwhelmingly passed in the New Jersey Assembly Thursday.

The bill, which would “[exempt] mugshots of arrestees who have not been convicted of the underlying offense from State’s open public records law,” cleared the assembly with a 70-10 vote.

Ocean County Republican Gregory McGuckin and a small GOP contingent voted against the bill, according to the Daily Record.

The New Jersey Press Association balked at the legislation Friday, saying that it opened the door for future redaction of “additional identifiers and information, such as name and address of those who commit crimes.”

The bill still has to clear the senate, where a vote has yet to be scheduled, the Daily Record reported.

Gov. Christie told the site that he would wait until he sees the final version of the bill—provided it gets to his desk—before passing judgment.

According to a statement attached to the bill introduced in March, a concern arises from the publication of such photos, “which can unfairly damage or ruin the relationships and professional prospects of people who were not even found to have committed the wrongdoing charged, particularly if such publication is made on the Internet.

“Under this bill, government agencies could still release mug shots to news media and others for law enforcement purposes such as public warnings.”

The proposed legislation amends current law to include the following phrase in a list of exempted materials: “photographs of an arrestee taken by any law enforcement agency if the arrest has not resulted in a conviction, except for use by any government agency, including any court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its functions;”