[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 802

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  ANTHONY S. VERRELLI

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman  VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblywoman  CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Holley, Mejia, Assemblywomen McKnight, Timberlake and DiMaso

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires certain retailers to train employees on gift card fraud.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee on January 13, 2021, with amendments.

  


An Act concerning gift cards and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  Every retail mercantile establishment in this State that displays gift cards for sale shall train employees on how to identify and respond to gift card fraud. 1A retail mercantile establishment shall conduct the training in accordance with guidelines issued pursuant to section 2 of this section.1

     b.    A retail mercantile establishment that violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000, which may be collected and enforced by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety in a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).  The Superior Court shall have jurisdiction of proceedings for the enforcement of the penalty provided by this section. 

     A violation of this section shall not be considered an unlawful practice in violation of P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).

     c.     As used in this section:

     "Gift card" means a tangible device, whereon is embedded or encoded in an electronic or other format a value issued in exchange for payment, which promises to provide to the bearer merchandise of equal value to the remaining balance of the device. 

     “Merchandise” means any objects, wares, goods, commodities, services, or anything offered, directly or indirectly, to the public for sale.

     "Retail mercantile establishment" means any place of business where merchandise is exposed or offered for sale at retail to members of the consuming public.

 

      12.   The Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall issue guidelines concerning the detection and prevention of gift card fraud. The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to: (1) information raising public awareness of the prevalence of gift card fraud; (2) information concerning common gift card fraud schemes; and (3) best practices for retail mercantile establishments to prevent gift card fraud.  The guidelines shall be published on the Internet websites of the Department of Law and Public Safety and the Division of Consumer Affairs, and updated periodically, as necessary.1 

     1[2.] 3.1     This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment.