The New Jersey Senate Commerce Committee advanced legislation to impose requirements on secondhand dealers of cell phones and wireless communication devices.
Under the bill, S-3132, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz, a secondhand dealer would be required to document the description of each cellphone. It would include the Mobile Equipment Identifier, International Mobile Station Equipment Identity, or the device’s Electronic Serial Number.
The move comes as some Garden State municipalities have reported spikes in cell phone theft. In Newark, the City Council approved an ordinance mandating secondhand dealers to maintain records for every cell phone they obtain.
In November 2023, an 11-year-old Newark boy was attacked by four teenagers who stole his phone. In June 2024, Hoboken police warned residents of cellphone pick-pocketing, having received over two dozen reports in the previous six months.