Sherrill administration will suspend enforcement of new data law

Key Points:

• New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill's administration is delaying enforcement of a new state law regulating consumer data, which could disrupt political campaigns' access to voter-targeting data, until legislative defects are addressed.
• The law, effective immediately upon signing, imposes strict restrictions on selling or licensing "sensitive data," including race, ethnicity, religion, and precise geolocation, raising concerns about its impact on political voter-targeting practices.
• The state Office of Consumer Protection announced that data brokers will not need to register or pay fees until a registry launches in spring 2027, and further guidance on the law's requirements will be issued in the coming months.
• Despite the law's passage, the administration has allowed the Democratic State Committee's voter database to continue operating uninterrupted, reflecting a temporary pause in enforcement similar to prosecutorial discretion.
• Critics, including Republican Assemblyman Al Barlas, attribute the law's rushed passage and resulting issues to the short legislative timeline, highlighting flaws in the hastily enacted measure.