Trenton, NJ – A new proposal in the New Jersey Legislature would make it a hate crime to display certain symbols historically associated with racism and violence, including the Confederate flag, Nazi imagery, or a noose.
Senate Bill S3706, introduced in the 2026–2027 legislative session and sponsored by Senator Britnee N. Timberlake (D-Essex), would establish a legal presumption that displaying these symbols is done with the intent to intimidate or harass based on bias. An identical Assembly bill, A4522, has also been introduced.
Under the measure, individuals who display a noose or a symbol linked to the Nazi Party or the Confederate States of America could face enhanced penalties under New Jersey’s bias intimidation laws. Those laws already increase the severity of punishment for crimes motivated by prejudice related to race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or similar protected characteristics.
The bill does not create a new criminal offense but strengthens the state’s existing bias intimidation statute by specifying that certain displays are presumed to be motivated by bias intent. Prosecutors would not have to prove that the individual understood the symbol’s historical meaning, since the legislation defines these symbols as inherently intimidating.
If enacted, the law would align New Jersey with a growing number of states that explicitly define the display of certain hate symbols as acts of intimidation or bias.
The proposal is currently pending review in committee.