NEW RULES? NJ Lawmakers Push for New Safety Rules After Chaotic Memorial Day Weekend

Actions come with consequences, and this New Jersey lawmakers are looking to set new lasting safety boundaries.

In case you missed it, Jersey Shore towns were inundated with chaos over the Memorial Day Weekend. Despite teen curfews in place, young people and teenagers swarmed New Jersey boardwalks and beaches with unruly, disruptive behavior.

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Over the weekend, a teen boy was stabbed on the Ocean City boardwalk, causing crowds of screaming people running. There were also false reports of a shooting in Seaside Heights, causing similar chaos.

Despite condemning the dangerous behavior of mostly teens on Thursday, Ocean City officials haven't made any ordinance changes for unruly teens.

As a result, New Jersey state senators are proposing a new set of safety measures in an effort to protect the public throughout the state this summer season.

“The dreadful activity in Ocean City was completely out of control and totally unacceptable. It was yet another preventable incident, and it should never have happened, but the Legislature dropped the ball,” Republican state senator Joe Pennacchio wrote in a statement. “Our bill would provide communities and law enforcement with the tools necessary to combat these riots."

Under the proposed legislation, the revised safety ordinances will broaden the categories of riot to include aggravated riot, inciting a riot, and aggravated inciting of a riot.

A person commits aggravated riot is guilty of a crime of the second degree if he/she:

• Participates with 25 or more other persons
• Causes serious bodily injury to a person not participating in the riot
• Causes property damage in excess of $5,000
• Displays, uses, threatens to use, or attempts to use a deadly weapon
• or By force, or threat of force, endangers the safe movement of 40 a vehicle traveling on a public street, highway, or road.

A person commits aggravated inciting a riot is guilty of a crime of the second degree if he/she:

• Incites a riot resulting in serious bodily harm to another 5 person not participating in the riot
• Incites a riot resulting in property damage in excess of $5,000
• Supplies a deadly weapon to another person or teaches 9 another person to prepare a deadly weapon with intent that the 10 deadly weapon be used in a riot for an unlawful purpose.

While the legislation awaits approval, you can expect to see about 20 more Ocean City officers working full-time on the boardwalk through Labor Day.