NEW JERSEY
2C:14-4. Lewdness.
a. A person commits a disorderly persons offense if he does any flagrantly lewd and offensive act which he knows or reasonably
expects is likely to be observed by other nonconsenting persons who would be affronted or alarmed.
b. A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if:
(1) He exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under
circumstances where the actor knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a child who is less than 13 years of age where the actor is at least four years older than the child.
(2) He exposes his intimate parts for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person under
circumstances where the actor knows or reasonably expects he is likely to be observed by a person who because of mental disease or defect is unable to understand the sexual nature of the actor’s conduct.
c. As used in this section:
“lewd acts” shall include the exposing of the genitals for the purpose
of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of the actor or of any other person.
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[NAC NOTE: In 1999, Sen. James Cafiero introduced a bill (S 1912) to allow municipalities to pass regulations prohibiting nudity on land owned by the
state. The bill, which was intended to stop nudity at Higbee Beach, passed and was signed into law. It has become part of an existing state law under TITLE 40 MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES (40:48-1), which also allows
municipalities to “punish beggars” and “prohibit the annoyance of animals.”
In 2000, the legislature passed an additional measure (S 1225 – also authored by Sen. Cafiero) that closed a loophole concerning state ownership
of land within municipal boundaries, versus state management, lease or other control of the land. ]
40:48-1. Ordinances; general purpose
40:48-1. Ordinances; general purpose. The governing body of every municipality may make, amend, repeal and enforce ordinances to:
Finances and property. 1. Manage, regulate and control the
finances and property, real and personal, of the municipality;
Contracts and contractor’s bonds. 2. Prescribe the form and
manner of execution and approval of all contracts to be executed by the municipality and of all bonds to be given to it;
Officers and employees; duties, terms and salaries. 3. Prescribe
and define, except as otherwise provided by law, the duties and terms of office or employment, of all officers and employees; and to provide for the employment and compensation of such officials and
employees, in addition to those provided for by statute, as may be deemed necessary for the efficient conduct of the affairs of the municipality;
Fees. 4. Fix the fees of any officer or employee of the municipality for
any service rendered in connection with his office or position, for which no specific fee or compensation is provided. In the case of salaried officers or employees, such fee shall be paid into the municipal treasury;
Salaries instead of fees; disposition of fees. 5. Provide that any
officer or employee receiving compensation for his services, in whole or in part by fees, whether paid by the municipality or otherwise, shall be paid a salary to be fixed in the ordinance, and thereafter all fees
received by such officer or employee shall be paid into the municipal treasury;
Maintain order. 6. Prevent vice, drunkenness and immorality; to
preserve the public peace and order; to prevent and quell riots, disturbances and disorderly assemblages;
Punish beggars; prevention of loitering. 7. Restrain and punish
drunkards, vagrants, mendicants and street beggars; to prevent loitering, lounging or sleeping in the streets, parks or public places;
Auctions and noises. 8. Regulate the ringing of bells and the crying
of goods and other commodities for sale at auction or otherwise, and to prevent disturbing noises;
Swimming; bathing costume; prohibition of public nudity. 9.
Regulate or prohibit swimming or bathing in the waters of, in, or bounding the municipality, and to regulate or prohibit persons from appearing upon the public streets, parks and places clad in bathing
costumes or robes, or costumes of a similar character; regulate or prohibit persons from appearing in a state of nudity upon all lands within its borders which are under the jurisdiction of the State
including, without limitation, all lands owned by, controlled by, managed by or leased by the State;
Prohibit annoyance of persons or animals. 10. Regulate or
prohibit any practice tending to frighten animals, or to annoy or injure persons in the public streets;
. . .