New Jersey

New Jersey Passes ‘Seinfeld Bill’ to Unmask Telemarketers

Published

2 years ago

May 16, 2023

New Jersey Passes ‘Seinfeld Bill’ to Unmask Telemarketers

State your name and purpose. That’s the mandate that New Jersey is passing down to telemarketers who want to call NJ phone numbers. Governor Phil Murphy signed the so-called “Seinfeld Bill” into law on Monday. The legislation (S921/A1545), requires that over-the-phone salespeople provide the name, and phone number of the company or person they are calling on behalf of, as well as disclose the purpose of their call within the first 30 seconds of reaching a potential customer.

Don’t Fear the Reaper, an Interview with Horror Author Stephen Graham Jones

“When you answer a telemarketer’s call, you should know right up front who they are and who they work for,” said State Senator Jon Bramnick, who co-sponsored the bill, in a press release from the Governor’s office. “If they’re on the up and up, telemarketing firms should have no issue with this bill,” he added.

In addition to the requirement to promptly provide information at the beginning of calls, telemarketers will also have to include a clear mailing address on business websites and in any written communication to customers. The bill further bans unsolicited calls between 9 P.M. and 8 A.M. ET, and compels telemarketers to adhere more strictly to “no call” lists.

Under the new law, failing to abide by any of these requirements will put telemarketers at risk of a disorderly persons offense (i.e. misdemeanor) charge in New Jersey. The legislation goes into effect in seven months.

70% Off

Fast Wireless Charger

Charge it up
This thing can fast wireless charge a multitude of devices including iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, AirPods, and other devices too, and it’s really easy to use

Obviously, telemarketers can be annoying. It’s both a truth and a cultural trope.

S921 gets it colloquial name from a 1994 episode of Seinfeld, where the eponymous Jerry Seinfeld concisely expresses his frustration at a phone seller. New Jersey’s Governor’s office even tweeted out the relevant clip.

During the season four episode The Pitch, Jerry picks up a call at his apartment. “Hi, would you be interested in switching over to TMI long-distance service?,” a disembodied voice asks through the phone.

“Oh, gee, I can’t talk right now. Why don’t you give me your home number and I’ll call you later?,” Seinfeld responds.

“Uh- well, I’m sorry we’re not allowed to do that,” says the in-show telemarketer.

Seinfeld retorts, “Oh I guess you don’t want people calling you at home.”

To which the telemarketer says, “No.” The joke exchange ends when Jerry says, “Well, now you know how I feel.”

But in addition to being irritating, telemarketing schemes and robocall scams can also prey upon people’s vulnerability and cause real financial harm. NJ Representative Paul Moriarty, another of the bill’s co-sponsors, noted in the news release that the legislation could help protect older adults and others often targeted by shady calls.

“There’s an overwhelming number of scams targeting seniors by phone,” said Moriarty. “This new law will clearly alert seniors that a telemarketer is seeking to sell them something and the law will provide them with a level of protection. It’s important to do what we can to protect our seniors from falling victim to scams. This may also help cut down on the overwhelming number of calls seniors receive at home.”

Fraudulent calls, coercing someone to send money or share financial information under false pretenses, identity theft, etc… are all already illegal. In theory, a legal framework currently exists to protect seniors from being scammed. It’s unclear exactly how the new legislation will further improve those safeguards for New Jersey residents. Perhaps though, by more closely regulating the act of calling, and by instituting a potential consequence for failing to be upfront, the state is creating a more effective avenue through which it can punish bad faith telemarketers.

In recent years, the number of robocalls has skyrocketed. The Federal Communications Commission has tried to control the tidal wave of spam calls through federal regulations and new requirements for telecoms companies. And though there’s been some headway including at the state level, people across the country are still having their phones blown up by unwanted, unknown callers. Potentially, the Garden State’s new approach could offer some sort of solution.

Gizmodo reached out to the NJ Governor’s media relation department with questions regarding enforcement of the legislation, how people can report noncompliant telemarketers, and how this bill fits in with existing laws. The office did not immediately respond.

Source link

Click to comment

New Jersey

Lakewood Vaad endorses Jack Ciattarelli for governor – New Jersey Globe

Published

18 hours ago

October 26, 2025

Press Room

Lakewood Vaad endorses Jack Ciattarelli for governor – New Jersey Globe

As expected, the Lakewood Vaad tonight endorsed Republican Jack Ciattarelli for governor, giving him the support of enormously influential religious leaders from the Orthodox Jewish community as he seeks to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy in the November 4 general election.

“Ciattarelli has been clear with our leadership that he understands and shares our community’s values and concerns – including ensuring our children continue to get busing and services, ensuring New Jersey residents can get benefits from federal tuition assistance, addressing the urgent infrastructure needs of our roads and electric power grid, and addressing state policy issues and funding priorities that affect the tax burden of our residents,” the Vaad said in a letter that is being hand-delivered to every residence in the township.

Endorsements also went to Assemblymen Avi Schnall (D-Lakewood) and Sean Kean (R-Wall) in the 30th legislative district and Republican candidates in Ocean County, including Sam Ellengogen, who would become the first Orthodox Jew to serve as a county commissioner.

If Ciattarelli has a path to win the governorship, it could be through high voter turnout among Orthodox Jewish voters in the Lakewood area and across the state.

Donald Trump carried Lakewood with 88% of the vote last year and a margin of roughly 32,000 votes.

In 2021, the Lakewood Vaad endorsed Murphy, but Ciattarelli won the township by about 4,700 votes, roughly 62%. Lakewood’s population is exploding: it’s grown from 52,000 voters in 2021 to around 64,000 right now—a 23% increase in voters in just four years.

Four municipalities that border Lakewood – Jackson, Manchester, Toms River, and Wall – have another 16,000 Orthodox Jewish voters.

The Lakewood Vaad also voiced its appreciation to Trump “for his extraordinary efforts to benefit our Mosdos and support of the safety of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel.”

“For his friendship to our community, and for his efforts to expose and fight anti-Semitism in our country, we remain forever thankful to him,” the Vaad letter stated.

The organization also praised Sherrill’s military service and her support of the social safety net, which includes some programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, that could lose funding during the federal government shutdown.

The Lakewood Scoop first reported the upcoming endorsement last week.

Source link

New Jersey

Newsweek names New Jersey’s best hospitals for 2026 – NJBIZ

Published

3 days ago

October 24, 2025

Press Room

Newsweek names New Jersey’s best hospitals for 2026 – NJBIZ

Listen to this article

Newsweek is recognizing the top health care facilities in the U.S. in its America’s Best-in-State Hospitals 2026, released Oct. 22.

Of the more than 6,000 hospitals across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 800 made this year’s ranking. Of those, 11 are in New Jersey.

In partnership with data firm Statista, Newsweek evaluated hospitals based on:

Peer recommendations from medical professionals
Hospital quality metrics from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other public data sources
Patient experience scores
Accreditations and certifications from recognized organizations

Those that made the ranking “consistently demonstrate excellence across medical specialties, safety, and patient satisfaction,” according to the publication.

“Health care decisions are deeply personal, and patients deserve reliable information when choosing where to seek care,” said Alexis Kayser, Newsweek health care editor. “The hospitals recognized on this list represent the very best in patient-centered care, combining medical expertise with compassion and innovation to improve lives in their communities.”

Care close to home

According to Newsweek, New Jersey’s Best-in-State Hospitals for 2026 are:

No. 1: Morristown Medical Center, Morristown | Atlantic Health System
No. 2: Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Englewood | Englewood Health
No. 3: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick | RWJBarnabas Health
No. 4: Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack | Hackensack Meridian Health
No. 5: Overlook Medical Center, Summit | Atlantic Health System
No. 6: Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick | Saint Peter’s Healthcare System
No. 7: Cooper University Hospital, Camden | Cooper University Health Care
No. 8: Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Plainsboro
No. 9: Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch | RWJBarnabas Health
No. 10: The Valley Hospital, Paramus | Valley Health System
No. 11: Holy Name Medical Center, Teaneck

Last year, 10 hospitals in New Jersey made the list. Holy Name was the addition to the 2026 ranking. U.S. News & World Report released its own list of best hospitals in July, with some repeat honorees to Newsweek’s.

Health care kudos

Englewood Health shared its hospital’s results in an Oct. 23 announcement, noting its No. 2 ranking in the state and highest in Bergen County.

Warren Geller, president and chief executive officer of Englewood Health — Geller

“We are honored to once again be recognized among the very best hospitals in New Jersey,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “This award reflects the dedication of our entire team—physicians, nurses, and staff—who work tirelessly to provide exceptional care and an outstanding experience for every patient, every day.”

Source link

New Jersey

The Best Romantic Dinner Spot in New Jersey Revealed

Published

3 days ago

October 23, 2025

Press Room

The Best Romantic Dinner Spot in New Jersey Revealed

New Jersey is a great place to have a romantic dinner, and now a major food website has named one restaurant the Garden State’s most romantic.

The Most Romantic Restaurant In New Jersey

In New Jersey, the only thing we take more seriously than romance is the food we eat, and when you combine the two, you make us very happy.

We love food, and we love love, and one of the most well-known food websites has crowned one of New Jersey’s incredible restaurants the most romantic in the state.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Lovefood took on the challenge of naming the most romantic restaurant in every state in America, and if you’ve never been to the one they chose for New Jersey, put it on your bucket list soon.