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Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey bill legalizes EPA-approved bear spray possession for hikers and outdoor recreation
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness CommitteeSponsors: Dawn Fantasia and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Assembly Bill 154 allows individuals 18 years of age or older to possess United States Environmental Protection Agency-approved bear spray for self-defense against bears while hiking, biking, or engaging in other outdoor activities. Current law limits self-defense chemical sprays to three-quarters of an ounce, effectively prohibiting bear spray devices that exceed this size. The legislation also provides from damages for individuals who discharge bear spray against another person out of a reasonable belief that it is immediately necessary for personal self-defense.
The measure removes legal penalties for carrying bear deterrent products that exceed New Jersey's standard three-quarters-of-an-ounce limit on chemical sprays, provided the products meet federal registration requirements.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Hikers and outdoor recreation participants
Individuals engaging in outdoor activities who are 18 or older gain the legal ability to carry larger-capacity, EPA-approved bear sprays for wildlife protection without violating state size limits.
Law enforcement and legal system
Law enforcement officers and courts must apply new civil liability exemptions and possession rules regarding chemical deterrent products.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is allowed to carry bear spray under this bill?
What makes bear spray different from regular pepper spray under New Jersey law?
Can I use bear spray for self-defense against humans?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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