The Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced legislation that would permit the use of electronic wills in New Jersey. The bill, sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26), aims to update probate laws to allow residents to create legally recognized wills in a digital format.
Senator Pennacchio commented on the proposal, stating, “At a time when most people bank, shop, and handle their daily affairs online, our approach to wills remains stuck in the past. This legislation responsibly modernizes our probate laws, maintaining the same safeguards that protect traditional paper documents. Allowing electronic wills simply gives residents a practical, legally secure way to ensure their final wishes are honored.”
The bipartisan measure, S-421, outlines specific requirements for electronic wills such as witness and notary provisions and protections for document custody. It also allows recognition of electronic wills executed in other states. Currently, about fourteen other states have enacted similar laws.
The full text of the bill is available online.
