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A 4651

Allows for the taxation of state property in the city of Ogdensburg

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Scott Gray

The bill imposes civil or criminal liability on parents who, with willful or wanton disregard, allow a juvenile to commit specified disorderly acts, including a $1,000 civil fine o

REFERRED TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION
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Bill Summary · A 4651

Summary — Assembly Bill A4651 (Reprint APS 6/19/25 1R)

Note: The bill text and committee statement concern parental liability for certain juvenile disorderly conduct and public brawls. (A different short title in the initial metadata — “Allows for the taxation of state property in the city of Ogdensburg” — appears unrelated to the bill text and is likely an error in the provided metadata. This summary reflects the bill language and committee report.)

Purpose

A4651 establishes civil and criminal liability for parents and legal guardians who, through “willful or wanton disregard” in supervising a juvenile in their custody, allow the juvenile to commit specified disorderly offenses (improper behavior causing property damage or inciting public brawls). The measure is intended to hold parents/guardians accountable for demonstrable failures of supervision tied to delinquent adjudications.

Key provisions

  • Parental/guardian culpability standard: liability applies only where the parent or legal guardian “demonstrated willful or wanton disregard in the exercise of the supervision and control” of the juvenile’s conduct.
  • Civil fine for property-damage misconduct:
    • If the juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for violating N.J.S.2C:33-2(a) (improper behavior) that resulted in property damage, the parent/guardian is subject to a $1,000 fine.
    • The $1,000 fine is to be collected as a civil penalty by summary proceeding under the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999” (P.L.1999, c.274; C.2A:58-10 et seq.).
  • Criminal exposure for inciting public brawls (N.J.S.2C:33-1(c)):
    • If the juvenile is adjudicated delinquent for a first offense of inciting a public brawl, the parent/guardian may be guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense (punishable by up to 30 days imprisonment, a fine up to $500, or both).
    • If adjudicated for a second or subsequent offense of inciting a public brawl, the parent/guardian may be guilty of a disorderly persons offense (punishable by up to 6 months imprisonment, a fine up to $1,000, or both).

Who is affected

  • Primary: parents and legal guardians who have legal custody of juveniles adjudicated delinquent under the specified provisions, where the parent/guardian’s conduct meets the statutory “willful or wanton disregard” standard.
  • Secondary: juvenile justice system, municipal courts, prosecutors (for charging/penalty enforcement), and families potentially subject to civil collection actions or criminal charges.

Enforcement and penalties

  • $1,000 civil fine collected through existing Penalty Enforcement Law summary procedures.
  • Petty disorderly persons and disorderly persons offenses enforceable under New Jersey criminal law with the statutory fines and jail terms identified above.

Effective date

  • As amended by the Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee, the bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Legislative status & history (selected)

  • Introduced in Assembly: 06/25/2024; referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee.
  • Reported out of Assembly Committee with amendments: 06/19/2025.
  • Passed Assembly: 06/30/2025 (61–15–4).
  • Received in Senate and referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee: 10/20/2025.
  • (Record also shows prior referrals to Real Property Taxation on 02/04/2025 — appears to be a procedural notation in the provided record.)

Sponsors and related bills

  • Primary sponsor: Assemblyman Scott Gray.
  • Companion: S3508.
  • Prior-session related bills: S9606, A5276.

Notes on interpretation

  • The bill conditions parental liability on a judicial finding that the parent’s supervision rose to “willful or wanton disregard.” The statute references specific juvenile adjudications as predicates for imposing the stated penalties. This summary does not render a legal interpretation of “willful or wanton disregard,” which would be subject to judicial construction.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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