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A 4684

Authorizes school districts to enter into a lease outside of such school district

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Kwani O'Pharrow

Allows pain-and-suffering damages against public entities or employees in sexual-offense torts, removing the $3,600 medical-expense threshold and expanding remedies for victims.

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Bill Summary · A 4684

Summary — A4684 (now P.L.2025, c.29)

Status: Enacted March 6, 2025 (P.L.2025, c.29)
Introduced: September 12, 2024
Primary sponsor (provided): Kwani O'Pharrow
Related/companion: S3564 (companion); prior-session bills A7850, A945, A1513

Main purpose

A4684 removes a statutory limitation that previously prevented awards for pain and suffering against public entities or public employees in most tort claims. The bill specifically allows pain-and-suffering damages in civil actions brought under existing law that make public entities or employees liable for certain sexual offenses.

Key provisions / changes

  • Amends N.J.S.59:9-2 (judgments against public entities) to state that the general prohibition on awarding damages for pain and suffering against a public entity or public employee does not apply to:
    • Actions for injury resulting from sexual assault, prohibited sexual acts (see N.J.S.A.2A:30B-2), sexual abuse (N.J.S.A.2A:61B-1), or any other crime of a sexual nature.
  • Amends section 7 of P.L.2019, c.120 (codified at C.59:2-1.3) to clarify that:
    • Immunity in the New Jersey Tort Claims Act already does not apply to civil actions for those sexual offenses when the conduct was caused by a willful, wanton, or grossly negligent act of a public entity/employee; and
    • For minors, immunity does not apply where the injury was caused by negligent hiring, supervision, or retention of a public employee.
  • Confirms that claims under C.59:2-1.3 remain subject to the extended statutes of limitations established in P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a and the two-year window in C.2A:14-2b).
  • Leaves intact the existing $3,600 medical-expense threshold exemption (for permanent loss of bodily function, disfigurement, dismemberment) but makes recovery for pain and suffering available for covered sexual-offense claims regardless of that threshold.

Who is affected

  • Claimants/victims of sexual assault or other listed sexual crimes involving a public entity or public employee — they may now recover pain-and-suffering damages in addition to other damages.
  • Public entities and public employees (State and local government bodies, including school districts and their staff) — increased exposure to non-economic damage awards in covered cases.
  • Judiciary — potential modest increase in civil caseloads and filing-fee revenue.
  • State and local budgets — possible periodic increases in liability payouts and related costs (indeterminate).

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Office of Legislative Services (OLS) fiscal estimate: periodic, indeterminate increases in State and local expenditures (from liability payments) and periodic, indeterminate increases in State revenue (court filing fees). OLS expects caseload increase to likely be minimal because such actions already have been filed under existing law.
  • Effective date: immediately upon enactment (March 6, 2025).

Legislative history (selected)

  • Assembly passage: 10/28/2024 (77–0–0)
  • Assembly committee reports with amendments: Oct 21 & Oct 24, 2024
  • Senate passage: 02/25/2025 (38–0) — substituted for S3564 (1R)
  • Enacted into law: 03/06/2025 (P.L.2025, c.29)

Practical effect

Victims of covered sexual offenses involving public entities or employees may recover non-economic (pain and suffering) damages even when medical expenses do not exceed the prior $3,600 threshold, expanding remedies available in tort claims against governmental actors in New Jersey.

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

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