New Jersey S 960: Requires parent to provide completed financial aid application to Higher Education Student Assistance Authority if parent's dependent applies to State for student financial aid.

Bill Text

S960 

SENATE, No. 960 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator JON M. BRAMNICK

District 21 (Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� Provides that limitation on lawsuit option does not 
apply in accident caused by drunk driver.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act 
concerning liability for noneconomic loss under certain policies of automobile 
insurance under certain circumstances and amending P.L1972, c.70.

���� Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 8 of P.L.1972, 
c.70 (C.39:6A-8) is amended to read as follows:

���� 8.��� Tort exemption; 
limitation on the right to noneconomic loss.

���� One of the following two tort 
options shall be elected, in accordance with section 14.1 of P.L.1983, c.362 
(C.39:6A-8.1), by any named insured required to maintain personal injury 
protection coverage pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-4):

���� a.���� Limitation on lawsuit 
option.� Every owner, registrant, operator or occupant of an automobile to 
which section 4 of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-4), personal injury protection 
coverage, section 4 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C.39:6A-3.1), medical expense benefits 
coverage, or section 45 of P.L.2003, c.89 (C.39:6A-3.3) regardless of fault, 
applies, and every person or organization legally responsible for his acts or 
omissions, is hereby exempted from tort liability for noneconomic loss to a 
person who is subject to this subsection and who is either a person who is 
required to maintain personal injury protection coverage pursuant to section 4 
of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-4), medical expense benefits pursuant to section 4 
of P.L.1998, c.21 (C.39:6A-3.1) or benefits pursuant to section 45 of P.L.2003, 
c.89 (C.39:6A-3.3), or is a person who has a right to receive benefits under 
section 4 of P.L.1972, c.70 (C.39:6A-4), section 4 of P.L.1998, c.21 
(C.39:6A-3.1) or section 45 of P.L.2003, c.89 (C.39:6A-3.3), as a result of bodily 
injury, arising out of the ownership, operation, maintenance or use of such 
automobile in this State, unless that person has sustained a bodily injury 
which results in death; dismemberment; significant disfigurement or significant 
scarring; displaced fractures; loss of a fetus; or a permanent injury within a 
reasonable degree of medical probability, other than scarring or 
disfigurement.� An injury shall be considered permanent when the body part or 
organ, or both, has not healed to function normally and will not heal to 
function normally with further medical treatment.� For the purposes of this 
subsection, "physician" means a physician as defined in section 5 of 
P.L.1939, c.115 (C.45:9-5.1).

���� In order to satisfy the tort 
option provisions of this subsection, the plaintiff shall, within 60 days 
following the date of the answer to the complaint by the defendant, provide the 
defendant with a certification from the licensed treating physician or a 
board-certified licensed physician to whom the plaintiff was referred by the 
treating physician.� The certification shall state, under penalty of perjury, 
that the plaintiff has sustained an injury described above.� The certification 
shall be based on and refer to objective clinical evidence, which may include 
medical testing, except that any such testing shall be performed in accordance 
with medical protocols pursuant to subsection a. of section 4 of P.L.1972, c.70 
(C.39:6A-4) and the use of valid diagnostic tests administered in accordance 
with section 12 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C.39:6A-4.7). Such testing may not be 
experimental in nature or dependent entirely upon subjective patient response.� 
The court may grant no more than one additional period not to exceed 60 days to 
file the certification pursuant to this subsection upon a finding of good 
cause.

���� A person is guilty of a crime 
of the fourth degree if that person purposefully or knowingly makes, or causes 
to be made, a false, fictitious, fraudulent, or misleading statement of 
material fact in, or omits a material fact from, or causes a material fact to 
be omitted from, any certification filed pursuant to this subsection.� 
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:44-1, the court 
shall deal with a person who has been convicted of a violation of this 
subsection by imposing a sentence of imprisonment unless, having regard to the 
character and condition of the person, the court is of the opinion that 
imprisonment would be a serious injustice which overrides the need to deter 
such conduct by others.� If the court imposes a noncustodial or probationary 
sentence, such sentence shall not become final for 10 days in order to permit 
the appeal of such sentence by the prosecution.� Nothing in this subsection a. 
shall preclude an indictment and conviction for any other offense def