New Jersey A 4992: Bars public entities and public employees from entering into confidential settlements of claims against them; provides that such settlements constitute public records.

Bill Text

A4992 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4992 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires franchise agreement for sale of all-terrain 
vehicles and certain watercraft. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning franchise agreements and amending and 
supplementing P.L.1985, c.361 (C.56:10-26 et al.).

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

���� 1.��� Section 1 of P.L.1985, 
c.361 (C.56:10-26) is amended to read as follows: 

���� 1.��� As used in this act:

���� �"All-terrain 
vehicle" means a motor vehicle, designed and manufactured primarily for 
off-road use, of a type possessing between three and six non-highway tires.� 
For purposes of this act, a utility terrain vehicle shall be considered an 
all-terrain vehicle.

���� "Consumer" means the 
purchaser, other than for resale, of a motor vehicle.

���� "Franchise" means a 
written arrangement for a definite or indefinite period in which a motor 
vehicle franchisor grants a right or license to use a trade name, trademark, 
service mark or related characteristics and in which there is a community of 
interest in the marketing of new motor vehicles at retail, by lease, agreement 
or otherwise. 

���� "Motor vehicle" 
means and includes all vehicles propelled otherwise than by muscular power, and 
motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, off-road motorcycles, personal 
watercraft, recreational boats including pontoons, trailers and tractors, 
excepting: (1) those vehicles as run only upon rails or tracks, motorized 
bicycles, and buses, including school buses; and (2) those motor vehicles not 
designed or used primarily for the transportation of persons or property and only 
incidentally operated or moved over a highway, except as specified� in 
P.L.��� , c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).� 

���� "Motor vehicle 
franchisee" means a person to whom a franchise is granted by a motor 
vehicle franchisor and who or which holds a current valid motor vehicle 
dealer's license issued pursuant to R.S.39:10-19 or who is engaged in the 
retail sale of all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, off-road 
motorcycles personal watercraft, or recreational boats pursuant to a franchise 
agreement with a motor vehicle franchisor and has an established place of 
business.� 

���� "Motor vehicle 
franchisor" means a person engaged in the business of manufacturing, 
assembling or distributing new motor vehicles, or importing into the United 
States new motor vehicles manufactured or assembled in a foreign country, who 
will under normal business conditions during the year, manufacture, assemble, 
distribute or import at least 10 new motor vehicles.

���� "Motorcycle" 
includes motorcycles, autocycles, motor bikes, bicycles with motor attached and 
all motor-operated vehicles of the bicycle or tricycle type, except motorized 
bicycles, low-speed electric bicycles, and low-speed electric scooters, whether 
the motive power be a part thereof or attached thereto and having a saddle or 
seat with driver sitting astride or upon it or a platform on which the driver 
stands and including those vehicles which are not street-legal and are marketed 
as off-road motorcycles.

���� "New motor vehicle" 
means a newly manufactured motor vehicle.

���� "Person" means a 
natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity and, in the 
case of an entity, it shall include any other entity which has a majority 
interest in that entity or effectively controls that other entity as well as 
the individual officers, directors, and other persons in active control of the 
activities of each such entity.

���� "Place of business" 
means a fixed geographical location at which the motor vehicle franchisor's 
motor vehicles, personal watercraft, or recreational boats, as defined in 
subsection a. of section 2 of P.L. , c.���� 
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), are offered for 
sale and sold, but shall not include an office, a warehouse, a place of 
storage, a residence or a vehicle.

���� �Utility terrain vehicle� 
means a multi-axle vehicle which is similar in design to an all-terrain vehicle 
but is operated by foot pedals and offers side-by-side seating configurations 
and additional commercial and recreational features.

���� "Zero emission 
vehicle" means a motor vehicle certified as a zero emission vehicle 
pursuant to the California Air Resources Board zero emission vehicle standards 
for the applicable model year, but shall not include an advanced technology 
partial zero emission vehicle, a partial zero emission vehicle, or a hybrid 
electric vehicle.

(cf: P.L.2015, c.24, s.3)

���� 2. (New section)��� a.�������� As 
used in this section:

���� �Personal watercraft� means a personal 
watercraft as defined by section 1 of P.L.