This bill amends the New Jersey Tort Claims Act to explicitly prohibit the awarding of punitive damages against public entities and public employees acting within the scope of their employment in any legal action. The bill clarifies that this prohibition applies universally, regardless of the remedies available under common law or other statutory laws, including the Law Against Discrimination and the Conscientious Employee Protection Act. The intent is to ensure that taxpayers are not financially burdened by punitive damages awarded in cases involving public entities or employees.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing legal provisions regarding punitive damages, specifying that such damages cannot be awarded in actions under the aforementioned laws. It emphasizes that while compensatory damages may still be pursued, punitive damages are excluded to protect public funds. The bill aims to reinforce the legislative intent behind the existing laws and address previous court interpretations that allowed for punitive damages in certain cases involving public entities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:15-5.13, 10:5-13, 34:19-5