2A:53A-21 Civil cause of action for bias crime victims.

1. a. A person, acting with purpose to intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity, who engages in conduct that is an offense under the provisions of the "New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice," Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes, commits a civil offense.

b. Any person who sustains injury to person or property as a result of a violation of subsection a. shall have a cause of action against the person or persons who committed the civil offense resulting in the injury. In the case of a homicide committed in violation of subsection a., the estate of the deceased shall have a cause of action. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to preclude the parent or legal guardian of a person who has sustained injury as a result of a violation of subsection a. from initiating a civil action on behalf of a minor child or ward.

c. The Attorney General, as parens patriae, may initiate a cause of action against any person who violates subsection a. of this section on behalf of any person or persons who have sustained injury to person or property as a result of the commission of the civil offense.

d. Upon proof, by a preponderance of the evidence, of a defendant's violation of subsection a. of this section and of resulting damages, the defendant shall be liable as follows:

(1) To the person or persons injured, for an award in the amount of damages incurred as a result of the commission of the civil offense, including damages for any emotional distress suffered as a result of the civil offense, such punitive damages as may be assessed, and any reasonable attorney's fees and costs of suit incurred;

(2) To the State, in any case in which the Attorney General has participated, reasonable attorney's fees and costs of investigation and suit;

(3) Such injunctive relief as the court may deem necessary to avoid the defendant's continued violation of subsection a.; and

(4) Any additional appropriate equitable relief, including restraints to avoid repeated violation.

e. An award entered pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection d. of this section shall be reduced by the amount of any restitution that has been awarded for the same injury following criminal conviction or juvenile adjudication, and, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection d., damages awarded for injuries that have previously been compensated by the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency shall be paid to the agency for deposit in the Violent Crimes Compensation Board Account.

f. All fees and costs assessed for the benefit of the State pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection d. of this section shall be paid to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Civil Rights Enforcement Fund established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.137 (C.2A:53A-22).

g. The parent or guardian of a juvenile against whom an award has been entered pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection d. of this section shall be liable for payment only if the parent has been named as a defendant and it has been established, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the parent or guardian's conduct was a significant contributing factor in the juvenile's commission of the offense.

L.1993, c.137, s.1; amended 2007, c.303, s.2.