Bill > S632

Introduced Session

This bill authorizes special financing by municipalities, counties, and school districts to compensate sexual harassment and abuse survivors, and establishes the "Sexual Harassment and Abuse Survivor Fund" in the Department of Treasury. This bill would establish in the General Fund the "Sexual Harassment and Abuse Survivor Fund" as a nonlapsing revolving fund in the Department of the Treasury. Monies deposited in the fund would be used exclusively for the funding of any liability of a municipality, county, or school district to a sexual harassment or abuse survivor for a claim of the survivor pursuant to P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.), a recently-enacted statute that has expanded the statute of limitations for such claims. Following a judgement or settlement against a municipality, county, or school district, that requires compensation for a claim pursuant to P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.), the bill permits the governing body or board of education to apply to the State Treasurer to obtain the funding necessary from the "Sexual Harassment and Abuse Survivor Fund" to compensate for the amount of liability incurred. In order to obtain a payment from the fund, the bill requires the resolution to be adopted no later than 90 days following the date when the judgment, or order approving the settlement, is rendered. The bill would permit the governing body of a municipality or county to adopt a resolution declaring a special emergency for the purpose of funding sexual harassment and abuse survivor liability arising pursuant to P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.). The resolution would be adopted no later than 90 days following the date when the judgment, or order approving the settlement, is rendered. This resolution would not take effect without approval of the Local Finance Board, and would be funded for up to three years through the issuance of special emergency notes. Finally, when a judgement, or an order approving a settlement, is rendered against a school district, that requires compensation to be provided for a claim pursuant to P.L.2019, c.120 (C.2A:14-2a et al.), the bill permits the board of education to raise the necessary funding pursuant to financing mechanisms available under N.J.S.18A:22-21 or N.J.S.18A:22-40, for the purpose of satisfying the liability. Approval of this financing from the board of school estimate or the voters would not be required.

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Paul Sarlo (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 01/14/2020)