Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 2A:32C-9

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • person: includes corporations, companies, associations, societies, firms, partnerships and joint stock companies as well as individuals, unless restricted by the context to an individual as distinguished from a corporate entity or specifically restricted to one or some of the above enumerated synonyms and, when used to designate the owner of property which may be the subject of an offense, includes this State, the United States, any other State of the United States as defined infra and any foreign country or government lawfully owning or possessing property within this State. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
  • State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
9. a. No member of the Legislature, member of the Judiciary, or senior Executive branch official may be civilly liable if the basis for an action is premised on evidence or information known to the State when the action was brought.

b. A person may not bring an action under this act based upon allegations or transactions that are the subject of a civil suit or administrative civil monetary penalty proceeding to which the State is already a party.

c. The court shall dismiss an action or claim under this act, unless opposed by the Attorney General, if substantially the same allegations or transactions as alleged in the action or claim were publicly disclosed in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing in which the State or an agent of the State is a party, in an investigation, report, hearing or audit conducted by the Legislature or by the news media, unless the action is brought by the Attorney General, or unless the person bringing the action is an original source of the information. For purposes of this subsection, the term “original source” means an individual who either (1) prior to a public disclosure as described in this paragraph has voluntarily disclosed to the State the information on which allegations or transactions in a claim are based, or (2) has knowledge that is independent of and materially adds to the publicly disclosed allegations or transactions, and who has voluntarily provided the information to the State before filing an action under this act.

d. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2023, c.73)

L.2007, c.265, s.9; amended 2009, c.265, s.3; 2023, c.73, s.6.