[Passed Both Houses]

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 2188

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JUNE 20, 1996

By Assemblymen DeCROCE and CHARLES

An Act concerning limitations on certain actions for damages and amending P.L.1967, c.59.

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

    1. Section 1 of P.L.1967, c.59 (C.2A:14-1.l) is amended to read as follows.

    1. ²a.² No action whether in contract, in tort, or otherwise to recover damages for any deficiency in the design, planning, supervision or construction of an improvement to real property, or for any injury to property, real or personal or for an injury to the person, or for bodily injury or wrongful death, arising out of the defective and unsafe condition of an improvement to real property, nor any action for contribution or indemnity for damages sustained on account of such injury, shall be brought against any person performing or furnishing the design, planning, supervision of construction or construction of such improvement to real property, more than 10 years after the performance or furnishing of such services and construction. This limitation shall serve as a bar to all such ¹[claims,] actions¹ both governmental and private but shall not apply to ¹actions against¹ any person in actual possession and control as owner, tenant, or otherwise, of the improvement at the time the defective and unsafe condition of such improvement constitutes the proximate cause of the injury or damage for which the action is brought.

    ²b. This section shall not bar an action by a governmental unit:

    (1) on a written warranty, guaranty or other contract that expressly provides for a longer effective period;

    (2) based on willful misconduct, gross negligence or fraudulent concealment in connection with performing or furnishing the design, planning, supervision or construction of an improvement to real property;

    (3) under any environmental remediation law or pursuant to any contract entered into by a governmental unit in carrying out its responsibilities under any environmental remediation law; or

    (4) pursuant to any contract for application, enclosure, removal or encapsulation of asbestos.

    c.² As used in this section ²[the term "governmental"] :

    "Asbestos " shall have the meaning as defined in chapter 5A of Title 34 of the Revised Statutes (C.34:5A-34a) and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

    "Environmental remediation law" means chapter 10B of Title 58 of the Revised States (C.58:10B-1 et seq.) and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

    "Governmental"² means the State, its political subdivisions, any office, department, division, bureau, board, commission or ¹public authority or public¹ agency of the State or one of its political subdivisions, ¹[and any public authority or public agency,]¹ including but not limited to, ¹[the New Jersey Transit Corporation, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the University of Medicine and Dentistry]a county or a municipality and any board, commission, committee, authority or agency which is not a State board, commission, committee, authority or agency¹.

(cf: P.L.1967, c.59, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall ²[be applicable to ¹any action arising out of or relating to¹ all completed, pending and future improvements] apply to any cause of action which accrues after the effective date of this act².

Bars public and private claims for certain deficiencies in improvements to real property after 10 years.