ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2457

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 3, 1997

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 2457.

      Assembly Bill No. 2457 allows the State to recover reasonable costs of suit, including attorneys' and filing fees, for successful actions brought by the Attorney General under the consumer fraud law. While currently the court may award costs of suit to private litigants who successfully sue for damages, the State absorbs its court costs when it brings a damage suit for consumer fraud. This bill would provide the State with the same opportunity for recovery of such costs as is afforded to private litigants.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Division of Consumer Affairs has provided the information that the division and the Office of Administrative Law spent about $1.25 million in costs qualifying for reimbursement in the most recent year for which information is available.