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A5297 • 2026

Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.

Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Hutchison, Dan
Last action
2026-06-23
Official status
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.

Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.
  • Topic: Financial Institutions and Insurance Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-23 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced, Referred to Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee

Official Summary Text

Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.
Topic:
Financial Institutions and Insurance
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A5297

ASSEMBLY, No. 5297

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 23, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� DAN HUTCHISON

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires parties in arbitration hearings to be
represented by attorneys in certain circumstances.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning arbitration hearings and
supplementing P.L.1983, c.358 (C.39:6A-24 et seq.).

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

���� 1.��� a.� A party to an
arbitration hearing concerning a claim for personal injury protection benefits
as established by section 24 of P.L.1998, c.21 (C.39:6A-5.1) shall be
represented by an attorney licensed to practice law in the State, retained at
the party�s own expense.

���� b.��� This section shall not
apply to a pro se litigant, who is a litigant appearing on the litigant�s own
behalf.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the 90th day next following the date of enactment and shall apply to
arbitration hearings that are initiated on or after that date.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires a party in
an arbitration proceeding to be represented by an attorney in certain
circumstances, at the party�s own expense.

���� Specifically, under the bill,
a party to an arbitration proceeding concerning a claim for personal injury
protection benefits will be required to be represented by an attorney licensed
to practice law in New Jersey, retained at the party�s own expense.� The
provisions of this bill will not apply to a pro se litigant, who is a litigant
appearing on the litigant�s own behalf.