Expands crime of bias intimidation; establishes additional penalties for crimes of bias intimidation and harassment; establishes bias intimidation motivation damages.

This New Jersey bill expands the crime of bias intimidation to cover more protected characteristics like gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability, and increases penalties for such offenses. It raises the severity of bias intimidation to one degree higher than the underlying crime (e.g., making a fourth-degree offense a third-degree crime), adds mandatory sentencing for first-degree cases, and requires courts to impose separate sentences for bias intimidation and the underlying offense. Perpetrators convicted of bias intimidation must also complete sensitivity training, counseling, or pay compensation to victim support programs. Victims of bias-motivated crimes benefit from new financial penalties ($250-$2,000 per offense) collected by the state and directed to community services. The law applies to anyone committing crimes like assault or harassment with bias motivation, directly affecting both offenders and victims in hate crime cases.