"[S]tatutes are generally given prospective application." State v. Hughes, 199 N.J. Super. 173, 179 (App.Div. 1985), certif. den. 101 N.J. 286 (1985).
Usually, statutes are given prospective application. State v. Hughes, 199 N.J. Super. 173, 179 (App.Div. 1985). The opposite is true if the statute is ameliorative, i.e., lessens the harshness of prior legislation.