Bill

Bill > S3145


NJ S3145

NJ S3145
Provides additional temporary contracting powers to county improvement authorities.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill relates to county improvement authority contracting powers by validating certain past agreements, contracts, executed instruments, or action taken by county improvement authorities in the State and by authorizing a pilot county improvement authority greater flexibility to enter into certain agreements, contracts, and executed instruments, and to take certain action necessary, convenient, and desirable for the purposes of the pilot county improvement authority. The bill validates any agreement, contract, executed instrument, or action taken or performed as necessary, convenient, or desirable for the purposes of a county improvement authority to carry out any power expressly given in the "county improvement authorities law," N.J.S.A.40:37A-44 et seq., in the two years immediately preceding the effective date of the bill, if the agreement, contract, executed instruments, or act was subject to the requirements of the "Local Public Contracts Law," N.J.S.A.40A:11-1 et seq., (LPCL) or was related to actions of the authority taken pursuant to N.J.S.A.40:37A-55.1. The bill also allows a pilot county improvement authority to enter into any agreement, contract, executed instrument, or take actions necessary, convenient or desirable for the purposes of a county improvement authority provided that the agreement, contract, executed instrument, or action is subject to the requirements of the LPCL or is related to actions of the authority taken pursuant to N.J.S.A.40:37A-55.1. The bill further requires that a pilot county improvement authority that enters into any agreement, contract, executed instrument, or takes actions related to actions of the authority for projects pursuant to N.J.S.A.40:37A-55.1 to enter into a project labor agreement prior to commencing work on the project and pay each worker employed to perform construction work and building services work at the project property a wage not less than the prevailing wage rate for the worker's craft or trade, as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development pursuant to N.J.S.A.34:11-56.25 et seq. The bill specifies that the pilot county improvement authority is to be the county improvement authority established in a county in which at least five municipalities met the criteria in State fiscal year 2020 for urban aid and which has a population greater than 500,000 and less than 700,000, and a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile. The bill requires that the pilot county improvement authority report to the Department of Community Affairs on the benefits and effectiveness of the additional flexibility provided to the pilot county improvement authority under the bill.

AI Summary

This bill provides additional temporary contracting powers to county improvement authorities, specifically validating certain past agreements and granting greater flexibility to a designated "pilot county improvement authority" for a two-year period. The "county improvement authorities law" (N.J.S.A. 40:37A-44 et seq.) outlines the powers of these authorities, while the "Local Public Contracts Law" (LPCL, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq.) governs public contracting procedures. The bill validates actions taken by any county improvement authority in the two years prior to its enactment if those actions were subject to the LPCL or related to specific development powers (N.J.S.A. 40:37A-55.1). For the pilot authority, which is defined as one in a county with at least five urban aid municipalities, a population between 500,000 and 700,000, and a high population density, the bill allows for more flexibility in entering into agreements and taking actions, provided they still adhere to the LPCL or N.J.S.A. 40:37A-55.1. Crucially, for projects under N.J.S.A. 40:37A-55.1, the pilot authority must enter into a "project labor agreement" (a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement for a specific project) and pay workers at least the prevailing wage rate. Finally, the pilot authority is required to report on the effectiveness of these new powers to the Department of Community Affairs and the Legislature.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee (on 01/13/2026)

bill text


bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...