Legislator
Legislator > Nellie Pou
US Representative
Nellie Pou
(D) - United States
New Jersey District 9
In Office - Started: 01/03/2025
contact info
Main Office
1007 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5751
Paterson Office
100 Hamilton Plaza
Suite 1400
Paterson, NJ 07505
Suite 1400
Paterson, NJ 07505
Phone: 973-523-5152
| Bill | Bill Name | Summary | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1439 | Requires health benefits coverage for additional orthotic and prosthetic appliances under certain circumstances; requires coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances obtained through podiatrists. | Requires health benefits coverage for additional orthotic and prosthetic appliances under certain circumstances; requires coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances obtained through podiatrists. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1320 | Requires certain information be included in certain contracts with licensed public adjusters. | Requires certain information be included in certain contracts with licensed public adjusters. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1067 | Directs DHS to conduct landscape analysis of available mental health services. | Directs DHS to conduct landscape analysis of available mental health services. | Vetoed |
| A1682 | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | Passed |
| S2335 | Requires school districts to provide instruction on history of Latinos and Hispanics as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards. | Requires school districts to provide instruction on history of Latinos and Hispanics as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards. | Passed |
| A3518 | Requires MVC to create digital driver's licenses and digital non-driver identification cards. | Requires MVC to create digital driver's licenses and digital non-driver identification cards. | Passed |
| S1403 | Requires employer or contractor engaged in work for public body to submit payroll records to DOLWD. | Requires employer or contractor engaged in work for public body to submit payroll records to DOLWD. | Passed |
| S1297 | Requires MVC to create digital driver's licenses and digital non-driver identification cards. | Requires MVC to create digital driver's licenses and digital non-driver identification cards. | In Committee |
| S1054 | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | In Committee |
| S2167 | Requires public and certain nonpublic schools to comply with breakfast and lunch standards adopted by USDA. | Requires public and certain nonpublic schools to comply with breakfast and lunch standards adopted by USDA. | Passed |
| S3309 | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Passed |
| A5170 | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Passed |
| S4027 | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | In Committee |
| HRes543 | Recognizing the right to peacefully protest and condemning violence and authoritarian responses to expressions of dissent. | Recognizing the right to peacefully protest and condemning violence and authoritarian responses to expressions of dissent. | In Committee |
| HR4071 | Combatting International Drug Trafficking and Human Smuggling Partnership Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in foreign countries, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR12 | Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025 | A BILL To protect a person’s ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy, and to protect a health care provider’s ability to provide abortion services. | In Committee |
| S1939 | Requires children's meals served in chain restaurants to meet certain nutritional standards. | Requires children's meals served in chain restaurants to meet certain nutritional standards. | In Committee |
| S1277 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans. | Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans. | Passed |
| S2332 | Allows complaint for guardianship of minor to be filed six months before minor reaches age 18 under certain circumstances; establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints. | This bill allows a complaint for guardianship of a minor who is anticipated to require a guardian upon attaining the age of 18 to be filed six months before the minor attains the age of 18. The bill also establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints in general. Under current law, once a child reaches age 18, a parent or other appropriate person may file a complaint for guardianship. However, if proceedings are delayed and a guardian is not yet appointed, the young person is left without the legal protection of a parent, other appropriate person, or appointed guardian, until such time as the guardian is actually appointed. Allowing guardianship proceedings to be initiated in advance will help avoid potential administrative or procedural delays and ensure a seamless transition as the minor turns age 18. Under the bill, an order of guardianship entered before a minor is 18 would not take effect until the day the minor turns 18. The bill additionally specifies that a complaint for adjudication of incapacity and appointment of a guardian shall not be withdrawn absent a showing that the alleged incapacitated person is deceased or has capacity. The showing of capacity does not require medical evidence but may, in the court's discretion, be satisfied by testimony of a witness with knowledge of the alleged incapacitated person's condition and circumstances. | Passed |
| HR3449 | Stronger Communities through Better Transit Act | A BILL To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a program to provide grants to eligible recipients for eligible operating support costs of public transportation, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR249 | To redesignate certain facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. | AN ACT To redesignate certain facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. | Crossed Over |
| HR3368 | Born in the USA Act of 2025 | A BILL To prohibit the use of Federal funds to carry out Executive Order 14160. | In Committee |
| HRes364 | Calling upon local communities to support organizations that provide resources and aid Gold Shield Families in their time of need. | Calling upon local communities to support organizations that provide resources and aid Gold Shield Families in their time of need. | In Committee |
| S268 | Revises "Homelessness Prevention Program"; requires new charge for filing of eviction action. | Revises "Homelessness Prevention Program"; requires new charge for filing of eviction action. | In Committee |
| S3525 | Requires financial institutions to allow mortgagors to make biweekly and semi-monthly payments and payments to mortgage principal. | An Act concerning financial institutions servicing mortgages and supplementing P.L.2009, c.53 (C.17:11C-51 et seq.). | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3940 | Modifies regulation of mortuary science and establishes oversight of mortuary and embalming science. | An Act concerning the practice of funeral directing and embalming, and supplementing P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) and amending various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| HR3305 | LEO Fair Retirement Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that for purposes of computing the annuity of certain law enforcement officers, any hours worked in excess of the limitation applicable to law enforcement premium pay shall be included in such computation, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1107 | Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain heath care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver, distribute, or dispense to veterans certain controlled medications via telemedicine under certain conditions, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HRes384 | Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. | Recognizing the cultural and historical significance of the Cinco de Mayo holiday. | In Committee |
| HR3112 | Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement for Animals Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Animal Welfare Act to expand and improve the enforcement capabilities of the Attorney General, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR15 | Equality Act | A BILL To prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR452 | Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act | AN ACT To award 3 Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympics where, being comprised of amateur collegiate players, they defeated the dominant Soviet hockey team in the historic ‘‘Miracle on Ice’’, revitalizing American morale at the height of the Cold War, inspiring generations and transforming the sport of hockey in the United States. | Crossed Over |
| S2236 | Exempts nursing mothers from jury duty. | An Act concerning exemption from jury service and amending N.J.S.2B:20-10. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AJR166 | Urges Congress to continue progress on National Museum of the American Latino. | Urges Congress to continue progress on National Museum of the American Latino. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| HR2853 | Combating Organized Retail Crime Act | A BILL To combat organized crime involving the illegal acquisition of retail goods and cargo for the purpose of selling those illegally obtained goods through physical and online retail marketplaces. | In Committee |
| HR2881 | COAST Anti-Drilling Act of 2025 Clean Ocean And Safe Tourism Anti-Drilling Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Straits of Florida planning areas. | In Committee |
| HRes326 | Supporting the designation of April 10 as "Dolores Huerta Day", in honor of the accomplishments and legacy of the trailblazing labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. | Supporting the designation of April 10 as "Dolores Huerta Day", in honor of the accomplishments and legacy of the trailblazing labor and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta. | In Committee |
| S1310 | Makes certain for-profit debt adjusters eligible for licensing to conduct business in State. | Makes certain for-profit debt adjusters eligible for licensing to conduct business in State. | Crossed Over |
| HR2763 | American Family Act | A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a refundable child tax credit with monthly advance payment. | In Committee |
| HR2285 | DHS Basic Training Accreditation Improvement Act of 2025 | A BILL To require reporting regarding accreditation of basic training programs of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR820 | Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act | A BILL To amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1422 | Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 | A BILL To impose sanctions with respect to persons engaged in logistical transactions and sanctions evasion relating to oil, gas, liquefied natural gas, and related petrochemical products from the Islamic Republic of Iran, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1508 | DHS Special Events Program and Support Act | A BILL To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize a program to assess the threat, vulnerability, and consequences of terrorism or other security threats, as appropriate, to certain events, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2711 | Invest to Protect Act of 2025 | A BILL To establish a grant program to provide assistance to local law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2698 | Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act | A BILL To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Department of Homeland Security to bolster security against threats posed by ghost guns, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2102 | Major Richard Star Act | A BILL To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for concurrent receipt of veterans’ disability compensation and retired pay for disability retirees with combat-related disabilities, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2170 | To name the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. 'Bud' Lomell, VA Clinic, and for other purposes. | A BILL To name the Department of Veterans Affairs communitybased outpatient clinic in Toms River, New Jersey, the Leonard G. ’Bud’ Lomell, VA Clinic, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2550 | Protect America's Workforce Act | A BILL To nullify the Executive Order relating to Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR17 | Paycheck Fairness Act | A BILL To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| S1635 | Modifies regulation of mortuary science and establishes oversight of mortuary and embalming science. | Modifies regulation of mortuary science and establishes oversight of mortuary and embalming science. | In Committee |
| S1016 | Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices. | This bill requires that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA, or the most up-to-date version of the guidelines, must be the accessibility standard for the websites of all State agencies, and each website must be configured in such a way that it can be navigated, viewed, and accessed on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. The WCAG guidelines make content accessible for people with disabilities. The Chief Technology Officer must establish the protocol by which a State agency can determine that its websites comply with the requirements. The Chief Technology Officer must certify each website's compliance two years after the bill's effective date and recertify compliance once every two years thereafter. As used in this bill, "State agency" means the Executive and Legislative Branch of the State, including, but not limited to, any department, board, bureau, commission, division, office, council, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or independent agency, public authority, or public benefit corporation. | Crossed Over |
| HR2192 | Air America Act of 2025 | A BILL To award payments to employees of Air America who provided support to the United States from 1950 to 1976, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| S2423 | Renames Juvenile Justice Commission as Youth Justice Commission. | An Act renaming the Juvenile Justice Commission and amending the various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1487 | Requires application option enhancement for certain housing, shelter, and rental assistance administered by DCA. | Requires application option enhancement for certain housing, shelter, and rental assistance administered by DCA. | In Committee |
| HR2045 | Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care under the Medicare program. | In Committee |
| HR2086 | Rights for the TSA Workforce Act Rights for the Transportation Security Administration Workforce Act | A BILL To enhance the security operations of the Transportation Security Administration and stability of the transportation security workforce by applying the personnel system under title 5, United States Code, to employees of the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR2028 | REDI Act Resident Education Deferred Interest Act | A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for interest-free deferment on student loans for borrowers serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program. | In Committee |
| HRes216 | Condemning the Members of Congress constituting the leadership team of the House Republican Conference. | Condemning the Members of Congress constituting the leadership team of the House Republican Conference. | In Committee |
| S199 | Requires environmental sustainability plan for State House Complex. | Requires environmental sustainability plan for State House Complex. | Crossed Over |
| S1445 | Requires public institution of higher education to readmit student whose enrollment was interrupted due to military service. | An Act concerning military service members at public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| HR20 | Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the National Labor Relations Act, the Labor Management Relations Act, 1947, and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR14 | John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to revise the criteria for determining which States and political subdivisions are subject to section 4 of the Act, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HRes153 | Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25, and for other purposes. | Expressing condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims of the crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| S1950 | Expands scope of Office of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. | This bill expands the scope of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (ombudsman) to provide that the office of the ombudsman will oversee all long-term care facility residents, not just the elderly. The bill updates certain statutory references to reflect this change, and additionally removes references to "patients" and "clients" of a facility. Current law provides that, upon completing an investigation, the ombudsman's findings and recommended action are to be submitted to the Commissioner of Health or the Commissioner of Human Services, as appropriate, as well as to any other governmental agency that regulates or operates the facility. The bill revises this requirement to provide that the report be furnished to these entities upon request, and upon substantiation of the report or complaint. The bill further provides that the report may also be provided to the complainant, if the resident or the resident's legal representative consents to the complainant receiving a copy of the report. The bill provides that, in addition to obtaining the name and address of a person on a consent form, the ombudsman is to make reasonable efforts to obtain the person's phone number and email address. The bill removes a requirement for the ombudsman to provide notice before inspecting the premises, books, files, medical records, or other records of a facility or government agency during the course of an investigation. The bill revises a requirement for the Legislature to review the development, administration, and operation of the office through certain standing reference committees to instead make the Legislature directly responsible for the review. The bill makes various technical and stylistic changes to the current statutory law involving grammar and citation. | In Committee |
| HR1589 | American Dream and Promise Act of 2025 American Promise Act of 2025 Dream Act of 2025 | A BILL To authorize the cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain aliens, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1684 | PAST Act of 2025 Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Horse Protection Act to designate additional unlawful acts under the Act, strengthen penalties for violations of the Act, improve Department of Agriculture enforcement of the Act, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1564 | Ethan's Law | A BILL To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to require the safe storage of firearms, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HRes159 | Expressing support for the designation of the week of February 24 through February 28, 2025, as "Public Schools Week". | Expressing support for the designation of the week of February 24 through February 28, 2025, as "Public Schools Week". | In Committee |
| HR1530 | American Victims of Terrorism Compensation Act | A BILL To amend the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act to clarify and supplement the funding sources for United States victims of state-sponsored terrorism to ensure consistent and meaningful distributions from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1431 | To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2407 State Route 71, Suite 1, in Spring Lake, New Jersey, as the "James J. Howard Post Office". | A BILL To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2407 State Route 71, Suite 1, in Spring Lake, New Jersey, as the ‘‘James J. Howard Post Office’’. | In Committee |
| HR1410 | 9/11 Responder and Survivor Health Funding Correction Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend title XXXIII of the Public Health Service Act with respect to flexibility and funding for the World Trade Center Health Program. | In Committee |
| HR1329 | Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act | A BILL To permit the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum to be located within the Reserve of the National Mall, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1330 | Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act | A BILL To permit the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino to be located within the Reserve of the National Mall, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1269 | Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide public safety officer benefits for exposure-related cancers, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR1101 | Taxpayer Data Protection Act | A BILL To prohibit unlawful access to the payment system of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service within the Department of the Treasury, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HRes124 | Expressing continued support for the people of Puerto Rico, and urging the Federal Government to expedite the rebuilding of Puerto Rico's electrical grid. | Expressing continued support for the people of Puerto Rico, and urging the Federal Government to expedite the rebuilding of Puerto Rico's electrical grid. | In Committee |
| HR1178 | Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act | A BILL To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add alpha-gal to the definition of ‘‘major food allergen’’. | In Committee |
| HR999 | Right to Contraception Act | A BILL To protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception and to protect a health care providers ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception. | In Committee |
| HRes116 | Condemning the pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers. | Condemning the pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers. | In Committee |
| HR979 | AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 | A BILL To require the Secretary of Transportation to issue a rule requiring access to AM broadcast stations in motor vehicles, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| HR911 | Patriot Day Act | A BILL To amend title 5, United States Code, to establish Patriot Day as a Federal holiday. | In Committee |
| S1000 | Requires MVC to place designation on motor vehicle's registration information indicating registrant is deaf or hard of hearing. | Requires MVC to place designation on motor vehicle's registration information indicating registrant is deaf or hard of hearing. | In Committee |
| HR879 | Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase support for physicians and other practitioners in adjusting to Medicare payment changes. | In Committee |
| S684 | Requires telecommunications, cable television, and Internet service providers to allow for service contracts to be paused or canceled following service recipients's admission to long-term care facility. | An Act allowing for service contracts to be paused or canceled following service recipients' admission to certain long-term care facilities and supplementing Title 56 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| HRes70 | Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. | Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization. | In Committee |
| HRes68 | Expressing strong disapproval of the President's announcement to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. | Expressing strong disapproval of the President's announcement to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. | In Committee |
| HRes61 | Expressing support for the recognition of January as "Muslim-American Heritage Month" and celebrating the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans in the United States. | Expressing support for the recognition of January as "Muslim-American Heritage Month" and celebrating the heritage and culture of Muslim Americans in the United States. | In Committee |
| S1323 | Revises various provisions concerning New Jersey Aspire Program and surrender of tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | An Act concerning the New Jersey Aspire Program, amending P.L.2020, c.156 and P.L.2023, c.98, and supplementing P.L.2020, c.156. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| HR396 | TRUST in Congress Act Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust in Congress Act | A BILL To require Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children to place certain assets into blind trusts, and for other purposes. | In Committee |
| SJR104 | Urges Congress to continue progress on National Museum of the American Latino. | Urges Congress to continue progress on National Museum of the American Latino. | In Committee |
| HRes30 | Honoring the life, achievements, legacy, and public service of former President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. | Honoring the life, achievements, legacy, and public service of former President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. | In Committee |
| HR247 | Health Care Affordability Act of 2025 | A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan. | In Committee |
| A3853 | Extends certain pay parity regarding telemedicine and telehealth until July 1, 2026. | An Act regarding telemedicine and telehealth and amending P.L.2021, c.310. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2988 | Extends certain pay parity regarding telemedicine and telehealth until July 1, 2026. | Extends certain pay parity regarding telemedicine and telehealth until July 1, 2026. | In Committee |
| S3927 | Establishes penalties for appraisers who engage in discriminatory real estate appraisals and requires certain information to be provided to present and prospective owners or occupants of real estate. | Establishes penalties for appraisers who engage in discriminatory real estate appraisals and requires certain information to be provided to present and prospective owners or occupants of real estate. | In Committee |
| S354 | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | In Committee |
| S1430 | Provides for expanded use of affordable housing voucher program funding. | An Act concerning use of affordable housing vouchers for homeownership expenses, amending P.L.2004, c.140, and supplementing P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-1 et seq.). | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S900 | Exempts poll workers wages from affecting unemployment compensation. | Exempts poll workers wages from affecting unemployment compensation. | In Committee |
| S1394 | Increases amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes for purposes of deduction from gross income for property tax payments; increases property tax credit option for certain individuals. | Increases amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes for purposes of deduction from gross income for property tax payments; increases property tax credit option for certain individuals. | In Committee |
| S2826 | Provides certain resources to county prosecutors for enforcement of law regarding failure to pay wages; makes appropriation. | This bill requires the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), for purposes of supporting the enforcement of the provisions of State wage and hour laws, to provide funds and training to each county prosecutor's office for the investigation and prosecution of the abovementioned laws and worker exploitation. The bill requires the county prosecutor of each county to establish and assign an assistant prosecutor to the investigation and prosecution of violations of the State wage and hour laws. The bill makes an appropriation from the General Fund to the DOLWD, not to exceed $2,000,000, for purposes of effectuating the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| S2962 | Requires contractor subject to prevailing wage law to provide orientation meeting to new employee on prevailing wage project. | An Act concerning the rights of employees under the prevailing wage law and amending P.L.1963, c.150. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1325 | Authorizes electronic delivery of documents relating to portable electronics insurance. | An Act concerning electronic delivery of portable electronics insurance documents and amending P.L.2012, c.56. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S912 | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | An Act concerning postpartum care, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| SJR14 | Designates third Sunday of November of each year as "World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims" in NJ. | Designates third Sunday of November of each year as "World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims" in NJ. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2437 | Directs Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation for certain criminal contempt violations. | Directs Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation for certain criminal contempt violations. | Crossed Over |
| S1306 | Prohibits consumer reporting agencies from making reports containing adverse information related to employees affected by federal government shutdown. | Prohibits consumer reporting agencies from making reports containing adverse information related to employees affected by federal government shutdown. | In Committee |
| S3051 | Requires Division of Consumer Affairs to hire staff to alleviate professional license application backlog; appropriates $10,000,000 in fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. | Requires Division of Consumer Affairs to hire staff to alleviate professional license application backlog; appropriates $10,000,000 in fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. | In Committee |
| S2015 | Concerns prevailing wage law requirements for public institutions of higher education. | Concerns prevailing wage law requirements for public institutions of higher education. | In Committee |
| S2640 | Concerns discrimination based on membership in a labor organization. | This bill extends protection under the Law Against Discrimination (LAD) to members of a labor organization. The LAD, P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et. seq.), provides protections for those who are members of a protected class, including protection against discrimination in employment, public accommodations, housing, land use, lending, and association membership. Under current law, a member of a protected class includes an employee who has one or more characteristics, including race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, sex, gender identity or expression, disability or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait of any individual, or liability for service in the armed forces. This bill provides that members of a labor organization also are members of a protected class who are entitled protection under the LAD. In addition, the bill revises the definition of "labor organization" to include any organization of any kind, including a labor union or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which public or private employees participate and which exists and is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with public or private employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment. | In Committee |
| S3672 | Establishes protections for immigrants interacting with government agencies; designates "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act." | This bill creates a uniform code for State and local government entities, as well as health care facilities, regarding the use of resources to aid federal immigration law enforcement, and designates the "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act." Under the bill, the definition of government entities includes any of the principal departments of the executive branch of State government and any parts or creations thereof, any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency, including any public institution of higher education. The bill's definition also includes political subdivisions of the State and combinations of political subdivisions, independent authorities, commissions, instrumentalities and agencies created by a political subdivision or combination of political subdivisions. Under the bill, government entities and healthcare facilities are prohibited from collecting certain personal and identifying information unless it is strictly necessary for program or service administration. Any record resulting from that collection, whether written or oral, would not be a government record under the "Open Public Records Act" unless an election agency requires it to ascertain the eligibility of a candidate when citizenship is required for an elected office. Any record also shall not be disclosed except as required to administer benefits or services pursuant to State or federal law, or valid court order or warrant, issued by a federal Article III judge or magistrate or the State equivalent. The bill provides that the prohibition on sharing information may be waived if the subject of the record or information provides written consent in that person's preferred language. The written consent shall include the following: (1) the exact record or information to be shared; (2) the purpose for sharing the record or information; (3) a statement clarifying that consent is voluntary and declining to consent shall not result in discrimination or retaliation by the government entity; (4) a statement clarifying that consent may be revoked, but that revocation does not impact a record or information already shared via prior written consent provided pursuant to this section; and (5) the person or agency to receive the record or information. The bill requires government entities to review their confidentiality policies, guidance and recommendations to identify any changes necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of the bill and make any changes as expeditiously as possible, but no later than one year after the bill becomes effective. The bill also requires these entities to share their policies prominently on their Internet websites. This bill also requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Public Defender, to prepare a written notice explaining in plain language the provisions of section 6 of the bill. Section 6 of the bill details the prohibition of certain actions by law enforcement. The bill requires the notice and all translations to be posted to the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety and to be considered vital documents pursuant to P.L.2023, c.263 (C.52:14-40 et seq.). The Attorney General is also required to consult with stakeholders serving or representing immigrant communities in the development of standardized training and guidance for law enforcement to comply with the bill's provisions. The AG also shall provide mandatory training to all State, county and local law enforcement agencies within one year of the bill's effective date. Any newly sworn officer is required to complete this training within a year of the officer's appointment. The Department of Human Services is required to consult with stakeholders serving or representing immigrant communities to develop and lead a multilingual campaign to promote public awareness of the bill's requirements for law enforcement agencies. As part of the awareness campaign, DHS is required to publish the text of section 6 of the bill's provisions and a plain language summary and explanation of those requirements on its Internet website within 180 days of the bill's enactment. . Under the bill, the Attorney General is also required to consult with other government entities and stakeholders in the development of model policies for sensitive locations. These locations include health care facilities, public schools, public libraries, shelters, and any other locations deemed appropriate by the Attorney General to ensure that eligible individuals are not deterred from seeking services or engaging with government entities. The model policies prohibit the request or collection of certain information regarding a person's immigration status, place of birth or taxpayer identification except to determine eligibility for services or program benefits. The model policies prohibit assistance or participation of immigration enforcement, and prohibit the permission of immigration enforcement on entity premises that are not open without restriction to the general public. The Attorney General is required to publish the model policies on the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety. The bill requires government entities with authority to regulate sensitive places to adopt the model policies within 180 days of issuance by the Attorney General's office and encourages facilities not regulated by government entities to adopt the policies. The bill prohibits certain actions by law enforcement. Specifically, State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies and officials shall not: (1) stop, question, arrest, search, or detain any individual based on actual or suspected citizenship or immigration status, or actual or suspected violations of federal civil immigration law; (2) inquire about an individual's immigration status, citizenship, place of birth, or eligibility for a social security number; (3) make an arrest, detain, or prolong the detention of an individual based on civil immigration warrants; (4) use agency or department moneys, facilities, property, equipment, or personnel to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal program requiring registration of individuals on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, citizenship, or national or ethnic origin; or (5) make agency or department databases available to anyone or any entity for the purpose of immigration enforcement or investigation or enforcement of any federal program requiring registration of individuals on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, citizenship, or national or ethnic origin. The bill nullifies any agreement, policy or practice in place that permits in conflict with this clause. Law enforcement agencies in the State are also prohibited from: (1) participating in civil immigration enforcement operations; (2) providing to federal immigration authorities any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular person; (3) providing access to any State, county, or municipal law enforcement equipment, office space, database, or property; (4) providing access to a detained individual for an interview; (5) facilitating or complying with immigration detainers, notification requests, and transfer requests from federal immigration authorities; (6) continuing to detain a person past the time the person would otherwise be eligible for release from custody based solely on an immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant; (7) entering into, modifying, renewing, or extending any agreement to exercise federal immigration authority or conduct immigration enforcement pursuant to section 287(g) of Title 8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §1357(g), or otherwise exercising federal civil immigration authority or conducting immigration enforcement outside of the purview of 287(g) of Title 8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §1357(g); or (8) providing or sharing funds, property, equipment, personnel, or access to facilities or real property not open to the general public for purposes of engaging in, assisting, supporting, or facilitating immigration enforcement. The bill provides that violations of the prohibitions on police conduct in the bill would be enforceable under the "New Jersey Civil Rights Act," P.L.2004, c.143. If an agency or law enforcement official intends to comply with an immigration detainer, notification request, civil immigration warrant, or transfer request concerning a person in custody, a written explanation specifying the legal basis for that action is required to be given to the person is custody. Lastly, the bill requires each State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency to submit to the Attorney General a report that includes: (1) the number of detainer requests, transfer requests, and notification requests made by immigration authorities, and the responses of the State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency. For any request that was granted, the report shall specify any legal basis for granting that request; (2) the number of interviews requested and the number of interviews conducted, either in person or telephonically, by immigration authorities of people in State, county, or municipal law enforcement custody. For each interview conducted, the report shall specify any legal basis for granting the interview; (3) any other requests made by immigration authorities for the agency's participation in immigration enforcement, the responses of the State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, and the legal basis for granting the request; and (4) to the extent the law enforcement agency has knowledge, any information about State, county, and municipal databases to which immigration authorities have had access to at any time in the course of the year, including: the name of the database; an overview of information available on the database; the purpose for which immigration authorities have access to this database; the process through which immigration authorities requested access and agencies reviewed this request, if applicable; any legal basis for providing immigration authorities access to the database; and the frequency with which immigration authorities accessed the database over the course of the year. Law enforcement agencies have 180 days after the effective date of the bill to produce the first report and must then annually submit a report within 30 days of the end of the State's fiscal year. The Attorney General is initially required to publish the report on the office's website within 90 days of receipt, and then within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year thereafter. The Attorney General is also required to annually submit to the Governor and Legislature a report on each law enforcement agency's compliance with the provisions of this act. | In Committee |
| SJR127 | Designates September 14 of each year "Latino Business Day" in New Jersey. | This resolution declares September 14 of each year as "Latino Business Day" in the State of New Jersey. Latino-owned businesses present an opportunity for intergenerational upward mobility and wealth accrual, with growing revenues among Latino owned businesses increasing the assets of subsequent generations. The rapid growth of this industry outpaces the growth of the overall Latino population, as well as the number of business created by other demographic groups. Each year, Latino owned businesses supply the American economy with $800 billion in revenues. The Latino community also represents a prominent consumer base and economic force, contributing $3.2 trillion to U.S. markets. Over the last ten years, Latino-owned businesses have grown ten times faster than white-owned businesses, experiencing a 57 percent growth rate, compared to five percent for non-Latino-owned firms. This rate has slowed in recent years but the trend of demographic outperformance persists; between 2020 and 2023, Latino-owned businesses noticed an 8.7 percent growth rate, against 5.6 percent for white-owned businesses. Latino-owned business are expected to occupy 20 percent of the national labor market in five years, and 29 percent by 2050. Latino entrepreneurs currently account for 17 percent of the U.S. workforce; the 4.7 million Latino-owned businesses in America employ 3.5 million workers across the country. Between 2007 and 2019, the number of jobs created by Latino owned businesses grew from 1.9 million to 2.9 million, a 53.6 percent growth rate. Researchers estimate that unemployment rates would have risen above 10 percent if not for Latino business creation. September 14 is National Support Latino Business Day, recognizing the contributions of Latino-owned businesses to the New Jersey economy as well their positive impact on communities. With this context in mind, it is in public interest to recognize the economic strength of Latino businesses on September 14. | In Committee |
| S3097 | Modifies requirements for certain projects under Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program. | An Act concerning the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program and amending P.L.2009, c.90 and P.L.2022, c.75. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2311 | Requires criminal history background check for individuals seeking licensure issued by boards regulating certain health care professions. | An Act concerning criminal history background checks for certain health care professionals and amending P.L.2002, c.104. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A2280 | Codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training. | An Act concerning discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and supplementing and amending P.L.1991, c.68. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2875 | Makes certain changes to calculation of minimum loss ratio requirements for health benefits plans in individual and small employer markets. | An Act concerning minimum loss ratios for certain health benefits plans and amending P.L.1992, c.161 and P.L.1992, c.162. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2869 | Establishes penalties for employers who disclose or threaten to disclose employee's immigration status for purpose of concealing violation of State wage, benefit or tax laws. | This bill provides that if the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development finds that an employer has, for the purpose of concealing any violation of State wage, benefit and tax laws, disclosed or threatened to disclose to a public body an employee's immigration status, the commissioner is, in addition to imposing any other remedies or penalties authorized by law, authorized to assess and collect an administrative penalty against the employer. Specifically, the bill provides for administrative penalties as follows: (1) for the first violation, an administrative penalty not to exceed $1,000; (2) for the second violation, an administrative penalty not to exceed $5,000; and (3) for any subsequent violation, an administrative penalty not to exceed $10,000. When determining the amount of the administrative penalty imposed pursuant to the bill's provisions, the commissioner may consider factors which include the history of previous violations by the employer, the seriousness of the violation, the good faith of the employer and the size of the employer's business. The commissioner may not levy an administrative penalty pursuant to the bill's provisions unless the commissioner provides the alleged violator with notification of the violation and of the amount of administrative penalty, and unless the commissioner provides the alleged violator an opportunity to request a hearing before the commissioner or the commissioner's designee. Establishes penalties for employers who disclose or threaten to disclose employee's immigration status for purpose of concealing violation of State wage, benefit or tax laws. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4046 | Extends certain accommodations for businesses participating in State economic development programs. | An Act concerning certain State economic development programs and amending various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3371 | Revises limits for net cash surrender and net cash withdrawal values for certain annuity policies and contracts from $100,000 to $250,000. | An Act concerning annuity policies and contracts and amending P.L.1991, c.208. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4587 | Increases hours required for individual to obtain licensure as teacher in cosmetology and hairstyling or as massage and bodywork therapist. | An Act concerning requirements for teaching in certain professions and amending and supplementing P.L.1984, c.205 and amending P.L.1999, c.19. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3451 | Increases hours required for individual to obtain licensure as teacher in cosmetology and hairstyling or as massage and bodywork therapist. | This bill increases the hours required to obtain licensure as a teacher in cosmetology-hairstyling or as a massage and bodywork therapist. Current regulation for cosmetology-hairstyling and current law for massage and bodywork therapy requires 500 hours. This bill increases each requirement to 600 hours. The increase allows individuals seeking the respective license to qualify for certain federal aid. | In Committee |
| SJR122 | Designates month of July as "Diverse Business Month" in New Jersey. | Designates month of July as "Diverse Business Month" in New Jersey. | Crossed Over |
| S3303 | Extends certain accommodations for businesses participating in State economic development programs. | Extends certain accommodations for businesses participating in State economic development programs. | In Committee |
| SR106 | Encourages institutions of higher education to address lack of representation of Hispanic and Latino leadership in higher education. | This resolution encourages institutions of higher education in New Jersey and across the United States to address the lack of representation of Hispanic and Latino presidents of institutions of higher education. Colleges and universities in New Jersey and across the country have seen significant increases in enrollment of Hispanic and Latino undergraduate students in recent decades. Currently, approximately 20 percent of undergraduate students in the United States and approximately 25 percent of undergraduate students in New Jersey identify as Hispanic or Latino. However, while college enrollments increasingly reflect the rich diversity of this State and nation as a whole, the leadership in institutions of higher education does not. In 2023, only six percent of presidents of institutions of higher education in the United States identified as Hispanic or Latino and there is currently only one Latino president leading an institution of higher education in New Jersey. The lack of diverse leadership among institutions of higher education is of great concern as creating a leadership team that is reflective of the student body is critical to promoting inclusivity and belongingness among students, understanding students' diverse needs and interests, and ensuring students feel safe, seen, and heard. Thus, this resolution encourages institutions of higher education in New Jersey and across the United States to address the lack of representation of Hispanic and Latino leadership in higher education by establishing and expanding leadership development programs, enhancing the diversity of governing boards and search committees, and actively engaging with organizations dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic and Latino leaders in higher education0 . | In Committee |
| S3522 | Prohibits DOE from requiring minimum score on any individual subtest to qualify for certain endorsements; requires DOE to establish average minimum score on multiple subject matter tests to qualify for certain teacher endorsements. | This bill prohibits the Department of Education from requiring a teacher candidate seeking an instructional certificate with an elementary school teacher endorsement to achieve a minimum score on an individual subtest of a Commissioner-approved test on reading and language arts, mathematics, social studies, or science. Under the bill, the department is to require a teacher candidate seeking an instructional certificate with an elementary school teacher endorsement to achieve a minimum average score on the individual subtests of reading and language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. The bill requires the commissioner to determine the minimum average score. Currently, a teacher candidate seeking an instructional certificate with an elementary school teacher endorsement is required to achieve a passing score on a Reading and Language Arts subtest, Mathematics subtest, Social Studies subtest, and a Science subtest. | In Committee |
| S3523 | Directs State Board of Education to authorize general science endorsement. | This bill directs the State Board of Education to authorize the issuance of a general science endorsement to the instructional certificate. The endorsement authorizes the holder to teach a biological science, chemistry, earth science, physical science, or physics course in grades nine through 12. The bill requires the State board to establish appropriate requirements for the endorsement that provide a teacher with the special knowledge and skills necessary to work with students in these grades. The bill permits teachers holding a biological science, chemistry, earth science, physical science, or physics endorsement prior to the establishment of the general science endorsement, upon application to the State Board of Examiners, to be issued the general science endorsement established by the bill. | In Committee |
| S3524 | Prohibits seller of residential real estate from requiring potential buyers to disclose down payment when presenting offer to seller. | This bill prohibits a seller of residential real estate from requiring potential buyers to disclose the amount that the buyer will provide as a down payment for the residential real estate. A seller who violates the provisions of this act will be liable to a civil penalty of no more than $1,000. For the purpose of this bill, "residential real estate" means a property or structure or both which serves as a dwelling. "Residential real estate" does not include a dwelling with more than four residential units. | In Committee |
| S2493 | Establishes minimum base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facility with neurologically impaired young adult unit. | This bill establishes a minimum base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facilities which operate a neurologically impaired young adult unit. Under the bill, a special care nursing facility is defined as a nursing facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) that is not a unit attached to, or on the same campus as, a rehabilitation or acute care hospital and is not a distinct unit within a NJ FamilyCare-certified conventional nursing facility, and which has been approved by the Department of Human Services to provide care to NJ FamilyCare recipients who require specialized nursing facility services beyond the scope of a conventional nursing facility Specifically, the bill requires the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to reimburse a special care nursing facility, issued a certificate of need by the Department of Health as of July 1, 2023 to operate a neurologically impaired young adult unit, a base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate that is, at a minimum, the greater of the special care nursing facility's FY 2022 base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate or $1,100 per diem. This bill applies to reimbursements beginning January 1, 2024 and only those facilities in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning licensure, patient safety, and quality of care. | Crossed Over |
| S2491 | Increases maximum number of respite care service hours funded through DCF for certain families. | An Act concerning respite care, and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3502 | Establishes sheltered market program for certain business enterprises seeking State contracts. | This bill establishes a sheltered market program that allows for State agencies, with the approval of the Chief Diversity Officer, to designate certain public contracts for availability to contractors who have been certified by the Department of the Treasury. This program will be available to contractors who are certified as a disabled veterans' business, minority business, women's business, small business, economically or socially disadvantaged business, LGTBQ+-owned business, or veteran-owned business. The bill directs the Chief Diversity Officer to establish criteria for determining which contracts should be designated for this program, including the degree of historical underutilization of qualified business enterprises based on a review of qualified business enterprises in the State's central certification registry or a State-commissioned disparity study. State agencies will be permitted to object to the designation of certain contracts for the program if they determine such designation would be contrary to an important State public policy, the practical limitations of the agency or contract, or an applicable legal order. The bill also requires that State agencies publish all contracts or categories of contracts approved for the sheltered market program on their respective websites prior to opening such contracts for bidding, and the chief publishes such contracts on the department's website. The bill further requires State agencies and the chief to conduct outreach regarding available contracts under the sheltered market program to qualified business enterprises and State agencies to conduct general or pre-bid submission conferences or workshops to help potential bidders understand the bidding process for the sheltered market program. State agencies will also be required to offer each bidder to a contract designated for the sheltered market program the option to debrief on the process following the award of the contract and conclusion of any challenges to contract awards after the expiration of the time period for challenges to be filed. This bill will require each State agency to submit an annual report to the chief on the implementation of the sheltered market program, including: (1) the number and dollar value of contracts awarded to qualified business enterprises under the sheltered market program; (2) the total number, the percentage, the total dollar value, and the percentage dollar value of contracts awarded by State agencies to qualified business enterprises eligible for participation in the sheltered market program; (3) recommendations for continuing, modifying, or terminating the sheltered market program; and (4) a description of efforts undertaken to increase contracting with qualified business enterprises. The bill provides that a State contract will not be awarded under the sheltered market program for a term to exceed three years, and that each contract will include termination for cause and termination for convenience clauses, consistent with the State agency's standard terms and conditions. Finally, the bill requires that prime contractors awarded contracts under the terms of the bill make a good faith effort to offer subcontracting opportunities to qualified business enterprises. The bill provides that failure on the part of a contractor to demonstrate a good faith effort may be cause for the rejection of bids made by that contractor. In determining whether a good faith effort has been made, the State agency and the chief will consider whether the contractor has advertised the opportunity to qualified business enterprises and (1) whether qualified business enterprises exhibited interest in working with the prime contractor on a particular project by attending, or having attended, a pre-bid conference, if any, scheduled by the State agency awarding the contract; and (2) whether qualified business enterprises, which have been solicited by the contractor, have responded in a timely fashion to the contractor's request to engage qualified business enterprises prior to the State agency's bid date. The chief and the State agency will also consider whether the contractor provided timely written notification of subcontracting opportunities to qualified business enterprises that appear in the State's central certification registry and whether the contractor can reasonably structure the amount of work to be performed under subcontracts to increase the likelihood of participation by qualified business enterprises. | In Committee |
| S3505 | Modifies title and role of Chief Diversity Officer; establishes New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities. | This bill modifies the title and role of the Chief Diversity Officer and establishes the New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities. Under current law, the Chief Diversity Officer monitors the State's public contracting process for the purpose of compiling information on the awarding of contracts to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, the total value of all contracts, and the percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises. This bill changes the title of Chief Diversity Officer to Chief Equity Officer and requires the Chief Equity Officer to monitor and publicly report the State's public contracting process for the purpose of compiling information on the awarding of contracts to small and diverse business enterprises, and to monitor the total value of all contracts and the percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to all small and diverse business enterprises. Each State agency will be required to submit the necessary data and information to the Chief Equity Officer. The Chief Equity Officer will be required to report directly to the State Treasurer. This bill also establishes the New Jersey Office of Supplier Diversity and Business Opportunities in the Department of the Treasury. The office will be under the immediate supervision of the Chief Equity Officer, who can, within the limits of funds appropriated by the Legislature, hire and employ staff. The office must: (1) support the Chief Equity Officer in achieving their mission; (2) review existing State procurement policies and practices; (3) expand outreach to, and develop capacity-building opportunities for, small and diverse business enterprises; (4) process and manage business certifications for minority businesses, female businesses, economically disadvantaged businesses, socially disadvantaged businesses, and disabled veterans' businesses; (5) monitor the awarding of contracts to small and diverse business enterprises, and measure progress towards lawfully established and implemented contracting and subcontracting programs; (6) provide ongoing and relevant training to State agencies to assist with the State's public procurement process; and (7) evaluate the feasibility of establishing a cloud-based data management system for all State agencies to utilize for awarding and providing payments for State contracts. Each State agency will be required to develop, and submit to the office within not less than 180 calendar days prior to the end of each State fiscal year, a plan for the following fiscal year to comply with the certification programs for small and diverse business enterprises. The office will analyze these plans and provide feedback and guidance to the State agencies as may be necessary. | In Committee |
| S3207 | Revises process for certain medical schools to receive authorization to operate clinical clerkship programs in New Jersey. | This bill revises the requirements for certain medical schools located outside of the United States to operate clinical clerkship programs in New Jersey by amending P.L.2003, c.133. Under current law, unless a medical school is already considered an alternatively accredited medical school, a medical school located outside of the United States can only apply for the authorization to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State if the medical school: (1) is in a country that applies certain accreditation standards, which have been determined by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFME) within the United States Department of Education to be comparable to the accreditation standards applied to medical schools located within the United States; and (2) that continues to meet the accreditation standards of that country. Any medical school that satisfies this criteria and is approved by the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey to operate a clinical clerkship program in this State is deemed to be an "alternatively accredited medical school." This bill amends these requirements and permits certain medical schools located outside of the United States that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) as having accreditation standards comparable to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), to apply for the authorization to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State. The bill revises the requirements for an alternatively accredited medical school to increase the number of students participating in clinical clerkships or to increase the number of programs operated by the school. The bill establishes the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey and Advisory Committee on Alternatively Accredited Medical School Clinical Clerkships within the Department of Health. Under current law, these entities were established under the Commission of Higher Education. The bill requires the council to promulgate and maintain a Code of Ethics. The bill revises the reporting requirements provided under current law to require the council to annually submit a report to the Governor and the Senate and General Assembly Health Committees of the New Jersey Legislature on the council's activities, which report will include information on: (1) the number of institutions that applied, and received approval, to operate a clinical clerkship program in a hospital in the State, by the hospital's status as a nonprofit, for-profit, or public hospital and by the jurisdiction in which the institution is located; and (2) the number of students who applied for, and were accepted to, clinical clerkships in this State, by institution, race, ethnicity, gender and age. It is the sponsor's intent that this bill will broaden the pool of medical schools that might be eligible to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State, by accepting and considering the applications of medical schools that have been accredited by standards that have been recognized by either the NCFME or the WFME. It is the sponsor's belief that this bill might increase the number of clinical clerkship opportunities in the State and the number of medical school students who complete their medical school training in New Jersey, which would increase the likelihood that a student will continue to pursue residency and employment opportunities in New Jersey and thereby increase the supply of physicians in the State. | In Committee |
| S3459 | Establishes Task Force on Aging in State of New Jersey in DOH. | This bill establishes the 17-member Task Force on Aging in New Jersey in the Department of Health. The task force is study the State resources available for older residents of the State and to identify, prioritize, make recommendation on ways to improve the services needed to support an aging population so that individuals may grow old with dignity and independence. The task force is to consist of the following members: the Commissioners of Health and Human Services, the Public Guardian, and the New Jersey Long Term Care Ombudsman, or their designees, who are to serve ex-officio; four public members appointed by the Governor, two to be appointed on recommendation of the Senate President and two to be appointed on recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, who represent organizations that advocate for the aging community or provide programs or services to senior citizens; and nine public members, including, representatives of various organizations that advocate for older adults, a health care provider specializing in geriatric services, a family caregiver, an individual 65 years of age or older who lives in a long-term care facility, and an individual who is 65 years of age or older living at home. The duties of the task force are to: (1) review all policies, procedures, programs, and practices relating to the provision of services to the older residents of New Jersey by State, county, and municipal agencies and for community-based organizations; (2) study, analyze, and monitor information and data collected by State agencies and community-based organization relating to the aging processes and the needs of the older residents of New Jersey; (3) examine State activities, processes, and strategies that support family caregivers of older adults; (4) evaluate State policies and procedures that support quality of care in long-term care facilities; (5) establish an educational program to inform senior citizens about consumer rights, social isolation and loneliness, elder abuse, elder theft and scams, the availability of affordable, quality housing options, transportation services, and other issues that affect the quality of life of older New Jerseyans; and (6) ensure all State policies relating to aging are inclusive of race, gender, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and other characteristics that reflect the State's population. Under the bill's provisions, the task force is also to issue a report of its recommendations to the Governor and Legislature no later than 18 months after the organization of the task force and biannually, with any new or updated recommendations. | In Committee |
| S2181 | Eliminates requirement for State residency of public school employees for period of three years. | Eliminates requirement for State residency of public school employees for period of three years. | Crossed Over |
| S1311 | Codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training. | Codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training. | In Committee |
| S2210 | Requires racial and gender diversity in membership to be considered for appointments to certain boards and commissions established by statute. | This bill provides that, when the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, or any other person is authorized by law to appoint a member to a board, commission, task force, or any other multi-member body or entity established by law, the Governor, President, Speaker, or other authorized person, as appropriate, must make the goal of attaining a membership for such a board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State a primary consideration when selecting a person for appointment on or after the effective date of the bill. The goal of attaining a membership that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State will be a primary consideration by the appointing authority unless that consideration conflicts with the particular circumstances of the appointment to be made or conflicts with the requirements of the statute that established the board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity. | In Committee |
| S2005 | Permits spouses and dependents of military service members to qualify for in-State tuition in event that service member is transferred to another state. | Under current law, United States military personnel and their dependents who are living in New Jersey and are attending public institutions of higher education in New Jersey are regarded as residents of the State for the purpose of determining tuition. This bill amends that law to provide that:? the in-State tuition classification also applies to the military service member's spouse; and? in the event that the military service member is relocated out of the State due to the service member's continued military service, the service member's spouse or dependent will not lose their in-State tuition classification provided that: (1) the spouse or dependent was enrolled in a public institution of higher education in New Jersey prior to the service member's relocation; and (2) the spouse or dependent maintains continuous enrollment at the public institution of higher education. | In Committee |
| S3251 | Establishes "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act." | This bill establishes the "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act." The bill establishes in the Department of Human Services (department) a Migrant and Refugee Resource Coordination Program. The purpose of this program will be to connect migrants and refugees with information and resources regarding public assistance programs for which they are eligible. The department will ensure that the information provided under the program will include, but not be limited to, information on: housing, healthcare, educational opportunities, job training, and legal services. The department will collaborate with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to facilitate access to these resources. Under the bill. the department will develop and implement an outreach campaign to inform migrants and refugees about the program. The outreach campaign will utilize multiple languages and media platforms to ensure widespread dissemination of information about the program. The department will submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature, which report will: (1) detail the effectiveness of the program, including the number of migrants and refugees served and the types of assistance provided; and (2) include any recommendations for improvements to the program. | In Committee |
| SCR98 | Reconstitutes the "Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity." | This concurrent resolution reconstitutes the "Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity," which was created by the 216th Legislature and reconstituted in the 218th, 219th, and 220th Legislatures. The concurrent resolution provides that the joint committee is authorized, empowered, and directed to conduct a continuing study of issues concerning economic justice and equal employment opportunity in this State. The joint committee, in its endeavor to study these issues, shall meet and hold hearings at places, throughout the State, as it shall designate during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature. | In Committee |
| SJR67 | Designates month of May of each year as "Children's Mental Health and Trauma Awareness Month." | This joint resolution designates the month of May as "Children's Mental Health and Trauma Awareness Month" in New Jersey to raise public awareness of mental health, adverse childhood experiences (ACES), and mental illness in children. Mental illness can adversely affect children in many ways, including increasing the likelihood of a child being suspended from school, abusing drugs or alcohol, or ending up in the juvenile justice system. ACEs, which are traumatic experiences that occur during childhood, can cause toxic stress, impacting the development of a child's fundamental brain architecture and stress response systems, and place children who undergo multiple ACEs at a higher risk of suffering from depression, alcohol and substance use disorders, suicidal tendencies, early death, and becoming victims or perpetrators of sexual violence. Many children with mental health disorders who undergo multiple ACEs do not receive treatment for their illnesses due to poor understanding of mental illness, toxic stress, stigma, and an insufficient number of pediatric mental health professionals in the United States and New Jersey which reduces of access to available treatment options. The resolution intends to promote awareness of pediatric mental illness and ACEs, in hopes of improving the lives of children who have emotional disturbances, other mental health disorders, or faced trauma and adversity throughout their lives. | Crossed Over |
| ACR105 | Reconstitutes the "Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity." | Reconstitutes "Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity." | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1299 | Requires person with an alcoholic beverage license to carry alcoholic beverage liability insurance under certain circumstances. | Requires person with an alcoholic beverage license to carry alcoholic beverage liability insurance under certain circumstances. | In Committee |
| S691 | Concerns licensure of persons rendering barbering services in another state or foreign country. | Concerns licensure of persons rendering barbering services in another state or foreign country. | In Committee |
| S1324 | Establishes "Remote Methadone Dosing Pilot Program;" appropriates $225,000. | This bill establishes the Remote Methadone Dosing Pilot Program in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The goal of the program will be: to increase the compliance of, and reduce the costs of providing, medication assisted treatment provided by participating opioid treatment programs (OTP) through the use of remote methadone dosing; to evaluate the effect remote methadone dosing has on patient outcomes and cost-savings in the treatment of opioid use disorder; and to develop any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action concerning whether remote methadone dosing should be implemented in opioid treatment programs in this State. The bill defines "remote methadone dosing" to mean the use of telehealth and telemedicine to remotely monitor a patient's methadone-based treatment, which treatment is administered in the form of take-home doses of methadone. Under this bill, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the DHS will select one OTP each from the cities of Atlantic City, Camden, and Paterson to participate in the program. In accordance with applicable federal and State laws and when clinically appropriate, each OTP participating in the pilot program will be authorized to utilize remote methadone dosing to treat a patient who is receiving methadone-based treatment and is eligible to receive take-home doses of methadone. In treating patients using remote methadone dosing, participating OTPs will utilize a provider of an online-enabled technology application, service, website, or system that facilitates remote methadone dosing approved by the department. Under no circumstances will the State or an opioid treatment program require that a patient participate in the pilot program. Each participating OTP will be required to annually report to the department information on patient outcomes and cost-savings as a result of the pilot program, including information on: the number of patients treated using remote methadone dosing; treatment compliance; the average time each patient spends being treated using remote methadone dosing; patient retention; any realized reduction in medical transportation costs; and any other information the department deems relevant in evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program. The bill requires DHS, no later than four years after the date the program is established, to prepare and submit to the Governor and Legislature a report that includes: an analysis on the impact of the pilot program on patient outcomes and cost-savings using the information received from participating OTPs; any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action concerning the potential expansion of remote methadone dosing in OTPs in this State; and any other information the department deems relevant in evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program The bill is appropriates $225,000 from the General Fund to the DHS. The department will then issue a grant in the amount of $75,000 to each participating OTP to effectuate the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| S349 | Concerns motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances. | An Act concerning motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances and amending P.L.2021, c.194. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1313 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | An Act concerning the certification of businesses owned by LGBTQ+ persons and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3050 | Revises requirements and process for temporary courtesy licenses and certificates issued by State Board of Examiners, NJ Board of Nursing, and other professional and occupational licensing boards to nonresident military spouses. | This bill revises the requirements and process for the issuance of temporary courtesy licenses and certificates to nonresident military spouses. Current law, P.L.2013, c.68 (C.18A:26-2.14), provides a process for an individual who is licensed to teach in another state and is married to an active duty member of the military, who has been transferred to New Jersey, to obtain a temporary instructional certificate to be employed as a teacher in New Jersey on a temporary basis while completing any additional requirements for a New Jersey instructional certificate. The temporary instructional certificate is valid for 180 days and may be extended by the State Board of Examiners for another 180 days. This bill amends current law to provide that the temporary instructional certificate will be valid for 365 days and will be extended by the State board for another four years if the holder demonstrates progress towards obtaining a standard instructional certificate in a time and manner as determined by the board. The bill also provides that the applicant need only pay a criminal history record check fee. The bill supplements existing law to require the Department of Education to establish procedures to expedite the processing of an application submitted by a nonresident military spouse for a New Jersey instructional certificate. Also under current law, the New Jersey Board of Nursing may grant a temporary courtesy license to a nonresident military spouse only if the applicant holds a current license to practice nursing in another jurisdiction which the board determines has licensure requirements to practice nursing that are equivalent to those adopted by the board. This bill removes the provision that the board is required to determine whether the out-of-State license held by the applicant has requirements equivalent to those adopted by the board. The bill also clarifies that the board may only charge fees related to conducting a criminal history record check. Additionally, the bill requires the board to establish an expedited licensing process for the issuance of temporary courtesy licenses to nonresident military spouses. This bill clarifies that a professional or occupational board may only charge fees related to conducting a criminal history record check to nonresident military spouses. The bill would also require each board to extend indefinitely temporary courtesy licenses to nonresident military spouses so long as the applicant's spouse is stationed in New Jersey. Additionally, the bill requires each board to establish an expedited licensing process for the issuance of temporary courtesy licenses to nonresident military spouses. | In Committee |
| A2296 | Permits municipality to authorize municipal clerk to submit certain written statements concerning affordable housing. | An Act concerning affordable housing administration, including municipal approval of certain affordable housing projects, supplementing and amending P.L.1985, c.222, and amending P.L.1983, c.530. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4 | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | An Act concerning affordable housing, including administration and municipal obligations, amending, supplementing, and repealing various parts of the statutory law, and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A1495 | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | An Act exempting receipts from the sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from taxation under the sales and use tax, and amending P.L.1980, c.105. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A2267 | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | An Act concerning an insurance fund for certain for-profit affordable housing entities, supplementing Title 55 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1422 | Allows taxpayers to utilize alternative method of depreciation of certain expenditures in connection with construction of new affordable housing developments. | An Act allowing taxpayers to utilize alternative method of depreciation for certain expenditures under corporation business and gross income taxes, supplementing P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-1 et seq.) and Title 54A of the New Jersey Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1484 | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | In Committee |
| S1415 | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | In Committee |
| S50 | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | In Committee |
| S2309 | Permits municipality to authorize municipal clerk to submit certain written statements concerning affordable housing. | This bill permits the governing body of a municipality to delegate to its municipal clerk, by ordinance, the authority to provide, on the governing body's behalf, a written statement in support of one or more affordable housing programs or projects, or reciting the need for one or more affordable housing programs or projects, in the municipality, in order to satisfy any other provision of statute or regulation, including but not limited to subsection a. of section 20 of P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-320) and section 6 of P.L.1983, c.530 (C.55:14K-6), provided that the proposed affordable housing program or project conforms to the provisions of an approved municipal fair share plan and housing element. The bill also enables affordable housing programs and projects in a municipality to: (1) receive funding from the State Affordable Housing Trust Fund by submitting a written statement in support of the program from the municipal clerk, instead of having to submit a written statement in support of the program or project from the municipal governing body; and (2) be processed by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) by submitting a written statement from the municipal clerk stating that there is a need for such a housing project in the municipality, instead of requiring a resolution stating such a need by the governing body of the municipality. Finally, the bill would make technical changes and would take effect immediately. | In Committee |
| SR82 | Urges United States Congress to renew funding for Affordable Connectivity Program. | This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to renew funding for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Millions of Americans are without access to broadband Internet services. As a result, these individuals struggle to improve social outcomes through education, achieve upward economic mobility, gain digital literacy skills, and receive quality healthcare. In 2021, to close the digital divide, the FCC launched the ACP, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. In addition, the program offers a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers, under specific circumstances, for eligible households. Currently, over 20 million households receive broadband benefits through the ACP. In New Jersey, as of January 2024, 335,079 households are enrolled in the program. Specifically, New Jersey has received nearly $152 million in ACP funding, resulting in $8.3 million per month in collective cost savings on broadband Internet services for all New Jersey households enrolled in the program. However, the ACP is slated to expire in April 2024 when the program is scheduled to exhaust its $14.2 billion budget. To improve broadband access for millions of Americans, and thereby advance social, economic, and health outcomes for the underserved, Congress is respectfully urged to renew funding for the ACP. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2865 | Establishes "The Voter Convenience Act" to allow voters to vote at any polling place in their municipality on election day. | Establishes "The Voter Convenience Act" to allow voters to vote at any polling place in their municipality on election day. | In Committee |
| S2168 | Provides tuition fee waiver apprenticeship courses. | This bill requires public institutions of higher education to waive the tuition fees of certain courses which are qualified to serve as the classroom training or education component of a registered apprenticeship for eligible persons whose gross aggregate household income is below the State's median annual income. Under the bill, an eligible person is an individual whose gross aggregate household income at the time of admission to a New Jersey public institution of higher education or county vocational school is below the State household median income as determined by the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey. The person is to be deemed eligible for a tuition fee waiver if: 1. tuition costs are not covered by the employer through employment benefits; 2. the person completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year and has exhausted all financial aid assistance; and 3. the person retains employment as an active registered apprentice under the registered apprenticeship program and maintains satisfactory academic progress to qualify for renewal of the tuition waiver. The bill requires the State to reimburse public institutions of higher education and county vocational schools for the cost of the tuition waivers. | In Committee |
| S1423 | Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain ambulance transportation services. | This bill establishes a minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate of $200 for basic life support emergency ambulance transportation services, an increase of $142 from the State's existing rate of $58 per transport. In doing so, the sponsor aims to ensure that emergency ambulance transportation providers, which deliver integral medical services for those with unplanned urgent and life-threatening health conditions, are given the financial support necessary to serve the community. Currently, New Jersey has the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rate for basic life support emergency ambulance transportation services in the region. Surrounding states' rates range from $65.27 in Delaware to $293.90 in Connecticut. Moreover, pending legislation in Pennsylvania would increase that state's rate to $325 per transport, which would be the highest rate in the region. | In Committee |
| SCR43 | Proposes constitutional amendment to make State trustee of public natural resources and guarantee to the people other environmental rights. | Proposes constitutional amendment to make State trustee of public natural resources and guarantee to the people other environmental rights. | In Committee |
| SR81 | Urges amendment of Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement to create definition for oral health care products. | This resolution urges the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board to amend the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, also known as SSUTA, to create a new definition for oral healthcare products. Dental hygiene is critical to an individual's overall health and well-being. Studies have consistently shown that those with poor oral health are at risk for a number of serious health issues, such as heart disease, cancer, dementia, kidney failure, pneumonia, and diabetes. The use of oral healthcare products, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss, offer critical protection against diseases that can pose serious harm to one's health. Residents of the State are currently required to pay sales tax on purchases of certain oral healthcare products at a rate of 6.625 percent. The imposition of a tax on these products is done in conformance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) which New Jersey entered in 2005. The SSUTA is a multistate agreement that allows businesses operating in numerous states to more easily comply with the sales and use taxes imposed by member states. One of the ways in which the SSUTA simplifies the administration of sales and use tax laws is by requiring member states to adopt common definitions for the products that are subject to tax, thereby providing greater uniformity among member states' tax bases. Member states are permitted to exempt products from their respective sales and use tax provided that those exemptions are made in accordance with the product definitions contained within the SSUTA. Accordingly, as a member of the SSUTA, the State of New Jersey is restrained from providing a sales and use tax exemption exclusively for oral healthcare products without an amendment first being made to the agreement by the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board. This resolution urges the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board to amend the definition of the term "grooming and hygiene product" under the SSUTA to remove oral healthcare products. The resolution further urges the board to amend the agreement to create a new product definition for "oral healthcare products," including toothbrushes, toothpaste, tooth powders, mouthwash, dental floss, and other similar products, to allow member states the ability to provide tax exemptions for the sale of these products, thereby ensuring greater affordability and access to these critical items. | In Committee |
| S1390 | Requires carriers to pass prescription drug savings to consumers. | This bill requires carriers to pass prescription drug savings on to consumers. The bill provides that all compensation paid by a pharmaceutical manufacturer to a pharmaceutical benefits manager as a result of negotiations of a reduced price for a pharmaceutical between a pharmacy benefits manager and a manufacturer, in relation to a contract between a pharmacy benefits manager and a carrier related to its insured prescription drug benefits, would be remitted to and retained by the carrier. Thereafter, the carrier would be required to use these amounts to lower the premium for covered persons under the carrier's health benefits plan or to allow for remittance directly to the covered person's at the point of sale to reduce the insured's out of pocket costs. In addition, the bill requires each carrier to annually file a report, with the commissioner, demonstrating how the carrier has complied with the provisions of the bill. The provisions of the bill are to apply to plans issued or renewed on or after January 1 of the calendar year after the date of enactment. Under the bill, "compensation" is defined as any direct or indirect financial benefit, but excludes any compensation paid by a manufacturer, developer, or labeler for the performance of services. | Dead |
| S1294 | Requires DHS to conduct public outreach regarding noncitizen SNAP participation. | This bill requires the Department of Human Services to engage in comprehensive outreach efforts to ensure that all noncitizens are made aware of how participation in the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) affects whether a noncitizen applying for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible to the United States, pursuant to the federal "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds" rule (84 FR 41292) also known as the "public charge rule." The bill would require the department to work in consultation and cooperation with noncitizen advocacy organizations in performing this outreach. The recent expansion to the federal "Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds" rule has casted uncertainty and confusion within the noncitizen community, as to whether participation in a noncash government benefits program such as SNAP affects whether a noncitizen applying for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible to the United States. As a result, many noncitizen families are hesitant to apply to SNAP, even if those noncitizens are eligible for SNAP and exempt from the "public charge rule." Non-citizens exempt from the "public charge rule" include refugees, asylees, Afghans and Iraqis with special immigrant visas, certain nonimmigrant trafficking and crime victims, individuals applying under the federal "Violence Against Women Act," special immigrant juveniles, and those to whom the United States Department of Homeland Security has granted a waiver of public charge inadmissibility. In order to maximize participation in SNAP, this bill helps ensure that noncitizens are fully aware of how participation in the program may or may not affect inadmissibility into the United States, pursuant to 84 FR 41292. | In Committee |
| S2811 | Revises requirements for certain medical schools to operate clinical clerkship programs in New Jersey. | This bill revises the requirements for certain medical schools located outside of the United States to operate clinical clerkship programs in New Jersey by amending P.L.2003, c.133. Under current law, unless a medical school is already considered an alternatively accredited medical school, a medical school located outside of the United States can only apply for the authorization to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State if the medical school: (1) is in a country that applies certain accreditation standards, which have been determined by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFME) within the United States Department of Education to be comparable to the accreditation standards applied to medical schools located within the United States; and (2) that continues to meet the accreditation standards of that country. Any medical school that satisfies this criteria and is approved by the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey to operate a clinical clerkship program in this State is deemed to be an "alternatively accredited medical school." This bill amends these requirements and permits certain medical schools located outside of the United States that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) as having accreditation standards comparable to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), to apply for the authorization to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State. The bill revises the requirements for an alternatively accredited medical school to increase the number of students participating in clinical clerkships or to increase the number of programs operated by the school. The bill establishes the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey and Advisory Committee on Alternatively Accredited Medical School Clinical Clerkships within the Department of Health. Under current law, these entities were established under the Commission of Higher Education. The bill requires Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Advisory Graduate Medical Education Council of New Jersey, to adopt regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. It is the sponsor's intent that this bill will broaden the pool of medical schools that might be eligible to operate a clinical clerkship program in the State, by accepting and considering the applications of medical schools that have been accredited by standards that have been recognized by either the NCFME or the WFME. It is the sponsor's belief that this bill might increase the number of clinical clerkship opportunities in the State and the number of medical school students who complete their medical school training in New Jersey, which would increase the likelihood that a student will continue to pursue residency and employment opportunities in New Jersey and thereby increase the supply of physicians in the State. | In Committee |
| S972 | Establishes matching grant program in DCA to support community-based nonprofit organizations that provide shelter services during Code Blue alerts. | This bill establishes the Code Blue Shelter Matching Grant Program in the Department of Community Affairs (department) to provide matching grants to nonprofit community-based nonprofit organizations that provide shelter services during Code Blue alerts. To be eligible for a matching grant award a community-based nonprofit organization is required to submit an application to the Commissioner of Community Affairs (commissioner), in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the commissioner. A grant application is required to relate to an underlying grant from a county or municipality received by the community-based nonprofit organization not more than 12 months prior to the date of application, and include information determined necessary by the commissioner, and at a minimum include information related to: (1) the identity, finances, and operations of the community based organization; (2) the amount and distribution date of the grant to the community based organization; and (3) plans for the proposed uses for the grant and the matching grant. The department is required to award matching grants based on review and analytical criteria adopted by the department. The department is further required to award matching grants to community-based nonprofit organizations in the order in which qualifying applications are received. The department is required to maintain a record of underlying grants provided by each county and municipality, and is prohibited from providing a matching grant for an application if an award of the amount requested would result in the department awarding matching grants in an amount exceeding $50,000, in that calendar year, for applications related to underlying grants provided by a particular county or municipality. The bill also authorizes the department to require a community-based nonprofit organization to verify award or receipt of an underlying grant from a county or municipality in an amount equal to the requested matching grant amount. The bill also specifically prohibits the department from establishing or enforcing a cap on the total number of matching grants or the total amount that any individual community-based nonprofit organization may receive from the department as matching grants. Under the bill, the commissioner is required to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature on the effectiveness of the matching grant program in addressing the needs of individual communities, homeless persons, and at-risk persons, and any recommendations concerning continuing or expanding the matching grant program. | In Committee |
| S325 | Requires NJT rail stations and bus and rail terminals to display historical information about area in or around stations and terminals. | This bill requires all New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) rail stations and bus and rail terminals to display historical information about the area in or around the stations and terminals. The bill requires the NJT to identify a series of New Jersey historic sites and memorials, as that term is defined in the bill, located within or around its rail stations and bus and rail terminals. The NJT is then to design, purchase, erect, and maintain a historic marker describing the persons, places, and events commemorated and having other suitable inscription as the NJT may deem necessary. The bill requires the New Jersey historic sites and memorials to be inclusive of all eras and diverse cultural aspects of New Jersey's history, as well as be geographically representative of the entire State. The bill allows the NJT to seek the assistance and cooperation of local government officials and entities, owners, or operators of historic sites and memorials in the State, or entities that identify and compile data on historical sites and memorials to facilitate the goal of this bill. | In Committee |
| S1237 | Requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their name and telephone number on any caller identification service. | Requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their name and telephone number on any caller identification service. | Crossed Over |
| S2651 | Regulates smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. | This bill amends the "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act" (act) with respect to smoking in casinos and casino simulcasting facilities. Under the bill, the act's prohibition on smoking is not to apply to the area within the perimeter of any casino simulcasting facility approved by the Casino Control Commission pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1992, c.19 (C.5:12-194) and any casino approved by the Casino Control Commission pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-6), provided that: (1) smoking is to be permitted in not more than 25 percent of the area of any casino floor and casino simulcasting facility; (2) smoking is to only be permitted in areas of the casino floor and casino simulcasting facility designated by signage by the operators for smoking; (3) smoking is to only be permitted under the following circumstances: in unenclosed interior designated smoking areas which contain slot machines or other electronic games, but is not to include areas of the casino floor and casino simulcasting facility that are fifteen feet or less from any casino pits offering table games with live dealers; and in enclosed interior designated smoking areas equipped with a ventilation system that is separately exhausted from other interior areas of the casino, casino simulcasting facility, and hotel facility, as applicable, so that air from the smoking area is not recirculated or backstreamed into interior areas that are not interior designated smoking areas; (4) all enclosed interior designated smoking areas are to be separated from other interior areas of the casino, casino simulcasting facility, and hotel facility, as applicable, by solid walls or windows, a ceiling, and a solid door; and (5) no stationary employee is to be assigned to work in an enclosed interior designated smoking area unless the employee voluntarily chooses to work in the designated enclosed interior smoking area. | In Committee |
| S2367 | Extends validity of and eliminates issuance fee for temporary instructional certificate issued to military spouse; requires expedited processing of military spouse application for NJ instructional certificate and eliminates fee to obtain certificate. | This bill provides that a temporary instructional certificate for a nonresident military spouse is to be valid for 365 days, with an option for an extension by the State Board of Examiners for an additional 365 days. The bill also prohibits the State board from charging a nonresident military spouse a fee for the issuance of a temporary instructional certificate. The bill further requires the Department of Education to establish procedures to expedite the processing of an application submitted by a nonresident military spouse for a New Jersey instructional certificate. The department and the State Board of Examiners are prohibited from requiring a nonresident military spouse to pay a fee for the issuance of the instructional certificate. | In Committee |
| S991 | Establishes permanent unit in Office of Emergency Management to address access and functional needs of residents related to disasters and emergencies. | This bill requires the State Office of Emergency Management to establish a permanent unit in the office to serve the needs of State residents with access and functional needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on residents of New Jersey with disabilities, older adults, and other at-risk groups, many of whom are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, as well as the consequences of other types of disasters and emergencies. In 2018, the CDC estimated that 24.6% of New Jersey adult residents had a disability, which is a sizeable portion of the State's population. The economic impact on people with disabilities and their families, as well as the burden on individual health as a result of the pandemic, are an existential threat to the disability community. Accordingly, it is in the public interest for the State to engage in comprehensive planning and coordination within the northern, central, and southern regions of the State to support residents with access and functional needs. | In Committee |
| S1392 | Establishes Office of Clean Energy Equity in BPU; directs establishment of certain clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs for overburdened communities; makes change to community solar program. | Establishes Office of Clean Energy Equity in BPU; directs establishment of certain clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs for overburdened communities; makes change to community solar program. | In Committee |
| S209 | Provides CBT tax credit for retrofit of existing warehouses with solar-ready zone once solar panels are installed. | This bill would incentivize the retrofitting of existing warehouses with solar-ready zones by providing a tax credit against the corporation business tax to compensate a taxpayer who retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone. The tax credit would be available once the taxpayer installs solar panels on the warehouse. The bill defines "warehouse" as a building, room, structure, or facility of at least 100,000 square feet used primarily for the storage of goods intended for sale. The bill defines "solar-ready zone" as a section of a roof or building overhang designated and reserved for the future installation of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system, which is at least 40 percent of the roof area calculated as the horizontally projected areas minus the area covered by skylights, occupied roof decks, vegetative roof areas, and mandatory access or set back areas required by the State Uniform Construction Code, or as otherwise provided in the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, Appendix CA, and any successor model code, concerning solar-ready zones. The amount of the tax credit provided by the bill may not exceed the lesser of (1) fifty percent of the cost incurred to retrofit an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone, or (2) $250,000. A taxpayer may claim the credit authorized under the bill for the cost of retrofitting an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone for up to eight existing warehouses owned or operated by the same taxpayer in a single privilege period. The bill would require a taxpayer that retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone to demonstrate to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury (director) that solar panels have been installed on the warehouse prior to receiving the tax credit provided in the bill. The bill would also limit the cumulative total of tax credits awarded pursuant to the bill to $25 million. The director would be required to certify taxpayers as eligible to receive the tax credit provided in the bill. A taxpayer that retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone would be eligible to receive the tax credit if: (1) the warehouse meets the size criteria required pursuant to the bill; (2) the warehouse has been retrofitted with a solar-ready zone; and (3) solar panels have been installed on the warehouse's solar-ready zone. The director may require the submission of any information the director deems necessary to award a tax credit pursuant to the bill. Finally, the bill would require the director, in consultation with the Department of Community Affairs, to adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the bill's provisions. | In Committee |
| S1493 | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | In Committee |
| S2336 | Concerns hospitality franchise agreements. | This bill creates provisions regarding hospitality franchises in the State of New Jersey, supplementing P.L.1971, c.356, the "Franchise Practices Act" (C.56:10-1 et seq.). These provisions apply to hospitality franchises where the franchisee is required to maintain a place of business within the State, or where the franchise owner, partner, member, investor, or guarantor is a resident of New Jersey and where over 20 percent of the franchisee's gross sales are derived from their New Jersey franchise. The bill also ensures that franchises, as defined in 16 CFR 436 and 437, if they are hospitality franchises, will be considered "merchandise" under the consumer fraud act, P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.). The bill defines "hospitality franchise" as a written arrangement for a definite or indefinite period, in which a person grants to another person a license to use a trade name, trade mark, service mark, or related characteristic, and in which there is a community of interest in the marketing of goods or services at wholesale, retail, by lease, agreement, or otherwise, where the goods include any hotel, motel, inn, tourist camp, tourist cabin, tourist home, rooming house or similar establishment where sleeping accommodations are supplied for pay to transient or permanent guests. The bill contains a list of hospitality franchisor activities that will be considered a violation of the "Franchise Practices Act" (C.56:10-1 et seq.). The bill makes it a violation for a hospitality franchisor to impose a restriction on the owner, officers, or employees of a franchise that limits their employment, ownership, or participation in any business activity for more than six months following their termination, cancellation, or non-renewal at the franchise in a county other than that in which the franchise was located. The bill makes it a violation for a hospitality franchisor to require a franchisee to relocate or make any capital investment in excess of $25,000 more than once every five years, unless the franchisor can demonstrate that the franchisee will be able to recover the value of the investment over the remaining term of the franchise. The bill prohibits franchisors from receiving kickbacks, rebates, or other consideration from vendors that franchisees must patronize, unless the benefit is first disclosed to the franchisee and unless the benefit is turned over to the franchisee. The bill ensures that if the franchisee gives the hospitality franchisor a general release of claims upon renewal or transfer of the franchise, then the franchisee will receive a reciprocal release from the franchisor. The bill makes it a violation for the hospitality franchisor to require a franchisee to purchase goods or services from suppliers designated by the franchisor if goods or services meeting the franchisor's reasonable specifications and standards are available from other sources. The bill also calls for the franchisor to license a third-party supplier to use its trademarks for franchisee supplies in the case of supplies that carry the mark. The bill ensures that the hospitality franchisor will not compete with the franchisee in an exclusive or protected territory under a different name or mark. The bill prohibits the practice of unilaterally changing the material terms of the franchise agreement by implementing changes in the operations manual. This provision makes it clear that the hospitality franchisor may not materially change the contract with the franchisee by altering the manual. The bill prohibits the franchisor from imposing any new fees on the franchisee unless the fees were disclosed in a franchise disclosure document. The bill makes it a violation for a hospitality franchisor to impose a fee or charge on the franchisee as the result of a guest's published criticism of the franchisee, a franchisor's resolution of complaints related to the franchisee, or the franchisee's failure to enroll a minimum number of guests. The bill prohibits a hospitality franchisor from selling points in a loyalty program to guests to use at a franchisee's facility without compensating the franchisee for lost revenue. The bill would restrict the hospitality franchisor's ability to deny a franchisee access to necessary franchisor programs, including but not limited to property management systems, online listings, phone sales or use of approved marks. The bill prohibits a hospitality franchisor from imposing fees based on a franchisee's alleged failure to perform, including but not limited to re-inspection fees, inspection failure fees, loyalty sign-up fees, loyalty program fees, and others. Finally, the bill specifies that a violation of any of these provisions, or any of the provisions of section 7 of P.L.1971, c.356 (C.56:10-7), shall not constitute good cause for a franchisee's termination. | In Committee |
| S1603 | Establishes fringe benefit rate for State colleges and universities. | This bill directs the Division of Budget and Accounting, also known as the Office of Management and Budget, in the Department of the Treasury to establish a fringe benefit rate for public institutions of higher education that reflects the actual cost of employee fringe benefits. The separate fringe rate is to first apply in FY 2025. Currently, the fringe benefit rate used is not specific to employees at the State's public institutions of higher education, but to State employees in general. Many State employees are enrolled in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), while many of the employees employed by State public colleges and universities are enrolled in the less costly Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP) or are not enrolled in a retirement plan. This results in a difference between the actual cost of benefits and the amount paid to the State. | In Committee |
| S776 | Requires carriers to offer health care providers more than one method of payment for reimbursement. | This bill provides that any network agreement between a carrier, or the carrier's contracted vendor, and a health care provider for the provision of health or dental care services is prohibited from mandating only one form of payment to the health care provider. A carrier, or the carrier's vendor, is also prohibited from restricting the method of payment to an out-of-network health care provider providing out-of-network covered services to only one form of payment. The bill also requires a carrier, or the carrier's contracted vendor, to provide certain information to a health care provider, prior to initiating its first payment to the health care provider, where one of the available payment methods includes a fee and before changing the available payment methods. The bill prohibits a carrier from using a health care provider's preferred method of payment as a factor when deciding whether to provide credentials to a health care provider. | Dead |
| S1592 | Adopts State definition of Islamophobia for certain civil and criminal purposes. | This bill adopts the first-ever State definition of Islamophobia in New Jersey and in the nation. Attacks on persons who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim have grown significantly since September 11, 2001. From 2014 to 2019, there were 10,015 anti-Muslim bias incidents, which included 1,164 anti-Muslim hate crimes. This rise in Islamophobic sentiment is widely acknowledged by the American people, as a 2019 study by Pew found that most American adults (82%) say that Muslims are subject to at least some discrimination in the United States today. According to the FBI, approximately 19% of religion-based incidents from 2015-2019 were against Muslims, who make up only about 1% of the United States population. Furthermore, the United States Attorney General has commented that since September 11, 2001, the Justice Department has led more than 1,000 investigations into "anti-Muslim hatred" acts and bigoted behavior that have led to more than 45 prosecutions. According to a 2017 Pew Poll, while perceptions of religious groups improved overall in 2017, Muslims rated most negatively of all religious groups, scoring a 48 out of 100. New Jersey ranked among the top 10 states for anti-mosque incidents according to the ACLU, including multiple incidents against Muslim persons and Muslim institutions. This bill provides a State definition of Islamophobia modeled in part after the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which is composed of British Parliament Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Awareness of this definition of Islamophobia will increase understanding of the parameters of contemporary Islamophobia crime and discrimination. Under the bill, the definition of Islamophobia in the bill would not include any criticism of any Muslim-majority country similar to that leveled against any other country. The bill provides that in reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of any policy, law, or regulation prohibiting discriminatory acts under the civil or criminal laws of this State, a public official or law enforcement officer is required to take into consideration the definition of Islamophobia contained in this bill for the purposes of determining whether the alleged act was motivated by Islamophobia and discriminatory anti-Muslim intent. Nothing contained in this bill is to be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or paragraph 6 of Article I of the New Jersey State Constitution, and nothing in this bill is to be construed to conflict with local, State, or federal anti-discrimination laws or regulations. | In Committee |
| S995 | Establishes "Household Water Assistance Program"; appropriates $75 million. | This bill would require the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), to establish the "Household Water Assistance Program" (program). The purpose of the program would be to provide affordability assistance for water, sewer, and stormwater utility services, to eligible households throughout New Jersey. Under the bill, "eligible households" means a household regardless of the federal immigration status of the members of the household that: (1) has an income at or below an adjusted gross income to be determined by the department, which shall be equal to or greater than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines; (2) has individuals residing in the eligible household who are receiving the following: (a) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; (b) Supplemental Security Income payments under title XVI of the Social Security Act; (c) food stamps; (d) payments under section 415, 521, 541, or 542 of the title 38, United States Code, or under section 306 of the "Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act of 1978;" or (e) payments under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; (f) benefits under the Universal Service Fund; (g) benefits under the Lifeline Credit Program; (h) benefits under the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Program; (i) benefits under the Winter Termination Program; (j) benefits under the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program; or (k) benefits as defined under P.L.1997, c.14; or (3) can demonstrate either temporary or ongoing financial hardship according to the department. Additionally, the bill defines "water system" to include all of the following: (1) a public community water system, as that term is defined by section 3 of P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-3); (2) a stormwater utility established pursuant to P.L.2019, c.42 (C.40A:26B-1 et seq.); and (3) an authority, as defined in P.L.1983, c. 313 (C.40A:5A-3), municipal public utility, as defined in P.L.1960, c.169 (C.40A:1-1), or public utility, as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1983, c.78 (C.48:2-13.1), that provides sewer service. The bill provides that the program would provide the following types of financial assistance: (1) direct assistance; (2) assistance to renters and other households who do not receive a bill from a water system but pay other amounts, fees, or charges related to residential water system service; (3) water crisis intervention assistance; (4) water efficiency, leak detection, and plumbing repair measures for eligible households; and (5) debt relief for arrears, including arrears accrued prior to implementation of the program. The commissioner is required to coordinate the program with any existing assistance programs and in developing the program, the commissioner would consider adapting elements of one or more existing low-income energy assistance programs, including the Universal Service Fund and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The bill provides that in administering the program, the commissioner is required to consult and coordinate with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the Household Water Assistance Advisory Group to develop and publish performance metrics that are disaggregated by utility name, type of water service provided, municipality, and zip code, which include enrollment levels water shutoffs for inability to pay, and on-time payment levels. The bill would establish a "Household Water Assistance Advisory Group" to advise the commissioner in the development of the program. The advisory group would include representatives of each of the following entities, to be appointed by the Governor: a public community water system that is not a public utility; a public community water system that is a public utility; a stormwater utility once created; an authority or municipal public utility that provides sewer services; three representatives of non-governmental organizations; a member from the public that comes from an eligible household; at least one technical assistance provider, such as organizations that support the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or other low income utility assistance programs; at least one local agency or non-profit organization that manages multifamily housing serving low-income residents; at least one person with technical expertise in measuring the affordability of water services; at least one municipal official appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities; and at least one county official appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Counties The bill provides that the commissioner would be required to consult, coordinate, and collaborate with the advisory group on certain matters. The bill would also require the commissioner to annually adopt an expenditure plan for assistance to be provided under the program through the "Water Rate Assistance Fund" (fund) created pursuant to the bill. The fund would be a non-lapsing fund to contain monies appropriated annually by the Legislature, federal and other grants received by the State, and any other monies made available to fund the water affordability assistance required to be provided in the bill. The bill provides that no later than one year after the enactment of this bill, BPU would be required to establish a mechanism for public utilities that provide electric or natural gas services to regularly share data with the department regarding customers currently enrolled in low-income energy assistance programs. Additionally, the commissioner would be allowed to enter into agreements with municipal public utilities that provide electric or natural gas service, for the purposes of regularly sharing data with the department regarding utility customers enrolled in, or eligible to be enrolled in, affordability programs benefiting low-income households. The board and the commissioner would be required to ensure that the data shared and collected under the bill would be subject to existing confidentiality protections provided under State law. The bill would appropriate $75 million to the fund within the department for the purpose of administering the program from the funds provided to the State by the United States government under the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," Pub.L. 117-2. | In Committee |
| S1293 | Expands number of health care professions profiled under "New Jersey Health Care Consumer Information Act." | This bill amends the "New Jersey Health Care Consumer Information Act," P.L.2003, c.96 (C.45:9-22.21 et seq.) by requiring the Division of Consumer Affairs (division) to develop and maintain publicly-accessible profiles of all health care professionals licensed by the division. Currently, only physicians, podiatrists and optometrists have such profiles. This bill incorporates, as applicable, all health care professions into the current statute. The bill also expands the information collected for a profile on a health care professional to include: 1) restrictions placed on health care professionals in New Jersey-based or out-of-State facilities; 2) any Medicare or Medicaid exclusions; 3) any actions taken by federal regulators such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the Drug Enforcement Agency; and 4) any other information required pursuant to regulation from the division. The bill allows a professional licensing board to require a health care professional to submit any additional information it deems necessary to complete the profiles on the license renewal form submitted by the professional. The bill also requires the division to post the website it maintains for the License Verification System a notice that the License Verification System contains information intended to covey only the license status of a health care professional and advising the public that more extensive information on New Jersey-licensed health care professionals is available at the website maintained by the division under the requirements of the "New Jersey Health Care Consumer Information Act." The bill takes effect immediately but stipulates that sections 1 and 2 of the bill are to remain inoperative until two years after enactment. | In Committee |
| S1448 | Prohibits leaving loaded firearm within easy access of minor under age of 18; requires law enforcement officers who observe unsecured firearms to conduct follow-up. | Under section 1 of P.L.1991, c.397 (C.2C:58-15), a firearm owner is prohibited from leaving a loaded firearm within easy access of a minor under the age of 16. This bill increases the age of a minor to under the age of 18. The bill also requires a law enforcement officer who observes that a firearm owner has not properly stored or secured his or her firearm to return to the firearm owner's premises to ensure that the firearms are properly secured. Under section 1 of P.L.1991, c.397 (C.2C:58-15), unless a firearm owner takes certain precautions, the owner is guilty of a disorderly persons offense if he or she knows, or reasonably should know, that a minor is likely to gain access to a loaded firearm at a premises under the owner's control and the minor gains access to the firearm. The precautions required under the law include storing the firearm in a securely locked box, secure location, or with a trigger lock. A disorderly person's offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S1314 | Creates requirements for certain long-term real estate listing contracts. | This bill prohibits licensed real estate brokers, salespeople, and broker-salespeople from entering into contracts for the sale of real estate that give the licensee the exclusive right to act as listing agent for the real estate for a period longer than ten years. The bill also requires that such contracts include an option allowing the owner of the real estate to terminate the contract early in exchange for an amount that is not greater than the initial contract price, plus six percent of the initial contract price for each year that elapses following the effective date of the contract. Exclusive listing agreements typically do not last more than one year, and are not entered into unless the owner has immediate plans to sell the real estate. However, some licensees pay real estate owners nominal consideration in the form of cash upfront in exchange for the exclusive right to serve as the owner's listing agent in the event that the owner decides to sell their real estate at any time during a contract period. This contracted period can last for decades, and the contracts contain severe penalties for attempting to terminate the contracts early or list the home with another broker. These contracts may be predatory in nature, and real estate licensees who engage in these contracts have been known to target people in desperate financial situations, including the sick and elderly. This bill protects New Jersey's most vulnerable real estate owners and promotes fair dealing in contracts. | In Committee |
| S567 | Prohibits soliciting or phishing for personal identifying information. | This bill would prohibit a practice commonly referred to as "phishing." Under the bill, it would be a disorderly persons offense to solicit, request, or take any action to induce another person to provide personal identifying information for the purpose of identity theft. The bill uses the definition of "personal identifying information" currently used in the law pertaining to theft, including identity theft. This definition includes "any name, number or other information that may be used, alone or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a specific individual and includes, but is not limited to, the name, address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number, official State issued identification number, employer or taxpayer number, place of employment, employee identification number, demand deposit account number, savings account number, credit card number, mother's maiden name, unique biometric data, such as fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image or other unique physical representation, or unique electronic identification number, address or routing code of the individual." A disorderly persons offense is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S2072 | Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish Legislative Youth Council and select institution of higher education in this State as host; makes changes to council's structure to provide flexibility in activities and operations. | This bill makes changes to the Legislative Youth Council to create flexibility and provide long-term support. The bill: Directs the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to establish a Legislative Youth Council in collaboration with a college or university located in this State, for the engagement of youth in this State in the democratic process. Directs the college or university selected by the Secretary to provide support to council members so they can more effectively undertake their responsibilities and provide input to policymakers. Directs the college or university to designate a coordinator for the council to manage the day to day functions, including arranging for guest speakers and for opportunities to observe policymakers. Establishes a stipend, in an amount to be determined by the Secretary, for the coordinator. Removes the requirement that the members study particular subject areas, allowing the council to adapt over time and research issues of greatest concern to them as representatives of the youth in this State. Removes the requirement that the council provide regular reports to the Legislature on particular subjects but instead only requires that the coordinator report to the Legislature and the Secretary of Higher Education on the activities of the council once every two years. Aligns the term of the members with the two-year legislative term for overlap with the schedule of legislative activity in this State. Removes legislators from formal positions with the council, allowing for them and other policymakers to engage in a more advisory capacity. Requires the coordinator to develop the application for appointment to the council and removes the ability of the council to revise that application. Raises the minimum age for eligible applicants from 15 to 18 and the maximum age from 23 to 25 to create a cohort of council members who are closer in experience and college level of education to inform their activities. Lowers the number of years that a member has to have been a resident of this State to broaden the eligible pool of applicants. Requires the members of the Senate and General Assembly to appoint the members within 60 days after the start of a two-year legislative term. Removes the ability of the members of the Legislature to appoint members after that initial 60 days to ensure that there is no delay in participation for some of the members who are appointed later. Establishes a stipend for council members in an amount to be determined by the coordinator. Provides that all members who have been appointed prior to the enactment of the bill will constitute the inaugural council members, as long as they would also be eligible under the terms of this bill, and will begin their service with the new legislative term commencing on January 9, 2024. This bill also repeals several provisions of law that require the council to maintain an executive board, that require a certain schedule of meetings for the council, and that limit the payments received by members to reimbursements for expenses already incurred. | In Committee |
| S1316 | Renames Division of Purchase and Property; revises certain aspects of State procurement process; repeals MacBride principles certification requirement. | This bill renames the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury as the Division of Public Procurement. Additionally, this bill revises certain aspects of the State procurement process. This bill would also repeal the statutory requirement requiring a bidder to submit a MacBride principles certification. Under this bill, the current Division of Purchase and Property will be renamed as the Division of Public Procurement. This new name aligns with the division's purpose of serving as the State's central procurement agency. The bill revises certain aspects of the State procurement process. Specifically, the bill amends existing law to:· change the timeframe for submission of the ownership disclosure statement from at the time of bidding to prior to the contract award;· exempt vendors when a single contract, or aggregated contracts in a fiscal year, is 15 percent or less of the amount of the contracting agency's bid threshold from filing the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Affirmative Action (AA) form and exempts these vendors from paying the current fee to obtain an EEO/AA certificate;· change the timeframe for submission of financial statements from immediately after bid opening to prior to the contract award; and· provide that in order to bid on a contract for public work a contractor or a subcontractor must be eligible to register as a contractor or subcontractor pursuant to law. Under this bill, the current MacBride principles certification requirement would be repealed. Repealing this certification requirement would reduce the number of statutorily required forms that a bidder is required to submit in response to a proposal or in connection with a contract award. The current certification form requires a bidder to certify that it has no business operations in Northern Ireland or that it will take lawful steps in good faith to conduct any business operations it has in Northern Ireland in accordance with the MacBride principles of nondiscrimination in employment. | In Committee |
| S1319 | Establishes 14 years old as minimum age for juvenile delinquency; requires AG to establish working group to advise on implementation. | This bill sets the minimum age at which a juvenile can be adjudicated delinquent at 14 years or older. Under the New Jersey Code of Juvenile Justice, "delinquency" is defined as the commission of an act by a juvenile which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a crime of the first through fourth degree; a disorderly persons offense or petty disorderly persons offense; or a violation of any other penal statute, ordinance, or regulation, with certain exceptions. The code currently defines a "juvenile" as a person under 18 years of age. This bill changes the definition of delinquency in the code to establish the minimum age at which a juvenile could be adjudicated delinquent at 14 years of age or older. In addition, the bill requires the Attorney General to establish a Juvenile Justice working group. The purpose of the group is to advise on the implementation of this bill. The working group is to consist of members appointed by the Attorney General, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice System and is to include, but not be limited to, the following members: a representative of the mental health community, a representative of law enforcement, three representatives of community organizations involved in civil rights and social justice; a representative of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families; the Public Defender, or a designee; a member of the faculty of a law school in this State with clinical experience in juvenile justice matters; and the Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, or a designee. | In Committee |
| S339 | Requires State Board of Education to permit candidates awaiting teacher certification to submit affidavit to hiring school district affirming certification requirements have been met. | This bill requires the State Board of Education to authorize an alternative means for teaching candidates to secure employment as a teacher with a school district while awaiting the issuance of a certificate of eligibility or certificate of eligibility with advanced standing from the Department of Education. The board would be required to allow a candidate for a certificate to submit to a hiring district a signed affidavit affirming that applicable certification requirements have been met as part of the candidate's application for employment with the hiring district. A candidate who submits an affidavit pursuant to this bill would be required to provide accompanying documentation demonstrating that the candidate has applied for a certificate with the department. In the event that a candidate submits a signed affidavit in good faith and subsequently learned that the certification process is incomplete, the candidate will not be liable to reimburse the district for salary or benefits received. Within 90 days from the date an affidavit has been submitted to a hiring district, a candidate would be required to provide confirmation to the hiring district that a certificate has been issued by the department. A hiring district would be required to terminate a candidate who does not provide confirmation to the district that a certificate has been issued or has been found to have misrepresented information provided on the affidavit. | In Committee |
| S2179 | Requires DOC to provide prenatal and post-partum education and services for certain inmates. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections to provide appropriate prenatal and post-partum services to expectant mothers. Nationwide women represent a small minority of the correction population; however, at any given time, approximately six to 10 percent of incarcerated women are pregnant (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2011). Many women first learn of their pregnancy upon entry to a correctional facility. At the time of their arrest and incarceration, many of these expectant mothers lack prenatal care and need considerable support to improve the clinical outcomes of their pregnancy. Incarcerated women tend to have complicated and high-risk pregnancies due to increased rates of substance use disorders and psychological distress. This bill provides that incarcerated expectant mothers are required to receive prenatal education; prenatal medical evaluation and care; nutritional counseling and supplements; counseling regarding family planning, birth control, test results, termination of pregnancy, child placement services, and religious counseling, if desired; and post-partum education and care. | In Committee |
| S2128 | Exempts local utilities from certain reporting requirements. | This bill excludes local utilities and local utility authorities from certain reporting requirements. Under N.J.S.A.48:2-29.57 et seq., both public utilities and local utilities are required to report information on the effects of the coronavirus 2019 pandemic on utilities and certain other information, including utility supply, demand, revenues, and expenses, the average amount billed to customers' accounts, infrastructure projects the utilities' planned to undertake that were canceled or for which the start date was delayed for certain reasons, and other additional information. Under this bill, only public utilities would be required to submit this information. Because these reporting requirements would no longer apply to local utilities and local utility authorities, the bill also provides that the BPU would no longer be required to consult with the Department of Community Affairs when implementing the provisions of N.J.S.A.48:2-29.57 et seq. | In Committee |
| S85 | Establishes Division of Minority and Women Business Development and State Chief Disparity Officer to monitor efforts to promote participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State contracting. | This bill establishes in the State Department of the Treasury a Division of Minority and Women Business Development to be headed by a State Chief Disparity Officer. The division will administer and monitor policies, practices and programs that further this State's efforts to ensure equal opportunity for minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises in purchasing and procurement by State departments and agencies, including independent State authorities. The State Chief Disparity Officer will monitor the State's public contracting process for the purpose of compiling information on the awarding of contracts to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises, including the total value of all contracts and the percentage of the value of those contracts awarded to minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises. The officer will periodically report the officer's findings to the Governor and the Legislature. The bill directs each State department and agency, including independent State authorities, to designate a disparity officer to act as a liaison with the State Chief Disparity Officer. The Division of Minority and Women Business Development was originally established in the State Department of the Treasury pursuant to Executive Order No. 34 of 2006; this bill would codify the Division in State law, and clarify its structure and purpose. The bill also requires that provisions of existing law concerning State certification of minority-owned and women-owned businesses be fully implemented and prohibits self-certification by these businesses. In addition, the bill provides that contracts awarded through the State's small business set-aside program that are valued at less than the threshold for the entire cost of the erection construction, alteration, or repair by the State of any public buildings in this State established pursuant to subsection a. of R.S.52:32-2 will not be publicly advertised for bids but will, instead, be negotiated with small businesses using a competitive contracting process. Currently, the threshold set forth in R.S.52:32-2 is $2,000. | In Committee |
| S344 | Establishes School Safety and Security Task Force. | This bill establishes the School Safety and Security Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to study and develop recommendations to improve school safety and security, and to ensure a safe learning environment for students and employees. The task force consists of 15 members as follows: the Commissioner of Education, or a designee; the Director of the Office of Homeland Security, or a designee; the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, or a designee; seven members appointed by the Governor including one each from the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and five members of the public, three of which have demonstrated expertise in the development or implementation of school security standards or technology, one of which is an active or retired law enforcement officer, and one of which is an active or retired mental health professional. The members of the public will be appointed by the Governor, upon consideration of the recommendations of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly. It is the duty of the task force to identify potential breaches of security in the public schools, and make recommendations to improve school safety and security. The issues studied by the task force include: (1) placing screening systems at school entrances; (2) stationing school resource officers in each school building; (3) improving response times to emergency situations, including lockdowns, active shooter, and bomb threats; (4) requiring advanced student and visitor identification cards; (5) using biometric, retina, or other advanced recognition systems for authorized entrance into school buildings; (6) the effectiveness of installing panic alarms in school buildings to alert local law enforcement authorities to emergency situations, required under "Alyssa's Law"; (7) scheduling periodic patrols of school buildings and grounds by local law enforcement officers; (8) hardening the school perimeter and building entryways; and (9) considering strategies to ensure the needs of students with disabilities are reflected in all areas of emergency planning and response measures. Also under the bill, the task force is required to review and develop recommendations on building security and assessment standards for existing school facilities and new construction, including, but not limited to, standards for: (1) architectural design for new construction; (2) assessing and abating security risks in existing school facilities; (3) emergency communication plans; (4) staff training; and (5) addressing elevated risk factors, such as proximity to a chemical facility or nuclear power plant. The task force is required to issue a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any recommended legislation, to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after its organizational meeting. The task force will expire upon the issuance of the final report. | Dead |
| S1990 | Requires transportation network company drivers to complete anti-human trafficking training course. | This bill requires transportation network company (TNC) drivers and applicants to complete an anti-human trafficking training course, which is to be approved by the Attorney General. A TNC is required to provide the anti-human trafficking course prior to the approval of an applicant and to current TNC drivers within 90 days of the bill's effective date. The anti-human trafficking training course may be provided via web based video or digital format and is required to include: (1) an overview of human trafficking, including how human trafficking is defined; (2) guidance on the role TNC drivers play in reporting and responding to human trafficking; and (3) information on how to report suspected human trafficking. Upon completion of the anti-human trafficking training course, a TNC driver is required to certify to any TNC whose digital network the driver uses that the driver completed an anti-human trafficking training course. If a driver fails to provide a TNC with the required certification, the TNC is required to prohibit the driver from utilizing the TNC's digital network to provide rides until the driver submits the required certification. The bill also requires each TNC to create a list of drivers who did not provide the required certification. Completion or failure to complete the anti-human trafficking training course will be noted in the individual record of each TNC driver and maintained by the TNC. | In Committee |
| S1389 | Requires notification to consumers of collection and disclosure of personal data by certain entities. | This bill imposes requirements on certain entities (i.e., controllers) that determine the purposes and means of processing personal data. However, the provisions of the bill would only apply to controllers, which conduct business in the State or produce products or services that are targeted to residents of the State, and which control or process the personal data of a minimum number of consumers each year. The bill requires a controller to provide notice to consumers of the collection and disclosure of "personal data," as that term is defined in the bill, to third parties. The bill also sets forth various requirements concerning the information that is required to be included in this notice. The bill also imposes other requirements and limitations on controllers regarding the processing of personal data, including limiting the collection and processing of personal data, taking reasonable measures to protect personal data, and obtaining consumer consent before processing certain data. Specifically, the bill imposes additional restrictions on the processing of sensitive data, as defined in the bill, or the processing of a child's personal data. Additionally, the bill requires a controller that processes personal data for purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer to allow consumers to exercise the right to opt-out of such processing through a user-selected universal opt-out mechanism. The bill permits a consumer to authorize another person to act on the consumer's behalf to opt out of the sale of personal data. The bill prohibits a controller from discriminating against a consumer if the consumer chooses to opt out of the processing for sale, targeted advertising, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects of the consumer's personal data, provided certain exceptions. The bill requires a controller to complete data protection assessments, as described in the bill, and to make such assessments available to the Division of Consumer Affairs. The bill provides that a processor, in addition to a controller, has certain duties under the bill. A processor is required to cooperate with a controller so that a controller remains in compliance with the bill. Under the bill, the consumers of a controller may submit a verified request to exercise any rights established under the bill. The bill requires a controller to respond to each verified request within 45 days, except as extended in certain circumstances. Any information provided in response to a verified request would be provided free of charge, except that a controller may charge a fee for a second or subsequent request submitted within a 12-month period. The bill also requires a controller to establish a process for consumers to appeal the controller's refusal to take action on a request. The bill also establishes certain consumer rights concerning personal data, including the right to: confirm whether a controller may process or access the consumer's personal data; correct inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data; delete personal data concerning the consumer; obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data held by the controller in a portable format; and opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes of (i) targeted advertising; (ii) the sale of personal data; or (iii) profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning the consumer. | Dead |
| S239 | Eliminates prohibition on paper bags, and allows packaging options, for certain grocery orders for three years; requires program for disposition of reusable bags; extends timeframe for use of certain bags by food banks and pantries. | This bill authorizes a third party grocery delivery service or a grocery store to provide, or sell to customers for a fee, any of the following options for groceries prepared for delivery, pickup, or curbside pickup: 1) single-use paper carryout bags, provided that the bags contain at least 40 percent postconsumer recycled content; 2) cardboard boxes; or 3) reusable bags. Under the bill, if a grocery store or third party grocery delivery service provides customers more than one packaging option, the customer may choose one of the available packaging options. A grocery store or third party grocery delivery service may also provide customers the option of receiving unpackaged groceries to a receptacle provided by the customer where the groceries can be safely delivered. Beginning three years after the bill's effective date, third party grocery delivery services and grocery stores would no longer be authorized to provide paper bags or cardboard boxes. Finally, the bill requires grocery stores and third party grocery delivery services that provide reusable bags for home delivery to establish a program for the return, sanitation, and reuse of the reusable bags, a program to recycle the returned reusable bags, or a donation program to donate the reusable bags returned by customers to a food bank or food pantry. Grocery stores and third party delivery services would not be required to take back reusable bags provided to customers by another grocery store or third party delivery service. | In Committee |
| S2176 | Permits female inmate in correctional facility to request certain medication to prevent pregnancy. | This bill permits a female inmate in a State correctional facility to request a single dosage of Levonorgestrel, more commonly known as Plan B. Plan B is a medication that prevents pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse or birth control failure. A prescription is not required to obtain Plan B. The bill permits an inmate who has requested Plan B to consult with a physician or other appropriate medical professional. The bill also requires, to the extent possible, that a female inmate be provided with a generic substitution of Levonorgestrel. | In Committee |
| S929 | Requires institutions of higher education and government employers to provide certain students and employees with information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. | This bill requires public and private institutions of higher education and governmental employers to provide information to certain students and employees, as applicable, concerning the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program is an initiative run by the United States Department of Education which offers student loan forgiveness to individuals who have spent ten years working full time in the public service sector. This bill aims at increasing awareness of the PSLF program for students and employees who may qualify for loan forgiveness under the program. Under this bill, public and private institutions of higher education in the State of New Jersey will be required to provide all students who have outstanding federal student loan debt with information about the PSLF program. This information will be distributed at two points - once during the second to last academic semester of a student's program of study and once during the academic semester in which a student applies to graduate from the institution. Any employer within the State of New Jersey that is considered a qualifying government employer under the PSLF program will be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program. Employees hired after the date of enactment of this bill will be provided with the information during the explanation of benefits at the beginning of employment. The United States Department of Education advises an annual submission of the PSLF application, therefore employers will also be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program at least once per calendar year. The information provided to students and employees will include notification of potential eligibility for the PSLF program, provide the Internet address for the PSLF program, and explain the eligibility requirements for the PSLF program, which include: (1) employment with a qualifying employer; (2) a work schedule of at least 30 hours per week or which meets the employer's definition of full-time work, whichever is greater; (3) an outstanding balance of William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans or consolidated Federal Direct Loans; (4) repayment of the loan under an eligible payment plan, which includes an income-driven repayment plan; and (5) payment of 120 on-time, full monthly payments while employed by a qualified employer.With respect to the bill's requirements for government employers, any information about the employer necessary for the employee to fill out the PSLF program application will also be provided to the employees. The information about the PSLF program may be distributed in writing electronically, by regular mail, or in person. The Secretary of Higher Education and Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development will develop a model format for the information. | In Committee |
| S2186 | Establishes NJEDA urban farming grant and loan program. | This bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, to develop and administer an urban farming grant and loan program to: facilitate the acquisition of sites in urban areas available to be used for urban farming; maintain urban farming sites; and support providing agricultural products to public school cafeterias. The bill requires demonstration of a contractual relationship with school districts in the State to provide fresh produce or other agricultural products grown or raised through urban farming to public schools. The bill authorizes the EDA to establish additional eligibility requirements and terms for receiving a grant or loan pursuant to the program. The bill also excludes the cultivation of marijuana for medicinal or any other purpose from any urban farming supported by the EDA grants and loans pursuant to the program. | In Committee |
| S1296 | Requires DCA to establish standards for prisoner reentry transitional housing. | This bill would require the Commissioner of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Commissioner of Corrections, to promulgate regulations establishing standards for publicly-supported transitional housing for former prisoners who are reentering the community. The standards are based on core features of the Fortune Academy, a model prisoner reentry transitional housing program in New York City, intended to help former prisoners successfully transition back into their communities. The bill requires the regulations to include standards for: (1) ensuring the physical safety of the residents; (2) providing emergency and longer-term housing; (3) counseling and support services including substance abuse treatment, medical services, independent living skills training, education, career development, family services, and recreation; (4) personalized care management, including targeted care for residents who served long terms of incarceration; and (5) assisting residents obtain permanent housing. | In Committee |
| S1317 | Requires landlord to provide various kitchen appliances in certain dwelling units offered for rent. | This bill requires that every dwelling unit made available to a residential tenant contain, in order to be deemed habitable and fit for human occupation, a refrigerator in good operating condition, and a stove, which, if electrical, is safely connected to an electrical system of sufficient capacity, or if gas, is connected by permanent fixtures and tubing to avoid leakage of gas. This bill provides that a landlord who violates the provisions of this bill shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $500 for each offense, to be collected and enforced upon the complaint of the Commissioner of Community Affairs, the Attorney General, or any aggrieved tenant. Further, a landlord who violates the provisions of this bill may also be subject to a separate cause of action, which may be brought by the aggrieved tenant in the Superior Court, Law Division, Special Civil Part in the county in which the dwelling unit is located, who may recover for the actual damage sustained by reason of the violation, including costs and reasonable attorney's fees. | In Committee |
| S2282 | Prohibits possession and requires registration of body armor in certain circumstances. | This bill establishes prohibitions on the possession of body armor by certain persons and a registration requirement for body armor. The bill provides that it is unlawful for a person to own or otherwise possess body armor unless the person has registered the body armor in accordance with the bill's provisions. The bill requires the Attorney General to establish a registration process for body armor owned prior to the effective date of the bill and provides that an owner has 90 days from the effective date to register each piece of body armor owned in compliance with the registration process. For purchases of body armor occurring after the bill's effective date, a person would be required to meet eligibility criteria established by the Attorney General and obtain a permit to purchase body armor, and a seller of body armor would be required to register the sale of the body armor with the Attorney General. Under the bill, the eligibility criteria would include: (1) law enforcement officers; (2) law enforcement officers who retired in good standing; (3) persons engaged in active duty military service; (4) persons whose duties of employment expose them to serious bodily injury that may be prevented or mitigated by the use of body armor, as determined by the Attorney General; (5) bona fide dealers of body armor; and (6) any other persons meeting good cause eligibility criteria established by the Attorney General. The bill requires the Attorney General to establish a permit to purchase body armor and an application process for a person to obtain the permit. The application is required to include, but need not be limited to an applicant's: name; date of birth; street and mailing address; telephone number; email address; and proof that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria set forth in the bill. The bill provides that the permit would remain in effect for 30 days following issuance. Under the bill, a person is prohibited from selling, giving, transferring, assigning, or otherwise disposing of body armor to a person unless the person purchasing or otherwise taking possession of the body armor has first secured a permit to purchase body armor and displays the same to the seller. Following the sale or other transfer of body armor, a seller is required to take possession of the purchaser's permit to purchase body armor and complete a registration form that includes the personal identifying information of the purchaser and a description of the body armor purchased. The bill requires the seller to submit the registration form and the permit to purchase body armor obtained from the purchaser to the Attorney General within three business days. A seller who violates these provisions would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense. The provisions of the bill would not apply to: (1) a State or local government entity which purchases or possesses body armor for the purpose of furnishing body armor to employees; or (2) possession of body armor by employees of a State or local government entity during the employee's period of employment and used for employment-related purposes. The registration and permit to purchase body armor provisions of the bill would not apply to a bona fide dealer of body armor who has registered with the Attorney General. A dealer in business prior to the bill's effective date has 60 days following the effective date to register with the Attorney General. Possessing or purchasing body armor in violation of the bill's provisions are both crimes of the third degree. A third degree crime is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. The bill defines "body armor" as any product sold or offered for sale as personal protective body covering intended to protect against gunfire, regardless of whether the product is to be worn alone or is sold as a complement to another product or garment. The bill additionally amends current law concerning unlawful use of body vests. Under current law, it is a crime of the second or third degree, depending on circumstances, to use a body vest during the commission of certain crimes. The bill redefines the term "body vest" as "body armor" and expands the current law to include all body armor. | In Committee |
| S58 | Authorizes proportional property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability and proclaims that the State shall reimburse municipalities for cost of exemptions. | The bill grants a property tax exemption to honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability in proportion to their disability percentage rating. The exemption is only granted to those with a disability percentage rating of at least 30 percent, and the exemption is capped at $10,000. Those with a 100 percent disability percentage rating would still be allowed a 100 percent property tax exemption without a cap, as is the case under current law. In addition, the bill grants those honorably discharged veterans having less than a 100 percent service-connected disability, but who are unemployable, a 100 percent property tax exemption, which matches the current 100 percent property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a 100 percent disability percentage rating. As under current law, the bill allows the 100 percent property tax exemption to extend to the surviving spouse of a veteran. However, the newly allowed property tax exemption for a veteran with a less than 100 percent property tax exemption would not extend to the surviving spouse. The bill also eliminates all references to medical conditions so that any service-connected disability, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, will make a veteran eligible for the property tax exemption. Finally, the bill proclaims that the State shall annually reimburse taxing districts, including for administrative costs, for the property tax exemptions granted to disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. The bill includes reporting provisions so proper reimbursement can be made. | In Committee |
| S1322 | Provides for expansion of certain support team addiction recovery programs; appropriates $1,995,000 from opioid recovery and remediation fund. | This bill amends section 1 of P.L.2023, c.25 (C.26:2G-39) to allow moneys received by the State as a result of the national opioid litigation resolution and deposited into the "Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund" to be used to support case management and recovery support services provided through the Support Team Addiction Recovery (STAR) and the Support Team Addiction Recovery (STAR) Jail Expansion programs. A STAR program, administered by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS), provides case management and recovery support services to individuals with a substance use disorder. A STAR Jail Expansion program specifically provides case management and recovery support services to individuals with substance use disorders who were recently released from a State, county, or local correctional facility. The bill allocates $1,995,000 from the "Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund" to the DHS to supplement the federal funds appropriated to counties for STAR and STAR Jail expansion programs as follows: (1) $1,715,000 to supplement existing federal grant monies appropriated to counties for STAR programs; (2) $192,500 to establish a STAR Jail Expansion program in Passaic county; and (3) $87,500 to provide for salaries and assumed salary increases for case managers and recovery support specialists hired by STAR and STAR Jail expansion programs. The bill also stipulates the funds allocated from the "Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund" are not to replace or decrease the amount of existing federal grant monies appropriated to counties for the STAR and STAR Jail Expansion programs. | In Committee |
| S2090 | Revises emergency care services referral standards for providers of telemedicine and telehealth. | This bill expands the requirements of current law as they pertain to emergency care referrals made during a telemedicine or telehealth encounter. Under current law, there is a provision under which a health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to make appropriate referrals for emergency care, if needed. The bill revises this provision to require a health care provider engaged in telemedicine or telehealth to make a good faith effort to directly activate and coordinate with emergency care services in accordance with the standard of care upon determining the patient is in need of emergency services. The bill provides that an emergency care plan is to pertain to areas where patients are located during a telemedicine or telehealth visit. A health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to make a good faith effort to: provide the name and location of the patient to emergency services in oral and written form; determine the location of a patient if a patient is unaware of the patient's location; and provide the provider's and the patient's contact information to emergency services. A health care provider engaging in telemedicine or telehealth is to report suicide threats and suicide attempts made by a patient during a telemedicine or telehealth encounter to the Department of Health in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, and will be required to document emergencies which occur during a telehealth or telemedicine visit. The bill requires professional licensing boards to include in their rules and regulations implementing the telemedicine and telehealth law requirements for emergency care plans that include standards and protocols for activating and coordinating with emergency care service providers serving the area in which the patient is located at the time of the telemedicine or telehealth encounter. | In Committee |
| S914 | Revises requirements for health insurers to cover telemedicine and telehealth; requires telemedicine and telehealth systems to include accessible communication features for individuals with disabilities. | This bill revises the telemedicine and telehealth law, P.L.2017, c.117 (C.45:1-61 et al.), to require health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) and School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), to provide expanded coverage for services provided using telemedicine and telehealth. Specifically, the bill requires that reimbursement for telemedicine and telehealth services be equal to the reimbursement rate for the same services when they are provided in person. Current law provides telemedicine and telehealth services may be reimbursed up to the amount at which the service would be reimbursed if provided in person. The bill also prohibits health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the SHBP and SEHBP from imposing "place of service" requirements on services provided using telemedicine and telehealth, and expressly allows health care providers to provide services using telemedicine and telehealth regardless of whether the provider is located in New Jersey when providing services, provided that the provider is otherwise licensed to practice health care in New Jersey. The bill prohibits health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the SHBP and SEHBP from placing restrictions on the electronic or technological platform used to provide telemedicine and telehealth, if the services provided when using that platform would meet the in-person standard of care for that service, and if the platform is otherwise compliant with the requirements of the federal health privacy rule set forth at 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164. The bill requires telemedicine and telehealth systems to include accessible communication features to facilitate the use of telemedicine and telehealth by individuals with a disability and individuals with a sensory impairment, including, but not limited to, individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired, blind, or deaf-blind. This bill implements a recommendation included in the initial report of the New Jersey COVID-19 Disability Action Committee, issued in Fall 2020. | In Committee |
| S897 | Provides that institutions of higher education may permit final-year students in graduate degree programs for mental health care professions to graduate or be matched with residency or clinical programs early. | The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a national mental health crisis. In order to help address this situation, this bill provides that for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years, institutions of higher education, at their discretion, may permit final-year students in graduate degree programs leading to a degree as a mental health care professional to graduate early or to be matched with a residency or clinical program early. The bill defines a "mental health care professional" as a licensed psychiatrist, psychologist, professional counselor, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or any other individual licensed or certified to provide or administer mental health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession. This bill will help to more rapidly expand the number of mental health care providers ready to address the critical mental health needs that have developed as a result of the pandemic. | In Committee |
| S2230 | Requires State government entities provide vital documents and translation services in 15 most common non-English languages. | This bill requires State government entities to provide vital documents and translation services in the 15 most common non-English languages spoken by individuals with limited-English proficiency in this State, based on United States Census Bureau American Community Survey data, and relevant to the services offered by the State government entity. Under the bill, any State department or agency in the Executive Branch and any commission, board, bureau, division, office, or instrumentality thereof providing direct services to the public would be required to provide these language access services and interpretation services between the State government entity and an individual in that person's primary language with respect to the provision of services or benefits. Each State government entity would be required to produce an informational poster describing the available interpretation and translation services in multiple languages for display in a visible location. The bill requires each State government entity to publish a language access plan within 180 days of its effective date, and to update the plan every two years thereafter. At a minimum, each plan would describe (1) when and how the State government entity will provide or is already providing language assistance services; (2) how the government entity intends to keep track of the limited English proficient population and how the need for translations is determined; (3) a report on the frequency of requests, how the requests were met, whether language assistance services were requested in languages other than the required 15, and how the entity will notify the eligible population; (4) how the entity documents the actual service provision; (5) a training plan for government entity employees who will be involved in the implementation of the bill which includes, at minimum, annual training on the language access policies of the government entity, how to provide language assistance services, and follow any applicable State and federal confidentially protocols; (6) a plan for how the entity will ensure the provision of language assistance services of the highest quality and in a culturally competent manner; (7) the name and contact information of an employee at the government entity who would be the point of contact; (8) the titles of all available translated documents and the languages into which they have been translated; (9) a website and document content describing the required translation services, processes, and documents; and (10) a plan for annually monitoring internal compliance. Under the bill, if a State government entity already has a language access plan, the State government entity may continue to use that language access plan and may adjust that plan in accordance with the bill. A State government entity would be permitted to retain any additional languages already included in an existing language access plan. The bill directs the Secretary of State to oversee, coordinate, and provide guidance to State government entities in their implementation. The Secretary of State would be required to develop a language access plan template for distribution to all State government entities for their use in developing, implementing, and reporting on their language access plans, and must ensure that each State government entity submits a language access plan when due that contains the required content. The Secretary of State would also be responsible for the development of the list of 15 languages that all State government entities must use in their implementation of the bill, based on American Community Survey data. Various provisions of current law may already require certain State government entities to provide certain documents and translation services to the public, most commonly in the Spanish language. However, under this bill, its provisions would not be interpreted to remove any requirements by any State entity to provide for direct in-person translation services to a member of the public, or for the translation of any materials in the Spanish language or any additional languages, as may be required by law. The bill would also not be interpreted to prevent a State government entity from providing interpretation and translation services to any limited-English proficient individuals who speak any language, even if that language is not among the 15 most common non-English languages covered by the bill. Under the bill, a State government entity may require that an applicant for its benefits or services or any person assisting such applicant in seeking benefits or services provide only the information strictly necessary to determine eligibility for or to administer such benefits or services. Under the bill, there is appropriated from the funds received by the State from the federal government under the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," Pub. L. 117-2, to each State government entity the sums necessary to implement its provisions, and such additional sums from the General Fund as the State Treasurer and the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury deem necessary. The bill takes effect immediately, but the required translations would be implemented on a rolling basis and would be completed no later than one year after the effective date of the bill for the five most common languages, not later than two years for the next five most common languages, and not later than three years for the remaining five most common languages, except that applications, notices of rights, or privacy protections would be translated immediately. If an application or form has not been translated, the State government entity or contractor would provide oral translation of the application or form and a certification by the limited-English proficient individual indicating that the application or form was translated and completed by an interpreter. | Dead |
| S710 | Requires DCA to conduct surveys and report data related to homelessness in administering the Rental Assistance Navigation Program. | The bill clarifies the roles of a Resource Navigator and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in administering the Rental Assistance Navigation Program, established pursuant to P.L.2021, c.313. The bill requires the DCA to develop and conduct a survey of any newly evicted tenant who is willing to participate in a survey. The survey is to be used by the Resource Navigators to assess the circumstances and needs of individuals facing eviction and homelessness. The bill would require the survey to include questions concerning demographic information about the recently evicted tenant and their household. The survey would also include questions to assess: (a) the ability of a recently evicted tenant and their household to secure housing immediately following eviction and in the future; (b) the municipality and county in which the recently evicted tenant was evicted and the municipality and county in which the evicted tenant will seek shelter or new housing; and (c) the recently evicted tenant and their household's financial circumstances. The DCA is required to establish record retention and reporting standards for the surveys to include regular reports of all relevant information to the organization commissioned by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to coordinate point-in-time counts of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, as required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The bill also requires the DCA to refer newly evicted tenants to housing assistance and homelessness prevention services and | Dead |
| S1303 | Allows NJ gross income tax deduction for charitable contributions of food made from business inventory. | This bill allows gross income tax deductions for charitable contributions of food made to and accepted by an organization in the tax year from business inventory, as allowed under paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of section 170 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The deduction mirrors the federal income tax deduction for contributions of food made from business inventory and is allowed regardless of whether the federal itemized deduction is taken by the taxpayer. The deduction is an itemized deduction for charitable contributions of food, where "food" is "apparently wholesome food." Under federal law, "apparently wholesome food" means "food that meets all quality and labeling standards imposed by Federal, State, and local laws and regulations even though the food may not be readily marketable due to appearance, age, freshness, grade, size, surplus, or other conditions." The contribution is required to be made to an organization that is determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be an organization eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. | In Committee |
| S902 | Establishes Office of Inspector General for Veterans' Facilities. | This bill would create the Office of Inspector General for Veterans' Facilities. The inspector general will be appointed to a five-year term by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The inspector general must have experience as either a prosecutor or investigator, or in the operation of veterans' facilities, nursing homes, or long-term care facilities. The inspector general will be independent of supervision or control by any other State officer or employee. The role of the Inspector General for Veterans' Facilities will be to receive and investigate complaints concerning policies and procedures at State veterans' facilities. In exercising investigatory powers, the inspector general would also be empowered to conduct evaluations, inspections, and other such reviews as deemed necessary to ensure the safety and quality of care provided at State veterans' facilities. The inspector general would also be empowered to initiate investigations independent of any complaints received. Upon the appointment of the inspector general, the inspector general will immediately begin an investigation into the policies and practices that may have caused or contributed to the high number of deaths in the veterans' facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The inspector general may refer possible criminal conduct or activity to the appropriate prosecutorial authority. In light of the uncontrolled outbreak of COVID-19 at veterans' facilities in Paramus and Menlo Park, there is need for additional State oversight of the policies and procedures at all State veterans' facilities. By establishing the position of Inspector General for Veterans' Facilities, the State can ensure that the health and well-being of New Jersey's veterans are protected and that tragedies like those that occurred in Paramus and Menlo Park never happen again. | In Committee |
| S2255 | Provides that limitation on lawsuit option does not apply in accidents caused by drunk or reckless drivers. | This bill provides that a person who has chosen the "verbal threshold," or limitation on lawsuit option, under a private passenger automobile insurance policy may nevertheless sue a tortfeasor for noneconomic damages when bodily injury is sustained in an accident if the tortfeasor is convicted of, or pleads guilty to, drunk driving, refusing to take a breathalyzer test, or reckless driving in relation to that accident, even if the verbal threshold requirements have not been met with respect to that injury. | In Committee |
| S2166 | Requires school districts to employ at least one certified nutrition specialist, registered dietitian, or registered dietitian nutritionist. | This bill requires school districts to employ on a full-time or part-time basis at least one certified nutrition specialist, registered dietitian, or registered dietitian nutritionist. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students' dietary behaviors are associated with their academic performance. For example, inadequate consumption of specific foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students. In addition, deficits of specific nutrients, such as vitamins A, B6, B12, C, folate, iron, zinc, and calcium, are associated with lower grades and higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness among students. The availability of a dietitian or nutritionist at a school district can help facilitate students' access to the foods and nutrients they need to succeed academically. | In Committee |
| S2137 | Requires civil service examination for police and correctional police officers to include questions to identify implicit racial bias. | This bill requires the State Civil Service Commission to include on the Civil Service entry-level law enforcement examination questions designed to identify implicit bias, including racial bias, in candidates applying for appointment to law enforcement officer positions. The test is required for applicants for municipal and county police officers, adult and juvenile correctional police officers, sheriff's officers, and other law enforcement officer positions. Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions and may cause feelings and attitudes about other people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, and appearance. | In Committee |
| S1295 | Requires State agency to redact person's handwritten signature prior to publishing documents on agency's Internet website. | This bill requires a State agency to redact a person's handwritten signature prior to publishing documents displaying the person's handwritten signature on the State agency's Internet website, pursuant to any publication requirements of the "Administrative Procedure Act." The bill requires a State agency to archive any document that displays a person's handwritten signature published on the State agency's website prior to the effective date of the bill. A State agency may republish the archived document if the State agency redacts the person's handwritten signature. Any document archived pursuant to the provisions of the bill is to be made available to the public through the open public records act. This bill takes effect six months following enactment. | Dead |
| S2243 | Establishes five-year community schools pilot program. | This bill establishes a five-year Community Schools Pilot Program in the Department of Education. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education is to identify and enter into a contract with an institution of higher education or a qualified nonprofit organization with the appropriate capacity and experience located in the State to manage the pilot program. The organization or institution and the department will be responsible for selecting one public school of a school district, renaissance school, or charter school in each county of the State that would receive direct assistance from a site coordinator assigned to the school. Additionally, the selected institution or organization is required to establish a technical assistance center that would be available to schools participating in the pilot program and would be responsible for making group training sessions and information about community schools available to any school district, renaissance school, or charter school interested in establishing a community school. The technical assistance center will be responsible for the Statewide dissemination of information on effective and promising practices in the establishment and ongoing management of community school strategies through professional development and technical assistance activities. Under the bill, the department, in coordination with the organization or institution, and the New Jersey Community Schools Coalition, is to develop specific criteria for selecting schools to participate in the program and receive direct support from a site coordinator. The selection criteria would be posted on the department's website. The organization or institution is required to employ and train individuals who would be assigned to serve as a site coordinator. Site coordinators are to be employees of the organization or institution, and not the school district, renaissance school, or charter school to which they are assigned. The salaries, wages, and other financial compensation of the site coordinators would be the responsibility of the organization or institution. The bill directs a public school selected to participate in the pilot to enter into an agreement with the selected institution or organization outlining at a minimum the role, responsibilities, and authority the site coordinator has in supporting the establishment of the community school site. The organization or institution can enter into an agreement with another nonprofit entity to assist it in fulfilling responsibilities enumerated in certain sections of the bill, subject to approval of the commissioner. The commissioner would receive an annual audit of the accounts and financial transactions of the organization or institution for the duration of the pilot program. The bill also directs the commissioner to enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program. The final report, which the commissioner would forward to the Governor and the Legislature, would be due no later than six months following the conclusion of the pilot program. The bill establishes the Community Schools Pilot Program Fund in the Department of Education. The fund is to consist of any funds that are appropriated by the Legislature, investment earnings of the fund, and moneys contributed to the fund by private sources. The bill allows the moneys in the fund to be invested and reinvested as other trust funds in the custody of the State in the manner provided by law. | In Committee |
| S904 | Establishes "Commission on People with Disabilities." | This bill establishes the "Commission on People with Disabilities" (commission). Under the bill, the commission is to consist of 25 members. The purpose of the commission is to: (1) suggest policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation that help people with disabilities in New Jersey; (2) serve as the point-of-contact between the Governor, the Legislature, people with disabilities, and those providers who serve people with disabilities in order to ensure that the State government is responsive to the needs of people with disabilities; (3) work with State departments, commissions, offices, agencies, and providers to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are met regarding services and programs that are available to those individuals; and (4) work with State departments, commissions, offices, and agencies which oversee the hiring and employment of people with disabilities in the State to ensure that no discrimination takes place. | In Committee |
| S688 | Allows teaching experience to be considered for out-of-State individuals seeking licensure from New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | This bill amends current law to allow teaching experience to be considered when an out-of-State individual applies for a license from the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. The teaching experience would have to be acquired in a school licensed or otherwise approved by an agency in the other jurisdiction in order to apply in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| S2288 | Removes requirement that certain government officers disclose the address of their home or secondary residence, or that of their immediate family on financial disclosure statements. | This bill removes the requirement that local government officials certify their residency within the relevant jurisdiction on their financial disclosure form. The bill also provides that local government officers who are judicial or law enforcement officers will not be required to disclosure their home address, or that of a secondary residence where their immediate family, as defined in P.L.2021, c.371, may reside, under any circumstances. The bill allows for the local finance board to postpone the due date for financial disclosure forms for up to 60 days for those forms due to be filed in the year 2023. | In Committee |
| S1941 | Establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities. | This bill establishes staffing standards for registered professional nurses in State hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, developmental centers, and psychiatric hospitals. Specifically, the bill provides that, in addition to existing staffing requirements provided by law or regulation, the Commissioner of Health is to adopt regulations that provide minimum direct care registered professional nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for all patient units in general and special hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities, in accordance with the minimum staffing requirements that are established by the bill. As specified in the bill, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios will vary depending on the type of unit, and will range from one registered professional nurse for every five patients in a behavioral health or psychiatric or a medical/surgical unit, to one registered professional nurse for every patient under anesthesia in an operating room. The regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Health are not to decrease any nurse-to-patient staffing ratios that are already in effect on the bill's effective date. The bill provides that the Commissioner of Health is to require all general and special hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to employ an acuity and staffing system for the purpose of increasing direct care registered professional nurse staffing levels above the minimum levels established in the bill, or otherwise provided by law or regulation, in order to ensure adequate staffing of each unit, service, or department. The acuity and staffing system will be based on: patient classification or acuity; professional nurse staffing standards adopted by nurse specialty organizations; skill mix; and the staffing levels of other health care personnel and the use of agency or temporary staff. The system is to be established in the facility by the facility's department of nursing, with the approval of a majority of the unit staff nurses or their bargaining agent. The bill requires the acuity and staffing system to allow for the forecasting of staffing levels, and to provide a method to adjust staffing levels for each patient care unit based on objective criteria currently set forth at N.J.A.C.8:43G-17.1(a)3, including, but not limited to: (1) the documented skills, training, and competency of staff to plan and provide nursing services in the nursing areas where they function; (2) a patient database incorporating objective factors such as the case mix index, specific or aggregate patient diagnostic classifications or acuity levels, patient profiles, critical pathways or care progression plans, length of stay, and discharge plans; (3) operational factors, such as unit size, design, and capacity, the admission/discharge/transfer index, and support service availability; (4) contingency plans to address critical departures from the staffing plan, including policies and procedures to regulate the closure of available beds if staffing levels fall below specified levels; and (5) policies and procedures for the reassignment of staff, including float and agency staff. The acuity and staffing system will additionally be required to permit waiver of minimum staffing level requirements in the event of an unforeseen emergent circumstance which causes significant changes in the patient census for a regular shift. Waiver will not be permitted unless the facility has made reasonable efforts to provide sufficient additional staff to meet the required minimum staffing levels, including seeking volunteers and making use of on-call staff, per-diem staff, agency staff, and float pools. The bill defines "unforeseeable emergent circumstance" to mean an unpredictable or unavoidable occurrence requiring immediate action. The Commissioner of Health will also be permitted to waive the minimum staffing level requirements for any hospital or facility that the commissioner determines is in financial distress. A waiver may be revoked upon a determination that the facility is no longer in financial distress. The bill requires the Department of Health to enforce minimum staffing ratios by conducting periodic inspections and responding to complaints. The bill provides a system, pursuant to which a registered professional nurse, other staff member, or member of the public, believing that a facility is in violation of the staffing requirements or the staffing and acuity system, may file a complaint with the Commissioner of Health. In responding to a complaint, the commissioner will be required to conduct an investigation to determine whether or not a hospital or facility is in violation, and to take such other action as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of the bill. Finally, in addition to the above-described requirements applicable to the Commissioner of Health, the bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to conduct a review of Department of Human Services regulations concerning registered professional nurse staffing standards in developmental centers and State psychiatric hospitals, and to revise the regulations, as appropriate, to reflect safe staffing practices and assure adequate staffing at the facilities. | In Committee |
| S1387 | Increases distribution to municipalities from Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years; prohibits anticipation of certain revenue in municipal budget; requires additional aid be subtracted from municipal property tax levy. | This bill requires the distribution of additional State aid to municipalities under the "Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Act." Budget constraints required reductions in the amount of Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) distributed to all municipalities in Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Some municipalities also experienced reductions in their Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid (ETR Aid) distribution during that period. This supplemental funding would restore, over a two-year period, approximately $331 million in reductions to CMPTRA and ETR Aid. In Fiscal Year 2023, municipalities would receive an aid increase equal to 50 percent of the difference between the distribution of CMPTRA and ETR Aid they received in Fiscal Year 2008 and Fiscal Year 2012. The fully restored amount would be distributed beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 and in each fiscal year thereafter. The total amount of aid to be restored to each municipality would be in addition to the total amount of CMPTRA and ETR Aid distributed to each municipality in Fiscal Year 2012. This legislation also extends the existing ETR Aid "poison pill" protection to ensure that each municipality received an aid amount not less than the combined payment of CMPTRA and ETR Aid to municipalities in Fiscal Year 2012 and the additional aid distributed under the bill. This bill also amends current law to require a municipality to subtract any additional amount of ETR aid it receives, pursuant to the bill, from its adjusted tax levy when computing that amount for its next fiscal year. By deducting the additional amount of ETR Aid from the previous year's levy, municipalities would be permitted to raise a lower amount of taxes through the levy for municipal purposes. The bill prohibits a municipality from anticipating, for purposes of preparing its annual budget, the receipt of any State aid payment from the ETR aid under the provisions in the bill. The bill also requires a municipality to amend its local budget to properly reflect the total amount distributed to the municipality from the ETR aid. | In Committee |
| SCR48 | Urges Congress and President to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from Jones Act. | This concurrent resolution urges the Congress and President of the United States to permanently exempt Puerto Rico from certain provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act. Certain provisions of the Jones Act require that all goods shipped by water between U.S. ports be carried in U.S. flagships that are constructed primarily in the U.S., owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and permanent residents. These shipping restrictions have a disparate impact on U.S. island states and territories because these island economies import goods primarily by sea. U.S. shipping companies are often more expensive than foreign shipping companies, which drives up the cost of goods shipped by these companies to U.S. island states and territories, and results in higher prices for residents. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the U.S. and is subject to the provisions of the Jones Act. On September 20, 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria, a category four hurricane and the strongest storm to hit the island in nearly a century. Prior to Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico had been suffering from an acute financial crisis and had accumulated $74 billion in debt. Hurricane Maria, compounded by the effects of the financial crisis, destroyed most buildings and infrastructure on the island, leaving nearly all 3.4 million residents without power and in need of food, clothing, medicine, and shelter in its immediate aftermath. Additionally, almost half of the electricity on the island is provided by petroleum and approximately a third of electricity is provided by natural gas, both of which must be imported to the island by ship. A permanent exemption from the Jones Act, codified at 46 U.S.C. s.55102, will provide residents of Puerto Rico with the certainty that goods needed for the ongoing recovery of the island will be accessible without restriction from Puerto Rican ports and will help to expedite the recovery process from this unprecedented disaster and from the ongoing financial crisis. | In Committee |
| S1300 | Establishes loan program in Department of Treasury for certain entities offering health benefits plans; makes appropriation. | This bill establishes a loan program in the Department of Treasury for certain entities offering health benefits plans. Specifically, the bill requires the State Treasurer to establish a program providing loans to entities offering health benefits plans in the State that are faced with insolvency as a result of providing coverage for the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic due to circumstances such as a large number of catastrophic claims or premium threshold issues. The bill requires the State Treasurer to evaluate applications from any entity offering a health benefits plan in this State. The loans are only to be made available to an applicant the State Treasurer determines would likely face insolvency without receiving the loan, and are limited to the amount needed by the entity to avoid becoming insolvent. The bill provides that no loan is to be awarded after the end of the ninth month following the effective date of the bill. An entity receiving a loan pursuant to the bill may not be charged interest or fees associated with the loan. The State Treasurer may extend the term or forgive repayment of the loan if the State Treasurer determines an extension or loan forgiveness is necessary for the continued solvency of the entity. The bill provides that the State Treasurer is to appropriate the funds from the General Fund that are necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill. | In Committee |
| S1304 | "Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act." | This bill, the "Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act," regulates digital asset business activity. The bill defines "digital asset" to mean a representation of economic, proprietary, or access rights that is stored in a machine-readable format and has a transaction history that is recorded in a distributed, digital ledger or digital data structure in which consensus is achieved through a mechanism consistent with the underlying protocol. Examples of digital assets include, but are not limited to, digital consumer assets, digital securities, and virtual currency. "Digital asset" does not include securities, whether in digital form or otherwise, as defined pursuant to law. The bill provides that a person is not to engage in a digital asset business activity, or hold themselves out as being able to engage in a digital asset business activity, unless the person is licensed in this State by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities (bureau), or has filed a pending license with the bureau. The bill provides the bureau may license a person to carry on one or more digital asset business activities described in the bill. The bureau shall have the authority to exempt persons from the provisions of the bill concerning engaging in digital asset business activity without a license and to determine whether a person is subject to a license pursuant to the bill. The bill provides that a person who violates the provisions requiring licensure is liable for a penalty of $500 per day, from the first day the bureau issues a notice of failure to apply for a license until a license application is filed with the bureau. The bill provides that an application for a license is to be submitted in a form and manner set forth by the bureau. Each application is to be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee. Applicants are to provide certain information relevant to the applicant's proposed digital asset business activity. Certain information provided to the bureau pursuant to an application for a license is to be protected from public disclosure. The bill requires applicants to provide a list of any litigation, arbitration, or administrative proceedings to which the applicant, or certain other individuals, has been a party to for 10 years prior to submission of the application. This bill also permits the bureau to use the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System, or a similar system, to conduct criminal history records checks or applicants and certain other individuals. The bill requires the bureau to grant or deny any digital asset business license application within 180 days of receipt of a completed application. The bureau may refuse an application for a digital asset business license application if a licensee or applicant fails to meet certain standards specified in the bill. Licensees are required to submit a renewal of a license that contains an update of all information required at initial licensing as well as certain other information described in the bill. The bill provides that the bureau may audit any digital asset business licensee. The bill stipulates that each licensee is to maintain and enforce confidential, written compliance policies which are to be reviewed and approved by the licensee's board of directors or an equivalent governing body. The bureau may suspend or revoke a digital asset business license upon certain findings that are provided in the bill. The bill provides the bureau chief with the authority to, for good cause shown, summarily suspend, revoke, or deny any license pending final determination of a proceeding. Under the bill, notice of any suspension or revocation of a license issued by the bureau is to prominently indicate that a right to a hearing is available. A licensee, under the bill, is to provide the bureau with any document relating to the operations of the licensee upon receiving written notice from the bureau. The licensee is to maintain records of all client transactions and any accounts, correspondences, memoranda, and other records as the bureau may require, for no less than six years from the date of a transaction's occurrence, unless the bureau by rule prescribes another timeframe. The bureau has the authority to conduct examinations to determine a licensee's compliance with the provisions of the bill. The bill requires the terms and conditions of a digital asset business involving a customer's account to be disclosed at the time the customer contracts for a digital asset business service. The disclosure is to be full and complete, contain no material misrepresentations, be in readily understandable language and may include, as appropriate and to the extent applicable, certain information concerning fees and charges, risks to the customer, and any protections or securities that are in place. The disclosures required by the bill are to be displayed and individually agreed to by a customer before any digital asset transaction at an electronic kiosk. Any fee to be charged is required to be displayed and individually agreed to by a customer before any digital asset transaction or digital asset balance inquiry at an electronic kiosk. Under the bill, it is a violation for any person to make or cause to be made, in any document filed with the bureau or in any proceeding, investigation or examination conducted under the bill, any statement which is, at the time and in the light of the circumstances under which it is made, false or misleading in any material respect. In addition, the bill provides the bureau chief with certain investigatory authority to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate any provision of the bill or to otherwise aid in the enforcement of the bill. The bill makes it unlawful for any officer or employee of the bureau to use for personal benefit any information which is filed with or obtained by the bureau that is not made public. Lastly, the bill establishes the "Digital Asset Enforcement Fund" in the Division of Consumer Affairs (division) of the Department of Law and Public Safety is to continue as a dedicated, nonlapsing, revolving fund. All fees, penalties, costs, fines, and other collected moneys are to be deposited in the fund and used by the director of the division to administer and enforce the provisions of the bill, and to conduct investigations related to the bill. | In Committee |
| S1650 | Establishes New Jersey Statewide Suicide Prevention Coordination and Oversight Council in DHS. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Statewide Suicide Prevention Coordination and Oversight Council in the Department of Human Services. The purpose of the council will be to: (1) periodically survey and evaluate existing activities, programs, initiatives, and services related to suicide prevention efforts operating throughout the State; (2) develop standards and guidelines for suicide prevention entities operating in the State to report certain data to the council as required under the bill; (3) assist suicide prevention entities by providing standardized guidance, based on prevailing best practices, concerning the content of informational materials made available to persons who report an attempted or completed suicide; (4) provide guidance and assistance to suicide prevention entities concerning compliance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Human Services to implement the provisions of the bill; (5) serve as a centralized hub for reporting, analyzing, and retaining certain non-identifying and de-identified data collected from suicide prevention entities operating within the State, including: the individual's age, gender, race, and ethnicity; whether the suicide was completed; the method of attempted or completed suicide; the person's status as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, undesignated/nonbinary, questioning, queer, or intersex; the person's status a current or former law enforcement officer; the person's status as active or retired military; the municipality in which the attempted or completed suicide occurred; whether the person had previous involvement with a mental health professional or a professional specializing in the treatment of substance use disorders; and any other metric the council requires to be reported, provided that the Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Children and Families, and the Attorney General have each approved collection of the additional metric by the council; (6) collect information from suicide prevention entities operating within the State concerning the entity's programs, activities, and initiatives related to suicide prevention and intervention, including any requests for proposals issued by the entity, any grants for which the entity applies and whether those grants involve State, federal, or private monies, and any other sources of State, federal, or private funding sought out by the entity; and (7) compile and make available to appropriate entities, including the Department of Health and other State and federal authorities authorized to acquire such data and related information, certain data collected by the council, as well as the council's findings and recommendations related to completed suicides and suicide attempts, provided that any data or other information furnished by the council to another entity does not contain any private or personal identifying information, and the data and other information is furnished in a manner that is not violative of State or federal privacy laws. With regard to the entities that are subject to the reporting requirements under the bill, the term "suicide prevention entity" is defined to mean any entity operating under imprimatur of State authority that engages in activities related to suicide prevention or collecting data specific to attempted and completed suicides, regardless of whether the entity was established by statute, regulation, or executive or administrative action. The council will consist of 25 members, including: the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, Children and Families, Corrections, and Education, the Secretary of Higher Education, the executive director of the Juvenile Justice Commission, the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, the Executive Director of the Board of Directors of NJ Transit, the Chief State Medical Examiner, the assistant commissioner of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services, the chair of the Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma, and the Chief Technology Officer of the Office of Information Technology, or their designees, who will serve ex officio; (2) four public members appointed by the Governor, three of whom are to be faculty members at institutions of higher education who have expertise in the area of mental health, and one of whom is to be either a law enforcement officer in the Office of the Attorney General with expertise related to suicide or a mental health professional; (3) four public members appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom is to have experience as a mental health professional in the private sector with experience in youth suicide prevention and counseling, one of whom is to have experience as a psychiatrist in the private sector in the provision of services to elderly persons, one of whom is to be a person who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, undesignated/nonbinary, questioning, queer, or intersex, and one of whom is to be a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor who is also a licensed clinical social worker with experience working with individuals in crisis; and (4) four public members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, two of whom are to be current or former mental health professionals with experience providing services in a secondary school, one of whom is to be a survivor of suicide or have a family member who has been affected by suicide, and one of whom is to have experience as a primary health care practitioner. The public members will serve for a term of five years. The council will be required to issue an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature containing a summary of the data compiled by the council that includes aggregate demographic information about persons who attempt or complete suicide and any findings made by the council concerning attempted and completed suicides. The report will include recommendations for legislation or administrative or other actions as may be necessary to facilitate the accurate and efficient collection of data and promote more effective suicide prevention and intervention activities, programs, and initiatives. | In Committee |
| S1298 | Clarifies that any State entity that issues professional or occupational licenses will not require individuals to demonstrate lawful presence in New Jersey to obtain professional or occupational licensure. | This bill clarifies current law by stating that any entity in New Jersey, including any principal department of the Executive Branch of State government, any entity within any department, and any other entity created to license or otherwise regulate a profession or occupation, will not require an individual to demonstrate lawful presence in New Jersey to obtain a professional or occupational license. | In Committee |
| S2239 | Extends duration of law requiring certain provider subsidy payments for child care services be based on enrollment. | This bill extends the applicability of P.L.2021, c.324, which requires that subsidy payments to licensed child care providers be based on enrollment of students who are eligible for child care services, rather than on attendance, to provide that the provisions of the law continue for an additional three years, instead of expiring on June 30, 2022 as provided for in existing law. The bill provides that a licensed child care provider or registered family day care provider receiving subsidy payments based on enrollment is required to pay wages to its staff, and determine the number of hours worked by staff, based on the number of children enrolled with the provider who are eligible for child care services. At no time will the amount of wages paid to staff or the number of hours worked by staff be based on the attendance of children eligible for child care services. The bill stipulates that a licensed child care center or a registered family day care provider receiving subsidy payments based on enrollment will continue to receive such payments until the Division of Family Development (the division) in the Department of Human Services issues the report required pursuant to the bill, at which time the division may consider to extend the payment of enrollment-based subsidies to licensed child care centers and registered family day care providers in accordance with P.L.2021, c.324. The bill requires the division to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the study conducted under the provisions of P.L.2021, c.324 within three years following the effective date of the bill. | In Committee |
| S2046 | Require voting machines to be recertified annually and after software modifications. | This bill requires the Secretary of State to examine and recertify all voting machines both annually and when there are modifications to the software on the machines. As part of the examination and recertification, the Secretary of State will develop a test and a check list to confirm that each voting machine is operating properly and is able to accurately record and tabulate all of the votes cast for each election. | In Committee |
| S1986 | Establishes School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force. | This bill establishes the School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to study, evaluate, and assess the provision of State school aid pursuant to the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008" (SFRA). The task force will consist of seven members, including: the Commissioner of Education or a designee; and six public members, each of whom shall have educational experience and expertise in education and municipal finance and school budgeting. Two of the members will be appointed by the Senate President, two members will be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of the Senate and General Assembly will each appoint one member. Under the bill, the duty of the task force is to study the effectiveness of, and provide recommendations on potentially improving, various aspects of the SFRA including, but not limited to:? the manner in which school district adequacy budgets and local shares are calculated;? the current methodology of measuring and weighting at-risk students and students with limited English proficiency and the impact on the educational outcomes of those students; ? the weights applied to students in different grade levels, as well as those applied to students enrolled in county vocational school districts; ? the current methodology used to calculate the geographic cost adjustment;? the formula's use of the census-based funding methodology for determining the amount of State aid a school district receives to educate its special education population and the effects of potentially employing different methodologies; ? the provision of extraordinary special education aid and the cost thresholds used as the bases for reimbursement of extraordinary special education costs; ? the methodologies used to calculate security categorical aid and transportation aid; and ? the impact that the reallocation of State school aid pursuant to P.L.2018, c.67, commonly referred to as "S-2," had on school districts' finances. The bill requires that the task force will issue a final report detailing its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and to the Legislature, no later than one year after the organization of the task force. The report will be posted in a prominent location on the Internet website of the Department of Education. | In Committee |
| S1366 | Requires text messages soliciting home owners to provide notice when individuals sending solicitations are not licensed by New Jersey Real Estate Commission. | This bill requires anyone who is not a licensee of the New Jersey Real Estate Commission (commission) who uses text messaging to solicit a home owner regarding the sale of a home to send, prior to a solicitation, a separate text message to the home owner that states the individual is not a licensee of the commission, the name of the employer with whom the individual is employed, and the text is a solicitation. An individual will incur a penalty of not more than $5,000 for a first violation of the bill, and of not more than $10,000 for any subsequent violation of the bill. The Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety (division) is to develop and undertake a public education program and marketing campaign designed to inform licensees of the commission and home owners of the provisions of the bill. If the division deems it necessary, the public education program and marketing campaign shall include information concerning issues and fraudulent activity related to text message real estate solicitations by individuals not licensed by the commission, and the assistance available to understand if a real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson, or purported real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson, is licensed by the commission. The public education program and marketing campaign may include a notice of the provisions posted clearly and conspicuously on the Internet website of the division and commission and any other action taken by the division or commission to raise public awareness. | In Committee |
| S429 | Establishes certification program for disabled-owned businesses. | This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to certify businesses owned by persons with a disability in the same way that the Department provides for the certification of minority and women's businesses. New Jersey's disabled residents are vital participants in economic, civic, and social life in the State. Businesses owned in whole or in part by persons with disabilities touch all parts of the State's economy, providing vital goods and services to New Jerseyans and visitors. Enabling the certification of business entities owned by members of underrepresented communities contributes to the success and recognition of such businesses and helps such businesses thrive. The Division of Revenue in the Department of the Treasury already provides the opportunity for minority owned, women owned, veteran owned, and disabled-veteran owned businesses to apply for certification as such, but no such mechanism exists in New Jersey for disabled-owned businesses. This bill permanently remedies that lack of opportunity, affirms that disabled-owned business owners are welcome and encouraged to conduct business in New Jersey, and enables such businesses to proudly announce that they are recognized by the State as a disabled-owned business enterprise. | In Committee |
| S889 | Establishes grant program for homeless veterans shelters. | The bill would require the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to award grants, subject to the availability of funds, to certain southern New Jersey counties to provide veterans with improved access to homeless shelters. Under the bill, Atlantic County, Cape May County, and Cumberland County may submit applications to the Adjutant General proposing locations for homeless veterans shelters and identifying property the county would provide to the State for the development of a shelter. New Jersey's southern counties are in particular need of shelters for homeless veterans. Because of mobility issues, homeless veterans' access to resources is often limited by geographic location. Various factors may have caused homeless veterans to locate within southern New Jersey counties. However, when conditions, such as extreme cold, require them to seek out temporary shelter, they find themselves isolated from shelters and other facilities that provide resources for veterans. This bill would result in the development of shelters in locations appropriate to meet this need. | In Committee |
| S905 | Creates "Disability Life-Sustaining Measures Advisory Council." | This bill creates the "Disability Life-Sustaining Measures Advisory Council" (council) in the Department of Health. The purpose of the council is to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are protected during public health emergencies. The advisory council is to at a minimum: (1) recommend policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation to help the State provide life-sustaining measures to people with disabilities during a public health emergency, including, but not be limited to policies, procedures, regulations, and legislation regarding emergency care, ventilators, resuscitation orders, testing, and immunizations; (2) recommend policies that protect the rights of people with disabilities in any medical setting where the life of a person with a disability is at risk; (3) analyze and review the State's emergency care standards to determine compliance with federal laws on discrimination against people with disabilities; and (4) receive public comment on the treatment of people with disabilities during public health emergencies. Under the bill, the council is to consist of 14 as provided for in the bill. Each member of the advisory council is to serve for a term of three years; however, of the members first appointed, two are to serve an initial term of one year, two are to serve an initial term of two years, and one is to serve an initial term of three years. Members will be eligible for reappointment to the advisory council upon the conclusion of their respective membership terms. Any member may also be removed by the Governor, for cause, following a public hearing. Members of the council are to be appointed within 30 days after the bill's effective date, and the council is to hold its first organizational meeting within 30 days after the appointment of a majority of its membership. Each year following the council's organization, the council will be required to submit a report of its activities to the Governor and Legislature. | In Committee |
| S2177 | Establishes Office of Women's Services in DOC. | This bill establishes the Office of Women's Services in the Department of Corrections. Under the provisions of this bill, the office is required to ensure that policies, programs, and services are in place and available to address: 1) the specific needs of female inmates in the following areas: medical treatment, including prenatal care; mental health treatment, including treatment for physical or sexual abuse or other trauma; substance abuse treatment; parenting; and child reunification; 2) the specific needs of female inmates who are pregnant, have given birth while incarcerated, have recently given birth prior to incarceration, or are breastfeeding; and 3) any other areas deemed appropriate by the commissioner. The bill provides that the office is to be under the immediate supervision of a director who is to be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The director may appoint employees as necessary, subject to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes (Civil Service). | In Committee |
| S1307 | Establishes process to bar certain health care providers from receiving reimbursement under PIP. | This bill establishes a process by which certain health care providers can be barred from collecting reimbursement from the medical expense benefits under the personal injury protection (PIP) coverage of an automobile insurance policy. Specifically, the bill provides that the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance (the "commissioner"), in consultation with the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services and the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety, shall, by regulation, promulgate standards and procedures for investigating and, as appropriate, temporarily suspending or barring a health care provider from demanding, requesting or receiving reimbursement for services or equipment for which payment is to be made by an automobile insurer under PIP coverage. The bill requires the commissioner to ensure adequate due process protection to health care providers, including notice and opportunity to be heard, and to provide notice to health care providers at least 90 days in advance of the effective date of the regulations implementing the bill. The bill establishes a process in which the commissioner, either by his own initiative or based on the recommendation of the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services or the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, may conduct an investigation into any health care provider who the commissioner reasonably believes: (1) may be guilty of professional misconduct, incompetence, or negligence; (2) exceeded the limits of his or her professional competence in rendering medical care or may have knowingly made a false statement or representation as to a material fact in any medical report under PIP; (3) has solicited, or has employed another to solicit for himself or herself or for another, professional treatment, examination or care of an injured person in connection with certain claims; (4) has refused to appear before, or to answer upon request of, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, or any duly authorized officer of the State, any legal question, or to produce any relevant information concerning his or her conduct in connection with rendering medical services; or (5) has engaged in patterns of billing for services which were never rendered, are of no diagnostic value or are medically unnecessary. The bill then requires the commissioner to notify any health care provider being investigated and provide the health care provider with adequate notice and opportunity to be heard. Under the bill, the commissioner is then required to make a determination, based on the investigation and the health care provider's response, whether to temporarily suspend or bar the health care provider from demanding, requesting or receiving reimbursement for services or equipment for which payment is to be made by an automobile insurer under PIP coverage. The bill also requires the commissioner to compile a list of those health care providers who are barred from collecting reimbursement under the bill. Health care providers who are barred from collecting reimbursement under the bill are prohibited from subsequently treating for remuneration, as a private patient, any person seeking medical treatment under personal injury protection coverage. An injured claimant so treated or examined is permitted to raise this as a defense in any action by that health care provider for payment for treatment rendered at any time after that health care provider has been barred from demanding or requesting payment for medical services pursuant to this section. The bill also provides that the commissioner, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services and the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs shall make the list of health care providers who are barred from reimbursement under the bill's provisions available to the public by means of a website and by a toll free number. The bill also permits the commissioner, while conducting an investigation pursuant to the bill and, after a hearing and upon written notice to the provider, to temporarily suspend a health care provider from demanding, requesting or receiving any reimbursement for services or equipment for medical expense benefits for which payment is to be made by an automobile insurer under PIP coverage. The bill is not intended to affect or alter the provisions of P.L.1989, c.19 (C.45:9-22.4 et seq.), which pertain to referrals of patients by practitioners. | In Committee |
| S164 | Requires health benefits coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants for insureds aged 21 or younger. | This bill, which amends P.L.2008, c.126, "Grace's Law," removes the specification that health insurers (health, hospital, and medical service corporations, commercial individual and group health insurers, health maintenance organizations, health benefits plans issued pursuant to the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage and Small Employer Health Benefits Programs, the State Health Benefits Program, and the NJ FamilyCare Program) provide coverage for expenses incurred in the purchase of a hearing aid only for covered persons who are 15 years old or younger, and providing instead that they provide coverage for those expenses for covered persons who are 21 year old or younger. The bill allows a health insurer to limit the coverage of a hearing aid to one hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 24 months. The bill also requires that benefits provide coverage of the cost of treatment related to cochlear implants, including procedures for the implantation of cochlear devices and costs for any parts, attachments, or accessories of the device. In addition, the bill supplements P.L.2007, c.103 (C.52:14-17.46.1 et seq.) to require the School Employees' Health Benefits Commission to ensure that every contract purchased by the commission meets the same requirements for hearing aid and cochlear implant coverage as "Grace's Law." | Dead |
| S1947 | Prohibits sale of flavored cigarettes, non-premium cigars, and oral nicotine pouches. | This bill extends the current State statutory ban on the sale of flavored cigarettes to include menthol and clove cigarettes. New Jersey generally banned flavored cigarettes in 2008, but included in that law exceptions for menthol and clove cigarettes. In 2009, the federal government adopted a law banning all flavored cigarettes, including clove, but also provided an exception for menthol cigarettes. Under the bill, the existing penalties for prohibited sales of flavored cigarettes will apply to sales of menthol and clove cigarettes. The substitute makes the prohibitions and penalties under the flavored cigarette ban applicable to retailers, rather than individuals. The revision to the flavor ban means that a retailer is not to, either directly or indirectly by an agent or employee, or by a vending machine owned by the retailer or located in the retailer's establishment, sell, offer for sale, distribute for commercial purpose at no cost or minimal cost or with coupons or rebate offers, give or furnish, to a person a cigarette, or any component part thereof, which contains a natural or artificial constituent or additive that causes the cigarette product or any smoke emanating from the cigarette or product to have a characterizing flavor other than tobacco. In no event is a cigarette or any component part thereof to be construed to have a characterizing flavor based solely on the use of additives or flavorings, or the provision of an ingredient list made available by any means. The existing penalties under the current law concerning flavored cigarettes will continue to apply, such that a retailer who makes a prohibited sale will be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $250 for the first violation, not less than $500 for the second violation, and $1,000 for the third and each subsequent violation. In addition, the retailer's tobacco retailer license may be suspended or revoked upon a second or subsequent violation, under certain circumstances. The licensee will also be subject to administrative charges, based on a schedule issued by the Director of the Division of Taxation, which may provide for a monetary penalty in lieu of a suspension. | In Committee |
| S1308 | Requires health insurance carriers to offer clear cost share plans for individual health benefits plans. | This bill requires health insurance carriers to offer a clear cost share plan for individual health benefits plans. A clear cost share plan is a plan design that includes a set of annual copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles for all or a designated subset of benefits within a health benefits plan. Under this bill, the commissioner of the Department of Banking and Insurance, in consultation with the board of directors of the Individual Health Coverage Program, will be required to develop a clear cost share plan for individual health benefits plans that provide for standardized benefits and cost-sharing for covered health services. When creating the share plan, the commissioner is to take into consideration the following: (1) the ability of a health plan to conform to actuarial value ranges; (2) focusing consumer choice to make the process of selecting a health plan more transparent and quality-based; (3) limiting out-of-pocket costs that serve as a financial barrier to accessing high-value care; and (4) fostering quality improvement through the promotion of benefits with a high value and a focus on the consumer. The commissioner will also be required to develop at least one clear cost share plan for each tier of a health insurance plan designated as bronze, silver, and gold in accordance with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A carrier is to make available any clear cost share plan developed pursuant to the bill from each metal tier in order to participate in the individual market. Once created, the commissioner will evaluate annually whether to revise, discontinue, or add any clear cost share plan for use by a carrier, which includes, but is not limited to, considering whether a deductible or copayment level should be changed to reflect medical inflation and actuarial values. A 60-day public comment period will be permitted as part of the evaluation process. Additionally, a carrier will be able to offer up to three health benefits plans that modify one or more parameters in a clear cost share plan created by the commissioner if the carrier submits, and the commissioner approves, an actuarial certification stating that the alternative share plan offers significant consumer benefits and will not result in an adverse selection for the consumer. The commissioner will also ensure that the exchange's website prioritizes unmodified clear cost share plans and that a comparison be available to display the similarities and differences in coverage between modified and unmodified clear cost share plans. Finally, the commissioner will require that plans offered on the exchange conform with standardized plan designs that provide for standardized cost-sharing for covered health services. | In Committee |
| S1315 | Bars certain limitations on number of consumer contract claims that are allowed to proceed at same time. | This bill prohibits a consumer contract from limiting the number of claims made against the contract that are allowed to proceed at the same time in an adjudication if 1) the claims are similar and 2) the claimants are represented by the same legal counsel or different legal counsel coordinating the adjudication of the claims. Under the bill, "adjudication" means a legal proceeding, including, but not limited to, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation, to resolve a legal dispute. This bill is intended to protect a consumer's right to an expeditious adjudication. Specifically, the bill intends to preserve the speed of the adjudication for a consumer who hires legal counsel who is working with, or who may work with, multiple consumers on similar claims that arose from the same contract or who is coordinating the adjudication of the claims with other legal counsel working with consumers on similar claims from the contract. | In Committee |
| S913 | Requires long-term care facilities to submit reports regarding residents with disabilities. | This bill requires long-term care facilities to submit reports regarding residents with disabilities. Under the bill, each long-term care facility is to report the total number of residents with a disability, the number of residents with each category of disability, which categories are to be determined by the Department of Health in consultation with the Department of Human Services, and the ranges in age of residents with each category of disability. Thereafter, a long-term care facility is to report to the Department of Health whenever there is a change in the total number of residents with a disability, the number of residents with each category of disability, and the ranges in age of residents with each category of disability. The bill defines "long-term care facility" to mean a nursing home, assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, residential health care facility, or dementia care home licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.). | In Committee |
| S1480 | Requires calculation of national average time needed to approve applications for initial credential in profession or occupation and use of average time as standard in New Jersey. | The bill requires the boards created under Title 45 in current law to collect, from each state in the country, the amount of time, or the average amount of time, required or necessary to approve an application for an initial credential for each profession or occupation in which the New Jersey board also issues a credential. A board may contact a national or regional association to obtain data regarding average approval times in other states. Based on the data collected, a national average of the time required or necessary for application approval is to be calculated for each profession and occupation and used by the corresponding board in New Jersey as the amount of time it has to approve an application for an initial credential. The Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, or a designee, is to review and approve the calculated national averages of times prior to their use by the boards. After one year of using the calculated national average of times by the boards, the division is to review if the boards are meeting the requisite calculated average times for approval of applications for initial credentials. If the review demonstrates a board is not meeting the calculated time, licensing fees collected by the board are to be used to contract with a third-party, with expertise in the professions or occupations regulated by the specific board, to determine best practices that the board is to implement to meet the calculated average time for application approval. Upon completion of the review by the third-party, the board is to implement the best practices immediately. The division is to review the data on the approval of applications for initial credentials by the board six months after the implementation of best practices to ensure the calculated national average time is met. The boards have six months after the effective date of the bill to complete the initial collection of data and calculate the national average time. Additionally, an annual review of the calculated national average time is to be performed by each board, in collaboration with the director or a designee, to determine the accuracy of the calculations. The bill stipulates that each board is entitled to retain all funds collected as a result of fees paid for an initial credential and for the renewal, reactivation, and reinstatement of a credential in order to administer the provisions of this bill, until the board is meeting or surpassing its calculated national average time for application approval. | In Committee |
| S1885 | Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations. | This bill broadens the eligibility for various veterans benefits by eliminating the requirement that to be considered a veteran a person must have served during periods of war, in specific war zones, or during periods of emergency. Instead, the bill provides that a person will be considered a veteran if he or she served for at least 90 days, exclusive of certain types of initial training, in order to be eligible for veterans benefits. The bill specifies that to be considered a veteran and eligible for veterans benefits, a member of a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces (including the National Guard) must serve the entire period to which he or she is called to federal active service, exclusive of active duty for training. A person who is discharged as the result of a service-connected disability will be classed as a veteran even if he or she did not meet the 90-day service requirement. The veterans benefits include: (1) civil service preference under Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes; (2) veteran's retirement allowance under the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) or the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS); (3) the purchase of additional military service credit in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), TPAF and PERS; (4) the annual property tax deduction provided under Article VIII of the New Jersey Constitution ($250 each tax year) or the property tax exemption provided under N.J.S.A.54:4-3.30 for a veteran who is certified permanently 100% disabled by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs; and (5) surviving spouse benefits for veterans killed in active service, including civil service preference and the property tax deduction or exemption. The bill provides that an active service member of the United States Armed Forces or a current member of a military reserve component (including the National Guard) who has not been discharged from service is eligible for the civil service preference and the property tax deduction provided that he or she qualifies as a veteran. Eligibility for the property tax benefits and civil service preference is contingent upon voter approval of authorizing amendments to the State Constitution. Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 (concerning property tax benefits) and Article VII, Section I, paragraph 2 (concerning civil service preference) of the State Constitution currently refer to service in time of war. The bill repeals a section of existing civil service, pension and tax law regarding wartime service which is no longer necessary because of the elimination of the wartime service requirement. | In Committee |
| S992 | Requires induction loop listening system installation in certain buildings open to public upon new construction or substantial renovation. | This bill would require the installation of induction loop listening systems in certain public spaces upon new construction or substantial renovation. An "induction loop listening system" refers to a hardwired assistive listening system in which a loop of wire around an area of a building, or hardwired countertop version, produces a signal received directly by hearing aids and cochlear implants used by persons with hearing loss. Induction loop listening systems magnetically transmit sound to hearing aids and cochlear implants that are equipped with telecoil features, and have an effect of filtering out background noise. Under the bill, induction loop listening system installations would be required in a newly constructed area of public assembly or service, unless the associated building permit application was initially submitted on or before the effective date of the bill. The bill would also require any area of public assembly or service to install induction loop listening systems during renovations that cost $40,000 or more. Additionally, the bill would require the posting of prominently-visible permanently-mounted signage to indicate to visitors that the induction loop listening system is available in an area of public assembly or service. Following initial installation, the bill would require the owner, on a biennial basis, to complete a self-certification form, attesting that the induction loop listening system continues to function. Under the bill, an "area of public assembly or service" means a building or structure, or space within a building or structure, that is regularly open for public gatherings, consisting of an auditorium, theater, meeting room, courtroom, community center, library, pharmacy counter, information desk at a medical facility, a waiting area for a medical office, bank teller area, car rental business, restaurant, bar, or other food or beverage counter service location, coat check area, grocery store check-out area, ticket payment location, or other category of space designated by the Department of Community Affairs ("DCA") as an area of public assembly or service. Under the bill, the owner of an area of public assembly or service would not be required to install and maintain an induction loop listening system if a code enforcing agency determines that the installation of the system would be impractical, following an assertion of the impracticality of the installation by the building permit applicant. The bill directs DCA to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the bill, including the establishment of standards for: (1) the installation of an induction loop listening system; (2) the conditions that would render installation impractical; (3) the placement and appearance of the required signage; and (4) the frequency and criteria of public access that would cause a space to be designated as open to the public, in relation to the definition of an area of public assembly or service. The provisions of the bill would be enforced as part of the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," ("UCC") P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.). The owner of an area of public assembly or service who violates the provisions of the bill would therefore be liable for any penalty imposed by an enforcing agency pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-138), or any other applicable penalty under the UCC. In order to provide DCA with time to prepare for the enforcement of the bill, the bill would take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment. | In Committee |
| S866 | Suspends fines for certain first-time paperwork violations committed by small businesses. | This bill would suspend the assessment of fines against small businesses for certain minor first-time paperwork violations. Under the bill, a small business means a business entity that employs 50 full-time employees or fewer and qualifies as a small business concern as defined in the federal "Small Business Act." Under the bill, a fine would not be suspended if:· the violation has the potential to cause serious harm to the public interest;· failure to impose a fine or penalty would impede or interfere with the detection of criminal activity;· the violation concerns the assessment or collection of any tax, debt, revenue, or receipt;· the violation was not corrected within six months of the date the small business received notification of the violation; or· except as provided below, the violation presents a danger to public safety. If a State agency or regulatory authority determines that the violation presents a danger to the public safety, the agency or regulatory authority may nevertheless suspend the assessment of a fine under certain circumstances if the violation is corrected within 24 hours after notification to the business of the violation. This bill is based upon a federal bill that was sponsored in the 114th United States Congress, introduced on January 7, 2015. The federal bill provided for the suspension of fines under certain circumstances for first-time paperwork violations by small businesses. | In Committee |
| S1321 | Protects equity accrued by property owner in tax sale foreclosure. | This bill would revise the process governing an action filed in Superior Court by the holder of a tax lien on a parcel of real property when that person institutes an action to foreclose the right of redemption of the tax lien. This bill is necessary because the United States Supreme Court's holding in Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, et al., 143 S. Ct. 1369 (2023), has undermined the provision of New Jersey's tax sale law which awards the holder of a tax sale certificate the ability to foreclose the property owner's right to redeem the tax lien and awards the holder of the tax sale certificate the property itself, as well as all of the property owner's equity in the property. The right of redemption of a tax lien is the right of the owner of the property on which the tax lien exists to repay the holder of the tax lien for the amount of taxes paid by the lienholder, plus interest, and remove the lien from the property. The provisions of this bill are intended to address the unfairness of the loss of that equity to property owners who lose property in a tax lien foreclosure. Ms. Geraldine Tyler owned a condominium in Hennepin County, Minnesota on which accumulated approximately $15,000 in unpaid real estate taxes, interest, and penalties. The county seized the condominium and sold it for $40,000. Instead of returning the excess $25,000 from the sale to Ms. Tyler, the county kept the money for itself. Ms. Tyler filed suit, alleging that the county unconstitutionally retained the excess value of her condominium beyond the $15,000 tax debt in violation of the Takings Clause of The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as well as the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment. In an opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts for a unanimous Court, the Court found that Ms. Tyler had plausibly alleged a taking under the Fifth Amendment. Since Ms. Tyler agreed that relief under the Takings Clause would fully remedy her harm, the Court did not decide whether she also alleged an excessive fine under the Fifth Amendment. However, the acknowledgement that Ms. Tyler had plausibly alleged a taking under the Fifth Amendment has the effect of limiting what a lienholder can collect when the Court forecloses the right of redemption of a lien on the lienholder's behalf to only the property taxes paid by the lienholder, plus interest. In the words of Chief Justice Roberts, "(t)he taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but no more." In this case, the party that kept the excess funds was a public entity, not a private lienholder. Currently, under R.S.54:5-86, with respect to a lienholder that is not a municipality, an action to foreclose the right of redemption may be instituted at any time after the expiration of the term of two years from the date of sale of the tax sale certificate. In the case of a municipality that holds a tax certificate, an action may be filed at any time after 6 months from the date of the tax lien sale. Once an action to foreclose the right to redeem has been filed by a tax lien holder, the right to redeem continues to exist until barred by the judgment of the Superior Court. However, upon the action by the judge to bar the right of redemption and foreclose all liens other than municipal liens, the judge grants the holder of the tax sale certificate the title to the property, and that person becomes the owner of the property. At this point, the previous owner's rights to the property are permanently extinguished and the previous owner also loses any value, commonly referred to as equity, built up in the property through appreciation, or the payoff of a mortgage Under the bill, in the case of a parcel of real property that is the subject of a tax lien foreclosure action filed in Superior Court, upon the approval of the action to foreclose the right of redemption by the Court, the Court would not grant the tax lien holder ownership of the property. Instead, the Court would order that all of the property taxes paid by the tax lien holder, and interest due thereon, together with all costs related to the filing and adjudication of the action to foreclose the right of redemption that were paid by the tax lien holder, would be the first priority lien on the property, paramount to any other lien, including any outstanding municipal lien, and would order the sheriff of the county in which the parcel of real property is located to hold an Internet auction of the property. Once the Internet auction is completed and the property has been sold, not later than 14 days following receipt by the sheriff of the moneys paid by the winning bidder at the auction, the sheriff would be required to forward to the tax lien holder the sum of all property taxes paid by the tax lien holder, and interest due thereon, together with all costs related to the filing and adjudication of the action to foreclose the right of redemption. The sheriff would be required to also pay to the municipality the amount of any other municipal liens on the property plus any interest due and owing thereon, and retain for the sheriff's office sufficient funds to cover the costs of the auction. Once those payments are made, the sheriff would then forward any remaining moneys collected from the winning bidder of the auction to the defendant. This allows the defendant to retain funds to either purchase, or rent, another property. Under current law, with respect to a property taxpayer who has paid down a mortgage, who has equity in a property, or whose property has considerably appreciated over time, the loss of the property in a tax lien foreclosure, as well as the loss of all of the equity in the property, could lead to homelessness or other hardship, as there are no funds returned to the property owner with which to rent, or to purchase, another property. Property equity is a valuable asset to property owners that should be protected, and retained by the property owners. It provides a property owner with opportunities to turn the equity to cash to purchase or rent another property, or to pay for items like living expenses in retirement, a child's college savings, or the health care of a loved one. "Equity theft," as this practice is known colloquially, occurs when government uses the property to settle an unpaid property tax debt and allow someone other than the property owner to collect the excess revenue beyond the unpaid property tax debt. Like other assets, home equity should be protected from unjust government seizure. New Jersey is one of a handful of states, plus the District of Columbia, that does not currently, following a tax lien foreclosure, return to a property owner the remaining equity in the property subject to the tax lien foreclosure. | In Committee |
| S1302 | Requires architects disclose insurance coverage. | This bill provides that an architect shall disclose to any other party to a contract for architectural services the type of professional liability insurance carried by the architect. The disclosure shall be made prior to the parties entering into an agreement for architectural services. In addition, the bill requires that any architect entering into a public contract for architectural services is required to carry errors and omissions insurance. | In Committee |
| S2169 | Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for businesses that employ apprentices in DOL registered apprenticeships. | This bill provides businesses with a credit against the corporation business tax or the gross income tax for each employee of the business employed pursuant to an apprenticeship registered with the United States Department of Labor (USDOL). The bill gives businesses a credit of $1,000 for each apprentice employed for seven months or more during the taxable year. The credit may be increased by $2,000 if the apprentice is a veteran, was eligible to receive benefits under the Work First New Jersey program or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program within twelve months preceding the beginning of the apprenticeship, is a displaced worker, or was previously incarcerated. Similarly, the credit may be increased by $2,000 if the apprentice belongs to a group that is underrepresented in that career field based on their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or age. These two bonus credits are additive, so that a qualifying apprentice may lead to a $5,000 tax credit. The tax credit amounts will be annually adjusted according to any adjustments in the Statewide average weekly wage. An employer may take the credit for a particular apprentice for a maximum of four taxable years of the apprentice's employment. The purpose of the tax credit is to encourage employers to add highly skilled workers to New Jersey's workforce. The USDOL-registered apprenticeships combine technical instruction with structured on-the-job experience to match individuals with employers in need of qualified, skilled workers. The range of occupations represented by registered apprenticeships is vast, including traditional industries such as construction and manufacturing and emerging fields such as healthcare and energy. | In Committee |
| S403 | Requires consumer reporting agencies to provide a consumer with a free credit report three times during any 12-month period upon request. | This bill requires consumer reporting agencies to provide the consumer with a free credit report three times during any 12-month period upon the request of a consumer. Current law requires the credit report to be provided without charge once during any 12-month period. | In Committee |
| S2163 | Revises certain requirements concerning graduation proficiency test and eliminates requirement that graduation proficiency test be administered to eleventh grade students. | This bill amends the provisions of current law concerning the graduation proficiency test to provide for the development or designation of a Statewide assessment or assessments in reading, writing, and computational skills. The bill also eliminates the requirement that the assessment be administered specifically in the 11th grade. Under current law, P.L.1979, c.241 (C.18A:7C-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education are required to establish a program of standards for graduation from high school, including the development of a Statewide assessment test in reading, writing, and computational skills. The State graduation proficiency test is required to be administered to all 11th grade students, and to any 11th or 12th grade student who has not yet demonstrated proficiency on the test. Under the bill, the State will be required to administer an assessment or assessments designed to test high school proficiency, and any student who initially does not demonstrate proficiency on the assessment or assessments is required to be given an opportunity to retest. The bill contains a grandfather provision for students in the graduating classes of 2024 and 2025, providing that these students will be deemed to have met graduation assessment requirements if they satisfy the State Board of Education regulations, pursuant to N.J.A.C.6A:8-5.1, that were in place as of October 4, 2021 concerning graduation assessment requirements for the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Concerning the class of 2023, the New Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment administered as the State graduation proficiency test in March 2022 to 11th grade students, expected to graduate as part of the class of 2023, would be considered a field test. Under no circumstances would the results of the field test, a substitute competency test, or any other demonstration of proficiency through techniques and instruments other than a standardized test pursuant to current law be used as a prerequisite for graduation for students in the graduating class of 2023. The bill provides that, for the classes of 2026 and thereafter, the graduation proficiency assessment or assessments would be developed or designated by the Commissioner of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education. The process for the development or designation by the commissioner of the graduation proficiency assessment or assessments would begin no later than 60 days following the date of enactment of the bill. The intent of this provision is to ensure that the development or designation of a graduation proficiency assessment for these graduating classes is started expeditiously. The 60-day timeline for the beginning of this process is also intended to provide for sufficient time for any field testing as appropriate and for the receipt of input and feedback from the education community prior to the administration of an assessment or assessments to all students. Under the bill, in the event that the Commissioner of Education develops or designates a new Statewide assessment or assessments, the commissioner is required to engage in a collaborative process with interested stakeholders in the education community to solicit feedback. The bill also amends current law to provide that a student who a district determines to be at risk of not meeting State and district assessment standards for graduation but who has met all credit, curriculum, and attendance requirements, is required to take the graduation proficiency assessment or assessments in order to be eligible for a comprehensive assessment of proficiencies utilizing techniques other than standardized tests as provided in current law. | In Committee |
| S1305 | Requires reporting agencies to report to Division of Consumer Affairs number of free consumer reports furnished to New Jersey resident consumers annually. | This bill requires every reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis to report to the Division of Consumer Affairs, by March 1st of each year, the number of free consumer reports it has furnished to New Jersey resident consumers in the preceding calendar year. The report shall include information regarding the number of consumers who were furnished one report and the number of consumers who were furnished two reports in the preceding year. Any reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis that fails to provide the report to the Division of Consumer Affairs would be liable to a penalty of $10,000. The bill defines a "reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis" as a consumer reporting agency that regularly engages in the practice of assembling or evaluating, and maintaining, for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity, each of the following regarding consumers residing nationwide: public record information; and credit account information from persons who furnish that information regularly and in the ordinary course of business. | In Committee |
| S1318 | Clarifies process for administrative appropriations to UEZs; makes appropriation. | This bill clarifies the process for appropriating revenue under the State Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Program for use within UEZs. Specifically, this bill clarifies this process by: (1) requiring the revenues collected in UEZs from retail sales subject to the 50 percent sales tax exemption to be deposited in the Zone Assistance Fund (ZAF); (2) providing that the UEZ revenue flows directly to the ZAF; (3) appropriating $82.5 million to the ZAF from the General Fund; (4) excluding the sales of medical and recreational cannabis, and related supplies from the 50 percent sales tax exemption within UEZs, as is currently the case for alcoholic beverages and other goods and services; and (5) making certain technical changes. | Dead |
| S322 | "Improved Suicide Prevention, Response, and Treatment Act." | This bill would amend and supplement the law to improve the suicide assessment, response, and treatment system in the State and strengthen the obligations of health care providers, law enforcement officers, and insurers with respect to suicide prevention, response, and care. The bill would provide, in particular, for each psychiatric facility, each outpatient mental health treatment provider, and each suicide or crisis hotline operating in the State to have specially trained suicide prevention counselors on staff, during all hours of operation, to assess patients' suicide risk and provide suicide prevention counseling to patients who are deemed to be at risk of suicide. The bill would further require the attending physician at a hospital emergency department to have an on-site suicide prevention counselor assess and provide assistance to any emergency room patient who is or may be suicidal, and it would additionally provide for the governing body of each county to appoint a local suicide prevention response coordinator, who will be responsible for deploying at least one qualified and locally available suicide prevention counselor to assist law enforcement at any emergency scene involving a person who is or may be suicidal. Finally, the bill would require all health insurance carriers to provide coverage for the costs that are associated with the suicide prevention assessments performed and counseling services rendered pursuant to the bill's provisions. The bill provides for suicide prevention counselors to perform a formal suicide risk assessment of a patient at the following times: 1) immediately upon a patient's initial admission to a psychiatric facility or upon a patient's first clinical encounter with an outpatient treatment provider; 2) whenever there is reason for attending staff at a psychiatric facility or outpatient treatment provider to believe that a patient is developing new suicidal ideations, behaviors, or tendencies while under the care of the facility or provider; 3) within three days prior to the discharge of an apparently non-suicidal patient from inpatient care; and 4) whenever a suicide prevention counselor is called to assess a patient in a hospital emergency department or at the scene of an emergency, as provided by the bill. Each suicide risk assessment conducted under the bill is to be performed using a standardized tool, methodology, or framework, and is to be based on data obtained from the patient, as well as pertinent observations made by the attending clinician, assigned suicide prevention counselors, and other staff members having direct contact with the patient, and, to the extent practicable, any other information about the patient's history, the patient's past, recent, and present suicidal ideation and behavior, and the factors contributing thereto that is available from all other relevant sources, including outside treatment professionals, caseworkers, caregivers, family members, guardians, and any other persons who are significant in the patient's life. The suicide risk assessment is to include an evaluation of the patient's current living situation, housing status, existing support systems, and close relationships, and is to indicate whether there is any evidence that the patient is being subjected to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or undue influence by family members, caregivers, or other persons. The results of a patient's suicide risk assessment and notes regarding the progress of suicide prevention counseling provided to an at-risk patient are to be documented in the patient's health record. The bill further specifies that any counseling and treatment provided to address an at-risk patient's suicidal ideations, behaviors, or tendencies is to be supplemental to any other treatment that is received by the patient for the patient's other mental health issues. If a suicide prevention counselor, when assessing a patient outside of an inpatient psychiatric setting, determines that inpatient treatment may be necessary to address an at-risk patient's suicidal ideations, behaviors, or tendencies, the counselor will be required to either effectuate the voluntary admission and warm hand-off of the at-risk patient to an inpatient psychiatric facility or, if the patient refuses voluntary inpatient admission, effectuate a warm hand-off of the patient to a screening service or mental health screener to determine whether involuntary commitment to treatment is warranted. In cases where the counselor is providing on-site assistance at an emergency scene or in a hospital's emergency department, the on-scene law enforcement officers or attending physician may assist in the warm hand-off of the patient for these purposes. For any at-risk patient remaining in outpatient care, suicide prevention counselors at the outpatient treatment provider will be required to reengage and provide individualized, one-on-one counseling to each such patient, commensurate with the results of the patient's suicide risk assessment, whenever the patient has a subsequent clinical encounter with the outpatient treatment provider. The bill provides that, whenever a law enforcement officer is dispatched in response to a request for emergency services that involves a person who is or may be suicidal, the police dispatcher will be responsible for notifying the local suicide prevention response coordinator, appointed by the county's governing body under the bill, and the suicide prevention response coordinator will be responsible for ensuring the contemporaneous deployment of a suicide prevention counselor to the scene of the emergency. A 9-1-1 call-taker is to determine whether each request for emergency services involves a person who is or may be suicidal, and the bill provides for call-takers to undergo training to enable them to make this determination. Upon deployment to an emergency scene, a suicide prevention counselor will be required to: 1) provide assistance to law enforcement on the scene, as may be necessary to facilitate the non-violent de-escalation of the emergency situation; 2) perform an on-site suicide risk assessment of the person in crisis; and 3) immediately use warm hand-offs and the assistance of law enforcement, as needed, to link the at-risk person to appropriate treatment facilities, programs, and services, including voluntary or involuntary inpatient treatment, where warranted. Under the bill's provisions, each county and municipal law enforcement officer in the State will be required to complete at least two hours of in-service training in identifying the signs of mental illness and appropriate response techniques to be followed when interacting with a person who is or may be suicidal. The training is required to include: (1) the importance of approaching a suicidal person in a calm, gentle, and respectful manner; (2) the importance of avoiding the use of unnecessary force and the importance of using verbal methods of communication and other non-violent means to de-escalate an emergency situation involving a person who is or may be suicidal; and (3) specific techniques, means, and methods, consistent with the principles identified in the bill, that are to be employed by law enforcement officers when approaching, communicating with, engaging in physical contact or the use of force with, and de-escalating a situation involving, a person who is or may be suicidal. The in-service training is also to include simulated role-playing scenarios, which will allow trainees to demonstrate their ability to effectively interact with, and de-escalate emergency situations involving, a person who is or may be suicidal. The bill would require each inpatient psychiatric facility and each outpatient mental health treatment provider to establish policies and protocols to provide for the effective, compassionate, and responsible discharge of at-risk patients from care and the smooth transition of at-risk patients through the continuum of care using warm hand-offs, rapid referrals, and supportive contacts. Each outpatient provider will additionally be required to adopt policies and protocols providing for the warm hand-off of an at-risk patient to an inpatient psychiatric facility or to a screening service or mental health screener, as appropriate, in any case where the patient's suicide prevention counselor or attending clinician has reason to believe that the patient may require voluntary or involuntary commitment to inpatient treatment to address the patient's suicidal ideations, behaviors, and tendencies or associated mental health issues. The bill authorizes a facility or provider to enter into contracts or memoranda of understanding with outside organizations, including local crisis centers and other psychiatric facilities and providers, in order to facilitate the smooth and effective care transition of at-risk patients as provided by the bill. The bill also requires a psychiatric facility or outpatient treatment provider to facilitate the biennial training of all staff on the following issues: 1) the fundamentals of the facility's suicide prevention policies and protocols; 2) the particular suicide care policies and protocols that are relevant to each staff member's role and responsibilities; 3) the signs and symptoms that can be used by both clinical and non-clinical staff to identify existing patients who may be developing new suicidal ideations, behaviors, or tendencies; 4) the importance of, and methods and principles to be used in, ensuring the safe and responsible discharge and care transition of at-risk patients; and 5) the respectful treatment of, effective communication with, and de-stigmatization of, at-risk patients. The bill would prohibit a staff member of a psychiatric facility or outpatient treatment provider from: 1) discharging an at-risk patient into a homeless situation; or 2) having an at-risk patient arrested or incarcerated in a jail or prison, unless the at-risk patient poses an otherwise uncontrollable risk to others. The bill would additionally require a suicide prevention counselor and any other staff member employed by a psychiatric facility, by an outpatient treatment provider, or by a suicide or crisis hotline, as well as any other health care professional, when interacting with an at-risk patient, to: 1) treat the at-risk patient with the same dignity and respect that is shown to other patients; 2) adopt a stance that reflects empathy, compassion, and an understanding of the ambivalence the at-risk patient may feel in relation to the patient's desire to die; 3) treat the at-risk patient in an age-appropriate manner and using methods of communication that the patient can understand; 4) attempt to engender confidence in the at-risk patient that there is an alternative to suicide, and encourage the patient to use all available services and resources to empower the patient to choose such an alternative; 5) not engage in activities or communication methods that may result in the increased traumatization or re-traumatization of the at-risk patient; 6) not engage in the psychological testing of an at-risk patient who is in crisis or who has recently been lifted out of a crisis situation (except in the case of a suicide risk assessment performed pursuant to the bill); and 7) not engage in behavior that discriminates against or stigmatizes the patient. Any person who violates these minimum standards of compassionate care will be personally liable to pay a civil penalty of not more than $500 for a first offense, not more than $1,000 for a second offense, and not more than $2,500 for a third or subsequent offense, to be collected in a summary proceeding. Such person will also be subject to: 1) potential criminal liability and civil lawsuits, including lawsuits for punitive damages, for any injury that is proximately caused thereby; 2) the suspension or revocation of the person's professional license or certification; 3) the revocation of the person's mental health accreditation; and 4) the termination of the person's employment. | In Committee |
| S1309 | Requires direct payment of homestead credit to claimant following sale of qualifying homestead and upon claimant request. | This bill changes the payment method for some benefit recipients under the New Jersey Homestead Property Tax Credit program, which is also known as the Homestead Benefit Program. Specifically, the bill requires the direct payment of a homestead benefit to a claimant if the claimant requests the direct payment following the sale of the claimant's qualifying homestead. The bill grants the Division of Taxation the discretion to select a specific direct payment method. With limited exceptions, all claimants currently receive their homestead benefits as a credit against their property tax bill. This disbursement method presents the risk that claimants who sell their qualifying homesteads after filing a homestead benefit application may not receive the full homestead benefit to which they are entitled. This is because the division will apply the benefit against the property's tax bill even if the property's ownership has changed. This bill would address this risk by authorizing claimants to request the benefits' direct disbursement to them if they sell their homes after filing a homestead benefit application. Current law requires the homestead benefit to be paid on or before October 31 of each year. The bill requires a taxpayer to provide notice of the taxpayer's election to directly receive the homestead benefit at least 105 days prior to the payment of the homestead benefit. The notice will allow for the completion of administrative tasks required to make the payment on time. | In Committee |
| S53 | Establishes "Security Deposit Assistance Pilot Program" in Passaic, Union, Essex, Hudson, Gloucester, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, and Mercer counties; appropriates $450,000. | This bill establishes the Security Deposit Assistance Pilot Program ("pilot program") to assist certain low-income households in the payment of rental security deposits. The bill also appropriates monies from the General Fund to support the pilot program. Under the pilot program, the Commissioner of Community Affairs ("commissioner") would provide insurance for the security deposits of approved households. After entering into a residential lease agreement, an approved household would be required to pay one-twelfth of the security deposit as an added monthly payment. If, prior to paying the full balance of the security deposit, the household violated the lease agreement, then the commissioner would be required to reimburse the amounts owed to the landlord. The reimbursement may not, however, exceed the portion of the security deposit not yet paid by the tenant, or the actual amount of damages that the landlord may collect from the security deposit. Thereafter, the household would be required to refund the commissioner in the amount of the reimbursement. The pilot program would operate in Passaic, Union, Essex, Hudson, Gloucester, Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, and Mercer counties for a minimum of three years. In addition to other eligibility requirements established by the commissioner, the bill provides that only households qualifying for "very low income housing," as defined in the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-304), would be eligible for the pilot program. Under the bill, the commissioner would provide each approved household with a letter of security deposit commitment, which may be used by the household, within six months of receipt, to enter into a lease agreement in lieu of a full security deposit payment. However, security deposit assistance would only be provided when the monthly rent does not exceed 40 percent of the household's monthly income. Any landlord who refuses rent to a household because of the household's participation in the pilot program would be deemed to violate the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-12). The bill also establishes the "security deposit assistance fund" as a separate, non-lapsing, dedicated account in the General Fund. Under the bill, the security deposit reimbursements provided by the commissioner to landlords would be payable from the "security deposit assistance fund." The bill appropriates $450,000 from the General Fund to the "security deposit assistance fund" to implement the pilot program. Under the bill, the commissioner would be required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature, on or before the first day of the 36th month following the commencement of the pilot program, to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program. | In Committee |
| S320 | Authorizes religious corporations to hold remote meetings during state of emergency declared by Governor. | This bill allows members of religious corporations to hold meetings solely or in part by means of remote communication during a state of emergency. Pursuant to current law, meetings of members are required to be held at a physical location, with no provision for members to participate by alternative means during a state of emergency. Under this bill, remote communication of meetings will be permitted if a state of emergency is declared by the Governor. During the state of emergency, a meeting of members may be held by means of remote communication to the extent that the board of trustees authorize and adopt guidelines and procedures governing such a meeting. The bill also provides that members are deemed present if participating in a meeting by means of remote communication, regardless of whether the meeting is held solely by means of remote communication or in part. In times of crisis, remote meetings can offer broader accessibility to members and increase member participation. It also provides religious corporations with the flexibility that they may need to respond to any challenges that may occur because of a state of emergency declaration. | In Committee |
| S2287 | Establishes NJ Non-Profit Loan Guarantee Pilot Program within EDA. | This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority ("EDA") to establish and maintain the New Jersey Non-Profit Loan Guarantee Pilot Program ("program") and the New Jersey Non-Profit Loan Guarantee Fund ("fund"). Under the bill, the authority is required, within six months of the effective date of the bill, to provide financial assistance in the form of loan guarantees to non-profit organizations to support the construction of new physical spaces that are capable of generating income sufficient to repay the loans. Application Criteria The bill requires the EDA to establish an application process. A non-profit organization that seeks a loan guarantee agreement under the program is required to submit an application to the EDA in a form and manner prescribed by the EDA. In addition to any other information that the EDA may deem appropriate, the application is required to request the non-profit organization to submit proof that the non-profit organization has: 1) been determined by the federal Internal Revenue Service to be a tax-exempt organization pursuant to federal law; 2) been in existence for 10 years prior to the effective date of the bill; and 3) received financial assistance from the State, including grants, loans, or any other form of assistance prior to the effective date of the bill. The EDA may only approve the application if the EDA determines: 1) that the loan for which the application for a loan guarantee has been submitted is expected to result in the creation of 10 or more full-time jobs upon completion of construction of a new physical space financed under the provisions of the bill; 2) based on the projections by the non-profit organization, including the data and assumptions forming the basis thereof, of the profitability and financial stability over the term of the loan guarantee, that the loan for which the application for a loan guarantee has been submitted will support the construction of new physical space that is capable of generating income sufficient to repay the loan through box office sales, private donations, sponsorships, or other sources of revenue; and 3) that the non-profit organization has a record of financial stability, good reputation, and credit worthiness. Loan Guarantee Agreements Under the bill, the EDA would enter into an agreement with a participating bank and a non-profit organization qualified pursuant to the bill to use the moneys from the fund to guarantee a direct loan or revolving line of credit provided by the participating bank to finance the construction of a new physical space by the qualified non-profit organization. Each loan guarantee agreement that the EDA enters into with a participating bank and non-profit organization will not exceed $15 million per qualified applicant or a period of more than 20 years. The agreements are also required to provide for any other terms or conditions that the EDA and the participating banks determine as being necessary or desirable to effectuate the purpose of the program. The EDA is also required to establish sufficient reserves and liquid reserves to provide a sufficient and actuarially sound basis for its pledges contained in any loan guarantee agreement entered into pursuant to the bill. Loan Fund The bill requires the fund to be credited with: 1) an amount from the Economic Recovery Fund that the EDA determines is necessary to effectively implement the program, within the limits of funding available from the Economic Recovery Fund; 2) any moneys received by the EDA from the repayment of the moneys in the guarantee fund used to provide loan guarantees pursuant to the bill and interest thereon; and 3) any other moneys of the EDA, including but not limited to, any moneys available from other business assistance programs administered by the EDA that are authorized and determined by the EDA to be deposited in the fund. Report Requirements Finally, within 24 months following the effective date of the bill, and on or before February 15 of each year thereafter in which a loan guarantee agreement entered into under the bill is in effect, the EDA is required to prepare a report on the program. The report may be issued separately, or in combination with any reports required by any law concerning financial assistance to non-profit organizations in New Jersey. The report is required to include, but need not be limited to, a description of the demand for the program from qualified non-profits and participating banks, the efforts made by the EDA to promote the program, the total amount of loan guarantees approved by the EDA under the program, and an assessment of the effectiveness of the program in meeting the goals of the bill. The EDA is required to submit its report to the Governor and the Legislature, including any recommendations for legislation to improve the effectiveness of the program. | In Committee |
| S1301 | Concerns discriminatory appraisals of property on basis of race, creed, color, national origin, or certain other characteristics. | This bill concerns discriminatory appraisals of property on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, or certain other characteristics. Under the bill, named the "Fair Appraisals Act," holders of an appraisal license, certificate, or appraisal management company registration, will be subject to fines or have their licenses, certificates, or registrations suspended or revoked, if the holder is found to have discriminated in the appraisal of real estate on the basis of the actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, affectional or sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, or other characteristic listed pursuant to New Jersey's "Law Against Discrimination" of the property buyer, property owner, agents of the property buyer or owner, or present owners or occupants of the properties within the neighborhood of the property subject to appraisal. Any appraisal of real estate found to be discriminatory shall be void and of no effect and the holder of the license, certificate, or registration shall be required to make restitution of the cost of the discriminatory appraisal. If the State Real Estate Appraiser Board suspends a holder of a license, certification or registration, then the board is required to notify the holder of the board's rationale in writing. The board must also provide opportunity for a hearing to be held in accordance with the State's Administrative Procedure Act. Additionally, prior to the initiation of a property appraisal, a holder of a license, certification or registration is to provide a property owner or agent of the property owner with a document, given free of charge and in a form and manner prescribed by the State Real Estate Appraiser Board, informing the property owner of the opportunity to report, through the Division on Civil Rights within the Department of Law and Public Safety Internet website or telephone number, any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal by the holder of a license, certificate, or registration pursuant to the provisions of the bill. When receiving a report of an alleged discriminatory appraisal, the Division on Civil Rights shall ascertain the basis for the allegation and solicit from the complainant relevant demographic information, including but not limited to, the identity of the complainant within the characteristics listed under the bill. The complainant may provide the demographic information solicited by the division on a voluntary basis. Information concerning the prohibition of discriminatory appraisals of property, including the statutory basis for the prohibition, is to be published on the Division of Consumer Affairs website. The bill requires a licensed real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson to provide, upon first interaction with a property owner or agent of the property owner, a free document informing the property owner of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal. The bill requires a property owner to provide, during a private sale of real estate and upon first interaction with a property buyer or agent of the property buyer, a free document informing the property buyer of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal. The bill requires a licensed mortgage broker, real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or other mortgage salesperson to, within three days of receiving a mortgage loan application, provide a mortgage loan applicant with a document informing the applicant of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal to the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety. | In Committee |
| S327 | Authorizes MVC to enter into contract with private vendor for marketing and sale of certain license plates. | This bill authorizes the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to enter into a contract with a private vendor for the marketing and sale of personalized, courtesy, or special license plates. The contract is to be for a period of not less than five years with the initial contract term commencing upon the public advertisement of the license plate program, but may be renewed for up to two additional contract terms for a period of not less than five years each in duration. The bill requires any contract that the MVC enters into with a private vendor to provide for the recovery of all costs incurred by the MVC in implementing the provisions of this bill but may also require that the private vendor reimburse the MVC in advance for: not more than one-half of the MVC's anticipated costs in connection with the contract; and the MVC's anticipated costs in connection with the introduction of a new personalized, courtesy, or specialty license plate. Under the bill, instead of the fees and the license plate year terms for the registration of motor vehicles established for personalized, courtesy, and special license plates authorized by statute, the MVC may, by rule, establish fees and license plate year terms for the registration of motor vehicles for the issuance or renewal of personalized, courtesy, or special license plates that are marketed and sold by the private vendor. The fees are to be reasonable and not less than the amounts necessary to allow the MVC to recover all reasonable costs associated with the implementation and enforcement of the contract, including direct, indirect, and administrative costs. License plate year terms for the registration of motor vehicles are to be offered at annual and various multi-year term lengths as approved by the MVC. The fee is to be in addition to the registration fee prescribed by law for the registration of a motor vehicle; and any renewal fee established for a special license plate by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license plate. The bill provides that any contract with a private vendor for the marketing and sale of personalized, courtesy, or special license plates is payable only from amounts derived from the collection of the fees established by the bill. Any fees collected in excess of the minimum fees established by the MVC are to be deposited as a credit to the General Fund. The bill also provides that the MVC may approve a new design and color combinations for personalized, courtesy, or special license plates that are marketed and sold by a private vendor under the contract entered into with the private vendor. Each approved license plate design and color combination remains the property of the MVC and is to be in accordance with the provisions of law and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto concerning the style and form of license plates in this State. Nothing in the bill, however, is to be construed to authorize or permit: (1) the MVC to approve a design or color combination for a special license plate that is inconsistent with the design or color combination specified for the special license plate by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license plate; or (2) the private vendor to market and sell a special license plate with a design or color combination that is inconsistent with the design or color combination specified by the provision of law that authorizes the issuance of the special license plate. The bill permits the MVC to cancel a license plate or require the discontinuation of an approved license plate design or color combination that is marketed and sold by a private vendor under contract at any time if the MVC determines that the cancellation or discontinuation is in the best interest of this State or the motoring public. | In Committee |
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HR1 | FEHB Protection Act of 2025 | On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment RC# 190 | 07/03/2025 | Nay |
| HRes566 | Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Agreeing to the Resolution, as Amended RC# 189 | 07/03/2025 | Nay |
| HRes566 | Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Agreeing to the Amendment: Foxx of North Carolina Amendment RC# 188 | 07/02/2025 | Nay |
| HRes566 | Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Consideration of the Resolution RC# 186 | 07/02/2025 | Nay |
| HRes516 | Condemning the violent June 2025 riots in Los Angeles, California. | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 185 | 06/27/2025 | Nay |
| HR275 | Special Interest Alien Reporting Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 184 | 06/26/2025 | Nay |
| HR875 | Jeremy and Angel Seay and Sergeant Brandon Mendoza Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 183 | 06/26/2025 | Nay |
| HR3944 | Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 | On Passage RC# 182 | 06/25/2025 | Nay |
| HR3944 | Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 181 | 06/25/2025 | Yea |
| HR3944 | Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 | On Agreeing to the Amendment: Carter of Texas Amendment En Bloc No. 2 RC# 180 | 06/25/2025 | Nay |
| HRes519 | Condemning the attacks on Minnesota lawmakers in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota, and calling for unity and the rejection of political violence in Minnesota and across the United States. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as Amended RC# 179 | 06/25/2025 | Yea |
| HRes530 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3944) making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 275) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to publish on a monthly basis the number of special interest aliens encountered attempting to unlawfully enter the United States, and for other purposes; providing for consid | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 177 | 06/24/2025 | Nay |
| HRes530 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3944) making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 275) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to publish on a monthly basis the number of special interest aliens encountered attempting to unlawfully enter the United States, and for other purposes; providing for consid | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 176 | 06/24/2025 | Nay |
| HRes537 | Impeaching Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors. | On Motion to Table RC# 175 | 06/24/2025 | Yea |
| HR1998 | Sanction Sea Pirates Act of 2025 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 172 | 06/23/2025 | Yea |
| HR3394 | Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 173 | 06/23/2025 | Yea |
| HR3422 | Promoting Opportunities for Non-Traditional Capital Formation Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 174 | 06/23/2025 | Yea |
| S331 | HALT Fentanyl Act Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act | On Passage RC# 166 | 06/12/2025 | Yea |
| HR2056 | District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 171 | 06/12/2025 | Nay |
| HR2056 | District of Columbia Federal Immigration Compliance Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 170 | 06/12/2025 | Yea |
| HR4 | Rescissions Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 168 | 06/12/2025 | Nay |
| HR4 | Rescissions Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 167 | 06/12/2025 | Yea |
| HRes499 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4) to rescind certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in special messages transmitted to the Congress by the President on June 3, 2025, in accordance with section 1012(a) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and for other purposes. | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 165 | 06/11/2025 | Nay |
| HRes499 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4) to rescind certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in special messages transmitted to the Congress by the President on June 3, 2025, in accordance with section 1012(a) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and for other purposes. | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 164 | 06/11/2025 | Nay |
| HR884 | To prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. | On Passage RC# 163 | 06/10/2025 | Yea |
| HR2096 | Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act | On Passage RC# 162 | 06/10/2025 | Nay |
| HRes489 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 884) to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2056) to require the District of Columbia to comply with federal immigration laws; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2096) to restore the right to negotiate matters pertaining to the discipline of law e | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 161 | 06/10/2025 | Nay |
| HRes489 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 884) to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2056) to require the District of Columbia to comply with federal immigration laws; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2096) to restore the right to negotiate matters pertaining to the discipline of law e | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 160 | 06/10/2025 | Nay |
| HR2035 | American Cargo for American Ships Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 157 | 06/09/2025 | Yea |
| HRes481 | Condemning the rise in ideologically motivated attacks on Jewish individuals in the United States, including the recent violent assault in Boulder, Colorado, and reaffirming the House of Representatives commitment to combating antisemitism and politically motivated violence. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree RC# 159 | 06/09/2025 | Yea |
| HRes488 | Denouncing the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree RC# 158 | 06/09/2025 | Nay |
| HR2966 | American Entrepreneurs First Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 156 | 06/06/2025 | Nay |
| HR2931 | Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 153 | 06/05/2025 | Nay |
| HR2931 | Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 152 | 06/05/2025 | Yea |
| HR2987 | CEASE Act of 2025 Capping Excessive Awarding of SBLC Entrants Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 155 | 06/05/2025 | Nay |
| HR2987 | CEASE Act of 2025 Capping Excessive Awarding of SBLC Entrants Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 154 | 06/05/2025 | Yea |
| HR2483 | SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 151 | 06/04/2025 | Yea |
| HR2483 | SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 | On Agreeing to the Amendment: Pettersen of Colorado Part A Amendment No. 3 RC# 150 | 06/04/2025 | Yea |
| HRes458 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2483) to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2931) to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to relocate certain offices of the Small Business Administration in sanctuary jurisdictions, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2966) to require the Administrator of | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 149 | 06/04/2025 | Nay |
| HRes458 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2483) to reauthorize certain programs that provide for opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2931) to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to relocate certain offices of the Small Business Administration in sanctuary jurisdictions, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2966) to require the Administrator of | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 148 | 06/04/2025 | Nay |
| HR1642 | Connecting Small Businesses with Career and Technical Education Graduates Act of 2025 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 146 | 06/03/2025 | Yea |
| HR1804 | 7(a) Loan Agent Oversight Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 147 | 06/03/2025 | Yea |
| SJRes31 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act". | On Passage RC# 143 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| HR1 | FEHB Protection Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 145 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| HR1 | FEHB Protection Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 144 | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| HRes436 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 142 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| HRes436 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 141 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| HRes436 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Consideration of the Resolution RC# 140 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| HRes436 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1) to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. | On Consideration of the Resolution RC# 139 | 05/22/2025 | Nay |
| SJRes13 | A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act. | On Passage RC# 137 | 05/20/2025 | Nay |
| HR1223 | ANCHOR Act Accelerating Networking, Cyberinfrastructure, and Hardware for Oceanic Research Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 136 | 05/20/2025 | Yea |
| HRes426 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 13) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 31) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitt | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 135 | 05/20/2025 | Nay |
| HRes426 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 13) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency of the Department of the Treasury relating to the review of applications under the Bank Merger Act; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 31) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitt | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 134 | 05/20/2025 | Nay |
| HR1263 | Strengthening the Quad Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 132 | 05/19/2025 | Yea |
| HR1286 | Simplifying Forms for Veterans Claims Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 133 | 05/19/2025 | Yea |
| HR2255 | Federal Law Enforcement Officer Service Weapon Purchase Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 130 | 05/15/2025 | Nay |
| HR2240 | Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act | On Passage RC# 131 | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| HR2215 | Salem Maritime National Historical Park Redesignation and Boundary Study Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 125 | 05/14/2025 | Yea |
| HR2243 | LEOSA Reform Act | On Passage RC# 128 | 05/14/2025 | Nay |
| HRes352 | Calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism and educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish American community. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree RC# 129 | 05/14/2025 | Yea |
| HRes405 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2240) to require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2243) to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2255) | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 127 | 05/14/2025 | Nay |
| HRes405 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2240) to require the Attorney General to develop reports relating to violent attacks against law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2243) to amend title 18, United States Code, to improve the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act and provisions relating to the carrying of concealed weapons by law enforcement officers, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2255) | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 126 | 05/14/2025 | Nay |
| HR249 | To redesignate certain facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 124 | 05/13/2025 | Yea |
| HCRes30 | Expressing support for local law enforcement officers. | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree RC# 123 | 05/13/2025 | Yea |
| HR276 | Gulf of America Act | On Passage RC# 122 | 05/08/2025 | Nay |
| HR276 | Gulf of America Act | On Motion to Recommit RC# 121 | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| HR881 | DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act | On Passage RC# 120 | 05/07/2025 | Yea |
| HR1503 | Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 119 | 05/07/2025 | Yea |
| HRes377 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 276) to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America", and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 881) to establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes. | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 118 | 05/06/2025 | Nay |
| HRes377 | Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 276) to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America", and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 881) to establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes. | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 117 | 05/06/2025 | Nay |
| HR36 | MEGOBARI Act Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 116 | 05/05/2025 | Yea |
| HR530 | ACES Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 115 | 05/05/2025 | Yea |
| HJRes78 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service relating to "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the San Francisco Bay-Delta Distinct Population Segment of the Longfin Smelt". | On Passage RC# 113 | 05/01/2025 | Nay |
| HJRes88 | Providing congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Advanced Clean Cars II; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision". | On Passage RC# 114 | 05/01/2025 | Nay |
| HJRes87 | Providing congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Emission Warranty and Maintenance Provisions; Advanced Clean Trucks; Zero Emission Airport Shuttle; Zero-Emission Power Train Certification; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision". | On Passage RC# 111 | 04/30/2025 | Nay |
| HJRes89 | Providing congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "California State Motor Vehicle and Engine and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; The 'Omnibus' Low NOX Regulation; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision". | On Passage RC# 112 | 04/30/2025 | Nay |
| HR859 | Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 109 | 04/29/2025 | Yea |
| HR1402 | TICKET Act Transparency In Charges for Key Events Ticketing Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 107 | 04/29/2025 | Yea |
| HR1442 | Youth Poisoning Protection Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 108 | 04/29/2025 | Yea |
| HJRes60 | Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Park Service relating to "Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Motor Vehicles". | On Passage RC# 110 | 04/29/2025 | Nay |
| HRes354 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 60) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Park Service relating to "Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Motor Vehicles"; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 78) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service re | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 106 | 04/29/2025 | Nay |
| HRes354 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 60) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the National Park Service relating to "Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: Motor Vehicles"; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 78) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service re | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 105 | 04/29/2025 | Nay |
| S146 | Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act TAKE IT DOWN Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 104 | 04/28/2025 | Yea |
| HR973 | Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 103 | 04/28/2025 | Yea |
| HR22 | SAVE Act Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act | On Passage RC# 102 | 04/10/2025 | Nay |
| HR22 | SAVE Act Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act | On Motion to Recommit RC# 101 | 04/10/2025 | Yea |
| HR1228 | Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass RC# 99 | 04/09/2025 | Yea |
| SJRes18 | A joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions". | On Passage RC# 96 | 04/09/2025 | Nay |
| HR1526 | NORRA of 2025 No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 | On Passage RC# 98 | 04/09/2025 | Nay |
| HR1526 | NORRA of 2025 No Rogue Rulings Act of 2025 | On Motion to Recommit RC# 97 | 04/09/2025 | Yea |
| SJRes28 | A joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications". | On Passage RC# 95 | 04/09/2025 | Nay |
| HRes313 | Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 14) establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034, and for other purposes. | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 94 | 04/09/2025 | Nay |
| HRes313 | Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 14) establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034, and for other purposes. | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 93 | 04/09/2025 | Nay |
| HRes294 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions"; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications"; providing for consideration of | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 92 | 04/08/2025 | Nay |
| HRes294 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions"; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications"; providing for consideration of | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 91 | 04/08/2025 | Nay |
| HR586 | Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 89 | 04/07/2025 | Yea |
| HR1039 | Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 90 | 04/07/2025 | Yea |
| HR1491 | Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended RC# 88 | 04/01/2025 | Yea |
| HRes282 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions''; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to ''Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications''; providing for consideration | On Agreeing to the Resolution RC# 87 | 04/01/2025 | Nay |
| HRes282 | Providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 18) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to "Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions''; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 28) disapproving the rule submitted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection relating to ''Defining Larger Participants of a Market for General-Use Digital Consumer Payment Applications''; providing for consideration | On Ordering the Previous Question RC# 86 | 04/01/2025 | Nay |
| Committee | Position | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detail | House Homeland Security Committee | 12 | |
| Detail | House Homeland Security Committee Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee | 5 | |
| Detail | House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee | 27 | |
| Detail | House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Aviation Subcommittee | Vice Ranking Member | 12 |
| Detail | House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Highways and Transit Subcommittee | 14 | |
| Detail | House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee | 13 |
| State | District | Chamber | Party | Status | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | New Jersey District 9 | House | Democrat | In Office | 01/03/2025 | |
| NJ | District 35 | Senate | Democrat | Out of Office | 01/10/2012 | 01/03/2025 |
| NJ | District 35 | House | Democrat | Out of Office | 01/29/1997 | 01/23/2024 |