Legislator
Legislator > Joe Cryan
State Senator
Joe Cryan
(D) - New Jersey
New Jersey Senate District 20
In Office - Started: 01/09/2018
contact info
Union Office
985 Stuyvesant Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-624-0880
General Capitol Building Address
P.O. Box 068
State House, 145 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08625-0068
State House, 145 W. State St.
Trenton, NJ 08625-0068
Phone: 609-847-3905
| Bill | Bill Name | Summary | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4113 | Prohibits sports wagering partnerships at public institutions of higher education. | Prohibits sports wagering partnerships at public institutions of higher education. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3361 | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A1675 | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | Passed |
| A4331 | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | Passed |
| S3227 | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | In Committee |
| S3504 | Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds. | Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds. | In Committee |
| A4712 | Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds. | Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds. | Passed |
| A4897 | Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline. | Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline. | Passed |
| S3769 | Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline. | Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline. | In Committee |
| S3877 | Requires cancellation option for any subscription service and establishes certain standards pertaining to use of negative option features. | Requires cancellation option for any subscription service and establishes certain standards pertaining to use of negative option features. | In Committee |
| SJR154 | Directs BPU to investigate PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.'s Reliability Pricing Model; directs State to promote affordable energy practices and to urge PJM Interconnection, L.L.C. to implement certain reforms. | This joint resolution respectfully: (1) directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to investigate PJM Interconnection, L.L.C.'s (PJM) Reliability Pricing Model; and (2) directs the State of New Jersey to collaborate with neighboring states to promote affordable energy practices and to urge PJM to implement market reforms and expeditiously review new electricity generation applications. PJM is the regional transmission organization responsible for coordinating the movement of electricity and ensuring reliable and cost-effective energy distribution in New Jersey, several other states, and the District of Columbia. One of PJM's responsibilities is to administer a capacity market to ensure adequate resources exist on the grid to maintain reliability at the lowest possible cost through a competitive auction. The rising cost of capacity in PJM's capacity market auctions, which contributes to the overall increase in electricity bills for ratepayers, raises concerns about the alignment of capacity prices with the principles of affordability and transparency outlined in New Jersey's "Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act". In addition, delays in PJM's interconnection queue have prevented new electric generation resources from becoming operational in a timely manner. As a result, these new resources, which are needed to maintain reliability at low costs, will be unable to compete in PJM's capacity market auctions in the near future. The BPU has been working to incentivize the development of new generation resources to help meet growing energy demand and thereby prevent increases in energy and capacity prices. The BPU has also been actively working to protect ratepayers from price increases and coordinating with other PJM states to push for capacity market reforms. The BPU's initiatives, led by Governor Murphy, are accompanied by the actions of consumer advocates, who have furthered the region's efforts to reduce prices through additional complaints at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which the BPU has pledged to support. | Passed |
| S4376 | Establishes Department of Veterans Affairs. | Establishes Department of Veterans Affairs. | Passed |
| S4439 | Establishes protections for student-athletes and certain institutions of higher education concerning name, image, or likeness compensation; repeals "New Jersey Fair Play Act." | This bill establishes protections for student-athletes and certain institutions of higher education concerning name, image, or likeness compensation and repeals the "New Jersey Fair Play Act." First, this bill provides that a four-year institution of higher education is not to prohibit or prevent a student-athlete who participates in intercollegiate athletics from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness. The bill permits a four-year institution of higher education or any related entity of the institution to enter into a contract with a student-athlete to directly compensate the student-athlete for use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness. However, the bill prohibits a student-athlete participating in intercollegiate athletics who is under 21 years of age from earning compensation as a result of the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness if it is in connection with any person, company, or organization related to or associated with alcohol products; tobacco and electronic smoking products and devices; and cannabis products. The bill provides that a four-year institution of higher education is not to prevent a student-athlete participating in intercollegiate athletics from obtaining professional representation in relation to contracts or legal matters, including representation provided by athlete agents or legal representation provided by attorneys. The bill clarifies that licensed attorneys and athlete-agents are required to act in a fiduciary capacity when providing representation to a student-athlete. The bill clarifies that any contract a student-athlete enters into that provides compensation to the student-athlete for use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness is not subject to public disclosure pursuant to the State's open public records act. The bill also regulates certain athletic associations, conferences, or other groups or organizations with authority over intercollegiate athletics, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Under the bill, these organizations cannot: (1) prohibit or prevent a four-year institution of higher education from becoming a member of the organization or from participating in intercollegiate athletics as a consequence of any student-athlete earning compensation for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness or obtaining representation by an athlete agent or attorney in connection with issues related to name, image, or likeness; (2) take any other adverse action against a four-year institution of higher education or any other related entity of an institution, for activity permitted by the bill; (3) penalize a four-year institution of higher education or a student-athlete, or prevent them from participating in intercollegiate athletics, due to a violation of the organization's rules or regulations concerning name, image, or likeness; (4) prevent a four-year institution of higher education from compensating a student-athlete for the use of the student-athlete's name, image, or likeness; or (5) prevent a four-year institution of higher education or any related entity of an institution from identifying, creating, negotiating, facilitating, supporting, engaging with, assisting with, or otherwise enabling a name, image, or likeness opportunity for a student-athlete. The bill provides that a four-year institution of higher education or any related entity of an institution, that is subjected to any actual or threatened complaint, investigation, penalty, or other adverse action of any organization with authority over intercollegiate athletics for engaging in activities permitted pursuant to the bill, may bring an action to recover actual damages and reasonable attorney fees and may seek injunctive relief and any other remedy available at law or in equity. In each academic year, a four-year institution of higher education that offers academic scholarships is required to make available to all student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics at the institution name, image, or likeness programing or educational materials. The programing and educational materials are to provide students with information including, financial literacy; brand management; life skills; and any other programming on skills necessary for success as a student-athlete. NCAA Division I and Division II institutions are permitted to offer athletic scholarships. The bill applies to four-year institutions of higher education that offer athletic scholarships, including Division I and Division II institutions. Finally, the bill repeals the "New Jersey Fair Play Act," which was enacted in 2020 and is first applicable in the academic year beginning in September of 2025. It is the sponsor's intent to strengthen New Jersey's name, image, or likeness law to reflect changes made at the national level since its original enactment in 2020. | Passed |
| S3931 | Updates requirements for licensure in occupational therapy. | Updates requirements for licensure in occupational therapy. | Crossed Over |
| S4721 | Increasing penalty for landlord in violation of "The Truth-in-Renting Act" from $100 to $1,000; permits tenant to recover reasonable attorney's fees. | This bill increases the penalty against a landlord who violates the "The Truth-in-Renting Act," P.L.1975, c.310 (C.46:8-43 et seq.), from $100 to $1,000. "The Truth-in-Renting Act," with certain exceptions:· requires a landlord to distribute a guidance document, on the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants, known as the Truth-in-Renting Guide, to their residential tenants;· prohibits a landlord from requiring electronic payment;· requires a landlord to provide a receipt for cash payments made by a tenant; and· requires a landlord to accept rent by certain payment methods within three business days following a lockout after an eviction order has been entered, which provides a tenant the opportunity to be restored to the rental unit. The bill makes a landlord in violation of this statute liable for the increased penalty. The bill also permits the tenant to recover reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, expenses for expert witnesses, and other related fees and expenses incurred in proving a violation of "The Truth-in-Renting Act." | In Committee |
| S3446 | Establishes Farmland Assessment Review Commission to annually review and recommend changes to farmland assessment program, as necessary to ensure fair, equitable, and uniform Statewide application and enforcement of program requirements and allocation of program benefits. | Establishes Farmland Assessment Review Commission to annually review and recommend changes to farmland assessment program, as necessary to ensure fair, equitable, and uniform Statewide application and enforcement of program requirements and allocation of program benefits. | In Committee |
| S4648 | Directs MVC Chief Administrator to enter into driver's license reciprocity agreement with Republic of Ireland. | This bill directs the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, in consultation with the Department of State, to coordinate with the Republic of Ireland to enter into a reciprocity agreement whereby a person with a valid New Jersey driver's license may apply for and receive a Republic of Ireland driver's license, and a person with a valid Republic of Ireland driver's license may apply for and receive a New Jersey driver's license. Under the bill, a person seeking a driver's license under the reciprocity agreement is required to meet certain requirements provided in the reciprocity agreement and is exempt from needing to take a driving knowledge test or driving skills test. | In Committee |
| S4649 | Changes date of "Juneteenth Day" in NJ to June 19 of each year. | This bill establishes that the "Juneteenth Day" holiday will be observed on June 19 of each year in New Jersey. Under current law, "Juneteenth Day" is observed on the third Friday of June each year in New Jersey. This change will allow the State holiday to correspond to the federal "Juneteenth National Independence Day" holiday. | In Committee |
| S4647 | Amends "Daniel's Law" to provide exemptions for land surveyors for certain property record redaction requirements. | This bill amends "Daniel's Law," P.L.2021, c.371, concerning the privacy of home addresses of certain public officials, to provide an exemption for licensed land surveyors. Under "Daniel's Law," certain public officials such as judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and child protective investigators, may request that their home addresses be redacted or withheld from disclosure from certain public records, such as property deeds and tax maps. However, the law provides for certain exceptions where the address is necessary to facilitate certain business transactions, such as mortgages and real estate sales. The Director of the Division of Taxation may promulgate regulations concerning the use of unredacted records in conformity with the privacy protections of "Daniel's Law." Under the bill, land surveyors licensed in this State or land surveying firms authorized to operate in this State would be allowed to receive unredacted records when requested in the ordinary course of business. The bill additionally allows the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, and the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to also promulgate regulations concerning the use of unredacted records in conformity with the privacy protections of "Daniel's Law." | In Committee |
| SJR30 | Designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." | This joint resolution designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." According to the United Nations, there are an estimated 260 million widows around the world, and nearly one in ten live in extreme poverty. In the United States, one million women become widowed each year. Seventy percent of all married women will be widowed in their lifetime. Many widows are far younger than one may guess, as the median age of a widow is 59, according to the United States Census Bureau. Widows are often unsupported by our country's social services, programs, and policies. Many widows face challenges even years after the loss of a loved one, including financial and legal difficulties, mental and physical health issues, and the loss of health insurance. It is important to draw attention to the experiences and realities of widows, including the need for increased bereavement leave, changes to Social Security regulations regarding widows, and the plight of widows in other countries. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3080 | Prohibits sports wagering licensees from offering player-specific proposition bets on college sports. | This bill prohibits sports wagering licensees in this State from offering or accepting wagers on player-specific proposition bets on collegiate sports or athletic events. The President of the National Collegiate Athletics Association has recently called on all states to adopt measures to address the rise in the harassment of student-athletes that compete in these games and events, and to maintain the integrity of college sports. Under the bill, a proposition bet is defined as a side wager on a part of a sport or athletic event that does not concern the final outcome of the sport or athletic event. Player-specific proposition bets may include the particular statistical performance lines of certain players and which player will score first. | In Committee |
| S3401 | Establishes eligibility requirements for State small business set-aside program. | This bill establishes requirements for eligibility when the State implements a small business set-aside program. The State currently has a small business set-aside program. This bill clarifies that only businesses without an applicable federal revenue standard established by federal regulations are required to have a certain maximum number of employees. This bill also alters the definitions of gross revenue from a standard of three years in business to a standard of five years in business. The requirements established in this bill will be in addition to any and all rules or regulations, except that these requirements will supersede the rules and regulations adopted as N.J.A.C. 17:13-2.1(a). | In Committee |
| S3607 | Extends accidental death benefit for survivors of certain SPRS retirees. | This bill extends accidental death benefits for survivors of certain State Police Retirement System (SPRS) retirees. Under current law, the surviving spouse or child of a retired member of the SPRS who died on or before July 8, 2019 and had been receiving an accidental disability retirement allowance is permitted to apply to receive accidental death benefits if the retired member had a qualifying condition or impairment of health due to World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. This bill removes the limitation that only a surviving spouse or child of a qualifying SPRS retiree who died before July 8, 2019 is eligible, so that the provisions will apply regardless of when the SPRS retiree died. In addition, this bill establishes eligibility for a surviving spouse or child of a qualifying SPRS member who had been receiving an ordinary disability retirement, a special retirement, or a service retirement. This bill prohibits a written and sworn statement from being required when applying for the accidental death benefits. Under current law, a spouse or child is only eligible for accidental death benefits if the member's or retiree's death was the result of a qualifying condition or impairment of health which the medical board determines to be caused by participation in World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. This bill also allows the World Trade Center Health Program to make this determination. Under current law, the spouse of a deceased retired member who is receiving a pension due to the death of that member on or before July 8, 2019 is eligible to apply to the board of trustees and, upon approval of the application by the board, will receive the accidental death benefits if the surviving spouse submits sufficient documentation that the deceased retiree would have qualified for a retirement. This bill also allows the spouse to apply if the member did qualify for retirement or if the member previously filed the required written and sworn statement. This bill requires notification to SPRS surviving spouses and children of the changes made by the bill by certified mail within 60 days after the bill's effective date. Under current law, a surviving spouse, former surviving spouse, or surviving child, or any legal guardian of the surviving child, must submit an application not later than two years after the effective date of the law. This bill allows survivors to submit an application not later than two years after the date of the member or retiree's death, or two years after the effective date of this bill, whichever is later. Under current law, a surviving spouse or former surviving spouse or surviving child, or any legal guardian of the surviving child, is prohibited from being granted a retroactive payment based upon the difference between the benefit the person would have received if the benefit had been applicable on the date of death of the retiree and the benefit that the person has received from that date of death to the effective date of the law. This bill also provides that these survivors are prohibited from being granted a retroactive payment based upon the difference between the benefit the person would have received if the benefit had been applicable on the date of death of the retiree and the benefit that the person has received from that date of death to the date of the application approval if the date of approval is later than the effective date of the law. | Crossed Over |
| S699 | Establishes program in SADC for acquisition of development easements on privately-owned woodlands. | Establishes program in SADC for acquisition of development easements on privately-owned woodlands. | Crossed Over |
| S4011 | Requires registration of postsecondary education debt creditors; establishes protections for borrowers. | This bill requires the registration of postsecondary education debt creditors and establishes protections for borrowers. The bill prohibits a postsecondary education debt creditor from extending postsecondary education debt to a New Jersey resident without first registering with the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry. Postsecondary education debt creditors are required to provide the commissioner, at the time of registration and not less than once per year thereafter, certain information about the entities and the postsecondary education debt that they provide. The commissioner is required to post on the department's website information about postsecondary education debt creditors registered in the State. The bill also requires postsecondary education debt creditors to post on their websites a copy of each model promissory note, agreement, contract or other instrument used by the postsecondary education debt creditor to substantiate postsecondary education debt. The bill provides that the commissioner may impose a civil penalty not exceeding $25,000 on any person for a violation of the registration provisions of the bill. Each violation which constitutes a knowing violation is a crime of the third degree. The bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors to deliver certain information to a cosigner related to impacts on the cosigner in certain circumstances, prior to the extension of postsecondary education debt that requires a cosigner. For any postsecondary education debt that obligates a cosigner and provides for cosigner release, a postsecondary education debt creditor is required to provide the borrower and the cosigner an annual written or electronic notice containing clear and conspicuous information about cosigner release. Under the bill, if the borrower has met the applicable payment requirement to be eligible for cosigner release, the postsecondary education debt creditor must send the borrower and the cosigner a notification informing them that the payments requirement to be eligible for cosigner release has been met. The bill requires a postsecondary education debt creditor to provide written notice to a borrower who applies for cosigner release, but whose application is incomplete. Within 30 days after a borrower submits a completed application for cosigner release, the postsecondary education debt creditor is required to send the borrower and cosigner a written notice that informs them whether the cosigner release application has been approved or denied. The bill prohibits a postsecondary education debt creditor from imposing any restriction that permanently bars a borrower from qualifying for cosigner release. For any postsecondary education debt executed after the effective date of the bill, a postsecondary education debt creditor is prohibited from requiring greater than 12 consecutive, on-time payments of principal and interest as criteria to apply for cosigner release. This codifies the standard currently used by major student loan companies, such as Sallie Mae Bank. Under the bill, if a borrower or cosigner requests a change in terms that restarts the count of consecutive, on-time payments, the postsecondary education debt creditor must notify the borrower and cosigner in writing, by mail, or by electronic mail, of the impact of the change and provide the borrower or cosigner the right to withdraw or reverse the request. The bill provides that a borrower has the right to request an appeal of a postsecondary education debt creditor determination to deny a request for cosigner release, and the postsecondary education debt creditor is required to permit the borrower to submit certain additional documentation. The bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors to establish and maintain a comprehensive record management system. The bill prohibits postsecondary education debt executed after the effective date of the bill from including a provision that permits the postsecondary education debt creditor to accelerate, in whole or in part, payments on the postsecondary education debt, except in cases of payment default. The bill prohibits a postsecondary education debt executed after the effective date of the bill from including a provision that permits a postsecondary education debt creditor to attempt to collect against the cosigner's estate, other than for payment default. Upon receiving notification of the death or bankruptcy of a cosigner, when the postsecondary education debt is not more than 60 days delinquent at the time of the notification, the postsecondary education debt creditor may not change any terms or benefits under the promissory note, repayment schedule, repayment terms, or monthly payment amount or any other debt provision. Under the bill, a postsecondary education debt creditor, upon determination of the total and permanent disability of a borrower or cosigner, is required to release the borrower or cosigner from their obligations under postsecondary education debt, as is the case with federal student loans. Upon determination of the total and permanent disability of a cosigner, a postsecondary education debt creditor is required to release that individual cosigner from the obligations of the cosigner. The bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors to notify borrowers and cosigners if a cosigner or borrower is released from the obligations of the postsecondary education debt, within 30 days of the release. The bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors that extend postsecondary education debt to provide the borrower the option to designate an individual to have the legal authority to act on behalf of the borrower with respect to the postsecondary education debt in the event of the total and permanent disability of the borrower. In the event a cosigner is released from the obligations of a postsecondary education debt, a postsecondary education debt creditor may not require the borrower to obtain another cosigner on the debt obligation. The bill provides that postsecondary education debt creditors may not declare a default or accelerate the debt against the borrower on the sole basis of the release of the cosigner from the postsecondary education debt. After making the determination of the total and permanent disability of a borrower, a postsecondary education debt creditor may not attempt to collect on the outstanding liability of the borrower or cosigner or monitor the disability status of the borrower after the date of discharge. The bill requires the postsecondary education debt creditor to deliver a statement that benefits and protections applicable to existing postsecondary education debt may be lost due to refinancing before offering a person a postsecondary education debt that is being used to refinance an existing postsecondary education debt. If a postsecondary education debt creditor offers any borrower flexible repayment options in connection with a postsecondary education debt, those flexible repayment options must be made available to all borrowers of the postsecondary education debt creditor. The bill requires postsecondary education debt creditors to publish the criteria used to determine borrower interest rates in all places where the interest rate is published, if the postsecondary education debt creditor does not offer the same interest rate to all borrowers. The bill provides that a postsecondary education debt creditor may not: offer any postsecondary education debt that is not in conformity with the bill, or that is in violation of any other State or federal law; engage in any unfair, deceptive, or abusive act or practice; or make, advertise, print, display, publish, distribute, electronically transmit, telecast or broadcast, in any manner, any statement or representation which is false, misleading or deceptive. The bill provides that a postsecondary education debt creditor or debt collector attempting to collect a postsecondary education debt must provide certain documentation related to the debt in the first debt collection communication with the borrower and at any other time the borrower requests the documentation. The bill also prohibits postsecondary education debt creditors or debt collector from collecting or attempting to collect a postsecondary education debt unless the postsecondary education debt creditor or debt collector possesses certain information and documentation related to the debt. Following a payment default on postsecondary education debt by a borrower, and before a postsecondary education debt creditor may accelerate the maturity of the postsecondary education debt or commence a legal action against the borrower, a postsecondary education debt creditor is required to provide to the borrower a notice of intention to accelerate the postsecondary education debt. The postsecondary education debt creditor must provide the notice at least 30 days, but not more than 180 days, in advance of the action, and must provide a copy of the notice to the department at the same time it is provided to the borrower. The bill provides that an action to enter a default judgment against a borrower must be commenced within six years of the date the borrower failed to make a payment. The bill requires a postsecondary education debt creditor seeking to commence legal action against a borrower to attach certain documentation and information to a complaint filed in a court of competent jurisdiction. If a postsecondary education debt creditor fails to comply with the filing requirements of the bill, a borrower may bring an action, including a counterclaim, against the postsecondary education debt creditor to recover or obtain certain relief and damages. The bill also provides that a borrower or cosigner who suffers damage as a result of a violation may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover certain relief and damages. | In Committee |
| S4597 | Establishes process for merger or consolidation of public institution of higher education with other institutions of higher education or certain proprietary institutions; requires executive and legislative approval of merger or consolidation. | This bill establishes a process for the merger or consolidation of a public institution of higher education with other institutions of higher education or certain proprietary institutions and requires executive and legislative approval of the merger or consolidation. The bill provides that, subject to an approval process established within the bill's provisions, the governing board of a public institution of higher education has the power to merge or consolidate with one or more institutions of higher education or degree-granting proprietary institutions. Under such a merger or consolidation, the public institution of higher education is to assume any vested rights, grants, certain charter rights, privileges, exemptions, immunities, powers, prerogatives, franchises or advantages, debts, or liabilities of the institutions with which it merges or consolidates. The bill requires that, prior to commencing the institutional merger or consolidation: (1) the governing board of each participating institution is to adopt a resolution to enter into the proposed institutional merger or consolidation; and (2) the participating institutions are to submit a joint application to the Secretary of Higher Education to commence the proposed institutional merger or consolidation. The bill directs the secretary to notify each participating institution of the preliminary approval or disapproval within 30 days of receipt of the application. The bill further requires that, upon receipt of the secretary's preliminary approval to participate in the institutional merger or consolidation, the governing boards of the participating institutions are to jointly develop and submit a comprehensive plan for the institutional merger or consolidation to the secretary for final review and approval. The plan is to be developed and reviewed according to standards set forth by the secretary in regulation. The secretary may utilize the assistance of an external consultant team, solicit comments from interested parties, hold public hearings at the campuses of the institutions, and consult with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and the New Jersey Presidents' Council, as appropriate, to review the comprehensive plan. Costs incurred by the secretary in reviewing the comprehensive plan for a proposed merger or consolidation are to be borne by the participating institutions. Under the bill, the secretary is to issue a final approval or disapproval of the merger or consolidation and issue a written certification to the governing boards of all participating institutions. The bill further directs the secretary to submit to the Legislature a copy of the written certification of the approval of a merger or consolidation. If the Legislature does not disapprove the merger or consolidation by the adoption of a concurrent resolution within 90 days, the merger or consolidation is deemed to be authorized. The bill directs the secretary to authorize, as needed, any necessary changes to the licensure of the remaining public institution. The bill provides that the single remaining public institution of higher education is to, except as otherwise provided by law, be considered a single entity for purposes of State appropriations, grants, capital and construction funding, and other funding The provisions of the bill do not apply to Rutgers, the State University; however, any other institution that seeks to participate in a merger or consolidation with Rutgers, the State University is subject to the bill's provisions. The provisions of the bill do not apply to any merger or consolidation of participating institutions for which a letter of intent, or similar agreement indicating a commitment to a merger or consolidation, has been executed prior to the bill's effective date. Finally, the bill provides for the authorization of emergency regulations, which are to be readopted with or without amendment, pursuant to the requirements of the "Administrative Procedure Act" within 180 days. | In Committee |
| S1951 | Establishes requirements for sanctions and other actions involving low-performing nursing homes. | This bill requires the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS) to take certain actions involving nursing homes that receive a one-star quality rating from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The CMS currently rates the quality of care in nursing homes on a scale of one to five stars. Specifically, if the nursing home receives a one-star rating, but did not receive a one-star rating in the preceding quarter, the division will be required to issue a warning to the nursing home: 1) urging the nursing home to improve the quality of care provided to residents; 2) advising the nursing home that a second or subsequent one-star rating may result in the division requiring the nursing home to take specific steps to improve the quality of care; and 3) advising the nursing home that the failure to improve quality of care at the nursing home may result in the division imposing sanctions against the nursing home. If the nursing home receives a one-star CMS rating in two consecutive quarters, the division will be required to evaluate whether to impose sanctions against the nursing home, which sanctions may include, but will not be limited to: issuing an order prohibiting the nursing home from admitting new Medicaid enrollees; limiting the total number of Medicaid enrollees who may be admitted to the nursing home; and reducing or limiting payments to the nursing home under the DHS quality incentive payment program. If the nursing home receives a one-star CMS rating in three consecutive quarters, the division will be required to evaluate whether to impose additional sanctions against the nursing home, which sanctions will be in addition to, and more severe than, any sanctions imposed for a one-star CMS rating in two consecutive quarters. The sanctions may include, but will not be limited to: issuing an order prohibiting the nursing home from admitting new residents; removing current residents who are Medicaid enrollees from the nursing home; stopping all payments to the nursing home under the DHS quality incentive payment program; declining to approve or revoking the approval of the owner or operator of the nursing home to participate in Medicaid; and, in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), prohibiting the owner or operator of the nursing home from obtaining an interest in, or contracting with, any other nursing home in the State. The division may additionally institute any actions as are necessary to protect the health and well-being of residents and staff at the nursing home. When evaluating whether to impose sanctions against a nursing home, the division will be required to consult with the DOH concerning its recommendations for action against the nursing home and review the information concerning the nursing home that is available on the DOH's nursing home data dashboard. In the event the division does not take action against a nursing home as authorized under the bill, the division will be required to document the reason why action was not taken. In addition to any other actions taken against a nursing home under the bill, the division is to require a nursing home that receives a one-star CMS rating in three or more consecutive quarters to submit an improvement plan to the division, in a manner and method to be determined by division, providing a description of the action steps to be taken by the nursing home over an 18-month period to resolve the quality issues indicated by nursing home's consecutive one-star ratings. The division, in consultation with the DOH, will review the plan and either approve it or return it to the nursing home with a description of the changes needed for the plan to be approved. Upon approval of its improvement plan, a nursing home will be required to begin implementing the plan immediately. If an improvement plan is returned to the nursing home for revision, the nursing home will then have 30 days to submit an updated plan to the division for approval. If the division determines the updated plan cannot be approved, it will have the discretion to allow the nursing home to submit a second updated plan or to make a determination that the nursing home is noncompliant with improvement plan requirements, which will result in the division removing all Medicaid enrollees from the nursing home, as outlined below. Within 60 days after completing its improvement plan, a nursing home will be required to submit a report to the division documenting the execution of the plan, as well as the outcomes of the action steps. The division, in consultation with the DOH, will evaluate the report and determine the nursing home's compliance in implementing the plan as approved by the division. At the division's discretion, a nursing home determined to be noncompliant with the implementation of the facility's improvement plan may be provided additional time to fulfill the actions steps outlined in the plan. A nursing home that fails to comply with the requirements concerning the submission and implementation of an improvement plan will be ineligible to receive reimbursement under the Medicaid program, although reimbursement for services will continue until all Medicaid beneficiaries residing at the nursing home have been relocated. The nursing home will be responsible for: 1) informing Medicaid residents, in writing, of the nursing home's noncompliance with the improvement plan requirements; and 2) providing the division with a patient-centered discharge plan for current Medicaid residents within 30 days of the determination of noncompliance. Nursing homes will have the right to appeal the determination of noncompliance. Commencing one year after the effective date of the bill, and annually thereafter, the division will be required to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature outlining the sanctions imposed against nursing homes under the bill in each quarter of the preceding year, explaining the reason why sanctions were not imposed against any nursing home for which sanctions were authorized under the bill, and outlining the results of any nursing home improvement plans required under the bill and the actions taken against each nursing home that was determined to be noncompliant with the improvement plan requirements established under the bill. In addition to the sanctions authorized under the bill, the bill specifies that the division may, at any time, institute any actions necessary to protect the health and well-being of residents and staff at a nursing home. Nothing in the bill is to be construed to diminish the authority of the DOH or any other department or agency having regulatory authority over nursing homes, and a sanction or other action imposed against a nursing home under the bill will be in addition to any other penalties imposed against the nursing home for violations of State or federal law. The division will be required to promulgate regulations establishing the criteria the division will consider when determining whether to impose sanctions against a nursing home and which sanctions are appropriate for the nursing home. These criteria will include, at a minimum, consideration of the preferences of nursing home residents and the availability of other nursing homes in the same region. The division will be also be required to promulgate regulations establishing an appeals process for noncompliant nursing homes. This bill implements the recommendations of the Office of the State Comptroller outlined in its February 2022 report titled, "An Examination of the Lowest-Rated Long Term Care Facilities Participating in New Jersey's Medicaid Program." | In Committee |
| S4004 | Revises law on extended employment programs for persons with disabilities. | Revises law on extended employment programs for persons with disabilities. | In Committee |
| S276 | Requires limited liability company to disclose ownership information when submitting deed for recording. | Requires limited liability company to disclose ownership information when submitting deed for recording. | In Committee |
| S2155 | Prohibits sports wagering partnerships at public institutions of higher education. | Prohibits sports wagering partnerships at public institutions of higher education. | In Committee |
| SJR151 | Designates July 30 of each year as "Brian Sicknick Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates July 30 of each year as "Brian Sicknick Day" in New Jersey. On January 6, 2021, Officer Brian Sicknick was called upon to protect the United States Capitol. Officer Sicknick, who had served with the United States Capitol Police for more than 12 years, lost his life in the line of duty as a direct result of courageously defending Congress and the Capitol. Officer Sicknick was born on July 30, 1978 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His life can best be described as dedicated to public service. Officer Sicknick joined the United States Capitol Police in July of 2008 and on his most recent assignment he served on the First Responders Unit. During his career, Officer Sicknick became a member of the mountain bike unit. His duties included patrolling the grounds and protecting those he was sworn to serve, as well as the public at large that visited the Capitol on a daily basis. It is altogether fitting and proper to designate July 30 of each year as "Brian Sicknick Day" in New Jersey to recognize Officer Brian Sicknick who lost his life protecting the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021. | In Committee |
| S4522 | Provides for State agency reviews and increases of income thresholds for residential customers to participate in certain utility bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs. | This bill requires the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to, within one year of the bill's effective date, complete a review of the program, as provided for in the bill, and increase the income threshold if the department, board, or agency determines an increase to be appropriate. The bill requires that a State agency request public comment, in a form and manner determined by that State agency, or seek assistance from other State agencies, to determine an appropriate increase to the program's income threshold. The bill further specifies that if an increase in income thresholds for the State's low-income energy efficiency programs is ordered, the BPU is required to assess if further guidance is necessary to change income thresholds in the utilities' triennium energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs for moderate-income energy efficiency programs to ensure that low- and moderate-income customers are eligible for only one energy efficiency assistance program and to expand access to moderate-income programs, if appropriate. | In Committee |
| S4523 | Requires State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs to review, and potentially increase, income thresholds for residential customers to participate in programs. | This bill requires the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to, within one year of when the BPU issues a final order in the proceeding entitled "In the Matter of Addressing New Jersey Energy Affordability for Low- and Moderate-Income Households" (Docket No. QO24110853), complete a review of the program, as provided for in the bill, and increase the income threshold if the department, board, or agency determines an increase to be appropriate. The bill requires that a State agency request public comment, in a form and manner determined by that State agency, or seek assistance from other State agencies, to determine an appropriate increase to the program's income threshold. The bill further specifies that if an increase in income thresholds for the State's low-income energy efficiency programs is ordered, the BPU is required to assess if further guidance is necessary to change income thresholds in the utilities' triennium energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs for moderate-income energy efficiency programs to ensure that low- and moderate-income customers are eligible for only one energy efficiency assistance program and to expand access to moderate-income programs, if appropriate. | In Committee |
| S4508 | Establishes "Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund" to provide funding for deferred maintenance needs at public institutions of higher education. | This bill establishes a "Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund" to provide funding for deferred maintenance needs at public institutions of higher education. The bill requires public institutions of higher education to, within 90 days following enactment, submit a deferred maintenance plan to the Secretary of Higher Education that details the institution's outstanding deferred maintenance needs and the anticipated cost of addressing the needs. The deferred maintenance plan would be updated every five years, except that an institution of higher education that maintains a long-range facilities plan pursuant to current law may revise and submit the deferred maintenance plan in conjunction with the institution's updates to the long-range facilities plan. Additionally, the bill establishes the "Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund," which would be credited with moneys appropriated by the Legislature, as well as any other federal or private funds available for the purpose of addressing deferred maintenance needs at public institutions of higher education. The bill authorizes the Legislature to, from time to time, appropriate the moneys credited to the fund to support the costs of deferred maintenance projects. The bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority and representatives from public institutions of higher education, to develop a formula to allocate funding appropriated from the Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund. The bill also stipulates that funds allocated to a public institution of higher education under the bill may account for: up to 50 percent of the cost of a deferred maintenance project at a four-year public institution of higher education; and up to 100 percent of the cost of a deferred maintenance project at a two-year public institution of higher education. Any remaining costs are to be supported by non-State funds. | In Committee |
| S4010 | Provides for expansion of social services supports at county colleges. | Provides for expansion of social services supports at county colleges. | In Committee |
| S4023 | Establishes New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act, which codifies the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development's New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative. Under the bill, the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development is required to operate a New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative, the purpose of which is to provide students, workers, and job seekers with career pathways they need to pursue promising new careers and opportunities; to strengthen career pathways partnerships between county colleges and employers, primary and secondary schools, vocational technical high schools, four-year institutions of higher education, unions, and community based organizations; and to ensure that employers have access to a highly skilled workforce to meet critical labor market needs. The bill permits the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development to establish Centers of Workforce Innovation that offer career pathways in various areas. The bill directs the Centers of Workforce Innovation to develop curriculum specific to each career pathway that is to be made publicly available, provide students with instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in a career pathway, promote the use of the Community College Opportunity Grants, promote the expansion of apprenticeship and other work-based learning opportunities for students, and to collaborate with business leaders and educational partners across the State. | In Committee |
| S3184 | Requires public institution of higher education to invite Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey on institution's campus. | Requires public institution of higher education to invite Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey on institution's campus. | In Committee |
| SR130 | Condemns federal government's actions in undermining privacy of taxpayer information; demands immediate reversal of federal policy whereby IRS shares private taxpayer information with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immigration enforcement purposes. | This Senate resolution condemns the federal government's actions in undermining the privacy of taxpayer information, and demands an immediate reversal of the federal policy whereby the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) shares private taxpayer information with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the federal Department of Homeland Security for immigration enforcement purposes. On April 7, 2025, the federal Department of the Treasury and the federal Department of Homeland Security executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to create a framework for information sharing between the IRS and ICE for immigration enforcement purposes. According to news reports, attorneys for the IRS advised the federal Department of the Treasury and the federal Department of Homeland Security that the data-sharing likely violates federal privacy laws, and the acting Commissioner of the IRS was reportedly largely bypassed in the discussions leading to the execution of the agreement. Shortly after the MOU was executed, the federal Treasury Department announced that the acting Commissioner of the IRS plans to resign, becoming the third head of the agency to leave since January 2025. The previous acting Commissioner of the IRS also resigned in February 2025, shortly after refusing to sign a similar data-sharing agreement with the Department of Homeland Security. Federal law, specifically section 6103 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.6103, sets forth the general rule that tax returns and tax return information is confidential, and generally restricts the IRS from disclosing any tax return information. Limited exceptions to section 6103 require the IRS to disclose certain information to criminal investigators when it receives a proper request. According to court filings seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the implementation of the MOU, the IRS agrees to provide ICE with taxpayer information about undocumented immigrants who are facing deportation orders and under federal investigation. Under the agreement, the IRS will verify the names and addresses of immigrants provided on tax records to ICE, and although it is unclear what other information could be provided by the IRS, preliminary sources suggest that this information could include the names of dependents. The immigrant community in New Jersey contributed $1.3 billion in State and local taxes in 2022, according to a study prepared by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Not only will the sharing of private taxpayer data for immigration enforcement purposes deter immigrants from voluntarily paying federal taxes, but it could also result in the broad targeting of certain groups of taxpayers, leading to the possibility of administrative errors that can result in disastrous consequences, such as mistaken deportations. The resolution condemning the federal government's actions and demanding a reversal in federal policy also calls on the federal government to express its commitment to respect the privacy of taxpayer information, uphold the integrity of the voluntary tax system, and keep the IRS out of immigration enforcement. | In Committee |
| S4478 | Requires electric public utilities and gas public utilities to implement or maintain public utility warranty programs that cover full cost to repair or replace covered appliances. | This bill requires electric public utilities and gas public utilities to implement or maintain public utility warranty programs that cover the full cost to repair or replace covered appliances. Under the bill, a "covered appliance" includes, but is not limited to: furnaces, water heaters, HVAC systems, refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, grills, gas fireplaces, and space heaters. The bill also requires electric public utilities and gas public utilities to advertise their public utility warranty program in a bill insert to its customers every billing cycle for one year following the effective date of the bill. | In Committee |
| S4385 | Prohibits non-compete clauses. | This bill prohibits non-compete clauses, with certain exceptions, and prohibits no-poach agreements. The bill provides that no private, public, or nonprofit employer may seek, require, demand, or accept a non-compete agreement from any employee or other individual who provides services for, on behalf of the employer, whether the individual is paid or unpaid, including an independent contractor, extern, intern, volunteer, apprentice, or sole proprietor. A non-compete clause is defined by the bill as any agreement between an employer and a covered individual that prohibits or restricts that covered individual from obtaining employment after the conclusion of employment with the employer included as a party to the agreement. The bill provides that every contract by which anyone is restrained from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind is to that extent void. Regarding non-compete clauses in effect when the bill goes into effect, the bill requires that employer to notify the affected employees that those non-compete clauses are no longer valid and not enforceable. The bill provides the following exceptions to the prohibition on non-compete clauses: 1. When a cause of action related to a non-compete clause accrued prior to the effective date of the bill; 2. Non-compete clauses entered into by an employer pursuant to a bona fide sale of a business entity or its operating assets, or of the employer's ownership interest in a business entity; or 3. Non-compete clauses between employers and senior executives which were entered into prior to the effective date of the bill will remain valid if they meet certain requirements specified by the bill, or are modified to meet the requirements. The bill's requirements for existing non-compete clause for senior executives include: 1. That the non-compete clause is not broader than necessary to protect legitimate interests of the employer, including trade secrets and other confidentiality issues; 2. That the period in which employment for a worker is restricted not be longer than 12 months; 3. That there be no retaliation against a worker for defending rights provided by the bill and no waiver of the worker's rights provided by the bill or other law; 4. That the non-complete clause is related to the work actually done by the worker and the geographic area where the work was done. The bill also prohibits employers from entering no-poach agreements to not hire each other's employees or former employees. A covered individual may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against any employer or person alleged to have violated the provisions of the bill. The court has jurisdiction to void any non-compete clause or no-poach agreement and to order appropriate relief. The bill also authorizes the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to impose penalties on employers for failing to provide the notifications to employees required by the bill. | In Committee |
| S4404 | Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members. | This bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for annual pension, ordinary disability pension, or accidental disability pension retirement benefits for certain members of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). Provisions contained in P.L.2011, c.78 (C.43:3C-16 et al.), signed into law on June 28, 2011, had suspended the automatic annual adjustment for current and future retirees and beneficiaries of PFRS and other State-administered retirement systems until those systems reach a target funded ratio. Decades of underfunding those systems by the State had placed the systems in precarious financial conditions. Although this bill does not reinstate COLAs for other retirees, it serves as the first step in reinstating COLAs for all retirees of the State-administered retirement systems. Through the prioritization of PFRS, the State will begin this process with retired first responders, police and firefighters, to provide them greater financial security and stability at a time when inflation has significantly eroded the value of their retirement benefit payments, which are already based on the lower salaries of years ago. To that end, the bill includes restrictions intended to limit costs and focus on segments among PFRS retirees expected to be most in need of an immediate benefit. Under the bill, members of PFRS will receive automatic COLAs for annual pension, ordinary disability pension, and accidental disability pension benefits if the member has been retired and receiving retirement benefits for a minimum of ten years. Longer-term retirees generally will have lower pension benefits and be less able to obtain employment to offset the erosion of their benefits. Members of PFRS who are hired more than 30 days following the effective date of this act will not be considered eligible to receive these automatic COLAs. Additionally, members who are enrolled in deferred retirement will not be considered eligible for these automatic COLAs, nor will members who retired with 20 or more years of service but less than 25 years of service. The COLAs will only apply to future pension benefit payments. The bill does not provide for retroactive COLAs. The adjustment in eligible members' pension benefits will be calculated based on an amount up to $75,000 of a retiree's benefit for the first year following the enactment of this bill. Eligible members receiving up to $75,000 of pension benefits will receive a COLA tied to the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This will ensure that greater initial benefits will be provided to those likely to be most in need. The adjustment in eligible member's pension benefits will be limited to one percent if the member receives more than $75,000 in benefits for the first year following the enactment of the bill. After the first calendar year following the enactment of the bill, the $75,000 threshold will be adjusted annually according to the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, except that the adjustment will be calculated at a rate not to exceed three percent. The bill also grants the cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly pension or survivorship benefit of a surviving spouse, child, or beneficiary that is provided by PFRS. Under the bill, if the Board of Trustees of PFRS fails to comply with the provisions of this bill within six months following the effective date, then the State Treasurer will be responsible for implementing the cost-of-living adjustments. The bill requires the Legislature to appropriate monies from the General Fund as necessary to effectuate the cost-of-living adjustments established under the bill that are sufficient to cover both State and local expenses, and to reimburse each PFRS local employer for the full cost incurred. The bill further provides that this appropriation will take precedence over any additional funding added to the annual State budget by the Legislature through non-emergency supplemental appropriations, resolutions or other changes to the Governor's budget message. | In Committee |
| S4480 | Requires electric and gas public utilities de-privatization study; appropriates $100,000. | This bill requires the Division of the Rate Counsel (division) to engage a third party to conduct a feasibility and cost savings study on the de-privatization of electric public utilities and gas public utilities in the State. The third party is authorized to request information and reasonable assistance from any electric public utility, gas public utility, or public entity in order to conduct the study, which is to examine the feasibility of and cost savings associated with de-privatization options, including, but not limited to: (1) acquisition or operation of existing electric public utilities and gas public utilities, in part or in whole, by a public entity; and (2) joint ownership or operation of existing electric public utilities and gas public utilities, in part or in whole, between a public entity and existing electric public utilities and gas public utilities. The study is to include: (1) the short- and long-term challenges and benefits of each option examined, including, but not limited to, any anticipated environmental effect, impact on service, and cost to ratepayers; (2) the strengths and weaknesses of selecting each public entity considered for potential acquisition, ownership, or operation, in whole or in part, of electric public utilities and gas public utilities, as well as potential organizational structures; (3) an estimation of costs, including, but not limited to, financial costs, as well as the long-term financial impact on the State and any public entity involved in each option; (4) an estimation of the cost savings associated with each option examined; (5) an estimation of the amount of revenue generated by clean energy programs; and (6) any other analysis as the division directs. Any electric public utility, gas public utility, or public entity is required to promptly respond to, cooperate fully with, and provide any requested information to the third party. Within a year of the bill's effective date, the division is required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature summarizing the findings from the study and providing recommendations as to the feasibility of, need for, cost savings associated with, and plan for the de-privatization of electric public utilities and gas public utilities in this State. The report is to include recommendations for legislative, executive, and other actions. The bill appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the division to implement the provisions of the bill. The board approved an increase in electricity rates, which will become effective in June 2025. According to the board, this increase will raise electricity bills by approximately 17 to 20 percent, depending on a ratepayer's electric public utility. Electricity and gas are not luxuries; they are essential services powering homes, schools, medical devices, and transportation. As the cost of living continues to rise and many wages stagnate, New Jersey residents need protection from utility rate increases, which exacerbate the effects of inflation on consumers. With this bill, the sponsor intends to encourage the State to explore opportunities to provide electric public utility and gas public utility services as a public good for electric public utility and gas public utility customers across New Jersey. This measure is a crucial step in addressing economic hardships and promoting fair electric public utility and gas public utility pricing. New Jersey families, individuals, and businesses deserve reliable, affordable energy without facing undue financial strain. | In Committee |
| S4481 | Resets electric and gas public utility rates to 2020 levels for five-year period. | This bill resets electric public utility and gas public utility rates to 2020 levels for a five-year period. Specifically, the bill requires an electric public utility or gas public utility that does business in the State to file with the Board of Public Utilities (board) an updated schedule of rates for approval, which schedule is to reflect utility rates equal to or less than the electric public utility's or gas public utility's rates at any point during the calendar year 2020. The bill then requires the board to approve an updated schedule of rates within 30 days of its receipt of the updated schedule. Upon the board's approval, an updated schedule of rates is to remain in effect for a period of five years. The board approved an increase in electricity rates, which will become effective in June 2025. According to the board, this increase will raise electricity bills by approximately 17 to 20 percent, depending on a ratepayer's electric public utility. Electricity and gas are not luxuries; they are essential services powering homes, schools, medical devices, and transportation. As the cost of living continues to rise and many wages stagnate, New Jersey residents need protection from utility rate increases, which exacerbate the effects of inflation on consumers. This bill aims to safeguard ratepayers by implementing regulatory measures that promote fairness and transparency in pricing. The bill is designed to prevent excessive rate hikes and ensure that essential energy services remain affordable and accessible. By temporarily resetting electric public utility and gas public utility rates, the bill seeks to: (1) provide financial relief for households experiencing rising expenses; (2) prevent unwarranted profit inflation by electric public utilities and gas public utilities; and (3) establish regulatory oversight to ensure fair rate adjustments that align with consumer needs. This measure is a crucial step in addressing economic hardships and promoting fair electric public utility and gas public utility pricing. New Jersey families, individuals, and businesses deserve reliable, affordable energy without facing undue financial strain. | In Committee |
| S4482 | Prohibits electric generation service and gas supply service rates from exceeding basic generation service and basic gas supply service rates. | This bill requires electric power suppliers and gas suppliers to charge residential customers no more than the price of basic generation service or basic gas supply service. The Board of Public Utilities (board) approved an increase in electricity rates, which will become effective in June 2025. According to the board, this increase will raise electricity bills by approximately 17 to 20 percent, depending on a ratepayer's electric public utility. Electricity and gas are not luxuries; they are essential services powering homes, schools, medical devices, and transportation. As the cost of living continues to rise and many wages stagnate, New Jersey residents need protection from utility rate increases, which exacerbate the effects of inflation on consumers. This bill aims to safeguard ratepayers by implementing regulatory measures that promote fairness and transparency in pricing. It is the sponsor's intent to prevent excessive rate hikes and unfair or deceptive practices by electric power suppliers and gas suppliers by capping rates charged to residential consumers at the price of basic generation service. This measure is intended to address economic hardships and promote fair electric generation service and gas supply service pricing. New Jersey families, individuals, and businesses deserve reliable, affordable energy without facing undue financial strain. | In Committee |
| SR131 | Honors life of Congressman William J. Pascrell, Jr. | This resolution honors late Congressman Pascrell. Congressman Pascrell, a tireless advocate for public health and safety who served New Jersey for decades, leaves behind a legacy of distinguished public service. Congressman Pascrell founded the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, an initiative that has played a critical role in advancing national policy, research, and resources for individuals affected by brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur due to a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that disrupts normal brain function, while acquired brain injuries (ABI) result from internal causes such as strokes, aneurysms, or tumors. Individuals who suffer from TBI or ABI often experience long-term disabilities ranging from minor impairments to severe and life-altering conditions, which affect their cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being. Over the years the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force has worked to increase awareness of brain injuries, support groundbreaking research initiatives, promote rehabilitation services, and address the long-term effects of brain injuries on individuals, families, and communities. As a co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, Congressman Pascrell advocated for research initiatives focused on treatment, rehabilitation, and potential cures for TBI. Brain injuries impact thousands of New Jersey residents in every congressional district, affecting children, veterans, athletes, seniors, and survivors of accidents and medical conditions, all of whom need strong legislative advocacy and support at both the State and federal levels. The Congressional Brain Injury Task Force remains a bipartisan effort, currently co-chaired by Democratic Congressman Chris Deluzio from Pennsylvannia and Republican Congressman Morgan Luttrell from Texas, and continues to advance Congressman Pascrell's legacy of championing policies that improve brain injury awareness, prevention, research, and treatment. It is vital that New Jersey's congressional delegation continues Congressman Pascrell's legacy by joining and supporting the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force to ensure that our State remains a leader in brain injury advocacy and policy. | In Committee |
| S4479 | Requires BPU to prohibit electric and gas public utilities from charging residential customers certain types of payments based on certain billing practices. | Certain electric and gas public utilities offer equal payment plans that average a customer's estimated energy usage over 12 months to provide consistent billing. Customers may face lump-sum payments if actual usage exceeds the estimate. This bill requires the Board of Public Utilities (board) to require each electric public utility and gas public utility to offer an equal payment plan for residential customers. This bill prohibits electric and gas public utilities from: (1) charging lump-sum payments under equal payment plans; (2) recovering any outstanding balance due based on the difference between a residential customer's actual yearly usage and any forecasted yearly utility usage; and (3) increasing a residential customer's monthly bill under an equal payment plan except annually, based only on that customer's utility usage data. Further, separate from equal payment plans, at certain times electric and gas public utilities may charge customers using estimated meter bills, which are based on prior usage information or predictive modeling instead of the customers' actual usage. When a customer's estimated meter bill is lower than a later-obtained meter reading, the electric and gas public utility may bill the customer for the difference in a utility billing procedure known as underbilling. This bill also prohibits electric and gas public utilities from underbilling and further prohibits electric public utilities and gas public utilities from incorporating any outstanding balance due based on the difference between a customer's estimated meter bill and a later-obtained actual meter reading into that customer's future utility bills. It is the sponsor's intent that this bill provides a crucial step in addressing economic hardships and promoting fair electric public utility and gas public utility pricing. New Jersey families, individuals, and businesses deserve reliable, affordable energy without facing undue financial strain. The board approved an increase in electricity rates, which will become effective in June 2025. According to the board, this increase will raise electricity bills by approximately 17 to 20 percent. Electricity and gas are not luxuries; they are essential services powering homes, schools, medical devices, and transportation. As the cost of living continues to rise and many wages stagnate, New Jersey residents need protection from utility rate increases, which exacerbate the effects of inflation on consumers. It is the sponsor's intent that this bill will safeguard ratepayers by implementing regulatory measures that promote fairness and transparency in pricing. | In Committee |
| S4391 | Increases PFRS accidental disability pension when disability is caused by weapon. | This bill increases the accidental disability pension provided in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) when the disability is caused by a weapon. If a PFRS member is injured in the line of duty by a weapon and permanently disabled, the pension for the retiree will increase from 66 percent of final compensation to 100 percent of final compensation. When the retiree attains mandatory retirement age, the pension thereafter will be 80 percent of the final compensation. In addition, the final compensation used to determine the accidental disability pension will continue to increase until the member would have attained the age of 65 under the assumption of continuous service. The final compensation will increase by the same percentage increase which is applied in any adjustments of the compensation schedule of active members after the member's retirement but before the date on which the retired member would have attained the age of 65. | In Committee |
| S4386 | Prohibits non-compete clauses and no-poach agreements. | This bill prohibits non-compete clauses and certain other agreements between an employer and employee that restrict employment choices after the conclusion of the employee's employment with the employer. The bill makes it illegal for an employer to enter into, attempt to enter into, present to an employee, past employee, or prospective employee as a term of employment, or attempt to enforce, or represent that the employee is subject to, any contract that restrains an employee from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind after the conclusion of the employee's employment with the employer, including, but not limited to: 1. a non-compete clause; 2. a term that requires a debtor to pay for a debt if the debtor's employment or work relationship with the employer is terminated; or 3. any term that imposes any penalties, fees, or costs to an employee for terminating the employment relationship, including employment promissory notes, replacement hire fees, retraining fees, reimbursement for immigration or visa-related costs, bondage fees, liquidated damages, lost goodwill, or lost profit. Every employer is required to: 1. notify, not more than 30 days after the effective date of the bill, every current employee that any non-compete clause or other agreement which restrains an employee from engaging in a lawful profession, trade, or business of any kind after the conclusion of employment, or which in any way violates the provisions of the bill, including any clause or agreement which was entered into or in effect on or before the effective date of the bill, is against public policy, void and unenforceable against the employee; and 2. notify every past employee with whom the employer has contact, and with whom the employer had entered into a non-compete clause, that the clause is void and unenforceable, within 30 days after the bill's effective date, and immediately whenever the employee requests information about the clause, or is subject to an action based on or related to the clause. The bill also designates no-poach agreements between employers and employees, including a no-poach agreements entered into or in effect on or before the effective date of the bill, to be contrary to public policy and void and unenforceable. The bill permits an employee who is subject to a non-compete clause or a no-poach agreement, or who otherwise suffers harm because of a violation of the provisions of the bill, or a representative of the employee, to bring a civil action on behalf of the employee, other persons similarly situated, or both, in a court of competent jurisdiction for actual damages, punitive damages of not more than $5,000, reasonable costs and attorney's fees. The bill also authorizes the Attorney General or the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to accept complaints and bring actions to enforce the bill. | In Committee |
| S4349 | Requires municipal governing body to consider preservation of certain open space proposed for development. | This bill requires municipalities to consider preservation of large swaths of property for recreation and conservation purposes, if the property is proposed for development. Under the bill, upon receipt of an application for development of property comprising 20 or more contiguous acres of land, the administrative officer is required to inform the municipal governing body of receipt of the application for development, and of the municipal governing body's requirement to consider whether to preserve the property for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to P.L.1997, c.24 (C.40:12-15.1 et seq.). The bill proposes to stay the applicable time periods for action by a municipal agency, its authorized committee, or designee, under the "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.), including but not limited to the time within which the agency, committee, or designee is required to certify an application for development to be complete. This stay is put in place to enable the municipal governing body to undertake consideration of whether to preserve the property for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill grants a municipal governing body a 45-day period to complete its consideration of whether to preserve the property for recreation and conservation purposes. In this regard, the municipal governing body is required to: convene a public hearing, on public notice, to receive and consider testimony from municipal residents and interested parties; by resolution, decide whether to commence the process of preserving the property for recreation and conservation purposes; and notify the administrative officer of the municipal governing body's decision. Upon receipt of a municipal governing body's decision to commence the process of preserving the property for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to P.L.1997, c.24 (C.40:12-15.1 et seq.) and this bill, the bill directs the administrative officer to notify the applicant that the time within which the municipal agency is required to take action on the application shall continue to be stayed until the procedures authorized pursuant to P.L.1997, c.24 (C.40:12-15.1 et seq.) have been completed. Upon completion of those procedures, the municipal governing body is required to inform the administrative officer, and the administrative officer is required to notify the applicant, whether: the application is denied, under the authority of the bill, because the municipality is purchasing the property; or that the stay of the time within which the municipal agency is required to take action on the application shall commence to run because the municipality is not undertaking purchase of the property. Upon receipt of a municipal governing body's decision to not commence the process of preserving the property for recreation and conservation purposes, the administrative officer is required to notify the applicant that the date upon which the stay was imposed has been lifted, and shall inform the applicant of the applicable time periods for action under the "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.), including but not limited to the time within which the municipal agency, committee, or designee is required to certify the application for development to be complete. | In Committee |
| S4009 | Directs DOLWD to develop and maintain industry-valued credential list. | This bill requires the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to develop and maintain a list of industry-valued credentials identifying the specific credentials offered in New Jersey in which employers are most interested, based on analysis of State labor market data and on feedback from employers in the State. The industry-valued credential list is required to be updated annually and made available as a list and in a downloadable format on the Internet website of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. An industry-valued credential is a recognized degree, diploma, certificate, or certification awarded for an occupation that is valued and demanded by employers, with transferable skills that provide broad opportunities, may lead to opportunities for further training and education, and lead to higher wages, career advancement, or increased job security. | 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 |
| S3889 | Requires each public institution of higher education to develop food waste reduction program on campus. | This bill directs each public institution of higher education to develop and implement a food waste reduction program on each campus of the institution. The purpose of the program is to redirect unused, excess food prepared or distributed at campus dining halls, facilities, and events to local food security programs, including soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and community nonprofits. The program is to ensure that all necessary and applicable food safety standards are met throughout the selection, packaging, and transfer of food through the program. The bill directs the institution to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on its contributions to local food security programs and post the report on its website. | Crossed Over |
| S3799 | Revises credentialing process for physicians attempting to enter a health insurance carrier's provider network. | This bill makes changes to the existing health insurance carrier credentialing process to facilitate transparency and enforcement. First, the bill requires a carrier committee reviewing a credentialing application to notify the applicant within 30 days following submission of the application whether the application is incomplete. If the committee does not notify the applicant of an incomplete application within 30 days, the application is to be deemed complete. In addition, the bill requires carriers to include on their Internet websites the universal participation and renewal forms and an explanation of the credentialing process, including a list of all the documents required for participation and renewal and any expected timelines. The bill also provides that if a physician, while waiting to receive a credential to participate in the provider network of a carrier, is delivering health care services to covered persons within the network, the carrier is required to reimburse the physician for services delivered as of the date the credentialing application was filed, if the application is approved by the carrier. Under the bill, carriers are prohibited from requiring a physician who is already credentialed with the carrier and who changes employers or health care facilities within this State to submit a new application or renewal form to participate in the carrier's network solely on the basis that the physician changed employers or health care facilities. Lastly, the bill authorizes the Department of Banking and Insurance to receive, investigate, and enforce alleged violations of law relating to the credentialing process. | In Committee |
| S3882 | Requires retention of funds collected by Department of Banking and Insurance and certain professional boards. | Requires retention of funds collected by Department of Banking and Insurance and certain professional boards. | In Committee |
| S3413 | Authorizes grocery stores to provide certain single-use paper carryout bags to customers. | This bill would amend P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et seq.) to authorize grocery stores to provide single-use paper carryout bags to their customers, provided that the bags contain a certain percentage of postconsumer recycled content. Specifically, the bags would be required to meet or exceed the postconsumer recycled content requirements of section 6 of P.L.2021, c.391 (C.13:1E-99.140). Under that section of law, paper carryout bags are required to contain, on average, at least 40 percent postconsumer recycled content; except that a paper carryout bag that holds eight pounds or less is required to contain, on average, at least 20 percent postconsumer recycled content. | In Committee |
| S2078 | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | In Committee |
| S2034 | "Pet Insurance Act." | "Pet Insurance Act." | In Committee |
| S2953 | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | In Committee |
| S3153 | Prohibits DCF from using federal benefits received by a child in out of home placement to reimburse State for cost of child's care, except under certain circumstances. | Prohibits DCF from using federal benefits received by a child in out of home placement to reimburse State for cost of child's care, except under certain circumstances. | Crossed Over |
| S3187 | Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act." | Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act." | In Committee |
| SR126 | Condemns U.S. House of Representatives for passage of budget resolution cutting $1.5 trillion from federal budget and urges U.S. Senate to reject House resolution. | This Senate Resolution condemns the United States House of Representatives for passage of a budget resolution, on February 25, 2025, cutting $1.5 trillion over ten years from the federal budget and respectfully urges the United States Senate to reject this House resolution. The budget resolution specifically targets $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee which regulates public healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, $330 billion from the Education and Workforce Committee which routinely legislates matters on education funding, and $230 billion from the Agriculture Committee whose purview includes the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Given the size and scope of the desired cuts, as well as budget documents circulated by House leadership, policy experts believe that these cuts are aimed at or will ultimately fall on critical safety net programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. In New Jersey, approximately 1.8 million low- and moderate- income people rely on NJ FamilyCare, which encompasses the Medicaid Program and the Children's Health Insurance Program, to cover their healthcare needs. Funding reductions of this size would have severe consequences for these enrollees, as well as the provider community who deliver the critical healthcare services under the program. Approximately 830,000 low-income residents in New Jersey receive SNAP benefits, which provides them with the resources needed to feed their families. It is anticipated that federal funding cuts to SNAP under the House budget resolution would be realized by limiting benefits, restricting eligibility, or some combination of both of these actions; thereby, significantly reducing the number of residents who receive support from this program. | In Committee |
| S3609 | Allows for licensed organizations to conduct raffles remotely and to advertise such raffles; removes maximum value limitations for prizes; allows remote raffles on Sundays; requires quarterly reporting of raffle results. | This bill directs the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission, in consultation with the Division of Gaming Enforcement, to adopt regulations allowing for the conduct of remote raffles within 180 days of the bill becoming law. The bill also directs the commission to adopt rules governing the advertising of remote raffles across the State. The bill removes all limitations on the value of prizes which may be awarded in any raffle and allows remote raffles to be conducted on Sundays, which is currently prohibited under law. The bill establishes a 365 day time-period for winners to be drawn and prizes awarded for remote raffles. Finally, the bill requires that organizations conducting remote raffles report quarterly to the commission on the results of any such raffles. | In Committee |
| S3771 | Creates Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding; appropriates $200,000. | Creates Task Force on Higher Education Governance and Funding; appropriates $200,000. | In Committee |
| S3694 | Prohibits cryptocurrency automatic teller machines. | This bill prohibits any business entity from owning, controlling, installing, or managing a cryptocurrency automatic teller machine (ATM) in this State. Under the bill, cryptocurrency is defined as any digital form of currency that functions as a medium of exchange through a decentralized computer network without reliance on any central authority such as a government or financial institution. In addition, a cryptocurrency ATM means a physical, internet-connected kiosk allowing users to buy, sell, send, or receive cryptocurrency by depositing money using a debit card, credit card, or cash. Under the provisions of the bill, owning, controlling, installing, managing, selling, or offering for sale a cryptocurrency ATM in this State is an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, violations may result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured party. While cryptocurrency ATMs offer a convenient way for individuals to buy, sell, send, or receive digital currencies, there has been a significant rise in scams associated with their use. According to the United States Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Sentinel Network, fraud losses linked to these cryptocurrency automatic teller machines have surged nearly tenfold since 2020 to more than $110 million in 2023 and exceeded $65 million in just the first half of 2024. Since many incidents of fraud go unreported, these figures likely represent only a portion of the overall impact. It is the sponsor's intent to protect consumers from falling victim to financial losses associated with the use of cryptocurrency automatic teller machines. | In Committee |
| S2038 | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | Crossed Over |
| S3751 | Revises definition of child abuse or neglect to include persons between 18 and 21 years of age in certain settings. | This bill revises the definition of child abuse or neglect to include persons between 18 and 21 years of age in certain settings. Specifically, the bill amends the definition of "child" in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21) to mean any (1) person less than 18 years of age alleged to have been abused or neglected, or (2) any person less than 21 years of age alleged to have been abused or neglected, or subject to exploitation by a teacher, employee, contractor, or volunteer, whether compensated or uncompensated, of an institution responsible for the care or supervision of that person, as regulated by the Department of Children and Families (department), including employees of day schools. The bill also amends the definition of "abused or neglected child" in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21), so that the term will also apply to persons between 18 and 21 years of age. Although the department regulates and funds services for individuals with disabilities under the age of 21, the Office of Program Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) in the Department of Human Services currently conducts investigations involving persons between the age 18 and 21 in department-regulated facilities on behalf of the department and forwards all investigatory materials and findings to the department. This bill will transfer full investigatory responsibility to the department for the populations served and settings regulated by the department, which is accomplished by revising definitions and other provisions in the statute pertaining to the department and child abuse to reflect the full range of ages under the department's jurisdiction for persons up to 21 years of age in regulated facilities. The bill also updates section 3 of P.L.2010, c.5 (C.30:6D-75) to eliminate conflicting and superfluous references to the department, since the statute applies to individuals receiving services from the Department of Human Services. | In Committee |
| S4109 | Designates sweepstakes casinos as internet gaming; requires licensure, oversight, and taxation thereof within internet gaming framework. | This bill designates the conduct of an online sweepstakes casino as a form of internet gaming. As defined by the bill, an "online sweepstakes casino" means any platform available via an Internet website or mobile application that (1) provides participants with an opportunity to play authorized gambling games or provides an experience equivalent to, or with similar statistical odds of winning as an authorized gambling game, except that the game does not require any initial monetary investment on behalf of the participants to play and instead is played primarily with free currency; and (2) awards to participants at random, as a bundle with the purchase of free currency, or upon the completion of certain specified tasks, currency or promotional gaming credits which can be wagered on games and are redeemable for cash, prizes, or other things of value. An online sweepstakes casino may additionally offer tokens, coins, chips, credits, or other forms of currency for purchase or exchange that are directly redeemable for cash, prizes, or other things of value. This bill requires that the operator of any online sweepstakes casino be licensed with the State as a casino service industry enterprise. The enterprise will be required to submit to an independent third-party audit to determine the integrity of its operations and its financial standing as a condition of receiving an initial license and will submit updated audit reports on a bi-annual basis as a condition of maintaining a valid license. In order to operate a sweepstakes casino, the enterprise, following licensure, will be required to partner with a casino licensee and to obtain an internet gaming permit. Under current law, this is the procedure for authorizing all other internet gaming. The bill authorizes the Division of Gaming Enforcement to collaborate with federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate unlawful online sweepstakes casinos. The division will have the authority to work with telecommunication providers and other commercial operators to restrict the accessibility of unauthorized online sweepstakes casinos in New Jersey. Under current law, unlawful internet gaming operators are also subject to penalties of $1,000 per player per day for making its premises available for placing wagers at casinos using the Internet and of $10,000 per violation for advertising that its premises may be used for such purpose. Under the bill, online sweepstakes casino operators that become licensed, partner with a casino licensee, and receive an internet gaming permit will be subject to the same legal requirements and standards of all other internet gaming operators. This includes the conduct of background checks for employees, the prohibition on accepting wagers from persons under the age of 21 and the required use of age verification tools, the payment of licensing and permitting fees, and the payment of taxes on all gross internet gaming revenues. | In Committee |
| S4063 | Requires dental insurance carriers to report on medical loss ratio data annually. | This bill requires carriers of dental benefits plans to file a dental loss ratio annual report with the commissioner that is organized by market and product type. The intent of the bill is to provide for transparency of the expenditure of dental health care plan premiums. The report is to contain the same information required in the Medical Loss Ratio Annual Reporting Form (CMS-10418). The filing shall also include, but not be limited to, the following data: (1) number of covered persons, including the number of covered persons who meet or exceed the annual coverage limit; (2) plan cost-sharing and deductible amounts; and (3) annual maximum coverage limit. The Commissioner of Banking and Insurance is to investigate a carrier that reports a dental loss ratio lower than one standard deviation from the mathematical average, and may take remediation or enforcement actions against the carrier, including ordering the carrier to rebate. | In Committee |
| S290 | Extends protected tenancy period for certain tenants who are senior citizens and certain tenants with disabilities. | This bill extends the protected tenancy period for certain tenants who are senior citizens and certain tenants with a disability pursuant to the "Senior Citizens and Disabled Protected Tenancy Act," N.J.S.A.2A:18-61.22 et al. ("act"). The bill extends the protected tenancy period to the lifetime of those tenants who are senior citizens and those tenants with a disability. The extension of the protections provided pursuant to the bill are necessary in the service of the public interest, as life expectancies have continued to increase in the United States since the initial enactment of the act, in order to protect senior citizen tenants and tenants with a disability from harmful disruptions in their living conditions later in life. These protections are especially imperative during a time when economic dislocations have sharply increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and as recent evidence has proven that relocation at older age has been related to declines of both physical and cognitive functions. | Crossed Over |
| S3179 | Concerns certain emergency operations plans required to be submitted to law enforcement agencies. | An Act concerning certain emergency operations plans and amending P.L.2010, c.78. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2840 | Directs DEP to lift conservation restrictions imposed as condition of CAFRA permit under certain conditions. | This bill would direct the Department of Environmental Protection to lift certain conservation easements imposed on a parcel of real property as a condition of a permit award issued under the "Coastal Area Facility Review Act," P.L.1973, c.185 (C.13:19-1 et seq.) (CAFRA), under certain conditions. Specifically, the bill would require that: (1) the parcel of real property is needed, and would be used for, the physical expansion of an existing school for special needs children; and (2) a substantively similar conservation restriction would be imposed on a parcel of real property that is at least twice the size of, and located no more than 20 miles from, the original property. | In Committee |
| S4036 | Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. | This bill provides for a supplemental appropriation of $3,000,000 from the General Fund to provide individual employee awards to the many essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who provided emergency frontline workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Independent Review of New Jersey's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic completed on March 7, 2024 noted that one of the strengths of New Jersey State Government's response was that staff across government departments and agencies went above and beyond what they were expected or paid to do. Many state employees put their lives on hold to ensure that the important work of their department or agency continued amidst the uncertainty, additional workload, and safety challenges posed by the pandemic. Many frontline agency workers also reported experiencing significant trauma due to the panic and urgency of the response and the demands associated with their jobs. Personal losses and increased workloads caused many State workers to endure prolonged exhaustion and pandemic fatigue. Workers were overwhelmed by the sudden and dramatic increase in their responsibilities, which agencies had to process while being understaffed. Across departments and agencies, state employees demonstrated resilience and flexibility. Many state agencies worked closely with their respective unions to ensure their staff were well placed to continue their work during the pandemic. Agencies that had pre-existing relationships with union leaders were able to have proactive discussions and continuous dialogue in the early stages of the pandemic, enabling rapid decision making concerning workplace attendance by staff deemed essential for the health and safety of human life. The many frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers ensured the continued operation and maintenance of the many crucial State facilities, which provide essential services to their clients and patients who could not survive a termination of services during the pandemic. This appropriation will ensure that the many thousands of these State employees receive additional compensation in the form of individual bonuses for their essential work during the most dangerous of times. | In Committee |
| S4024 | Establishes "Transparency in Prosecutorial Communication Act"; requires AG to release updated press release regarding investigations in certain circumstances. | This bill establishes the "Transparency in Prosecutorial Communication Act" and requires the Attorney General to release updated press releases regarding investigations in certain circumstances. Under the provisions of this bill, in every case where the Attorney General published on its website a press release of information concerning the opening of an investigation, the Attorney General is also required to publish on its website an updated press release of information at the conclusion of the investigation containing the outcome of the investigation. According to the sponsor, as the public does not have access to investigative files, press releases are often the only way for the public to obtain information regarding an investigation. Therefore, if an updated press release is never issued, the public would not have access to any information regarding the outcome of the investigation. | In Committee |
| S4021 | Modernizes responsibilities of New Jersey Council of County Colleges. | This bill modernizes the responsibilities of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Current law establishes the New Jersey Council of County Colleges to, among certain other responsibilities, act as an advocate and promote the advancement of the county colleges, promote the diversity of development among the county colleges, and ensure the coordination of the county colleges on matters of mutual interest and concern. This bill expands the powers and responsibilities of the council to require it to:· develop and submit to the Governor, the Secretary of Higher Education, and the Legislature, a biennial strategic plan outlining a shared vision and set of goals for the county colleges;· serve as the primary advisory body to the Governor, the Legislature, the Presidents' Council, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and all other State agencies on any matter related to the county colleges, including consulting on the development and design of State laws, regulations, and State-funded pilot programs and grant programs that pertain to the county colleges; · develop a performance-based formula to be used in allocating State aid appropriations for county college operations, subject to the approval of the State Treasurer and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education;· serve as the primary vehicle for implementing Statewide initiatives pertaining to county colleges; · bring together county colleges in support of State initiatives and to provide contract services to State departments and agencies;· enhance the availability of data to improve decision making among county colleges, students, employers, policymakers, and other interested parties;· ensure stronger collaboration on academic issues;· support collaboration and improve efficiency among the county colleges;· provide services to State departments and agencies for certain purchases, contracts, or agreements in which the State departments and agencies do not have to advertise for bids pursuant to current law; · serve as a unified lead partner with Statewide business, labor, education, and community organizations to advance equity, opportunity, and prosperity in New Jersey;· build strong partnerships with employers, elementary and secondary schools, four-year colleges and universities, labor unions, workforce development boards, and community-based organizations in developing the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative and in designing new academic and workforce education and training pathways aligned with the needs of the economy;· facilitate county college requests for certain capital funding authorized pursuant to current law and to work with the State Treasurer in allocating that funding; and · assist in the administration of funds provided to county colleges pursuant to the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. | In Committee |
| S4040 | Requires public entities purchase five percent of goods and services from Central Nonprofit Agency; requires Division of Purchase and Property establish training protocols for all purchasing agents; grants Central Nonprofit Agency right of first refusal. | Under current law, State and local government agencies and political subdivisions of the State that are authorized to purchase goods and services are required to make a good faith effort to purchase five percent of such goods and services through the Central Nonprofit Agency, an agency established by the "Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act." Under the bill, such State and local government agencies and political subdivisions of the State will be required to purchase five percent of goods and services through the Central Nonprofit Agency. The bill clarifies reporting and oversight requirements. Under the bill, the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury must submit a report of purchasing data to the Central Nonprofit Agency for the Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside program no more than six months after the effective date of this bill, and on a quarterly basis thereafter. In addition, the Department of the Treasury will be required to report annually to the Governor and the Legislature detailing the compliance of State and local government entities and political subdivisions with the purchasing thresholds. The bill also provides that the Division of Purchase and Property, in collaboration with the Central Nonprofit Agency, must establish training protocols for all purchasing agents employed by State or local government entities or political subdivisions required to meet the purchasing thresholds. The bill also provides that the Central Nonprofit Agency will have a right of first refusal for all goods and services that may otherwise be purchased through a cooperative purchasing agreement catalog so long as the Central Nonprofit Agency can deliver the goods or services that would otherwise be purchased through a cooperative purchasing agreement catalog at a price that is within 15 percent of fair market value. The "Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act" assists persons who are blind or have a severe disability with achieving maximum personal independence through productive employment by assuring a continuous market for their goods and services, which are produced at qualified rehabilitation facilities and distributed through the Central Nonprofit Agency. The Central Nonprofit Agency is designated by the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services to facilitate the distribution of orders received from various State agencies as provided in the "Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act." This bill furthers the goals of the "Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act" to assist in the productive employment of individuals with special needs. | In Committee |
| S3997 | Provides PERS members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007. | This bill removes the membership tiers established in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and transfers all current non-retired members of PERS to the membership tier referred to as "Tier 1" by the Division of Pensions and Benefits. All transferred members will be considered eligible for any benefits associated with Tier 1. Under the bill, employees of public employers who earn more than the minimum salary requirement, but do not currently meet the minimum hour eligibility requirements, will be considered eligible to be enrolled as members of PERS. The employer is to process the compulsory enrollment of each affected employee within two months following the enactment of the bill. Any affected employees who are currently enrolled as participants of the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) will be eligible for an automatic transfer of all years of service credit to PERS, if the employee elects to transfer their membership from DCRP to PERS. Any years of service credit transferred to PERS from DCRP will be used to qualify members for retirement and health benefits associated with PERS, but will not be used to calculate the amount of pension benefit. A participant's prior contributions into the DCRP will not be transferred into PERS and will remain in the fund. The employee will receive a notice of the transfer of service credit to PERS within two months following the enactment of the bill. Upon receiving the notice, the affected employee has six months to notify their employer if they do not wish to become enrolled as a member and transfer their service credit to PERS. Employees in the DCRP who opt out of the transfer will remain in the DCRP. Additionally, any members of PERS who are receiving long term disability insurance will be eligible to apply for disability retirement as long as they apply within two calendar years following the enactment of the bill. Any changes to the early retirement, deferred retirement, service retirement, and maximum base salary resulting from the transfer of members to Tier 1 of PERS will only affect members who begin processing a retirement application after the bill is enacted. | In Committee |
| S3998 | Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007. | This bill removes the membership tiers established in the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and transfers all current non-retired members of TPAF to the membership tier referred to as "Tier 1" by the Division of Pensions and Benefits. All transferred members will be considered eligible for any benefits associated with Tier 1. Under the bill, employees of public employers who earn more than the minimum salary requirement, but do not currently meet the minimum hour eligibility requirements, will be considered eligible to be enrolled as members of TPAF. The employer is to process the compulsory enrollment of each affected employee within two months following the enactment of the bill. Any affected employees who are currently enrolled as participants of the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) will be eligible for an automatic transfer of all years of service credit to TPAF, if the employee elects to transfer their membership from DCRP to TPAF. Any years of service credit transferred to TPAF from DCRP will be used to qualify members for retirement and health benefits associated with TPAF, but will not be used to calculate the amount of pension benefit. A participant's prior contributions into the DCRP will not be transferred into TPAF and will remain in the fund. The employee will receive a notice of the transfer of service credit to TPAF within two months following the enactment of the bill. Upon receiving the notice, the affected employee has six months to notify their employer if they do not wish to become enrolled as a member and transfer their service credit to TPAF. Employees in the DCRP who opt out of the transfer will remain in the DCRP. Additionally, any members of TPAF who are receiving long term disability insurance will be eligible to apply for disability retirement as long as they apply within two calendar years following the enactment of the bill. Any changes to the early retirement, deferred retirement, service retirement, and maximum base salary resulting from the transfer of members to Tier 1 of TPAF will only affect members who begin processing a retirement application after the bill is enacted. | In Committee |
| S4022 | Authorizes State employees to take administrative leave days in observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha; requires school districts to permit students excused absences for observance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. | This bill provides that full-time State employees would be able to be absent from work for the purposes of observing Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, without that absence counting toward their administrative leave allotment. The bill also explicitly requires that a student's absence from school due to the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha will be an excused absence for the purposes of recording attendance. Muslims celebrate two main holidays every lunar year, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr, which means "festival of the breaking of the fast," is celebrated first at the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Muslims in the United States observe this month of sacrifice and contemplation by fasting, reading the Holy Quran, and participating in charity work, worship, and emphasizing self-discipline. Eid al-Adha, the "feast of the sacrifice," is celebrated two months later and commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. Eid al-Adha is the more sacred of the two Eids, and often coincides with the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage, an annual Islamic pilgrimage in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Under the bill, one additional day of administrative leave per calendar year would be granted to an employee if that employee is absent from work in observance of Eid al-Fitr. Similarly, one additional day of administrative leave per calendar year would be granted to an employee if that employee is absent from work in observance of or Eid al-Adha. This bill would require a school district to record an excused absence for a student who is absent from school due to the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha. The bill also provides that a student absence because of the observance of Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha would not be included on any transcript or application or employment form or any similar form on which information concerning a pupil's attendance record is requested. Further, if the student presents a written excuse signed by a parent or guardian, the bill provides that a student absent from school because of the observance of the two holidays would: (1) not be deprived of any award or eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award due to the absence; and (2) would be given the opportunity to take an alternate test or examination if they miss a test or examination due to the absence from school. | In Committee |
| A1476 | Establishes "New Jersey Target Zero Commission." | An Act establishing the "New Jersey Target Zero Commission" and supplementing Title 27 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S361 | Establishes "New Jersey Target Zero Commission." | Establishes "New Jersey Target Zero Commission." | In Committee |
| S765 | Revises law prohibiting feeding of bears; establishes program in DEP for distribution of bear-proof garbage cans. | Revises law prohibiting feeding of bears; establishes program in DEP for distribution of bear-proof garbage cans. | In Committee |
| S3974 | Provides indemnity to firearm retail dealers participating in suicide prevention efforts. | This bill amends current law to provide indemnity to firearm retail dealers who participate in suicide prevention efforts offered by the State. Current law provides firearm retail dealers who sell firearms or operate a firing range in this State the opportunity to participate in training course for suicide prevention. Current law also requires firearm retail dealers distribute informational suicide prevention materials provided by the Attorney General. This bill provides that a person would not have a cause of action for loss or damages against a firearm retail dealer resulting from the dealer's participation in a course or distribution of informational materials, except for loss or damage caused by willful or wanton misconduct. | In Committee |
| S3980 | Dedicates certain funding to hospital capital improvement needs. | This bill requires that the assessments generated from the reorganization of a health service corporation to a mutual holding company as specified by P.L.2020, c.145 be deposited in a dedicated nonlapsing fund known as the Public Hospital Capital Fund. Specifically, the bill requires the funds paid by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to the State as a result of its reorganization to be used to fund capital project at public hospitals. Current law does not specify how the revenue generated by the assessments will be used. This bill would require that assessments are used to fund capital projects at public hospitals in New Jersey based on the recommendations of the Legislature. No more than 25 percent of the initial assessment can be expended in any one fiscal year. | In Committee |
| S3973 | Establishes firearms storage grant program; appropriates $300,000. | This bill establishes the Firearms Storage Grant program within the Department of Law and Public Safety (DLPS). Under the bill, a licensed firearms retail dealer is permitted to enter into a firearm hold agreement with a firearm owner to temporarily store the owner's legally obtained firearms on the retail dealer's premises, especially owners who are concerned with suicide prevention. The bill does not require an owner who enters into such an agreement to obtain an additional firearms purchaser identification card or handgun purchase permit. The bill provides that the retail dealer who takes possession of a firearm pursuant to a firearm hold agreement is not liable for loss or damage resulting from a good faith attempt to implement or the implementation of the agreement, unless such loss or damage was caused by willful or wanton misconduct. Under the bill, a retail dealer may apply to the DLPS for a grant of up to $5,000 for eligible costs related to acquiring storage units as defined in the bill to be a vault, safe, locker or other instrumentality of storage designed for multiple firearms. The bill appropriates $300,000 to the DLPS for the issuance of grants under the bill. Each year, the Attorney General is to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of the Firearms Storage Grant Program. The reports are to include the number and dollar amount of grants awarded, a recommendation on whether to continue the program, and the amount of funds that remain unexpended and available to award additional grants. It is the sponsor's intent that the $300,000 appropriation should be carried forward until depleted. | In Committee |
| S3545 | "Climate Superfund Act"; imposes liability on certain fossil fuel companies for certain damages caused by climate change and establishes program in DEP to collect and distribute compensatory payments. | "Climate Superfund Act"; imposes liability on certain fossil fuel companies for certain damages caused by climate change and establishes program in DEP to collect and distribute compensatory payments. | In Committee |
| S354 | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | In Committee |
| SJR103 | Declares NJ "Purple Heart State." | This resolution declares New Jersey a "Purple Heart State." New Jersey veterans and active duty military members have fought selflessly to preserve our nation's freedom, with many being wounded or killed while in the line of duty. The Purple Heart Medal is awarded in the name of the President to veterans and active duty military members who have been wounded or killed while serving in our nation's Armed Forces. The recipients of the Purple Heart Medal deserve recognition and honor for the bravery that recipients have shown while serving our nation. Three states, including West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington, are declared "Purple Heart States." Parts of 45 states are part of the "Purple Heart Trail," a symbolic and honorary system of roads, highways, bridges and other monuments that give tribute to the veterans and active duty military members who have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal. New Jersey has multiple counties, cities, and locations that are part of the "Purple Heart Trail." The "Purple Heart Trail" was established at the 1992 Military Order of the Purple Heart convention, which was held in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Declaring New Jersey a "Purple Heart State" honors the contributions and sacrifices of the New Jersey service members who have received the Purple Heart Medal. Purple Heart Medal recipients from the State have been vital in maintaining the freedoms and way of life enjoyed by the State's citizens. The people of New Jersey have great respect, admiration, and the utmost gratitude for all of the service members who have selflessly served our country and the State. Therefore, it is altogether fitting and proper to declare New Jersey a "Purple Heart State." Declares NJ "Purple Heart State." | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3929 | Creates Military and Veterans Affairs Oversight Board. | This bill creates, in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, a Military and Veterans Affairs Oversight Board. The board will be responsible for the oversight of: (1) all veteran service officers; (2) each board, council, commission, program, and such similar entity, within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs; and (3) all programs, benefits, and services provided specifically to military service members, veterans, and their families by any State Executive Branch department, division, commission, or agency. The board will consist of the head of each veteran organization in the State with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code. The heads of the American Legion Department of New Jersey, the Disabled American Veterans Department of New Jersey, and the Department of New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars will serve as co-chairs for the first three meetings. By the conclusion of the third meeting, the members will vote to elect a chair and vice-chair. The chair and vice-chair will serve for a term of three years. Each member of the board will be entitled to be reimbursed for traveling and other expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. In addition, each member will receive a per diem allowance of $1,000 for each monthly meeting attended. The failure of a member of the board to participate in a minimum number of monthly meetings will result in removal of that board member. Each Executive Branch department, division, commission, and agency, as well as the veteran service officers, and each board, council, commission, and such similar entity, within the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will appoint a liaison to the board. The liaison will act as the point of contact to the board. Each liaison will attend the monthly meetings of the board. The failure to participate in a minimum number of meetings will result in removal of that liaison. The liaison will provide a biannual report to the board. The report will describe in detail such programs, benefits, and services provided, and such other information deemed necessary and appropriate by the board. Each Executive branch department, division, commission, and agency will also annually present to the board that portion of their State and federal, if applicable, budget that represents those programs, benefits, and services. The bill also requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, upon request and when available, to provide copies of reports of the contractor relating to military mission maintenance and growth, subject to the provisions of the law commonly referred to as the Open Public Records Act. Under the bill, the responsibilities of the board will be to coordinate and implement a strategic plan to ensure military service members, veterans, and their families are made aware of the programs, benefits, and services available to them, and to ensure that all State departments, divisions, commissions, and agencies are effectively delivering programs, benefits, and services that are comprehensive to military service members, veterans, and their families in this State. The board will also conduct an analysis of the various programs, benefits, and services provided by the State specifically to military service members, veterans, and their families, and evaluate those programs, benefits, and services to assess their effectiveness. In addition, the board will analyze and evaluate with regard to veterans who reside in the State: accessibility of the programs, benefits, or services; educational, job skills, employment, and business opportunities; physical and behavioral health and long-term healthcare options; criminal justice issues; housing opportunities and homelessness; and special needs as determined by the board. The bill requires the board to provide a report detailing a strategic plan based upon comprehensive data acquired through engagement with State departments, divisions, commissions, and agencies, and military service members, veterans, and their families. The board will develop recommendations to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature to address any deficiencies in the provision of programs, benefits, and services specifically to military service members, veterans, and their families in this State. The recommendations will address specifically whether the existing State programs, benefits, and services are adequate to meet the existing needs of military service members, veterans, and their families; are being used to fulfill objectives in a manner that complements and leverages State, federal, and private resources; and how they may more effectively serve all current and future military service members, veterans, and their families in the State of New Jersey. Under the bill, the board will prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature within nine months of the organizational meeting of the board. Thereafter, the board will prepare and submit annual reports to the Governor and the Legislature containing its findings, activities, and recommendations, including any recommendations for administrative and legislative action that it deems appropriate. All reports of the board will be prominently posted on the website of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will include in the annual budget request of the department a request for sufficient funds to effectuate the purposes of the bill. | In Committee |
| S3899 | Prohibits sale of ammunition by vending machine. | This bill prohibits the sale of ammunition in vending machines. Under the bill, it is a fourth degree crime to sell, give, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of ammunition in a manner that dispenses the ammunition to a consumer from a vending machine. The bill defines a vending machine to mean "a machine or other mechanical device that accepts payment and directly dispenses an item to a consumer." A fourth degree crime is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S2354 | Requires MVC to accommodate walk-in services on certain days. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to provide service to walk-in customers at least two full days per week for the purpose of better accommodating customers and allowing services to be available for all individuals. Specifically, those lacking the email or computer access required for completion of online tasks and scheduling. The bill also requires the commission to accommodate all walk-in customers on a first-come, first-served basis for all commission services. | In Committee |
| S2978 | Establishes protected leave under "Family Leave Act" and family temporary disability leave benefits for bereavement for death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth, and certain other circumstances. | Establishes protected leave under "Family Leave Act" and family temporary disability leave benefits for bereavement for death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth, and certain other circumstances. | In Committee |
| S3883 | Requires same limitation on public employee contributions to flexible spending accounts as provided by federal law adjusted for inflation. | This bill requires that the limitation on the amount of any reduction in a public employee's salary for the purpose of contributing to a flexible spending account (FSA) must be the limitation as adjusted for inflation annually, provided in federal law. This bill applies to employees and employers of the State, local governments, and school districts. FSAs are benefit plans established by employers to reimburse employees for health care expenses such as deductibles, copayments, and unreimbursed medical expenses that would be deductible under the Internal Revenue Code, but not for health insurance or long-term care insurance premiums. FSAs are usually funded by employees through "salary reduction agreements," although employers are permitted to contribute as well. The contributions to and withdrawals from FSAs are tax-exempt. Prior to 2010, the Internal Revenue Code imposed no dollar limit on FSA contributions, but employers could. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act limited the annual FSA contribution to $2,500 commencing in 2013. Section 125 of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.125(i), was later amended in 2013 to provide an adjustment for inflation beginning in any taxable income year after December 31, 2013. For the taxable year beginning in 2024, the dollar limitation under section 125(i) on voluntary employee salary reductions for contributions to FSAs is $3,200. If this bill becomes law, then the limitation on a public employee's FSA contributions will be adjusted as of the effective date of this bill, and annually thereafter. | In Committee |
| S3884 | Establishes "Occupational Heat-Related Illness and Injury Prevention Program" and occupational heat stress standard in DOLWD. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to establish by rule a heat stress standard that contains the following: (1) a standard that establishes heat stress levels for employees that, if exceeded, trigger actions by employers to protect employees from heat-related illness and injury; and (2) a requirement that each employer develop, implement, and maintain an effective heat-related illness and injury prevention plan for employees. The Commissioner is required to develop a model heat-related illness and injury prevention plan, consistent with the provisions of the bill, that employers may adopt. Employers may develop their own heat-related illness and injury prevention plan consistent with the provisions of the bill. The heat-related illness and injury prevention plan is required, to the extent permitted by federal law, to be developed and implemented with the meaningful participation of employees and employee representatives, including collective bargaining representatives; will be tailored and specific to the hazards in the place of employment; will be in writing in both English and in the language that each employee understands, if that language is not English; and will be made available at a time and in a manner set forth by the commissioner in rule, to employees, employee representatives, including collective bargaining representatives, and to the commissioner. The bill provides that the commissioner may issue a stop-work order against the employer requiring cessation of all business operations of the employer at one or more worksites or across all of the employer's worksites and places of business if the commissioner determines, after either an initial determination as a result of an audit of a business or an investigation pursuant to the bill, that an employer is in violation of the bill's provisions. Under the bill, after initially creating a heat-related illness and injury prevention plan, employers will be required to conduct an annual review to determine whether revisions to their plans are necessary. The bill requires that State law align with federal law should a federal law or regulation establish a heat stress standard that is more favorable to employees than State law. The bill exempts amusement parks and certain operations that are directly involved in the protection of life or property, such as evacuation, rescue, medical, structural firefighting, law enforcement, lifeguarding, or the emergency restoration of essential services, such as roads, bridges, utilities, and communications, when employees are engaged in those operations, from the bill's provisions. The bill addresses its application to collective bargaining agreements, including, but not limited to, circumstances in which the heat standards do not apply to certain collective bargaining agreements. The bill provides the Department of Agriculture with the power to develop a heat standard for commercial farm operators in consultation with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Department of Health and with advice and input from the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University, and the bill otherwise excludes commercial farms from its requirements. Finally, the bill imposes monetary penalties for violations of its provisions. | In Committee |
| AJR46 | Designates October of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates January of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in the State of New Jersey in recognition of the many Hindu residents of this State and their rich and noteworthy history and cultural contributions to this State. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world, dating back to a time between 3000-8000 BCE. Sacred texts have been passed on through generations for thousands of years, creating a strong following of 1.1 billion Hindus in the 21st century. Hindus believe in a variety of deities, each representing different concepts and values within Hinduism. Different sects of Hindus emphasize particular deities and practices over others, depending on their beliefs. Various Hindu gods and goddesses can be traced to origin points spanning several thousand years, making the traditions surrounding Hinduism and the Hindu deities rich and storied. Some deities have holidays celebrated in their honor, such as Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which celebrates Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune. Another well-known Hindu holiday is Holi, the Festival of Colors. It is a holiday celebrating the coming of spring, famous for colorful paste and water thrown on those celebrating. Hindus have made enormous contributions to cultural development throughout history across the globe. Significant achievements in math, science, and medicine used in the modern world can be traced to Hindus. New Jersey is lucky enough to be the state with the highest percentage of Hindu residents in the United States. The Hindu community has shown others the beauty of their beliefs, including though the establishment of the largest Hindu temple in the world, now located in Robbinsville, New Jersey. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| SJR12 | Designates October of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in New Jersey. | Designates October of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| S3830 | Increases amount of partial payment withheld by contracting unit for certain contracts entered into from two percent to 10 percent. | Under current law, for certain contracts entered into by a contracting unit, the total price of which exceeds $100,000, involves the construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair or maintenance of any building, structure, facility or other improvement to real property, and for which the contractor agrees to the withholding of payments, the contracting unit is required to withhold two percent of the amount due on each partial payment pending completion of the contract. This bill amends the law to increase the amount of partial payment withheld by contracting unit from two percent to 10 percent. The bill also makes technical revisions. | In Committee |
| A4811 | Makes supplemental appropriation of $20 million for provision of Summer Tuition Aid Grants in summer 2025; provides conditional authority for transfer of additional resources to Summer Tuition Aid Grants account. | A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, P.L.2024, c.22. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| SR111 | Urges Congress to allow veterans to collect disability compensation without repaying separation payments. | This resolution respectfully urges Congress to allow veterans to collect disability compensation without repaying separation payments. Federal law prohibits veterans from receiving more than one award of compensation based on their service, commonly referred to as double-dipping. As a result, the Department of Veterans Affairs cannot award disability compensation to veterans who received separation payments from the Department of Defense after voluntarily or involuntarily separating from the U.S. military until the full separation payment is recouped. Recoupment can come as a surprise, because many veterans only learn about the federal government's policy on double-dipping after applying for disability benefits. Veterans are often thrown into sudden financial hardship when the Department of Veterans Affairs attempts to recoup separation payments. Some separated veterans are erroneously awarded disability compensation, and later learn their monthly compensation will be reduced or withheld after applying for a new disability rating. The Department of Veterans Affairs recouped more than $1.4 billion in total from over 72,000 veterans between 2013 and 2020. Members of Congress have previously introduced legislation that would eliminate the recoupment of separation pay from veterans who subsequently receive disability compensation, arguing that Department of Defense separation pay and Department of Veterans Affairs disability compensation serve separate purposes and should not be subject to laws prohibiting double-dipping. This resolution respectfully urges the passage of that or similar legislation to eliminate recoupment of separation pay in order to protect disabled veterans from financial hardship. | In Committee |
| S3410 | Requires DMVA establish Disabled Veterans Transportation Task Force. | This bill establishes a Disabled Veterans Transportation Task Force. The purpose of the task force will be to study, evaluate, and develop recommendations to address the transportation needs of disabled veterans. The task force will consist of the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation, the President of New Jersey Transit, and the Adjutant General will appoint: at least three disabled veterans; at least three representatives from different veterans organizations; and at least three representatives from different Boards of County Commissioners. The task force will hold at least three public hearings in different parts of the State and elicit testimony from the public at such times and places as the chairs will designate. It will be the duty of the task force to: identify ways to improve and increase transportation opportunities for disabled veterans; identify barriers that exist to providing disabled veterans with transportation opportunities; develop recommendations regarding reimbursement of travel expenses, including, but not limited to, utilizing travel allowances and mileage based reimbursement; and make recommendations for legislation or such other action as it deems appropriate with regard to transportation opportunities for disabled veterans. The task force will submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations no later than six months after its initial organizational meeting, and a final report of its findings and recommendations no later than 12 months after its initial organizational meeting. The report will be publicly accessible and posted on the website of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. | In Committee |
| S3631 | Provides increased flexibility in school district enrollment for military-connected students. | This bill provides increased flexibility in school district enrollment for military-connected students. As used in the bill, "military-connected student" (or "military-connected child") means a student enrolled in a public school in the State who is a dependent of: (1) a member of the armed forces of the United States, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force; (2) a member of the National Guard; (3) a member of any other reserve component of the armed forces; (4) retirees and those separated honorably from the armed forces; (5) a member or veteran who is medically discharged for one year or longer after the date of separation; (6) a member who perished while on active duty; (7) a uniformed member of the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and United States Public Health Services; (8) a civilian employee of the Department of Defense; and (9) a school employee who works in a school district in which federal impact aid makes up a significant portion of the district budget, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, as a result of its proximity to a military installation. The bill provides that in the event that a military-connected child relocates outside of the child's original district of residence, the parent or guardian will retain the option to maintain the child's enrollment in the original district of residence for the remainder of the school year, or to begin enrollment in the new school district in which the family resides. Additionally, the bill provides that in the event that a military-connected child relocates outside of the child's original district of residence during the 11th grade, the parent or guardian will retain the option to maintain the child's enrollment in the original district of residence until the child's graduation from high school, or to begin enrollment in the new school district in which the child resides. The bill also provides that, in the event that a military-connected student cannot access temporary living facilities or military installation housing within 30 days of arriving on duty station, the parent or guardian will have the option to enroll their child in a school that serves families that reside on the military installation within ten days of arrival on duty station. In the event that a military-connected child resides in a school district that is found to satisfy less than 80 percent of the quality performance indicators in the instruction and program component of school district effectiveness under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, the parent or guardian will have the option to enroll their child in a school that serves families that reside on the military installation. The bill amends the "Interdistrict Public School Choice Program Act" and requires a school district that participates in an inter-local agreement for the enrollment of students provide a military-connected student: (1) a waiver from any requirement of the agreement that a student reside in a district for a certain length of time before applying for enrollment in a school that is subject to the agreement; (2) preference for enrollment in a school that is subject to the agreement above other students; (3) protection from discrimination in its admission policies or practices on the basis of the student's status as a military-connected student; and (4) guaranteed admission to any school that is subject to the agreement regardless of the capacity of the district, if the parent or guardian can provide military orders or other evidence documenting the parent or guardian's temporary transfer for more than 30 consecutive days. | In Committee |
| S3807 | Establishes Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission. | This bill creates the Veterans Suicide Prevention Commission act. The purpose of the commission will be to assess, support, and create programs for the successful transition, adjustment, and reintegration of service members back into civilian life through the coordination of the collective efforts of State agencies with the goal of preventing veteran suicides. The commission will coordinate with State agencies to effectively and responsibly meet the needs of the military community. In performing these responsibilities, the commission will conduct planning, research, education, training, and evaluation activities to improve the operations and coordination of the systems of care and support provided by the agencies. The commission will coordinate its activities with the activities of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for its veterans, service members, and their families. The commission will consist of 13 members. Members of the commission will be appointed for a term of four years and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Upon expiration of the initial term, each member may be reappointed for an additional term of four years. The commission, in its discretion, may divide its membership into subcommittees in the course of carrying out its duties. The commission will hold at least six meetings each year, but otherwise will meet at the call of the chair. The primary focus of the commission will be on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of those State programs and services related to the military community with the goal of the prevention of veteran suicides. The commission will review the activities related to the military community of each State agency to ensure there is efficient and effective coordination and alignment with the needs of the military community. The commission will ensure accountability by tracking the progress of initiatives, programs, and services; develop strategic collaborations among State agencies; and increase public awareness of the services and support available to the military community to prevent veteran suicides. The commission will promote coordination and efficiency among State, county, and local units of government through knowledge sharing, mobilization of resources, and an aligned approach to serving the military community to prevent veteran suicides. The commission will issue periodic reports, which will include, but not be limited to, its strategic goals, its public research agenda, and its performance and progress in meeting its goals. | In Committee |
| S3798 | Authorizes EDA to use moneys in "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to support projects to refurbish or upgrade existing electricity generation facilities. | This bill would authorize the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to use moneys in the "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to provide grants or other financial assistance to commercial, institutional, and industrial entities to support projects to refurbish or upgrade existing electric generation facilities in order to modernize, expand, or lengthen the lifespan of the facility. The bill would also clarify that projects may result in a measurable reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases (one of the conditions of receiving financial assistance from the "Global Warming Solutions Fund") through the use of fuel cells or carbon capture technology. The "Global Warming Solutions Fund," established pursuant to section 6 of P.L.2007, c.340 (C.26:2C-50), serves as the repository for moneys received from electric power generation facilities pursuant to New Jersey's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). | In Committee |
| S3089 | Concerns sexual assault forensic evidence kits. | Concerns sexual assault forensic evidence kits. | In Committee |
| S3730 | Establishes process to monitor proprietary institution that converts to nonprofit corporation for transactions that constitute private inurement. | This bill establishes a process to monitor a proprietary institution that converts to a nonprofit corporation for transactions that constitute private inurement. The bill provides that, if a proprietary institution converts to a nonprofit corporation, the institution is to annually submit its Internal Revenue Service Form 990 to the Secretary of Higher Education for a period of five years following its incorporation as a nonprofit. The bill requires the secretary to annually review the Form 990 to ensure that there exist no reportable incidents that constitute private inurement. The secretary may, upon a finding of a reportable incident, recommend to the Secretary of State that the institution's certificate of incorporation be revoked. | In Committee |
| S3732 | Requires degree-granting proprietary institutions to expend at least 70 percent of tuition and fee revenues on educational instruction and student support services. | This bill requires a degree-granting proprietary institution to expend no less than 70 percent of its annual tuition and fee revenues on educational instruction and student support services. Under the bill, a degree-granting proprietary institution is to annually report to the Secretary of Higher Education the dollar and percentage amount of total tuition and student fees spent on each of the following: · educational instruction; · student support services; and· advertising, marketing, and recruiting. The bill requires any executive or administrator of a degree-granting proprietary institution with an investment interest in the institution to disclose that interest to the secretary. Under the bill, if a degree-granting proprietary institution expends less that 70 percent of its annual tuition and fee revenues on educational instruction and student support services, the secretary is to notify the institution and inform the institution that the secretary may take action to suspend or revoke the institution's license to award academic degrees if the institution continues to fail to meet the bill's provisions. After an institution has been notified by the secretary, the institution is to inform current and prospective students of the institution that the institution's license may be suspended or revoked for failing to expend a minimum level of tuition and fees on educational instruction and student support services. If the institution does not meet the minimum expending level prior to the beginning of the academic year next following one year after the date of the notice to the institution, the secretary is to suspend or revoke the institution's license to award academic degrees. | In Committee |
| S3668 | Phases out State tuition aid grants for students enrolled in proprietary institutions of higher education; redirects State tuition aid grant funding for students enrolled in proprietary institutions to summer tuition aid grant program. | This bill phases out State tuition aid grants for students enrolled in proprietary institutions of higher education. Under the bill, beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year, a State tuition aid grant for a student enrolled in a proprietary institution is to be limited to students who received an award prior to that academic year. Students enrolled in a proprietary institution who received an award prior to the 2026-2027 academic year are to continue to receive an award until the student is no longer eligible. Additionally, the bill provides that beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year and each year thereafter, funds which would have otherwise been awarded to students enrolled in proprietary institutions prior to the enactment of the bill are to instead be appropriated to fund summer tuition aid grants. | In Committee |
| S3696 | Requires institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions to notify Higher Education Student Assistance Authority of approved federal borrower defense loan discharge. | Requires institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions to notify Higher Education Student Assistance Authority of approved federal borrower defense loan discharge. | In Committee |
| S3731 | Establishes Student Tuition Recovery Fund in Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to compensate students impacted by failing or fraudulent proprietary institutions. | Establishes Student Tuition Recovery Fund in Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to compensate students impacted by failing or fraudulent proprietary institutions. | In Committee |
| S3770 | Establishes three-year pilot program encouraging development of nonlethal weapons. | This bill establishes a three-year pilot program encouraging the development of non-lethal weapons for law enforcement purposes. The bill requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, to create and administer a three-year pilot program to encourage the development of non-lethal weapons for use by law enforcement. Under the program, the Attorney General would award grants of up to $1,000,000 to public or private institutions of higher education located in the State that successfully apply for selection to the program. A maximum of three institutions would be selected as program participants. The bill requires the Attorney General to provide each of the State's four-year institutions of higher education information concerning the pilot program. To be eligible for consideration of a grant award under the program, an institution of higher education would be required to submit an application to the Attorney General within 90 days of receiving notice of the program. Applicants would be required to include a proposal with a description of the institution's plan to conduct research and development of a non-lethal weapon or weapons for use by law enforcement and any other information as required by the Attorney General. Applicants that partner with private sector companies would receive priority in the selection process. The bill requires the Attorney General to establish and oversee a committee entitled the "Non-Lethal Weapons Innovation Technical Review Committee" for the duration of the pilot program. The committee would review and evaluate the applications and advise the Attorney General in the applicant selection process. The membership and size of the committee would be determined by the Attorney General, but would be comprised of law enforcement, medical, and social justice experts, including at least one member from each of the following organizations: New Jersey Policemen's Benevolent Association, Fraternal Order of Police, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, the New Jersey Council for Social Studies, the Medical Society of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Medical Association. Under the bill, program participants would be required to submit annual reports to the Attorney General and the committee. The first two reports would summarize the use of grant funds and progress in research and development during the preceding year, and the final report would summarize the use of grant funds and progress in research and development for the entire three-year program. Ninety days following receipt of the final reports submitted by the program participants, the Attorney General, in consultation with the committee, would be required to submit a final report to the Governor, and the Legislature. The final report would include, but not be limited to, a summary of the grant expenditures and progress in research and development made by each program participant, a description of any non-lethal weapon or weapon technology developed under the program, and a recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be extended, amended, or made a permanent program. Additionally, the bill establishes the Non-Lethal Weapons Innovation Fund" and appropriates to it $3,000,000 from the General Fund for grant awards established pursuant to the pilot program. The bill also appropriates $200,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety for program administration expenses. | In Committee |
| S3699 | Prohibits facilitation of agreements among rental property owners who restrict competition with respect to residential dwelling units. | This bill prohibits the facilitation of agreements among rental property owners who restrict competition with respect to residential dwelling units. Under the bill, it is unlawful and a violation of the "New Jersey Antitrust Act" for (1) a rental property owner, or any agent, representative, or subcontractor thereof, to subscribe to, contract with, or otherwise exchange any form of consideration in return for the use of services of a coordinator; (2) a coordinator to facilitate an agreement among rental property owners that restricts competition with respect to residential dwelling units, including by performing a coordinating function; and (3) two or more rental property owners to engage in consciously parallel pricing coordination. A "coordinator" is defined in the bill to mean any person who operates a software or data analytics service that performs a coordinating function for any rental property owner, including a rental property owner performing a coordinating function for their own benefit. "Coordinating function" is defined to mean (1) collecting historical or contemporaneous prices, supply levels, or lease or rental contract termination and renewal dates of residential dwelling units from two or more rental property owners; (2) analyzing or processing of the information described in paragraph (1) through use of a system, software, or process that uses computation, including by using the information to train an algorithm; and (3) recommending rental prices, lease renewal terms, or ideal occupancy levels to a rental property owner. "Consciously parallel pricing coordination" means a tacit agreement between two or more rental property owners to raise, lower, change, maintain, or manipulate pricing for the purchase or sale of reasonably interchangeable products or services. The bill further stipulates that current enforcement provisions of the New Jersey Antitrust Act will apply to violations committed pursuant to this bill. Additionally, in a civil action filed pursuant to the bill, a complaint is considered to plausibly plead a violation of the New Jersey Antitrust Act if the complaint (1) contains factual allegations demonstrating that the existence of a contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy in restraint of trade or commerce is among the realm of plausible possibilities; and (2) need not allege facts tending to exclude the possibility of independent action. Lastly, the Department of Law and Public Safety, in conjunction with the Department of Community Affairs, is required to develop and undertake a public education program designed to inform the citizens of this State of the provisions of the bill. A component of this program is to include information posted on the website of each department dedicated to the provisions of the bill and the steps a consumer is to take if the consumer suspects a violation. | 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 |
| S3602 | Makes supplemental appropriation of $20 million for provision of Summer Tuition Aid Grants in summer 2025; provides conditional authority for transfer of additional resources to Summer Tuition Aid Grants account. | Makes supplemental appropriation of $20 million for provision of Summer Tuition Aid Grants in summer 2025; provides conditional authority for transfer of additional resources to Summer Tuition Aid Grants account. | Introduced |
| S2237 | Establishes Department of Early Childhood. | This bill establishes as a new principal department within the Executive Branch, the Department of Early Childhood. The bill transfers the functions of the current Division of Early Childhood Education in the Department of Education to the Department of Early Childhood. In addition, the bill transfers to the new department:· all responsibilities of the Department of Education relating to students in grades preschool through three including, but not limited to, those parts of the following programs relating to this age group: teacher licensing; IDEA part B; Title I services; regional achievement centers; migrant and homeless education services; bilingual education services; parent training and information centers; and the New Jersey Council for Young Children;· all responsibilities of the Department of Human Services relating to children from pregnancy to age eight, including but not limited to, those parts of the following programs relating to this age group: subsidized child care programs and services; child care development block grants; wraparound care; New Jersey First Steps Infant Toddler Initiative; child care resource and referral agencies; childcare workforce registry; New Jersey School-Age child care; and New Jersey Inclusive Child Care; · all responsibilities of the Department of Children and Families relating to children from pregnancy to age eight including, but not limited to, those parts of the following programs relating to this age group: New Jersey Home Visitation Program; Help Me Grow Initiative; Project LAUNCH; New Jersey Strengthening Families Initiative; Project TEACH (Teen Education and Child Health); Parent Linking Program; and Family Success Centers; and· all responsibilities of the Department of Health relating to children from pregnancy to age eight, including but not limited to, those parts of the following programs relating to this age group: Improving Pregnancy Outcomes Program; New Jersey WIC Breastfeeding Services; services for perinatal mood disorders; home visitation programs; early intervention system under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and NJ Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative Project (NJ ECELC). The bill transfers all the functions of the Department of Children and Families regarding the licensing of child care centers and the registration of family child care providers to the new Department of Early Childhood. The bill requires the Commissioner of Early Childhood, in consultation with the Commissioners of Education, Human Services, Children and Families, and Health, to develop a schedule for the orderly transfer of programs relating to early childhood and child nutrition to the new department. | In Committee |
| S3669 | Bans regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroaklyl substances from menstrual products. | This bill bans the use of regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroaklyl (PFAS) substances from menstrual products. The bill defines menstrual products as those manufactured for the purpose of catching menstruation and vaginal discharge, including but not limited to a tampon, sanitary pad, disc, menstrual cup, and underwear. The term includes both disposable and reusable products. Under the bill, regulated PFAS are defined as PFAS which are intentionally added to a product and have a functional or technical effect in the product, including the PFAS components of intentionally added chemicals and PFAS that are intentional breakdown products of an added chemical that also have a functional or technical effect in the product, or the presence of PFAS in a product or product component at or above 10 parts per million, as measured in total organic fluorine. The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a system to test for regulated PFAS and approve of laboratories to conduct the tests. Results of any test conducted pursuant to the bill are required to be available to the Department of Health for inspection, either from the manufacturer or the laboratory. A violation of the bill's provisions would be an unlawful practice under the "Consumer Fraud Act," P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.), and would be punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. Additionally, a violation of the "Consumer Fraud Act" can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured. The bill would be effective 18 months after enactment, but permits the commissioners of DEP and DOH to take anticipatory administrative action. | In Committee |
| S3596 | Increases penalties for denying access to public facilities, NJT, and transportation network companies to service dogs and their handlers. | This bill increases the penalties, from civil to criminal, for any person who denies or interferes with the access of a service dog or their handler to a public facility, to any form of transportation operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, or any transportation network company. Currently, any person who interferes or denies the access of a service dog or their handler to a public facility is liable for civil penalties as follows:· $250 for the first violation; · $500 for the second violation; and· $1,000 for the third and each subsequent violation. This bill would subject any person denying access to a public facility, to any form of transportation operated by NJT, or any transportation network company towards a service dog or their handler to criminal penalties. A person in violation of section 1 of P.L.1971, c.130 (C.10:5-29), or section 1 of P.L.2016, c.25 (C.27:25-5b), or section 15 of P.L.2017, c.26 (C.39:5H-15) would be charged with a petty disorderly persons offense for the first violation, and a disorderly persons offense for the second and each subsequent violation. A petty disorderly persons offense is punishable by imprisonment for up to 30 days, a fine of up to $500, or both. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both; however, for a second and each subsequent violation, the standard term of up to six months' imprisonment has been increased to up to one year. | In Committee |
| S3628 | Requires employer to disclose information concerning leave eligibility in hiring package. | This bill requires an employer to disclose an applicant's eligibility, or lack thereof, to access and utilize family and disability leave and benefits provided for by State and federal law if the applicant becomes an employee of the employer. The disclosure is required to be in writing. As part of the disclosure, the bill requires the employer to notify the applicant if the applicant will not be eligible for any of the leave or benefits and provide the reason for the ineligibility. Additionally, under the employer is required to provide information to access an informational webpage maintained by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development concerning leave and benefits. An employer that does not provide the required disclosures and notifications under the bill will be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 for each violation. | In Committee |
| S3625 | Establishes Office of Voting Rights to provide legal services to voters. | This bill establishes the Office of Voting Rights, which will operate under the Office of the Public Defender, in the Department of the Treasury. Under the bill, the Office of Voting Rights will offer free legal services to protect the rights of voters who have legal issues while voting or attempting to vote on an election day. Any resident of NJ will be eligible for representation at no cost. Some of these legal issues could include, but need not be limited to, administrative issues, such as difficulty determining a voter's registration status; challenges brought against a voter by appointed challengers; and attempts to harass, intimidate, or otherwise interfere with a voter. The Public Defender will direct and supervise the work of the Office of Voting Rights and will have the duty to appoint employees as may be needed for the Office of Voting Rights to meet its responsibilities, to prescribe their duties, and to fix their compensation. The Public Defender may also call upon any department, office, division, or agency of State government to provide information, resources, or other assistance as the Public Defender deems necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Office of Voting Rights. | In Committee |
| S3622 | Requires undergraduate students to file degree plan and requires institutions of higher education and certain propriety institutions to develop pathway systems to graduation. | This bill requires undergraduate students enrolled in four-year institutions of higher education to file a degree plan with the institution. An undergraduate student enrolled in a four-year institution would be required to file a degree plan as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 60 credit hours of course work. An undergraduate student who transfers to a four-year institution with at least 45 credit hours of course work would be required to file a degree plan during the student's second semester at the institution. The bill requires degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled in county colleges or proprietary institutions to file a degree plan as soon as practicable, but not later than by the completion of 30 credit hours of course work. The bill also requires an institution of higher education or proprietary institution to provide notice to a student who selects a new academic major or minor, or who experiences such other change in circumstance as defined by the institution, that the student shall file a revised degree plan with the institution as soon as practicable. The bill defines "degree plan" as a statement of the course of study requirements that an undergraduate student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary institution must complete in order to graduate from the institution. A student's degree plan must be developed in consultation with an appropriate academic official in the student's degree program, or if such official is not available, with an appropriate academic official at the institution. The degree plan must follow a pathway to a degree to the extent practicable. The bill defines a "proprietary institution" as a proprietary institution licensed to offer academic degrees. In addition, the bill requires institutions of higher education and proprietary institutions to develop pathway systems that establish graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major. The pathway for each first-time degree-seeking student must include credit-bearing mathematics and English courses that are applicable towards degree requirements in the first 24 credit hours of course work completed at the institution of higher education or proprietary institution. The pathway for each degree-seeking student enrolled in a remedial course in mathematics, reading, or English must include the credit-bearing course in that subject concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the remedial course. Under the bill, the graduation progress benchmarks established by an institution of higher education or proprietary institution must specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree. Academic departments at the institution must establish schedules for periodic reviews of student progress, and students who are in danger of falling behind the graduation progress benchmarks will be required to consult with an appropriate academic official. | In Committee |
| S3642 | Requires Secretary of Higher Education and public institutions of higher education to develop programs for improving Hispanic and Latino representation in higher education leadership positions. | This bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education and public institutions of higher education to develop programs for improving Hispanic and Latino representation in higher education leadership positions. Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, is directed to establish a targeted leadership development program that prepares Hispanic and Latino faculty for leadership positions at public institutions of higher education in the State. Additionally, the bill requires the secretary to establish a program that develops or expands pipelines that guide Hispanic or Latino undergraduate students into academic careers. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt policies and procedures to promote diverse representation reflective of the student body and the State on any search committee convened for a senior administration or leadership position at the institution. Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education is required to establish a program to assist public institutions of higher education in the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino faculty and staff into leadership positions at those institutions. The purpose of the program is to develop guidance and strategies for the institutions to: · identify and mitigate cultural and institutional barriers experienced by Hispanic and Latino faculty and administrators which may negatively impact the recruitment and retention of those individuals into leadership positions at public institutions of higher education; · provide institutional support and professional development opportunities specifically designed for Hispanic and Latino faculty and administrators;· promote opportunities for academic alliances and collaborative partnerships to share best practices, resources, and support for increasing Hispanic and Latino representation in institution leadership; and · conduct an ongoing review of the effectiveness of the institution's diversity programs and initiatives. The bill requires each public institution of higher education to implement a program to increase the recruitment and retention of Hispanic and Latino individuals into leadership positions at the institution. Finally, the bill requires each public institution of higher education to submit an annual diversity report to the Secretary of Higher Education. The report will include, at a minimum:· the racial and gender composition of all leadership positions at the institution; and· a review of the diversity program implemented pursuant to the bill's provisions. The bill directs the secretary to compile the annual diversity reports submitted by the institutions and submit a summative report annually to the Governor and the Legislature. | In Committee |
| S3576 | Requires NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA to consider minorities and women when hiring or awarding contracts. | This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), when offering employment, to consider, and when feasible prioritize, individuals who are minorities and women. The bill also requires the NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA, when awarding contracts for service, to consider, and when feasible prioritize, minority businesses and women's businesses. Finally, the bill requires the NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA to publish on their respective Internet websites information concerning: (1) the number of employees employed by the entity by gender, race, and ethnicity, and the average salary range for each group; and (2) the number of contractors the entity has contracted with by gender, race, and ethnicity, and the average contract awarded for each group.The bill requires the information to be maintained and updated on a quarterly basis. The enactment of substantially similar legislation by New York and Pennsylvania, respectively, is required before the bill's provisions concerning the PANYNJ and the DRPA become operative. | In Committee |
| S3627 | Modifies languages that examinations are to be conducted in for applicants seeking professional license issued by New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | This bill modifies current law by requiring the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling to offer its practical and written examinations in English and provide the option to offer the examinations in the four other most commonly spoken languages in the State. Existing law only requires the board to provide the examinations in English, with the option of Spanish in the case of practicing licensees (who may also be approved by the board for the use of a translator). The Division of Consumers Affairs is required to post on its Internet website the four other languages in which the practical and written examination will be offered. The director of the division is to verify, at least every five years, the four most commonly spoken languages, other than English, in New Jersey. Modifies languages that examinations are to be conducted in for applicants seeking professional license issued by New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | In Committee |
| S3621 | Prohibits institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions from using applications for admission that inquire about applicant's criminal history; establishes "Universal College Application Development Task Force" to develop standard application for admission. | Except for certain egregious criminal offenses, this bill prohibits institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions from using applications for admission that inquire about an applicant's criminal history. The bill exempts certain egregious offenses including, but not limited to, criminal homicide, human trafficking, kidnapping, sexual assault, and aggravated sexual assault. The provisions of the bill do not apply to an application for admission to law school. This bill also establishes a Universal College Application Development Task Force. The task force will consist of 24 members, including: the Secretary of Higher Education, the President of the New Jersey Presidents' Council, and the Commissioner of Education, or their designees; one member appointed by the President of the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, all four of whom are members of the public with demonstrated knowledge and expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force; and 17 members appointed by the Governor, including one representative from each of the following: the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority; the New Jersey Council of County Colleges; the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities; the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey; the American Federation of Teachers; the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; the New Jersey Education Authority; the New Jersey School Boards Association; the New Jersey Counselor Association; the New Jersey Parent Teacher Association; the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association; the New Jersey Principal and Supervisors Association; and one representative from each public research university. Under the bill, it will be the duty of the task force to develop a standard, universal application for admission to be used by each institution of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institution. The application will enable an applicant to apply to any public or independent institution of higher education and any degree-granting proprietary institution in the State. Except for the same egregious criminal offenses previously specified, this bill prohibits the application developed by the task force from having any questions related to, or any requests for information about, the criminal history, including the juvenile criminal history, of a prospective student. The bill provides that, in the event that a student elects to use the "Common Application" developed and administered by the not-for-profit membership organization, The Common Application, Inc., an institution may accept the application in lieu of the standard application developed by the task force provided that the common application does not have any question related to, or information requested about, the criminal history, including the juvenile criminal history, of a prospective student except as previously specified. Law schools are exempt from this requirement. If an institution denies an applicant admission based on the conviction of any of the egregious offenses previously specified, the institution is required to notify the applicant, who may appeal the decision to the entity that considers the institution's disciplinary matters. Under the bill, in the event that an institution accepts an applicant for admission, the institution is authorized to make inquiries relative to the criminal conviction history of the applicant for the purposes of offering supportive counseling services, and making decisions relative to a student's participation in campus life and determining if the institution will limit such participation. The bill provides that the institution may make such inquiries when obtaining secondary information, such as information pertaining to immunizations, financial aid, or housing. If an institution elects to make such inquiries, the institution is required to consider all of the following:· the nature and gravity of the criminal conduct and whether it bears a direct relationship to a particular aspect of a student's participation in campus life, including but not limited to, campus residency and campus activities;· the time that has passed since the occurrence of the criminal conduct;· the age of the student at the time of the conduct underlying the criminal conviction; and· any evidence of rehabilitation or good conduct produced by the student. According to the American Bar Association's standards and rules of procedure, a law school is only permitted to admit applicants who appear capable of satisfactorily completing its program of legal education and being admitted to the bar. Certain criminal convictions disqualify applicants from admittance to the bar. | In Committee |
| S3623 | Requires all candidate nominating petitions be posted online; requires determination of appeals to petition challenges be conducted by judge with sufficient election law expertise. | This bill requires all candidate nominating petitions to be posted online and requires the determination of petition challenges to be conducted by a judge of the Superior Court with sufficient expertise in the election laws of this State. Under current law, all petitions filed for the direct nomination of candidates for the general election must be open under proper regulations for public inspection. This bill requires all petitions filed for the nomination of candidates for the primary election and the general election to be posted online on an official website by the officer or officers to whom they are addressed within a certain timeframe. Under current law, the officer with whom the original petition was filed, or the Secretary of State in certain cases, must make a determination on the objection to a petition in a summary way, unless an order is required to be made in the matter by a court of competent jurisdiction. This determination can then be appealed to various judges across the State, with varying levels of expertise on matters of election law. This bill requires that the appeals be heard by a judge of the Superior Court with sufficient experience in cases relating to election laws in this State, as determined by the assignment judge in the jurisdiction in which the application or complaint is made. | In Committee |
| S3636 | Requires cyclical inspection of parking structures. | This bill requires the owner of a parking structure to engage a professional engineer to inspect the structural integrity of the parking structure at least once every five years to ensure that the parking structure meets the loads and uses for which the parking structure was designed and is to be used. The professional engineer is required to prepare and deliver a report on the structural integrity of the parking structure to the owner within 30 business days of conducting an inspection. The owner of a parking structure is required to submit to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) a copy of a report on the structural integrity of a parking structure within 14 days of the owner's receipt of the professional engineer's report. The bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate this bill's provisions. The bill also directs DCA to identify the parking structures in this State that are subject to the bill's provisions, and to notify the owner of each parking structure who has not submitted a report on the structural integrity of a parking structure of the requirements of this section. Under the bill, DCA is required to allow an owner an additional 30 days, following DCA's provision of notice, within which the owner may submit a report to the department. The bill also directs DCA to notify the owner of the parking structure of DCA's power to close a parking structure that has not been inspected. The bill empowers DCA to close a parking structure, or portions thereof, if either the parking structure fails inspection or the owner fails to submit a report to the department within the time afforded under this section. In this instance, the bill directs DCA to reopen the parking structure upon its receipt of an engineer's report indicating that the parking structure complies with the bill's structural integrity inspection requirements. | In Committee |
| S3630 | Clarifies that law concerning requirements for closure of private career school applies to certain schools licensed by New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | This bill clarifies that the provisions of current law concerning requirements for the closure of private career schools that operate in the State also apply to certain schools licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling and requires the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling to develop a model teach-out plan. The bill clarifies that privately owned and privately operated postsecondary schools, other than institutions of higher education or proprietary institutions licensed to offer academic degrees, licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling for the purpose of teaching cosmetology and hairstyling, beauty culture, barbering, manicuring, hair braiding or skin care specialty to registered students, must file teach-out plans that address potential school closures with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development. The bill requires the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling to develop a model teach-out plan for use by a private career school licensed by the board in submitting the teach-out plan to the commissioner as required pursuant to current law. This bill is meant to address the abrupt closure of Capri Institute, a school licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling with several locations in the State, as well as similar closures that could occur in the future. When Capri Institute closed, many students were left with institutional debt and no way to access their transcripts. If the school had entered into a teach-out agreement, as required by the private career school law, Capri Institute would have been required to arrange for transfer of the students to an eligible transfer institute approved by the commissioner and provide students with a complete academic record and official transcripts. This bill clarifies that the private career school law's teach-out agreement requirement applies to schools licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | In Committee |
| S3626 | Establishes minimum student to employee ratio for calculating State support for employee fringe benefit costs at four-year public institutions of higher education. | This bill establishes a minimum student to employee ratio for calculating State support for employee fringe benefit costs at four-year public institutions of higher education. The bill directs the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury, when determining a four-year public institution of higher education's number of State-funded full-time employee positions for which the State pays fringe benefit costs, to ensure that the number of State-funded full-time positions does not exceed a ratio of nine full-time equivalent enrolled students for every one full-time employee position. The bill further provides that nothing in the bill's provisions is to be construed to prohibit the director from using, for any one four-year public institution of higher education, a ratio of full-time employee positions to full-time equivalent enrolled students that is less than nine-to-one when determining the number of State-funded full-time employee positions. The number of State-funded full-time employee positions at any one four-year public institution of higher education is not to exceed the number of employees at the institution. | In Committee |
| S3634 | Establishes Election Management and Consolidation Commission in Department of State. | This bill creates an Election Management and Consolidation Commission in the Department of State to study and make recommendations to improve the administration and management of elections in this State, with a particular focus on reducing redundancies and inefficiencies. The commission will consist of all 21 county clerks, two members of each county board of elections, one of each represented political party, and the Secretary of State, or their designee. The members will not be paid but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses within the limitations of funds available to the commission. The commission will have one year from the date of its first meeting to prepare recommendations, including aspects of elections that may benefit from centralization in the Division of Elections in the Department of State, for the Governor and the Legislature to consider. The commission will expire upon the provision of this report. | In Committee |
| S3637 | Establishes Office of Inspector General for Prosecutorial Review in but not of DLPS. | This bill establishes the Office of Inspector General for Prosecutorial Review. The Inspector General (IG) will be appointed to a five-year term by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate and is required to have experience as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. The IG will operate independently, without supervision or control by any other State officer or employee. Under the bill, the IG's primary role is to investigate allegations concerning the misconduct of a prosecutor or any member of a prosecution team, including detectives. To this end, the IG is to provide a confidential process for submitting complaints by both the public and government employees. The IG is responsible for organizing the office, hiring staff, and engaging consultants as needed, using a fair, competitive process to ensure independence and effectiveness. Under the bill, a prosecutor or member of the prosecution team under investigation for misconduct by the IG is prohibited from using privilege or work-product protection to withhold information from the IG if the prosecution related to that information has concluded. The bill grants the IG authority to compel testimony and request documents through subpoenas, requiring that all investigations adhere to national and professional standards. Additionally, the IG can request information, resources, and assistance from any State department or agency to fulfill its duties. The IG is also authorized to collaborate with other State oversight entities, such as the State Auditor, the State Commission of Investigation, the State Comptroller, and the State Inspector General, and may participate in joint investigations with these agencies. The IG has discretion to decline certain investigations and can refer cases involving potential criminal conduct to appropriate authorities. Whenever a criminal referral is made against a prosecutor, the IG is required to notify the Office of Attorney Ethics. Whenever a criminal referral is made against a detective who is part of a prosecution team, the IG is responsible for ensuring the referral is documented as part of the detective's personnel file. Under the provisions of the bill, the IG is required to maintain detailed records of referrals and outcomes and may disclose information as needed while safeguarding the confidentiality of ongoing investigations. The IG is to meet at least twice annually with other State oversight bodies to coordinate efforts, share information, and prevent duplication of work. After concluding an investigation, the IG is to submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, which will also be published online for public access. | In Committee |
| SR110 | Urges Congress and President enact "Social Security Fairness Act." | This resolution urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Social Security Fairness Act," currently pending in Congress. Many of New Jersey's law enforcement officers, firefighters, and certain local governmental employees are unfairly penalized by Social Security offsets that reduce or eliminate the earned Social Security benefits of these employees or their spouses. Social Security was enacted in 1935. Initially, state and local governments and their employees were prohibited from participating. Over the years, federal laws were passed allowing these employers and employees the opportunity to elect to join the program. Most public employees in New Jersey retirement systems contribute to Social Security with the exception of law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, and others in certain local retirement systems. The windfall elimination provision (WEP) reduces benefits that were paid for as part of the Social Security payroll tax. The WEP can lead to a significant reduction of the Social Security benefit and can deprive a retiree of up to $587 per month of the Social Security that was earned and paid. The survivor benefit was paid for by the Social Security earner as part of the Social Security payroll tax. The survivor benefit was created to ensure the surviving spouse was not left without adequate financial support. The government pension offset (GPO) eliminates the survivor benefit even with a modest public pension. These provisions cause first responders and certain local governmental employees to prematurely retire and discourage qualified individuals from entering into government service. The "Social Security Fairness Act" would repeal these provisions. | In Committee |
| S3624 | Requires automatic recounts for elections decided by vote differential of 0.5 percent or less. | This bill requires automatic recounts for elections decided by a vote differential of 0.5 percent or less. Currently, when a candidate or 10 or more voters at any election have reason to believe that an error has been made in counting the votes of that election, the candidate or voters may, within a period of 3 days after the certification of the results of the election, apply to a judge of the Superior Court for a recount of the votes cast at the election in any district. Under the bill, there will be an automatic recount if there is a 0.5 percent or less vote differential in the votes cast for an election. The recount will be paid for by the State. If the vote differential is greater than 0.5 percent, the losing candidate or 10 or more voters may request a recount. | In Committee |
| S3633 | Requires computerized drawing system to determine random order of candidate names for each office on primary and general election ballots; provides for drawing to be viewable in person or electronically. | Under current law, county clerks and municipal clerks are tasked with drawing the names of candidates and groups of candidates from a box to determine the order in which the candidates will appear on the ballot for the ensuing primary or general election. Multiple candidates for the same office who are grouped together on their nominating petitions are drawn together. For primary election ballots, candidates for different offices may associate with one another and have their collective ballot positions determined by the drawing for the first office. This bill replaces the hand drawing procedures with a computerized drawing system to determine the random order of candidates. The bill requires that, prior to the use of any computerized system for this purpose, the Secretary of State must approve of said system, and the system must be shown to have appropriate safeguards to limit the potential for outside influence. The bill also removes the provisions that allow for candidates in the primary election to be placed on the ballot according to the drawing of another candidate for another office, often known as "bracketing" together, ensuring that each computerized drawing for each office is independent of one another. Multiple candidates running as a group for the same office may still have their names drawn together as one. Finally, the bill provides that the computerized drawing for ballot position will be viewable both in person and electronically. | In Committee |
| S3629 | Requires transparency concerning compensation in employment listings and with promotional opportunities. | This bill requires employers to make reasonable efforts to announce, post, or otherwise make known opportunities for promotion that are advertised internally within the employer or externally on internet-based advertisements, postings, printed flyers, or other similar advertisements to all current employees in the affected department or departments of the employer's business prior to making a promotion decision. The bill requires employers to disclose in each posting for new jobs and transfer opportunities that are advertised by the employer either externally or internally the hourly wage or salary, or a range of the hourly wage or salary, and (1) any supplemental compensation for which the position is eligible; (2) a description of the benefits provided for the position, including, but not limited to, paid and unpaid leave, health care plans, and dental plans; and (3) any retirement plans offered through the employer. An employer's failure to comply with the bill's provisions in connection with a particular promotional opportunity will be considered one violation for all listings of that promotion, even if that promotion is listed on multiple forums. An employer's failure to comply with the bill's provisions in connection with a particular job opening or transfer opportunity will be considered one violation regardless of the number of postings that list, or forums that advertise, that job opening or transfer opportunity, as appropriate. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development may enforce the provisions of the bill in a summary proceeding, and an employer who violates the bill will be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $300 for the first violation, and $600 for each subsequent violation. | In Committee |
| S3632 | Provides that State pay high school equivalency exam fees for low-income individuals. | This bill requires that the State Board of Education, within six months of the bill's effective date, establish a program to pay the high school equivalency exam fees on behalf of low-income individuals. The bill defines a low-income individual as one who lives in a household in which the household income is not greater than 185 percent of the most recent federal poverty guidelines. The program would not provide payment for more than one exam for an individual. The State cost of the fees would be paid from the portion of the Workforce Development Partnership Fund. | In Committee |
| S3635 | Requires election result challenges be sent to specific panel of judges. | This bill requires the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court to create geographic regions for assigned Superior Court judges to adjudicate election recounts and contests. Under the bill, the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, at the Chief Justice's discretion, will annually assign, not later than the Tuesday after Columbus Day each October, a minimum of three Superior Court judges for each of the following designated regions to hear and adjudicate all election recount and contest matters: (1) the Northern Region, containing the counties of Hudson, Essex, Morris, Bergen, Passaic, Warren, and Sussex; (2) the Central Region, containing the counties of Union, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Somerset; and (3) the Southern Region, containing the counties of Burlington, Ocean, Camden, Atlantic, Cape May, Salem, Gloucester, and Cumberland. The bill also permits the Chief Justice to take into account any criteria the Chief Justice deems appropriate in assigning the regions and determining the number of judges for each region, including, but not limited to, population, historical recount volume, and voter turnout. Under the bill, the regions, and the number and names of the judges assigned to each region, would be published annually on the official website of the Judiciary Branch. The bill further provides that, in hearing and adjudicating election recount and contest matters, a judge assigned to a region would act individually and not as a panel. If an election recount or contest is filed in any one of the counties in a particular region, the next available judge in that region would be assigned that case. The assignment of election recount and contest cases would not be limited to a judge in the county of origin, rather to the availability of a judge in the region containing that county to hear the matter immediately. Under the bill, all matters related to a recount or contest would be heard and adjudicated prior to the assumption of office of the elected candidate, or the reorganization of the governing body to which the elected candidate was elected, as the case may be. In addition, all pleadings would be given an initial hearing within 36 hours of an initial filing. | In Committee |
| S3572 | Requires State-chartered financial institutions to increase minimum reserve balances by five times amount of previous year's losses relating to fraud and theft. | This bill requires State-chartered financial institutions to maintain, in addition to any amount of reserve or minimum capital already required of the institution by law or regulation, a reserve balance in an amount of at least five times the total value of the thefts, cyber thefts, fraud, and robberies reported to the institution in the previous year plus any related damages. In addition, the bill requires financial institutions to conduct an audit of the losses sustained by the institution over the previous year and to report the findings of the audit to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance. The purpose of the audit and report is to verify that each financial institution has enough reserve balance to return customers' lost or stolen money while the institution investigates and recovers the lost or stolen money. | In Committee |
| S3532 | Includes Sikhs as protected class in bias intimidation law; appropriates $100,000. | This bill amends N.J.S.A.2C:16-1, the crime of bias intimidation,to specifically include Sikhism in the protected classes set forth in the statute. Sikhism is the monotheistic religion founded in India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak. New Jersey is home to approximately 100,000 Sikhs, which is one of the largest Sikh populations in the United States. On October 16, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") released its annual report of hate crime statistics, which recorded 198 anti-Sikh hate crime incidents. According to the FBI report, Sikhs remain the second-most targeted group in the nation for religiously-motivated hate crime incidents. Current law enumerates the protected classes of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, and ethnicity in the bias intimidation statute. Under the provisions of the bill, a person is guilty of the crime of bias intimidation if he commits, attempts, conspires, or threatens the immediate commission of certain specified offenses with a purpose to intimidate an individual or group because of their membership within a protected class, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, or Sikhism, or knowing that the conduct would cause an individual or group to be intimidated on that basis or under circumstances in which the victim believes he was targeted on that basis. Pursuant to this bill, all local, county, and State law enforcement entities in New Jersey are to report all violations under the statute to the State and federal law enforcement agencies responsible for preparing bias crime reports. Further, this bill sets forth that the Office of Attorney General, in consultation with the Department of Education, is to: (1) develop training, for the dissemination to county and local law enforcement agencies, on Sihkism, which shall include, but not limited to, visible Sikh identity features, including turbans, bracelets, moustaches, beard, and physical attire, and the classification of bias intimidation cases as anti-sikh, to prevent the misclassification of hate and bias incidents. (2) coordinate with other State agencies and departments in the creation of a public awareness campaign and educational initiatives on Sikhism; and (3) annually report to the Governor and the Legislature on the public awareness campaign,educational initiatives on Sikhism executed through the public awareness campaign across different public platforms, and on the steps taken to include Sikhism education across curriculum standards in different grades across township boards of education within this State. Pursuant to this bill, the New Jersey Office of Attorney General, in consultation with the New Jersey field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, shall develop a transnational repression recognition and response training program that is to include how to identify different tactics of transnational repression and best practices for appropriate county, local and state law enforcement prevention, reporting, and response tactics. Current law establishes within the Division of Purchase and Property in the State Department of the Treasury, the position of Chief Diversity Officer. This bill expands the Chief Diversity Officer's responsibilities to include: ensuring that each public entity of this State incorporate the definition for anti-Sikh hate into the bias intimidation policy of the public entity; and ensuring that the definition of anti-Sikh hate is incorporated into the diversity, equity, and inclusivity promotion policies in any program offered by the State or any political subdivision of the State. This bill appropriates $100,000, for three consecutive years following enactment, from the General Fund to the Office of the Attorney General to fund Sikh awareness educational initiatives and outreach efforts to the Sikh community. | In Committee |
| S3573 | Increases bid advertising threshold on certain purchases, contracts, or agreements. | This bill increases, from $25,000 to $150,000, the bid advertising threshold on certain State contracts. This bill would allow smaller construction and repair projects under $150,000 to be informally bid by the using agency without full advertising thereby reducing the time and cost required to complete these smaller projects. Under current law, any purchase, contract, or agreement may be made, negotiated, or awarded by the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property or the Director of the Division of Property Management and Construction without advertising if the aggregate amount involved including labor and construction materials does not exceed $25,000 or the amount adjusted by the Governor, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury as permitted by current law. This threshold applies to certain contracts or agreements for the erection, construction, alteration or repair of any public building or facility. The most recent adjustment to the amount was made in 2021 and is currently $71,000. This bill increases the bid advertising threshold in the case of purchases of labor and construction materials to $150,000. | In Committee |
| S3574 | Requires candidate and joint candidates close campaign depository accounts not later than seven years following end of service in elected public office or unsuccessful election. | This bill requires the campaign depository accounts of candidates and joint candidates for elected public office to be closed not later than seven years following the end of service in the elected public office or the unsuccessful attempt to be elected to public office, as the case may be. Under the bill, each campaign depository account established by a candidate or joint candidates, or former candidate or joint candidates, would be required to be closed not later than seven years following the end of service in the elected public office or the unsuccessful attempt to be elected to public office, as the case may be, of the candidate or candidates for whom the campaign depository account was established. The bill requires such candidates who on the bill's effective date maintain or participate either directly or indirectly in the management or control of one or more candidate committees or joint candidates committees, or both, beyond that seven-year timeframe, to wind up or cause to be wound up the affairs of those committees within one year. For all campaign depository accounts of candidates or joint candidates required to be closed after seven years following the end of service in an elected public office or the unsuccessful attempt to be elected to public office, as the case may be, the bill requires funds remaining in those accounts that have not been transferred to permitted purposes to be transferred to the State General Fund. The bill directs the Election Law Enforcement Commission to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary for its implementation. | In Committee |
| A2890 | Permits temporary appointment of additional members to the Board of Review in the Division of Employment Security. | An Act concerning the Board of Review in the Division of Employment Security and amending various parts of the statutory law. | 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 |
| S3474 | Appropriates $10,067,905 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses. | An Act appropriating $10,067,905 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to provide grants to assist qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4572 | Appropriates $101,696,535 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects; and for certain administrative expenses. | An Act appropriating $101,696,535 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues to help local government units acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3231 | Permits temporary appointment of additional members to the Board of Review in the Division of Employment Security. | Permits temporary appointment of additional members to the Board of Review in the Division of Employment Security. | In Committee |
| S3473 | Appropriates $101,696,535 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects; and for certain administrative expenses. | This bill appropriates $101,696,535 from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues, and various Green Acres funds to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Of the total amount appropriated by the bill, $99,286,535 would be used by the DEP to provide grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units in the State to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and $2,410,000 would be used for the DEP's associated administrative costs. Of the total amount appropriated by the bill, $24,321,885 is allocated for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes, as identified in section 4 of the bill, and $74,964,650 is allocated for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, as identified in section 5 of the bill. Of the $24,321,885 sum being appropriated for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes: $20,766,435 is allocated for planning incentive open space acquisition projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities and counties that have an open space tax and an approved open space plan); $1,437,500 is allocated for standard open space acquisition projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities that do not have an open space tax); $459,950 is allocated for site-specific incentive acquisition projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities that have an open space tax, but do not have an open space plan); and $1,658,000 is allocated for urban aid acquisition projects. Of the $74,964,650 sum being appropriated for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes: $29,429,150 is allocated for local park development projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; $7,556,770 is allocated for local park development projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties; $3,072,700 is allocated for standard local park development projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities that do not meet the criteria of the prior two categories); $1,758,610 is allocated for stewardship activity projects; and $33,147,420 is allocated for completely inclusive playground projects, pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2018, c.104 (C.13:8C-27.1), otherwise known as "Jake's Law." While Green Acres funding for Jake's Law purposes has, in prior funding rounds, been made available only to eligible counties, in the current funding round, both counties and municipalities are eligible for non-competitive grant awards for completely inclusive playground projects thereunder. The bill defines a "densely or highly populated municipality" as a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile or a population of at least 35,000 persons; a "densely populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile; and a "highly populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile. The projects listed in the bill have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT). To the extent that there are funds remaining after the local government unit projects listed in this bill are offered funding, the bill also authorizes the DEP, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC), to use those funds to provide additional funding for local government unit projects listed in this bill, as well as for local government unit projects previously approved for funding pursuant to various other laws. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| SJR45 | Designates June of each year as "Gun Violence Awareness Month." | Designates June of each year as "Gun Violence Awareness Month." | Crossed Over |
| SCR81 | Proposes constitutional amendment to increase amount of veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years. | If approved by the voters of the State, this proposed constitutional amendment would increase the amount of the veterans' property tax deduction from the current $250 to $2,500. The increase would occur over four years. Veterans who are honorably discharged from active service in a branch of the United States Armed Forces qualify for the deduction. A qualified veteran's surviving spouse would receive the deduction after the qualified veteran dies. The amendment would increase the amount of the deduction to $1,000 in tax year 2025, $1,500 in tax year 2026, $2,000 in tax year 2027, and $2,500 in tax year 2028, and every tax year thereafter. The voters of the State last approved an increase in the amount of the deduction in 1999, from $50 to $250, over four years. The amount of the deduction has been $250 since 2003. | In Committee |
| S3084 | Allows property tax rebate for disabled veterans. | This bill allows veterans with a service-connected disability to receive a property tax rebate from the State in proportion to the percentage of their service-connected disability. The bill provides property tax relief to veterans who have a disability rating of less than 100 percent total and permanent disability. Veterans who have a disability rating of 100 percent total and permanent disability are already exempt from paying property taxes. Veterans with a service-connected disability are assigned a disability rating from the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs. A disability rating may range from 0 percent to 100 percent. That rating will determine the percentage of property taxes paid that the veteran will be allowed as a rebate under this bill. Funding for the rebate allowed by this bill is dependent on annual appropriations by the Legislature. The bill caps the rebate at $5,000 and limits availability of the rebate to veterans with gross income of up to $200,000. | In Committee |
| S931 | Updates definition of veteran to include discharged LGBTQ veteran; requires DMVA develop review process for such veterans. | This bill updates the definition of veteran in various statutes to include discharged LGBTQ veterans. This bill also requires the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to develop a review process for discharged LGBTQ veterans concerning lost benefits. An estimated 100,000 LGBTQ veterans were discharged from the military under less than honorable conditions from the start of World War II until the 2011 repeal of the military's 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Transgender veterans continued to be banned and discharged from service until the June 2016 Directive-Type Memorandum-16-005, issued by then-Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, which was subsequently reversed by the March 2019 Directive-Type Memorandum-19-004, issued by Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist. These veterans lost their right to both state and federal benefits by being discharged under less than honorable conditions. This bill adds a definition of "discharged LGBTQ veteran" to various statutory definitions of "veteran." "Discharged LGBTQ veteran" means a veteran who was discharged less than honorably from military or naval service due to their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, or statements, consensual sexual conduct, or consensual acts relating to sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, or the disclosure of such statements, conduct, or acts that were prohibited by the Armed Forces of the United States at the time of discharge. The added definition, along with the addition of a DMVA review process for discharged LGBTQ veterans, will restore State benefits for those veterans. | In Committee |
| SJR19 | Designates July 16 of each year as "Atomic Veterans Day" in New Jersey. | This resolution designates July 16 of each year as "Atomic Veterans Day" in New Jersey. Atomic Veterans are American military service members who participated in nuclear tests of atomic weapons between 1945 and 1962. They served with United States military forces in or around Hiroshima and Nagasaki through mid-1946, or were held as prisoners of war in or near Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Approximately 250,000 veterans of the United States, including residents of New Jersey, witnessed and participated in at least 235 atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. Many Atomic Veterans were prevented by secrecy laws or oaths from seeking medical care or disability compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for conditions they may have developed as a result of radiation exposure. In 1996, the United States Congress repealed the Nuclear Radiation and Secrecy Agreements Act, freeing Atomic Veterans to describe their military involvement in nuclear testing and to file for VA benefits. Atomic Veterans patriotically served this country, meeting the needs of national defense during a critical period in history. This State designates July 16 of each year as Atomic Veterans Day to honor the important role Atomic Veterans played in the defense of our Nation. | In Committee |
| S2149 | Revises training requirements for governing board members of public institutions of higher education. | Revises training requirements for governing board members of public institutions of higher education. | In Committee |
| SJR123 | Designates month of May each year as "Nurse's Month." | This joint resolution would designate the month of May each year as "Nurse's Month" to promote greater public appreciation of the professionals who work tirelessly to provide quality healthcare to all patients. New Jersey is home to over 140,000 nurses in addition to thousands of nurse practitioners and licensed practical nurses. Nurses are vital to maintaining our healthcare systems and have expanded their knowledge and skillset in the medical field through ongoing education and scientific advancements. Nurses are the cornerstone of community health services and essential to acute care settings. Nurses are on the forefront of maintaining public health infrastructure and educating communities on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention. Nurses are facing issues in regards to not having enough trained nursing professionals to provide educational services to the next generation of nurses. In 2023, the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing reported that the State's healthcare workforce could lose 10,000 nurses over the next few years and that 9 out of 10 nursing programs are unable to enroll additional students due to lack of faculty nurses. In the face of workforce shortages and relentless public health crises, nurses have continually shown up and given back to the community. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic while many individuals were able to work remotely, nurses appeared in person to perform lifesaving services. New Jersey seeks to honor nurses from every walk of life as they have so valiantly provided indispensable care to residents throughout the State. | In Committee |
| S3409 | Exempts personal information from redaction and nondisclosure requirements in certain public filings and records. | Under current law, certain public officials and employees, such as judges and law enforcement officers, are entitled to have their home address redacted or subject to nondisclosure when a public agency has possession of such information. However, there are certain exceptions when an individual's information may still be disclosed, even if they are otherwise entitled to redaction or nondisclosure. This bill would add to the list of exceptions: (1) recall petitions circulated and signed in this State; (2) any report of campaign contributions or expenditures filed by any individual, candidate, campaign, committee, or other entity under "The New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act," or any report or list of such contributions submitted by an entity seeking or holding a public contract; (3) any financial disclosure statement made by a candidate for Governor; and (4) any report of activities required to be submitted by a lobbyist or governmental affairs agent in this State. This bill would also require the director of the Office of Information Privacy to identify and display all exceptions on the secure portal where individuals can request the redaction or nondisclosure of their information. | In Committee |
| S3411 | Establishes EMS part of PERS; provides enhanced benefits for emergency medical services employees. | This bill creates an EMS Part in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to provide enhanced pension benefits under terms identical to those provided to prosecutors under the Prosecutors Part of the PERS, including mandatory retirement at age 70. The members of the EMS Part will include State, county, or municipal employees serving in one of the following positions: emergency medical technician; mobile intensive care paramedic; paramedic; flight paramedic; mobile intensive care nurse; flight nurse; emergency medical services supervisor or deputy supervisor; emergency medical services chief or deputy chief; emergency medical services hazardous materials responder technician; emergency medical services coordinator, dispatcher, or instructor; or any position the primary or essential duties of which require the employee to be trained in basic or advanced life support services and who is certified or licensed by the Department of Health to perform these services. The State will be liable for the increased pension costs payable by counties or municipalities as a result this bill. | In Committee |
| S3412 | Requires temporary benefit enhancement to be granted in each of two State fiscal years when retirement allowance or benefit is below certain amount for retiree or beneficiary in PFRS; makes appropriation. | This bill would provide for a temporary benefit enhancement payable in each of the two State fiscal years 2025 and 2026 for certain retired public employees and their beneficiaries who are receiving monthly payments from the Police and Firemen's Retirement System. The temporary benefit enhancement would be provided only to those retirees and beneficiaries who are receiving an amount that is at or below 450 percent of the federal poverty level as set for a household of one. The amount of each temporary benefit enhancement would be $1,000. The bill requires the State to fund the cost of these enhancements and makes an appropriation for that purpose. | In Committee |
| S3408 | Prohibits NJT from implementing automatic fare increases. | This bill prohibits the New Jersey Transit Corporation from implementing automatic fare increases for any motorbus regular route or rail passenger services. As defined in the bill, "automatic fare increase" means an increase in fares that occurs after a period of time has elapsed, provided that such fare increase was adopted by the corporation as part of a plan to increase fares periodically after certain periods of time have elapsed. | In Committee |
| A3939 | Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for professional firefighters not enrolled in SHBP, but who are eligible for SHBP by virtue of public employment. | An Act mandating access to periodic cancer screening examinations for full-time paid firefighters not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program, and amending P.L.2021, c.478. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3307 | Provides filing extension and medical documentation requirement for certain members or retirees of PFRS, SPRS, or PERS regarding accidental disability retirement allowance for participation in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. | Under current law, members and retirees of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS), and certain members and retirees of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) are eligible to receive an accidental disability retirement allowance for a permanent and total disability resulting from participation in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations. In order to be eligible, the member or retiree must have filed notice of service during certain dates and at certain locations within two years of enactment of the law in 2019. This bill extends the time period during which a member or retiree must file a written and sworn statement with the retirement system to be eligible for the benefit to two years after the effective date of this bill, and permits the board of trustees of the retirement system to approve additional extensions in two-year increments thereafter. Under current law, in order to be eligible for the benefit, the member or retiree must have successfully passed a physical examination for entry into public service, which failed to disclose evidence of the qualifying condition or impairment of health that formed the basis for the disability. This bill allows the member or retiree, as an alternative, to present sufficient evidence of one or more medical examinations or results, performed within a reasonable period of time before or after entry into public service, which failed to disclose evidence of the qualifying condition or impairment of health that formed the basis for the disability as an alternative for proof of eligibility. This bill also requires the board of trustees of each retirement system to notify members and retirants in the retirement system of the enactment of this bill within 30 days of enactment. | In Committee |
| S3301 | Establishes Council for Community Recovery and Family Success; appropriates $4.0 million. | This bill establishes the Council for Community Recovery and Family Success in, but not of, the Department of Community Affairs, which will develop strategies to promote the well-being of infants, children, youth, and families, and encourage family success. The council will consist of 25 members, including the Commissioners of Children and Families, Community Affairs, Corrections, Education, Health, Human Services, and Labor and Workforce Development, and the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or their designees, who will serve ex officio, and 17 public members, who will be representatives of certain entities that provide services to children and families, or have certain experience with receiving family services in New Jersey. The council will manage the development and implementation of a Statewide initiative concerning the social and economic well-being of infants, children, youth, and families, and the provision of holistic, age and developmentally appropriate services that support a child's development from birth to young adulthood. In order to implement the Statewide initiative, the council will: (1) advocate for a State Bill of Rights for Infants, Children, Youth, and Families, which will provide a framework for the initiative; (2) identify and develop policies, strategies, and financial priorities that promote family success; (3) recommend policies to improve the efficacy of existing State and community-based services and programs; (4) explore strategies to leverage public and private funding to provide preventive services; and (5) establish community recovery and family success councils in each county. The goal of the Statewide initiative will be to: promote positive family relationships, community connections, and preventive services to ensure financial security, quality education, health, safety, and permanency for infants, children, youth, and families through an integrated service planning and delivery system. The bill defines "distress services" to mean services to remediate circumstances that endanger the safety, permanency, health, and well-being of infants, children, and youth; and "preventative services" as those services that promote the safety, permanency, health, and well-being of the target populations and divert the need for distress services. The council will submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature that will include recommendations for legislative and administrative actions on the use of public and private resources to support family success initiatives and preventive services for all families. The bill appropriates $4.0 million from the General Fund to the council to implement the provisions of the bill, and provides that the council may use any unexpended appropriations in the succeeding fiscal year. | In Committee |
| S3228 | Bars certain public officials from holding elective office and participating in political activities for certain time periods. | This bill would prohibit certain public officials from campaigning for election to public office during the term of their public service and for a period of three years afterwards. The bill would apply to the Attorney General and the First Assistant Attorney General, all county prosecutors, assistant prosecutors, legal assistants to prosecutors, and certain other persons in those offices with indictment authority, as well as the four members of the State Commission of Investigation. The provisions of this bill would not apply to municipal prosecutors. Under the bill, no person who holds any of these positions could (1) be a candidate for election to, or hold, any elective public office or any office or position with any political party or club, or (2) in connection with the candidacy of any person for public office, sign or authorize the use of his name in connection with political or campaign literature or material, or print, publish, or distribute such political or campaign literature or material. These restrictions already apply to county prosecutors, assistant prosecutors, and legal assistants to prosecutors and would be extended under the bill to the Attorney General, the First Assistant Attorney General, and the members of the State Commission of Investigation. In addition, the bill provides that any such official could not be a candidate for, or hold, elective public office for a period of three years immediately following the termination of that person's service in the position. There is a current one-year post-service ban for members of the State Commission of Investigation, which would be increased to three years to establish consistency amongst all of the officials covered by the bill. The intent of this bill is to prevent persons who are holding positions of public trust from misusing those positions for political gain. | In Committee |
| S3252 | Increases PFRS accidental disability and accidental death pension when disability or death is caused by weapon. | This bill increases the accidental disability pension and the accidental death pension provided in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) when the disability or death is caused on or after the effective date of this bill by a weapon. If a PFRS member is injured in the line of duty by a weapon and permanently disabled, the pension for the retiree will increase from 66 percent of final compensation to 100 percent of final compensation. When the retiree attains mandatory retirement age, the pension thereafter will be 80 percent of the final compensation. If a PFRS member dies in the line of duty and the death is caused by a weapon, the pension for the surviving spouse or surviving children will increase from 70 percent of final compensation to 75 percent of final compensation. In addition, the final compensation used to determine the disability pension or the death pension will continue to increase until the member would have attained the age of 65 under the assumption of continuous service. The final compensation will increase by the same percentage increase which is applied in any adjustments of the compensation schedule of active members after the member's retirement or death but before the date on which the retired or deceased member would have attained the age of 65. | In Committee |
| S3272 | Requires institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to certain students with military obligations. | Current law provides a student at a New Jersey public institution of higher education who is unable to complete a course because the student is called to partial or full mobilization for State or federal active duty as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States with certain options regarding his grade for the course. This bill amends the law to ensure that it applies to students who could not complete the coursework due to monthly drills, annual training, and any active duty whether it be voluntary or involuntary. The bill directs each public and independent institution of higher education to adopt and implement policies and procedures that will assist a student enrolled in the institution, who is serving as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, to meet the student's military obligations without loss of academic status or opportunity. Under the bill, the policies and procedures must provide for: (1) the student to receive notification from the institution at which the student is enrolled each semester of his higher education rights and benefits as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States enrolled in the institution. The institution must display these rights and benefits on its website; and (2) accommodations to the student for each class missed by the student due to military obligation, including where appropriate the provision of lecture notes from the professor or instructor, access to a tutor, and at least five days per each missed class to enable the student to complete coursework. Under the bill, each public or independent institution of higher education must direct a student who is serving as a member of the National Guard or a Reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States to notify each professor or instructor of his military obligations upon enrollment in the course or as soon as is reasonably possible once those obligations become known to the student. The professor or instructor must then initiate communications with the student about each party's academic obligations when the student's military obligations interrupt coursework. The professor or instructor and the student must also enter into a contract that details each party's academic obligations. The professor or instructor must, to the extent feasible, offer the student options to complete coursework remotely through a modified curriculum that utilizes the Internet and other means, in the event that the student's military obligations prevent attendance at class. In the event that the professor or instructor refuses to abide by the contract, the professor or instructor will be subject to the regular disciplinary process established for the institution by its governing board. The bill directs public and independent institutions of higher education to accept and apply towards a degree program the credit recommendation of the American Council on Education for a student's military experience, up to a maximum of 30 credits for a student enrolled in the institution. Nothing in the bill prevents an institution from accepting and applying towards a degree program more than 30 credits for a student's military experience should the institution choose to do so. Finally, the bill provides that certain State laws pertaining to the higher education rights of students with military obligations will be enforced by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and complaints concerning violations can be made to that department. | In Committee |
| A4059 | Requires Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts losing State school aid to submit budgets after enactment of FY 2025 appropriations act. | An Act concerning budget submissions for certain school districts. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4161 | Establishes Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore certain portions of State school aid reductions; permits certain school districts to exceed tax levy growth limitation in 2024-2025 school year; appropriates $44.7 million. | An Act concerning school district finances and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2890 | Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for professional firefighters not enrolled in SHBP, but who are eligible for SHBP by virtue of public employment. | This bill mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for firefighters who waive employer-sponsored health care coverage, but are eligible for coverage under the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) by virtue of employment with a public employer that participates in the SHBP. Current law entitles a firefighter enrolled in the SHBP, or a firefighter employed by a public employer that does not participate in the SHBP, to a cancer screening examinations every three years and specifies that the State will reimburse providers or such public employers an amount not to exceed $1,250 per three-year period. The bills extends these reimbursement provisions to firefighters who waive employer-sponsored health care coverage, but are eligible for coverage under the SHBP by virtue of employment with a public employer that participates in the SHBP. | In Committee |
| S3081 | Establishes Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore certain portions of State school aid reductions; permits certain school districts to exceed tax levy growth limitation in 2024-2025 school year; appropriates $44.7 million. | Establishes Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore certain portions of State school aid reductions; permits certain school districts to exceed tax levy growth limitation in 2024-2025 school year; appropriates $44.7 million. | In Committee |
| S3002 | Requires Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts losing State school aid to submit budgets after enactment of FY 2025 appropriations act. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts losing State school aid to submit budgets after enactment of the State fiscal year 2025 appropriations act. The commissioner is authorized under the bill to make any adjustments to the school budget calendar that are necessary to conform with the provisions of the bill, which adjustments include a compressed schedule by which a school district can enact its budget. The bill would apply to school districts, which are proposed to receive a State school aid reduction and are experiencing a reduction that is greater than the total amount of the district's unused tax authority permitted under current law. This unused tax authority is often referred to as "banked cap." Under current law, a school district may add to its adjusted tax levy in any one of the next three succeeding budget years, the amount of the difference between the maximum allowable amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year and the actual amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year. | In Committee |
| S3232 | Expands "Daniel's Law" to prohibit disclosure of personal information concerning court administrators and deputy court administrators. | This bill expands "Daniel's Law," P.L.2020, c.125 (C.56:8-166.2 et al.), to prohibit the disclosure of personal information of municipal court administrators. The bill defines a municipal court administrator as a person employed by a county or municipality in accordance with subsection a. of N.J.S.A.2B:12-10 and includes an employee designated as an acting or deputy administrator in accordance with subsection b. of N.J.S.A.2B:12-10. Currently, Daniel's Law: (1) prohibits the disclosure, by both governmental entities and private parties, of the home address of any active, formerly active, or retired federal, State, county, or municipal judicial officers, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, or child protective investigators and employees of the Department of Children and Families; (2) prohibits disclosure of home addresses and unlisted telephone numbers for active or retired law enforcement officers, child protective investigators and employees of the Department of Children and Families, as well as active, formerly active, or retired judicial officers or prosecutors; and (3) permits criminal prosecution and statutory civil action concerning prohibited disclosures. The bill expands the scope of Daniel's Law to also include municipal court administrators and deputy administrators. | In Committee |
| S3230 | Clarifies that law enforcement officers employed by educational institutions may possess firearms on campus. | This bill clarifies that campus law enforcement officers are permitted to carry a firearm in or upon any part of the buildings or grounds of a school, college, university or other educational institution in the course of the officer's employment or traveling to or from the officer's place of employment. The bill defines "law enforcement officer" as a person empowered to act as an officer for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the law and who has successfully completed a firearms training course administered by the Police Training Commission. | In Committee |
| S3229 | Expands Tuition Aid Grant program to include workforce training programs. | This bill permits the inclusion of workforce training programs in the Tuition Aid Grant Program. Under current law, the Tuition Aid Grant Program is limited to institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions with degree-granting programs approved by the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. This bill requires the authority to designate qualified workforce training programs to participate in the tuition aid grant program. Designations are not limited to the degree-granting programs of an institution. Under the bill, the authority is to determine eligibility criteria for participation in the tuition aid grant program. At minimum, to be eligible to participate in the tuition aid grant program, a workforce training program is to: (1) require students to attend, at minimum, 150 hours of classroom instruction; (2) offer an industry-valued credential or employer-valued credential; and (3) have an average completion rate of at least 70 percent, as well as an average job placement rate of at least 70 percent. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| S3233 | Requires retired law enforcement officers to qualify in use of firearm once a year. | This bill would require retired law enforcement officers to qualify in the use of a firearm once per year rather than every six months. Under current law, a person who has retired in good standing after serving as a regularly employed, full-time law enforcement officer may carry a firearm provided the person: (1) is 75 years of age or younger; (2) is not subject to any of the disabilities which would disqualify the retired officer from possessing or carrying a firearm; and (3) semi-annually qualifies in the use of a firearm. This bill would require the retired law enforcement officer to qualify in the use of a firearm once per year rather than semi-annually. | In Committee |
| S3178 | Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish academic credit and reverse credit transfer standards; establishes New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman within Office of Secretary of Higher Education. | This bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to establish academic credit transfer standards and reverse credit transfer standards and establishes the position of New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman within the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. Under current law, each public institution of higher education is required to establish and enter into a collective Statewide transfer agreement that provides for the seamless transfer of academic credits across public institutions of higher education. Similarly, current law also requires institutions of higher education, both public and independent, to establish and enter into a collective Statewide reverse transfer agreement for the awarding of associate degrees by the county colleges. This bill eliminates both the collective Statewide transfer agreement and the collective Statewide reverse transfer agreement and replaces them with standards for credit transfer and reverse transfer. Under the bill, the standards are to be developed by the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the New Jersey Presidents' Council. The bill establishes the position of the New Jersey Transfer Ombudsman within the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The purpose of the ombudsman is to facilitate the resolution of disputes between students and public institutions of higher education regarding the institution's compliance with the credit transfer standards established pursuant to the bill's provisions. Under the bill, the ombudsman is to be responsible for: (1) final administrative decisions over disputes between students and public institutions of higher education regarding the transfer of academic credits; (2) the periodic review, occurring not less than once every three years, of the policies adopted by public institutions of higher education for the transfer of academic credit to ensure compliance with the credit transfer standards; and (3) preparation of the annual credit transfer report.The bill also requires each public institution of higher education to provide transfer students with data on program outcomes of students who have transferred from other public institutions of higher education in the State, including completion rates. The bill includes technical corrections to: (1) remove references in existing law to the "collective Statewide transfer agreement" and the "collective Statewide reverse transfer agreement;" and (2) update outdated references. | In Committee |
| S3177 | Establishes fringe benefit rate for State public higher education institutions; requires employer pay for health care benefits for certain part-time faculty. | This bill requires that, beginning with the State fiscal year 2023, the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury will establish a separate fringe benefit rate for State public higher education institutions. The separate fringe benefit rate will reflect the actual cost of employee retirement programs at those colleges and universities, and will be applied to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs. The payments to the State in accordance with the new rate established by the director by the payments that would be required using the rate calculated in accordance with the process used prior to the effective date of the act by more than $47 million of the difference between the total amount as calculated using the new rate and as calculated using the rate in accordance with the process used prior to the effective date of this bill. Under current law, the fringe rate used is not specific to employees at the State's public colleges and universities, but to State employees in general. This can cause inequities as many State employees are enrolled in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), while many of the employees employed by State public colleges and universities as enrolled in the Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP). The bill also amends current law to change the eligibility of a part-time faculty member, including part-time lecturers, faculty holding fractional appointments, and adjunct faculty members, employed by a public institution of higher education in the State to enroll in two plans offered by the State Health Benefits Program. Under the bill a part-time faculty member would be considered a full-time faculty member if they satisfy the following conditions: (a) during the immediately prior fiscal year, July 1 through June 30, the part-time faculty member taught courses totaling at least 24 credits at one or more public institutions of higher education during the summer session, fall semester, winter session, or spring semester; and (b) the part-time faculty member is appointed to teach courses totaling at least 12 credits between July 1 and December 31 of the current fiscal year. The bill provides an opportunity to meet the conditions at separate times and subsequently enroll in SHBP. For example, under the bill if a part-time faculty member taught courses totaling at least 24 credits between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022, and on August 15, 2022 the faculty member receives notice of appointments to teach 12 credits between September 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022, then the part-time faculty member will be deemed eligible to enroll in the SHBP effective September 1, 2022 and health care benefits will continue through September 30, 2023. If during the 2023 fiscal year (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023), the part-faculty member again satisfies the condition of teaching 24 credits, the part-time faculty member's health care benefits will continue through September 30, 2024, provided the faculty member also satisfies the condition of being appointed to teach 12 credits between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. Under current law, adjunct faculty members are eligible for enrollment in the SHBP if the employer is participating in the SHBP and the adjunct is enrolled in the pension system, but the employer is not responsible for any cost associated unless a binding collective negotiations agreement requires the employer to assume some or all of the SHBP cost. The bill also specifies that the State Health Benefits Commission will promulgate rules to bill public institutions of higher education employing part-time faculty who satisfy the eligibility requirements for enrollment in the SHBP. Billing will be proportional based on the number of credits a part-time faculty member taught in the prior fiscal year at a public institution of higher education. In addition, the commission will promulgate rules to designate the public institution of higher education that will have responsibility for enrolling the part-time faculty member in the SHBP. 12/21/2023. | In Committee |
| S3180 | Revises NJBEST one-time grant to annual grant of up to $1,500 for certain contributors. | This bill increases the New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) grant from a one-time $750 matching grant to an annual $1,500 savings incentive grant for certain contributors. Current law establishes that a NJBEST account opened on or after June 29, 2021 that is owned by a taxpayer with an adjusted gross income below $75,000 may receive a dollar-for-dollar match grant of the initial deposit, up to $750. Under the bill, a NJBEST account that has a contributor with an adjusted gross income ranging from $0 to $75,000 may receive an annual savings incentive grant of up to $1,500 until the designated beneficiary is 14 years of age. The amount of the grant is to be equal to three dollars for every dollar the account owner deposits into the account each year, up to a maximum annual grant of $1,500 per account. Additionally, the bill permits the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to fund the annual savings incentive grants from administrative fees, defined as funds the authority charges, imposes, or collects in connection with any agreement, contract, or transaction relating to the NJBEST program. | In Committee |
| S3175 | Removes registered apprenticeship program requisites of public work contractors; sets apprenticeship standards for prevailing wage projects. | This bill amends the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act" by setting a standard for apprenticeship programs if a contractor or subcontractor chooses to participate in an apprenticeship program. The bill revises "The Public Works Contractor Registration Act" by removing the requirement that a contractor participate in a registered apprenticeship program in order to be eligible for public works projects. | In Committee |
| S3185 | Restricts landlord from imposing charge on applicant or tenant for keeping pets in residential rental units. | This bill prohibits a landlord from charging a tenant, including an applicant or prospective tenant, additional rent or fees because the tenant has a pet or intends to keep a pet in the residential rental dwelling unit. The bill defines the term "pet" to mean a domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the dwelling unit of that animal's owner. The bill defines the term "tenant" to mean: (1) any person who rents or leases, for a term of at least one month, a dwelling unit, except dwelling units in hotels, motels, or other guest houses serving transient or seasonal guests; and (2) an applicant, prospective tenant, or other person who applies to rent or lease, or seeks to rent or lease, for a term of at least one month, dwelling units, except dwelling units in hotels, motels, or other guest houses serving transient or seasonal guests. Specifically, the bill prohibits a landlord from:§ charging a tenant, as defined in the bill, additional rent, fees, or other increases to the monthly rent, nonrefundable or otherwise, because the tenant keeps, or intends to keep, a pet in the dwelling unit;§ requiring as a condition for a lease, lease addendum, or lease application that a tenant pay any additional fees or charges, nonrefundable or otherwise, because the tenant keeps, or intends to keep, a pet in the dwelling unit; and § including within any lease, lease addendum, or lease application a provision requiring additional fees or charges, nonrefundable or otherwise, because the tenant keeps, or intends to keep, a pet in the dwelling unit. The bill would permit a landlord to charge a one-time, refundable pet security deposit of no more than $500, which would be included within the total security deposit limit set forth by present law. The bill would also codify certain State case law by prohibiting a landlord from requiring a security deposit in excess of one and a half times the monthly rent because the tenant keeps or intends to keep one or more pets. A violation of the bill would: (1) permit a tenant to petition the court to terminate a lease or agreement in violation of the bill, and to recover reasonable attorney's fees or expenses; and (2) subject a landlord to a private cause of action, brought at the discretion of the tenant, who would be permitted to recover $1,000 from the landlord for each offense, in addition to reasonable attorney's fees or expenses. The remedies provided to a tenant would function in addition to, and are not to interfere with, existing remedies available pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1971, c.223 (C.46:8-21.1 et seq.). The bill would take effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment, and apply to tenancies commencing on or after the effective date of the bill, and to oral or written representations made by a landlord, applications offered by a landlord, and submitted applications by a tenant beginning on or after the effective date of the bill. | In Committee |
| S3181 | Prohibits collection of biometric identifier information by public or private entity under certain circumstances. | This bill prohibits the collection of biometric identifier information by public or private entities of this State under certain circumstances. Under the bill, any public or private entity of this State is prohibited from collecting, retaining, converting, storing, or sharing any biometric identifier information unless the public or private entity posts clear and conspicuous notice, written in plain language, at every common entryway regarding its use of a biometric surveillance system. The bill defines "biometric surveillance system" to mean any computer system or software that collects biometric identifier information using various methods, including but not limited, to facial, iris, retina, voice, fingerprint, or palm recognition technologies; and "biometric identifier information" to mean any data collected through a biometric surveillance system that assists in identifying a person or capturing information about a person based on the person's unique physical characteristics or traits. Any public or private entity of this State that violates the provisions of this bill would be liable to a civil administrative penalty of $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for any second or subsequent violation. In addition, any pattern of violations of the bill's provisions would constitute a fourth-degree crime. Under the bill, a pattern of violations would be established when a public or private entity is found to have committed five or more violations of the provisions of this bill, provided that each violation occurs on a separate day within the same thirty-day period. A subsequent violation of the bill's provisions committed by a public or private entity after being previously convicted of a fourth-degree crime would be a third-degree crime. A fourth-degree crime is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, or both. A crime of the third degree is punishable by a fine of up to $15,000, a term of imprisonment of three to five years, or both. | In Committee |
| S3182 | Prohibits use of biometric surveillance system by business entity under certain circumstances. | This bill prohibits the use of a biometric surveillance system on a consumer under certain circumstances. Under the bill, a business entity is prohibited from using a biometric surveillance system on a consumer at the physical premises of the business entity, unless: (1) the business entity provides clear and conspicuous notice to the consumer regarding its use of a biometric surveillance system; and (2) the biometric surveillance system is used for a lawful purpose. The business entity may satisfy the notice requirement by posting a sign in a conspicuous location at the perimeter of any area where a biometric surveillance system is being used. However, under the bill, if a business entity uses information obtained through a biometric surveillance system to deny a consumer access to its premises or to remove a consumer from its premises, the business entity is required to provide the consumer with a detailed explanation regarding its actions and the criteria used by the business entity in making its determination. The bill provides that a business entity will not be liable for a first violation if, within thirty days, the business entity demonstrates compliance with the provisions of this section. In addition, the bill prohibits a business entity from selling, leasing, trading, sharing, or otherwise profiting from information obtained through the business entity's use of a biometric surveillance system on a consumer. A violation of the bill's provisions is an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, violations may result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured party. | In Committee |
| S2422 | Establishes occupational heat stress standard and "Occupational Heat-Related Illness and Injury Prevention Program" in DOLWD. | Establishes occupational heat stress standard and "Occupational Heat-Related Illness and Injury Prevention Program" in DOLWD. | In Committee |
| S2157 | Requires NJ E-ZPass to establish and maintain user-friendly online payment process. | This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to establish and maintain an online payment processing system for the payment of any fees or fines allocated under the State's electronic toll collection system. The online payment processing system is required to increase the ease of use, increase accessibility for all users, minimize network errors, and include a live chat function to assist users with any issues that may arise while using the system. The bill requires the NJTA and the SJTA to maintain and upgrade the system on a regular basis. The bill also requires the NJTA and the SJTA to ensure that the payment processing system maintained by the New Jersey E-ZPass Group or contracted vendor, as applicable, complies with the requirements set forth in the bill, including conducting an annual performance audit of the system. | In Committee |
| S3090 | Requires certain employers to provide certain employees with notifications concerning federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. | This bill requires an employer in the State who is designated as a qualifying employer under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF), established under the "College Cost Reduction and Access Act," to provide information concerning the PSLF program to employees during the explanation of benefits conducted at the beginning of employment. Under this bill, a qualifying employer will be required to notify an employee about potential eligibility for the PSLF program and of the requirements to qualify for the PSLF program, which include, but are not limited to, the following:· employment by a qualifying employer;· a work schedule of at least 30 hours per week for the qualifying employer or a schedule that meets the qualifying employer's definition of full-time work, whichever is greater; · a balance with the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program offered by the U.S. Department of Education or consolidation of other federal student loans into a Direct Loan;· repayment of loans under an income-driven repayment plan; and· payment of 120 payments. | In Committee |
| S3085 | Requires public service employer to certify employment of qualifying employees under federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program; requires Secretary of Higher Education to develop materials to promote Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. | This bill requires a public service employer to certify the employment of qualifying employees under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For the purposes of certifying employment for educator employees, the employer is required to credit 3.35 hours worked for each hour of lecture or classroom time. Under the bill, this credit does not supersede any greater adjustment factor established by a collective bargaining agreement or employer policy in recognition of additional work associated with lecture or classroom time for the purpose of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The bill also provides that, in the event that the United States Department of Education permits public service employers to certify employment for past or present individual employees or groups of employees directly with the department or its agents, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public service employer is permitted to send to the department or its agents the information necessary for employment certification. Under the bill, in the event that a public service employer does not directly certify employment with the United States Department of Education, the public service employer is required to provide notice of renewal and a copy of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness form with the employer information and employment certification sections of the form already completed to:· any employee who requests a Public Service Loan Forgiveness form;· annually for any current employee for whom the public service employer has previously certified employment; and· upon separation for any employee who is ending his or her work with the public service employer. The bill also requires the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Student Loan Ombudsman designated within the Department of Banking and Insurance, to develop, and update as necessary, materials designed to promote and increase awareness of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, including:· a standardized letter for public service employers to distribute to their employees that briefly summarizes the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, provides information about what eligible employees are required to do in order to benefit from the program, and recommends that eligible employees contact their student loan servicer for additional resources;· a detailed fact sheet describing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, including the official website addresses maintained by the United State Department of Education for the program and by the United States Department of the Treasury for student loan borrower resources; and· a document containing frequently asked questions about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Under the bill, each public service employer is required to annually provide to all employees the most recent available version of those materials in written or electronic form. Each public service employer is required to provide a newly hired employee with those same materials within 30 days of the employee's first day of employment by mail, by electronic mail, or during an in-person new employee orientation. | In Committee |
| S3083 | Requires four-year public institutions of higher education to provide on website certain information on online degree students and graduate degree students. | Under the provisions of the "New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act," P.L.2009, c.197 (C.18A:3B-43 et seq.), four-year public institutions of higher education are required to provide for public inspection on their websites information on the cost of attendance, the graduation rates of admitted students, and the faculty of the institution. The purpose of the information is to maximize the awareness of students and their families of the costs associated with enrollment in the institution, the institution's success in ensuring the graduation of its students, and the composition of the teaching faculty that a student will encounter in the student's coursework. This bill amends that law to require the institutions to also provide the information on students who are exclusively enrolled in online education courses at the institution, and for students enrolled in a graduate degree program at the institution. | In Committee |
| S3088 | Requires collection of deoxyribonucleic acid sample for certain crimes. | This bill amends the "DNA Database and Databank Act of 1994" to require DNA samples to be collected when a person is arrested for human trafficking, arson, or car-jacking. Any person convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment for human trafficking, arson, car-jacking or for any attempt made to commit these crimes on or after January 1, 2026 will be required to have blood or another biological sample collected for DNA testing. Additionally, a person convicted on or after January 1, 2026 of human trafficking, arson, or car-jacking but who is not sentenced to a term of confinement will also be required to provide a blood or other biological sample for DNA testing purposes. A person who was convicted and imprisoned prior to January 1, 2026 will be required to provide a DNA sample before being paroled or released from prison. Lastly, a person arrested, but not convicted or imprisoned, for human trafficking, arson, or car-jacking will be required to provide a blood or other biological sample for DNA testing. | In Committee |
| S3087 | Prohibits NJTA from passing credit card processing fees to toll payers. | This bill prohibits the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) from charging toll payers or New Jersey E-ZPass account holders for any fees associated with the processing of credit card transactions or other similar electronic transactions. The bill codifies an existing practice of the NJTA. | In Committee |
| S3086 | Increases penalties imposed on juveniles and adults convicted of motor vehicle theft and related crimes. | This bill increases the penalties imposed on juveniles and adults convicted of motor vehicle theft and related crimes. The bill specifically provides that a person convicted of a first offense of theft of a motor vehicle would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 180 days without eligibility for parole. A person convicted of a second or subsequent offense would be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year without eligibility for parole. The court may also require a person to pay monetary restitution to any person or entity who has suffered loss resulting from personal injuries or damage to property as a result of the offense. A juvenile adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute the crime of theft of a motor vehicle, or the crime of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (joy riding) and operating it in a manner that creates a risk of injury or risk of property damage would be sentenced to incarceration for a term of 30 days for a first offense. For a second offense, the juvenile would be sentenced to incarceration for a term of 60 days followed by a period of time in a nonresidential program operated by a public or private agency. For a third or subsequent offense, the juvenile would be sentenced to incarceration for a term of six months, followed by a period of time in a nonresidential program. If the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute the crime of entering and riding in a motor vehicle knowing that the motor vehicle has been taken or is being operated without the consent of the owner, the court would order the juvenile incarcerated for a term of 10 days, followed by a term of community service for at least 30 days. Under current law, the court may require a juvenile to make restitution to a person or entity who has suffered loss resulting from personal injuries or damage to property as a result of the offense for which the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent. Under the bill, the court would not be permitted to order a juvenile who has been adjudicated delinquent for an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute the crime of theft of a motor vehicle, the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, or joyriding to pay restitution. Finally, the provisions of the bill provide that any person who is at least 18 years of age who knowingly uses, solicits, directs, hires, or employs a person 17 years of age or younger to commit theft of a motor vehicle, the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, or joyriding is to be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of between six months and one year for a first offense, and not less than five years for a second or subsequent offense. According to New Jersey officials, as of May 2022 car thefts have increased 37% compared to 2021 and 53% compared to 2020. There were 14,320 vehicles stolen in New Jersey in 2021. Nationally, the National Insurance Crime Bureau has reported an "unprecedented" rise in car thefts and carjackings in recent years, increasing by 16.5% across the country in 2021 compared to 2019 and nearly 29% compared to 2017. In the view of the sponsor, the increasing numbers of car thefts have had many negative impacts on the community, ranging from an increased fear of crime to the loss of transportation when a vehicle is stolen and costs for car insurance. | In Committee |
| S3082 | Allows students to use portion of opportunity grant awards under Educational Opportunity Fund program during summer session. | This bill provides that a student may elect to use a portion of an opportunity grant funded through the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), during the summer session following the academic year for courses that fulfill graduation requirements or award credits in the student's academic major. The student would be responsible for notifying the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education of the intent to use a portion of the award during the summer. The Secretary of Higher Education would adjust the amount of the student's award that will be disbursed during the academic year, and notify the student that using a portion of the grant during the summer session will reduce the amount of the award that will be disbursed during the academic year. The secretary would also be required to annually report the number of students who did and did not use a portion of a grant award to enroll in courses during the summer, and the number and percent of these students who graduated within 100 percent and 150 percent of average completion time. This bill implements a recommendation of the College Affordability Study Commission which released its final report in September 2016. | In Committee |
| S3009 | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey." | This bill establishes the "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey." Under the bill, all statutes, rules, and regulations, in this State including all local laws or ordinances related to the elective franchise must be construed liberally in favor of: (1) protecting the right of voters to have their ballot cast and counted; (2) ensuring that eligible voters are not impaired in registering to vote; and (3) ensuring voters of race, color, and language-minority groups have equitable access to fully participate in the electoral process in registering to vote and voting. The bill prohibits the authority to prescribe or maintain voting or elections policies and practices to be so exercised as to unnecessarily deny or abridge the right to vote. The bill also prohibits a local election office or political subdivision from using a method of election that has the effect of impairing the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of elections, as a result of vote dilution. The bill requires that any policy and practice that burdens the right to vote must be narrowly tailored to promote a compelling policy justification that must be supported by substantial evidence. The bill provides factors for determining if a violation of the bill has occurred, including if a voter's right to vote has been violated or if the voter has experienced vote dilution. Under the bill, if a violation of the provisions of the bill occurs, the bill provides a remedy process, including for apportionment and redistricting maps. The bill provides that after a New Jersey Voter Empowerment Act (NJVEA) notification letter is mailed from a prospective plaintiff to a political subdivision, the political submission may pass an NJVEA resolution reaffirming: (1) the political subdivision's intention to enact and implement a remedy for a potential violation of the bill; (2) specific steps the political subdivision will undertake to facilitate approval and implementation of such a remedy; and (3) a schedule for enacting and implementing such a remedy. The bill provides that if the governing body of a political subdivision lacks the authority under this act or applicable State law or local laws to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, or fails to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, within 90 days after the passage of the resolution, or if the political subdivision is a covered entity as defined by the bill, the governing body of the political subdivision must coordinate with the Attorney General to resolve the violation, including reaffirming that any proposal is unlikely to violate the United States Constitution, New Jersey Constitution, or any federal or State law; and is feasible to implement. Under the bill, the Attorney General is provided with certain preclearance powers. The bill provides that if certain political subdivisions that have been the subject to court order or government enforcement action based on violations of the bill; the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended; the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution, or a voting-related violation of the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution, may be subject to preclearance, which is the process of obtaining prior approval from the Attorney General or a court of this State for any changes related to election procedures in that political subdivision. The bill provides assistance to language-minority groups. Under the bill, a local election office or a political subdivision that administers elections must provide language-related assistance in voting and elections to a language-minority group in a political subdivision if, based on data from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, or data of comparable quality collected by a public office, that: (1) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than 100 individuals, eligible voters of a political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient; or (2) more than 4,000 of eligible voters of such political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient. The bill further provides that a local election office or political subdivision required to provide language assistance to a particular language-minority group pursuant to this section must provide voting materials in the covered language of an equal quality of the corresponding English language materials, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other physical or online materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots. Under the bill, any aggrieved persons or organization whose membership includes aggrieved persons or members of a protected class, organization whose mission, in whole or in part, is to ensure voting access and such mission would be hindered by a violation of this bill, or the Attorney General may file an action pursuant to the bill in court. The bill provides that any action or investigation to enforce any provision of this bill, the Attorney General would have the authority to take proof and determine relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil and criminal laws of this State. The bill also establishes the "New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute," at a public university in New Jersey, to maintain and administer a database and central repository of elections and voting data available to the public from all local election offices and political subdivisions in the State of New Jersey and to foster, pursue, and sponsor research on existing laws and best practices in voting and elections. The bill also contains a severability provision. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, or other portion of the bill is for any reason held or declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or preempted by federal law, or the applicability of that portion to any person or facility is held invalid, the remainder of the bill would not thereby be deemed to be unconstitutional, preempted, or invalid. The purpose of this bill is to: (1) encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible voters to the maximum extent; (2) ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups have an equal opportunity to participate in the political processes of this State and exercise the elective franchise; (3) improve the quality and availability of demographic and election data; and (4) protect eligible voters against intimidation and deceptive practices. This bill would take effect immediately. | In Committee |
| S3062 | Prohibits casino licensees from using non-wagering casino games to solicit future gaming. | Under this bill, a casino licensee, through its agents, employees, or any contracted operator, or any party with which the casino licensee has a relationship, to conduct a non-wagering casino game that provides a reward for immediate or continued participation or that serves to solicit future participation in wagering activities. As used in this bill, "non-wagering casino game" means any game, conducted in person or via the Internet, which offers participants an experience equivalent to, or with similar odds of winning as, a game that ordinarily requires a casino license to be conducted, except that the game does not require any initial monetary investment on behalf of the participants to play. This bill is intended to address a practice whereby casinos may engage with applications with games that simulate the experience of playing real casino games, but for fictitious points or credits rather than real world things of value. The participants in these games, some of whom may be underage at the time, are incentivized to "practice" playing the games with the promise that one day they may be able redeem those points or credits for better terms, or something else of value, received from the casino licensee. This bill would make it unlawful for any casino licensee to engage in this practice. | In Committee |
| S3063 | Permits civil liability against casinos and simulcast facilities for reckless indifference or intentional misconduct toward persons self-excluded from gaming activities. | This bill permits civil liability against casinos and simulcast facilities, and their employees, for their failure to withhold gaming privileges from, or restore gaming privileges to, persons voluntarily participating in the New Jersey Casino Self-Exclusion Program, or for permitting a self-excluded person to engage in gaming activity while on the self-exclusion list, if the casinos and simulcast facilities, or their employees, acted with reckless indifference or intentional misconduct against self-excluded persons. Under current law, a licensed casino or simulcasting facility, and their employees, cannot be held civilly liable to any party in any judicial proceeding for any harm which may arise as a result from their failure to withhold gaming privileges from, or restore gaming privileges to, or for permitting a self-excluded person to engage in gaming activity. The New Jersey Casino Gambling Self-Exclusion Program was established in 2001 to allow people with a gambling problem to voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling in all Atlantic City casinos. In 2013, the program was expanded to also include self-exclusion for Internet gaming activities. | In Committee |
| S3032 | Establishes "College Child Care Advisory Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations on providing programs and services for college students who require child care services. | Establishes "College Child Care Advisory Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations on providing programs and services for college students who require child care services. | In Committee |
| S3033 | Requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to consider combined income of all cosigners on application for participation in New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program. | In order to be eligible for a loan under the New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program, an applicant is required to meet all the eligibility criteria, including the income requirement, for a loan. Most students, lacking sufficient income to meet this requirement, have one or more cosigners on their application. In some cases, a student who has two parents cosign a loan is ineligible to participate in the NJCLASS loan program because neither parent meets the minimum income requirement, even though their combined income exceeds the requirement. This bill directs the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, when setting a minimum income requirement to determine the eligibility of a prospective borrower, to consider the combined incomes of all cosigners on an application for participation in the NJCLASS Loan Program. | In Committee |
| S2352 | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey." | This bill establishes the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey" and is modeled after the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York." Under the bill, all statutes, rules, and regulations, in this State including all local laws or ordinances related to the elective franchise must be construed liberally in favor of: (1) protecting the right of voters to have their ballot cast and counted; (2) ensuring that eligible voters are not impaired in registering to vote; and (3) ensuring voters of race, color, and language-minority groups have equitable access to fully participate in the electoral process in registering to vote and voting. The bill prohibits the authority to prescribe or maintain voting or elections policies and practices to be so exercised as to unnecessarily deny or abridge the right to vote. The bill also prohibits a county board of elections or political subdivision from using a method of election that has the effect of impairing the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of elections, as a result of vote dilution. The bill requires any policy and practice that burdens the right to vote must be narrowly tailored to promote a compelling policy justification that must be supported by substantial evidence. The bill provides factors for determining if a violation of the bill has occurred, including if a voter's right to vote has been violated or if the voter has experienced vote dilution. Under the bill, if a violation of the provision of the bill occurs, the bill provides a remedy process, including for apportionment and redistricting maps. The bill provides that after a New Jersey Voting Rights Act notification letter is mailed from a prospective plaintiff to a political subdivision the political submission may pass a New Jersey Voting Rights Act resolution reaffirming: (1) the political subdivision's intention to enact and implement a remedy for a potential violation of the bill; (2) specific steps the political subdivision will undertake to facilitate approval and implementation of such a remedy; and (3) a schedule for enacting and implementing such a remedy. The bill provides that if the governing body of a political subdivision lacks the authority under this act or applicable State law or local laws to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, or fails to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, within 90 days after the passage of the resolution, or if the political subdivision is a covered entity as defined by the bill, the governing body of the political subdivision must coordinate with the Division on Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety to resolve the violation, including reaffirming that any proposal is unlikely to violate the United States Constitution, New Jersey Constitution, or any federal or State law, would not diminish the ability of protected class members to participate in the political process and to elect their preferred candidates to office; and is feasible to implement. Under the bill, the Attorney General and the Division on Civil Rights are provided with certain preclearance powers. The bill provides that if certain political subdivisions that have been the subject to court order or government enforcement action based on violations of the bill; the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended; the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution, or a voting-related violation of the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution, may be subject to preclearance, which is the process of obtaining prior approval from the Division on Civil Rights or a court of this State for any changes related to election procedures in that political subdivision. The bill provides assistance to language-minority groups. Under the bill, a county board of elections or a political subdivision that administers elections must provide language-related assistance in voting and elections to a language-minority group in a political subdivision if, based on data from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, or data of comparable quality collected by a public office, that: (1) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than 300 individuals, of the citizens of voting age of a political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient; or (2) more than 4,000 of the citizens of voting age of such political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient. The bill further provides that a county board of elections or political subdivision required to provide language assistance to a particular language-minority group pursuant to this section must provide voting materials in the covered language of an equal quality of the corresponding English language materials, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots. Under the bill, any aggrieved persons or organization whose membership includes aggrieved persons or members of a protected class, organization whose mission, in whole or in part, is to ensure voting access and such mission would be hindered by a violation of this bill, or the Attorney General may file an action pursuant to the bill in court. The bill provides that any action or investigation to enforce any provision of this bill, the Attorney General would have the authority to take proof and determine relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil and criminal laws of this State. The bill also contains a severability provision. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, or other portion of the bill is for any reason held or declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or preempted by federal law, or the applicability of that portion to any person or facility is held invalid, the remainder of the bill would not thereby be deemed to be unconstitutional, preempted, or invalid. The purpose of this bill is to: (1) encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible voters to the maximum extent; (2) ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups have an equal opportunity to participate in the political processes of this State and exercise the elective franchise; (3) improve the quality and availability of demographic and election data; and (4) protect eligible voters against intimidation and deceptive practices. This bill would take effect on the first day of the 18th month next following the date of enactment, except that the Attorney General may take any anticipatory action in advance thereof. | Dead |
| S2933 | Requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to permit certain students to submit monthly expense and resource statement for income verification; requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to impute in-kind support amounts. | Under current policy, students applying for a State grant or scholarship under the purview of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), who are requested by HESAA to submit documentation to verify income and assets, are only permitted to submit documentable proof produced by a State or federal government agency, for the purposes of the verification. Documentable proof produced by a State or federal agency may include, but is not limited to, income tax return transcripts, actual copies of income tax returns, Internal Revenue Service Wage and Income transcripts, and proof of receipt of State or federal public benefits such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security benefits, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or unemployment benefits. When the income and assets of a student or a student's parents or guardians cannot be verified through such documentable proof, the student is not considered for State grants or scholarships. This bill would require HESAA to permit the submission of monthly expense and resource statements for those applicant students who cannot verify income and assets through documentable proof produced by a State or federal agency. The bill also requires HESAA to impute in-kind support amounts, which are to assume a minimal standard of living, on a student's monthly expense and resource statement, if the student records zero income and assets. In-kind support includes amounts paid for certain expenses on behalf of a student, or the student and the student's parents or guardians in the case of a dependent student, that are not considered loans. | In Committee |
| S2926 | Enhances access to certain foreclosure counseling services. | This bill is intended to enhance access to financial counseling services for homeowners facing foreclosure. Under existing law, a homeowner facing foreclosure is required to engage in financial counseling as a prerequisite for participating in foreclosure mediation services offered by the Judiciary. These existing counseling services are funded by the "New Jersey Foreclosure Counseling Fund" (counseling fund), administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA). This bill would expressly provide that the financial counseling services would be offered through the counseling fund to homeowners facing foreclosure, regardless of whether a homeowner intends to participate in foreclosure mediation. The bill would further provide that, whenever a residential mortgage lender provides a homeowner with a notice of intention to foreclose, no later than one business day following that action, the lender would also be required to notify HMFA, for the purpose of facilitating housing counseling outreach. Upon receiving this notice, the bill requires HMFA to ensure that a trained foreclosure prevention and default mitigation counselor promptly and diligently contacts the homeowner to offer counseling services. The bill takes effect on the first day of the fourth month following enactment, and directs HMFA to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of the bill on or before the effective date. | In Committee |
| S2932 | Establishes process for county colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs in certain critcal-need applied science fields. | This bill establishes a process for a county college to offer a baccalaureate degree in the area of applied sciences. Under the bill, the board of trustees of a county college may submit a proposal to the New Jersey Presidents' Council for the establishment of a baccalaureate degree program in an applied sciences field in which a critical shortage of qualified labor exists, or is projected to exist, in the region. Under the bill, the New Jersey Presidents' Council is directed to review the proposal and notify the board of trustees of any deficiencies in writing, and the council must provide the board of trustees with an opportunity to correct the deficiencies. The New Jersey Presidents' Council must forward the proposal, with its recommendation for approval or disapproval of the proposal, to the Secretary of Higher Education. The secretary is directed to provide the county college with a written determination on the approval or disapproval of the proposal. The bill provides that the establishment of a baccalaureate degree program by a county college will be dependent upon the county college receiving accreditation for the program by the appropriate accrediting body. A county college may offer no more than three baccalaureate degree programs through the bill's provisions. Seven years following the establishment of a baccalaureate degree program, the board of trustees of the county college must submit a report to the secretary, the Governor, and to the Legislature on the implementation and impact of its baccalaureate program. The secretary is directed to then make a recommendation to the Governor and to the Legislature on the advisability of continuing the program. | In Committee |
| SJR98 | Designates second week in May of each year as "Food Allergy Awareness Week." | This joint resolution designates the second week in May of each year as "Food Allergy Awareness Week." Food allergies affect approximately 15 million Americans, including six million children. A food allergy is an immune system response to a food the body mistakenly believes is harmful. When a person with a food allergy consumes food containing allergens, his or her immune system releases certain chemicals, such as histamine, that trigger symptoms affecting the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin, and the cardiovascular system. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 1997 and 2011, the prevalence of food allergies rose 50 percent and appears to be increasing among children. Those suffering from food allergies are typically allergic to foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. There is no cure for food allergies, and as a result, strict avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction. Managing a food allergy on a daily basis involves constant vigilance as trace amounts of an allergen can trigger an allergic reaction in certain individuals. Public education regarding food allergies is necessary to promote food allergy awareness and support those who are impacted by food allergies. | In Committee |
| S2929 | Creates first degree crime of home invasion, makes crime subject to No Early Release Act, and upgrades burglary of residence to second degree crime under certain circumstances. | This bill creates the first degree crime of home invasion and makes this crime subject to the No Early Release Act. In addition, the bill upgrades burglary of a residence to a second degree crime under certain circumstances. Specifically, under the provisions of the bill, a person commits the crime of home invasion if he or she enters a person's residence with the intent to commit a robbery, a first or second degree crime, or certain kidnapping and sexual crimes or offenses when another person or persons are present and the actor: 1) uses force or inflicts bodily injury on a person in the residence; 2) threatens a person in the residence with, or purposely or knowingly, puts the person in fear of immediate bodily injury; 3) commits, attempts to commit, or threatens to commit any first or second degree crime or certain kidnapping and sexual crimes and offenses; or 4) is armed with or threatens the use of a deadly weapon or explosive. The bill requires a mandatory term of imprisonment of between 10 years and 30 years for the crime of home invasion. Additionally, the convicted offender would be required to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed, without possibility of parole, since the bill includes the crime of home invasion under the No Early Release Act, P.L.1997, c.117 (C.2C:43-7.2 et al.). A convicted offender also could be subject to a fine of up to $200,000 (the ordinary fine amount applicable to first degree crimes). As to burglary, this crime is upgraded to a second degree crime if a person enters a residence when a resident or any other person, other than a person acting in concert with the actor, is present in the home. The bill provides that knowledge that another person was in the home would not be an element of this upgraded crime, and it would not be a defense that the offender was unaware that another person was present in the home when they entered the residence. The upgraded crime would be punishable by a term of imprisonment between five to 10 years, a fine up to $150,000, or both. Under current law, burglary is only a crime of the second degree if the defendant inflicted, attempted to inflict, or threatened bodily injury or was armed during the course of the offense. In all other circumstances, burglary is a crime of the third degree (ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of between three to five years, a fine not up to $15,000, or both). | In Committee |
| S2927 | Affords civil immunity to private colleges and their police officers in certain cases. | This bill affords immunity from civil liability for damages to police officers appointed by a private, nonprofit institution of higher education if they act in good faith in the execution or enforcement of any law. The bill similarly provides civil immunity to the private, nonprofit institution of higher education where the police officer is appointed. This bill does not provide immunity for civil liability in excess of civil liability provided to other duly appointed police officers. | In Committee |
| S2934 | Prohibits misrepresentation of federal tuition benefits to service members and veterans and establishes public awareness campaign on certain higher education benefits available to service members and veterans. | This bill prohibits the misrepresentation of federal tuition benefits to service members and veterans and requires the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to establish a public awareness campaign on certain higher education benefits available to service members and veterans. The bill provides that it is an unlawful practice and a violation of the State consumer fraud act P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.) for an institution of higher education, degree-granting proprietary school, private career school, or a third party entity with an agreement to provide educational programs, marketing, advertising, recruiting, or admissions services on behalf of an institution or school, to misrepresent or engage in any unfair or deceptive practice toward a service member or veteran regarding: · the costs of enrollment at the institution or school; · the applicability of any federal tuition benefits for which the service member or veteran is eligible under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty program, the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve program, or any other federal higher education benefits towards program costs at the institution or school; or · the availability or nature of any financial assistance offered to students. The bill also directs the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, to establish a GI Bill public awareness campaign to educate service members and veterans about the applicability of any federal tuition benefits for which service members or veterans are, or will be, eligible under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program, the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty program, or the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve program. The campaign is required to include information about how a service member or veteran may:· determine eligibility for GI Bill benefits through the State Approving Agency;· verify that GI Bill benefits can be used at an institution, school, or program; and · access additional funding though other sources of financial aid or loans. | In Committee |
| S2924 | Regulates trauma scene waste management service providers. | This bill regulates trauma scene waste management service providers. Under the bill, a person is not to engage in trauma scene waste management services unless that person is licensed as a bio-recovery specialist and is employed by a licensed trauma scene waste management service provider. The Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety (division) is to establish a licensure program for bio-recovery specialists. To be licensed by the division as a bio-recovery specialist, the applicant is to obtain training certificates that meet federal requirements for biohazard industry training with respect to bloodborne pathogens, hazardous waste operations, and emergency response. Under the bill, the division is to establish a licensure program for trauma scene waste management service providers. To be licensed by the division as a trauma scene waste management service provider, the applicant will be required to: (1) submit documentation that the owner and each key employee is certified as a bio recovery technician by the American Bio Recovery Association; (2) submit to the division the results of a criminal history record background check of each key employee; (3) register with the Department of Environmental Protection as a medical waste generator or hold a current A-901 medical waste hauler license; (4) provide a written statement certifying that the applicant's staff is knowledgeable about the ANSI/IICRC S540 Standard for Trauma and Crime Scene Cleanup; and (5) comply with any other requirements established by the division. The bill provides that the Department of Health is to establish and maintain an electronic database, to be known as the Trauma Scene Waste Management Service Provider Registry (registry), which is to identify and provide contact information for each trauma scene waste management service provider licensed pursuant to this bill. Data in the registry is to be searchable by provider name. Upon publication of the registry, the Department of Health is to notify all law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and emergency medical services providers in the State about the availability of the registry, and those entities will be prohibited from providing referrals for or information about a trauma scene waste management service provider who is not listed in the registry. | In Committee |
| S2925 | Improves management and administration of New Jersey Better Education Savings Trust program; establishes grants and additional tax incentives for New Jersey Better Education Savings and Trust account contributions; creates New Jersey Better Education Savings and Trust Advisory Council. | This bill makes improvements to the New Jersey Better Education and Savings Trust (NJBEST) program to assist accountholders in saving for a college education. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in selecting an investment manager for NJBEST accounts, would be required to select the investment manager that charges the lowest possible fees and costs imposed by the manager or managers on yield to contributors. State law currently requires the authority to, among other criteria, consider the impact of fees and costs imposed by the manager on yield to contributors. The minimum dollar amount held in an NJBEST account that is required to be excluded when evaluating the financial needs of a student would also be raised from $25,000 to $50,000. Under current law, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority determines a dollar amount of an NJBEST account that: (1) is not permitted to be considered in evaluating the financial need of a student beneficiary enrolled in an institution of higher education located in the State or be deemed a financial resource or form of financial aid for purposes of determining the student beneficiary's eligibility for any State scholarship or grant; and (2) may not be used to reduce the amount of any scholarship, grant, or monetary assistance awarded by the State to which the student beneficiary is entitled. The authority may not set this dollar amount at less than $25,000. This bill would increase the amount to $50,000, thereby authorizing the exclusion of a greater amount of a NJBEST account from consideration in evaluating the student beneficiary's financial need for purposes of determining eligibility for any scholarship, grant or monetary assistance awarded by the State. The current income limitation for taxpayers who wish to deduct contributions made to an NJBEST account would be raised to $300,000 and permit a deduction of up to $15,000 in contributions from the taxpayer's gross income for the taxable year. Under current law, taxpayers with incomes of $200,000 or less may only deduct up to $10,000 in contributions made during the taxable year. Taxpayers with an annual gross income of $150,000 or less who frequently deposit into their NJBEST accounts would be eligible for grants of at least 10 percent of the initial deposit into the account up to $1,000 and for an additional grant of at least $100 for each year the taxpayer is enrolled in an automated investment plan except for the year in which the initial deposit is made. Currently, NJBEST accounts opened by taxpayers with gross incomes of $75,000 or less is only eligible for a one-time grant of up to $750 in a dollar-for-dollar match of the initial deposit into the account. In addition, taxpayers with a gross income of $150,000 or less would be eligible for a one-time grant of up to $500 in a dollar-for-dollar match of the initial deposit into an NJBEST account provided that the funds used for the initial deposit originate from an out-of-state account established pursuant to section 529 of the federal Internal Revenue Code. Grant funds received by the taxpayer would not be subject to State income taxes. This bill also creates the New Jersey Better Education Savings and Trust (NJBEST) Advisory Council within the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). The advisory council would advise the Governor and the Legislature on ways to improve the operation, management, and administration of the NJBEST program, reviewing, monitoring, and reporting the extent to which the NJBEST program has made a college education accessible and affordable to families across the State; and support existing, and recommending new, Statewide initiatives encouraging families to save for a college education by opening an NJBEST account. The advisory council would be composed of the following members: · the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee;· the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, or a designee;· the Commissioner of the Division of Banking and Insurance, or a designee;· a representative from an institution of higher education appointed by the Governor;· four members of the Legislature appointed by the President of the Senate, Minority Leader of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and· five public members appointed by the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leader of the General Assembly. Finally, the bill provides tax credits against taxes otherwise due under the State corporate business tax and the New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act for employers that make matching contributions to the NJBEST accounts of employees. Employers would be allowed a tax credit for the total amount of matching contributions made by the taxpayer to the NJBEST accounts of employees during the taxable year. To qualify for the tax credit, the taxpayer would report the names, addresses, and account numbers of the NJBEST accountholders employed by the taxpayer who received matching contributions during the taxable year and the amount of the contributions made to employee accounts. | In Committee |
| S2935 | Establishes commission to advise Secretary of Higher Education on students' issues of concern. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Higher Education Student Advisory Commission in, but not of, the Department of State. The commission will consist of 14 members appointed by the Secretary of Higher Education including: three student representatives of the State colleges and universities, a student representative of each of the four public research universities, three student representatives of the county colleges, three student representatives of the independent colleges and universities, and one student representative of a proprietary degree-granting institution. Under the bill, a student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary degree-granting institution in the State may submit an application to serve on the commission to the Secretary of Higher Education. The commission is charged with advising the secretary on system-wide issues of concern to students, which will include, but are not limited to, the following issues: postsecondary education affordability, student mental health, and campus safety. The commission is directed to annually report to the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees on the concerns, perspectives, and experiences of students attending institutions of higher education or proprietary degree-granting institutions in the State and may make recommendations on suggested legislative initiatives. | In Committee |
| S2928 | Awards credits to reduce the parole eligibility date of inmates who participate in college and associate degree educational programming. | This bill requires credits to reduce the parole eligibility date of an inmate to be awarded to an inmate who participates in college and associate degree educational programming. Under current law, an inmate may receive certain credits for "productive occupations" that reduce the inmate's parole eligibility date, provided the parolee has not been sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. These credits do not affect deductions for good behavior or other credits provided by law. Under current law, productive occupations include all education and workforce skills or vocational training programs made available to inmates. This bill provides that productive occupations also include college and associate degree educational programming made available to inmates. | In Committee |
| S198 | Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in, and requires divestment from, 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies. | This bill, would prohibit the Director of the Division of Investment (director) from investing any assets of the State retirement funds in any of the top 200 companies that hold the largest carbon content fossil fuel reserves. Under the bill, divestment from coal companies would be required to be completed within two years, and from all other fossil fuel companies within one year. The director would be authorized to cease divestment or reinvest in previously divested companies if the director demonstrates that, as a direct result of the divestment, the State retirement funds have or will become equal to or less than 99.5 percent of their hypothetical value had no divestment occurred. Finally, the bill would require the State Investment Council and the director to report on the divestment efforts required by the bill within 120 days of the bill's effective date, and annually thereafter. | In Committee |
| S2833 | Requires certain notice when redirecting consumers to website for ticket resale and establishes certain requirements for websites offering tickets for resale. | This bill requires additional disclosures for ticket brokers who operate a website to resell tickets. Brokers will be required to clearly and conspicuously provide notice: (1) that the website is for the secondary sale of tickets; (2) that tickets offered through the website for secondary sale do not mean that tickets for primary sale are no longer available; (3) that the price of a ticket offered for sale may exceed the face value price or the price set by the place of entertainment; and (4) of any refund policy of the ticket broker that is in place with regard to the postponement or cancellation of an event. The broker is to require a purchaser to confirm having read the information on these notices prior to completing a transaction. A ticket broker is to also clearly and conspicuously disclose the price charged by the place of entertainment that is printed or endorsed on the face of each ticket prior to the purchaser completing any transaction. The same disclosures and requirements of a ticket broker are also made applicable to ticket resale websites in the bill. Additionally, the bill requires a website operator with a ticket website for the sale or selling tickets to inform a consumer when the ticket website is redirecting the consumer to another website for the resale of tickets. The notice to consumers is to be in a clear and conspicuous location on the ticket website and in a minimum of 12-point, boldface font and is to disclose that the redirection to a website for the resale of tickets does not mean that 1) tickets offered through the ticket website for the sale or selling of tickets are sold out or 2) the prices for tickets on the ticket website for the resale of tickets are less expensive than the face value of the ticket or than the ticket website for the sale or selling of tickets. | In Committee |
| S2831 | Requires governing boards of public institutions of higher education to adopt tuition and fee schedules for ensuing academic year during Spring semester after issuance of Governor's recommended budget. | This bill would require governing boards of public institutions of higher education to adopt their tuition and fee schedules for the following academic year during the Spring semester after the release of the Governor's recommended budget. This bill is intended to ensure that the adoption of a tuition or fee schedule by a governing board occurs during a time period when members of the college community are present on campus, so that they have a greater opportunity to be heard on any proposed changes to the schedule. | In Committee |
| S2830 | Establishes certain protections against deed theft. | This bill implements certain protections against deed theft. First, the bill provides that a federal, State, or local government entity may move for a stay of any proceeding to recover possession of or quiet title to real property relating to a residential dwelling unit or property, if there is a pending good faith investigation into the theft or fraud in the title to, or the financing of, the premises that is the subject of the proceeding. Upon the agency's showing of the pendency of a good faith investigation, the court is required to issue a stay of the proceeding, including staying execution of a warrant of eviction or enforcement of a judgment so long as the investigation is ongoing. The bill stipulates that every six months, the court is required to schedule a status conference with the government agency and any other parties to the action to review any stay and to determine if the investigation is still continuing in good faith and is further required continue the stay of the proceeding until the government investigation is closed. A court may, in its discretion, review any supporting documents filed by the government entity in camera and to be filed under seal if deemed necessary by the government entity. Under the bill, the court is required to stay all proceedings; (1) to recover possession of or quiet title to real property relating to a residential dwelling unit or property, where a criminal complaint is filed against a party to the proceeding for deed theft, larceny, offering a false document for filing, criminal possession of stolen property or any other law asserting theft or fraud in obtaining title to property and the criminal complaint relates to the premises that is the subject of the proceeding. The stay is to remain in effect until resolution of the criminal action: (2) to recover possession of or quiet title to real property relating to a residential dwelling unit or property, where a federal, state or local government entity has commenced a civil action or proceeding relating to the theft or fraud in the title to, or the financing of, the premises that is the subject of the proceeding; and (3) relating to any landlord-tenant action for 90 days to allow a party to file a complaint in the appropriate forum when the court makes a determination that there is a bona fide dispute between parties purporting to own the property that is the subject of the proceeding. The provisions of the bill concerning the stay of proceedings do not apply to proceedings commenced against a person in possession who has entered the property or remains in possession by force or unlawful means and the person or the person's predecessor in interest was not in quiet possession for three years before the time of the forcible or unlawful entry or detainer. Under the bill, where a person has been convicted of a criminal offense in connection with a deed theft or fraudulent transaction involving real property, the conviction creates a rebuttable presumption that the deed transfer was fraudulent. This applies where a grantee of a fraudulent deed is an entity that is beneficially owned by the convicted person. The bill provides that, in cases where a defendant has been convicted after a trial or pled guilty to any crime that affects the title to, encumbrance of, or possession of, real property and where there is an instrument that is material to the encumbrance, transfer, or purchase of the real property, the Attorney General or any law enforcement agency may file a motion in Superior Court in the county where the property that is the subject of the instrument is located or the prosecution occurred, on behalf of the victim to void the instrument. The Superior Court is required to conduct a hearing and make findings of essential to the determination whether to declare the instrument void. Upon the defendant's conviction of or guilty plea, and after conducting a hearing pursuant to the bill, the court is required to make a determination, and if appropriate, order that the instrument be declared void or grant other appropriate relief to the victim. | In Committee |
| S2832 | Establishes pilot program in certain municipalities to make grants available to non-profit organizations to perform outreach regarding VCCO. | This bill requires the Department of Law and Public Safety to establish a three-year pilot program to make grants available to non-profit organizations to perform outreach in the community regarding the availability of compensation for crime victims provided by the Victims of Crime Compensation Office. Under the bill, the pilot program is to be established in the six urban municipalities with the highest crime index in this State, according to the most recent Uniform Crime Report prepared by the New Jersey Division of State Police. Finally, the bill requires the department to submit a report evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program to the Governor and the Legislature within 90 days after the completion of the pilot program. The report is to recommend whether the pilot program should be continued, expanded, or made permanent. | In Committee |
| S2829 | Establishes Open Public Records Act Review Committee. | This bill establishes an 11 member committee, to be known as the Open Public Records Act Review Committee. The study committee will examine how the open public records act, OPRA, is implemented and utilized in actual day-to-day situations. At a minimum, the committee will: review OPRA and examine how the statute compares with actual operation and use; evaluate OPRA in relation to increased crimes against public officials and societal changes in general; analyze how OPRA requests are balanced with the right to privacy; examine how OPRA has been used for commercial, marketing, business, and research purposes; research and review complaints regarding the use of OPRA to harass and obstruct government agencies; consider such other matters relating to OPRA as the members of the committee may deem appropriate; consider the feasibility of amending OPRA to limit requests for commercial purposes, provide records custodians additional time to respond to open public records requests, redact the personal information of minors, and revise the fees, fines, and penalties structure for a more balanced and modernized law; and make such other recommendations for legislation or such other action as it deems appropriate with regard to improving, expanding, and facilitating OPRA. The committee will report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor within one year of its initial organizational meeting. The committee will expire 30 days after submission of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor. | In Committee |
| S2776 | Establishes certain marine firefighting training course requirements. | This bill requires the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs to adopt Coast Guard approved basic, advanced, and in-service marine firefighting training courses for land-based firefighters. Under the bill, all firefighters in the State, paid and volunteer, would be required to complete the basic and advanced training courses, and in-service training courses. The bill provides that recruit firefighter training programs would be required to include the basic marine firefighting training course. Under the bill, a firefighter who completed a recruit firefighting training program prior to the bill's effective date would be required to complete the basic marine firefighting training course within one year. The bill provides that all firefighters would be required to complete the advanced marine firefighting training course within two years of completing the basic marine firefighting training course. Thereafter, firefighters would be required to complete in-service training every two years. Additionally, the bill requires the division to adopt a Coast Guard approved training course for qualification as an instructor of marine firefighting for land-based firefighters. A firefighter who has completed the basic and advanced training courses and is in compliance with the in-service training requirement established in the bill, or who otherwise has been certified by the division, would be eligible for marine firefighting instruction training. Upon completion of the training or other certification by the division, the bill provides that a firefighter would be qualified to provide the basic, advanced, in-service, and instruction training courses. | In Committee |
| S2782 | Establishes certain exclusions and credits under gross income and corporation business taxes for contributions to lifelong learning accounts. | This bill establishes certain tax exclusions and credits for the use of lifelong learning accounts (account) in order to finance worker training and education. Generally, the bill consists of four parts: gross income tax (GIT) exclusions for employer-provided account contributions and account earnings; a GIT credit for personal account contributions; GIT and corporation business tax (CBT) credits for employers making account contributions for their employees; and administrative provisions concerning the maintenance of the accounts. The bill allows a taxpayer to exclude from taxable gross income, employer contributions to the taxpayer's account of up to $2,500 per year and earnings on account balances. Generally, distributions from an account are treated as taxable income under the GIT, except in the case of certain account rollovers and account adjustments made due to excess contributions. The bill provides a GIT credit for a taxpayer's own contributions to the taxpayer's account. Generally, the credit is for 50 percent of a taxpayer's first $500 of account contributions, or $1,000 for taxpayers filing jointly, and 25 percent for the taxpayer's account contributions exceeding $500, or $1,000 for taxpayers filing jointly. The maximum creditable contribution amount varies based on the taxpayer's filing status and annual income level. Generally, individual filers are allowed a maximum creditable contribution of $2,500, which is reduced by $1 for each $8 earned over $100,000. Creditable contributions are not allowed for individual filers with $120,000 of annual income or more. Generally, joint filers are allowed a maximum creditable contribution of $5,000 in the case of married individuals each of whom contributes to a lifelong learning account, which is reduced by $1 for each $8 earned over $200,000. Creditable contributions are not allowed for joint filers with $240,000 of annual income or more. Maximum creditable contributions are reduced by the amount of any employer-provided account contributions, which are excluded from the taxpayer's taxable income by this bill. Generally, the maximum credit amount is $750 for individuals and $1,500 for joint filers. Depending upon a taxpayer's liability and order of application of other potential credits, the GIT credit for taxpayer account contributions is refundable. The bill grants the Director of the Division of Taxation the authority to preclude rollovers between accounts from qualifying for credit. The bill allows GIT and CBT credits for employers making account contributions for their employees in an amount equal to 25 percent of account contributions. Per employee and per tax year, annual account contributions may not exceed $2,500. Small business employers are allowed an additional credit amount for 50 percent of the administrative costs associated with the credit for the tax year, but not exceeding $500 of credit for the tax year. The bill defines a small business as a taxpayer with no more than 100 employees, each with no less than $5,000 of annual compensation. The small business administrative cost credit is allowed only for the first and second tax years for which the employer is allowed the employer-provided employee account contribution credit. Both the employer-provided employee account contribution credit and the small business administrative cost credit are nonrefundable, but the amount of an unused credit may be carried forward one tax year and used as a deduction. The bill establishes certain requirements for the maintenance and use of the accounts. Accounts must be created or organized in New Jersey and for the exclusive benefit of the account beneficiary. For a tax year, total contributions, from whatever source, to lifelong learning accounts of a taxpayer may not exceed $2,500, except as to account rollovers. Account trustees must be a bank or other entity that demonstrates to the Director of the Division of Taxation that accounts will be maintained in accordance with the bill. An account beneficiary's interest in the account balance is nonforfeitable. The bill prohibits a trustee from investing account assets in life insurance contracts or collectibles and prohibits account assets from being commingled with other property, except as to common trust or investment funds. The bill gives the Director of the Division of Taxation rulemaking authority with regard to further account requirements. Generally, the bill restricts qualified use of accounts to taxpayers that are 18 to 70 years of age. Account funds are to be distributed for qualified education expenses incurred by the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse. Qualified education expenses are amounts paid and required for instructional courses, training courses, and apprenticeship programs, which include, but are not limited to, books, equipment, fees, information technology devices, supplies, tools, and tuition. Qualified education expenses do not include amounts paid for courses or programs taken for recreational or leisure purposes. The bill includes a penalty for nonqualified distributions in the form of additional tax liability in the amount of five percent of the nonqualified distribution. The bill's nonqualified distribution penalty does not apply to distributions on account of death, disability, divorce, or attaining the age of 71 as of the first day of the taxable year. The bill also contains exemptions from the nonqualified distribution penalties for distributions that are rollovers between accounts and account adjustments made due to excess annual account contributions. | In Committee |
| S2775 | Requires public institution of higher education post bias intimidation statistics; requires governing board to adopt bias intimidation policy. | This bill requires a public institution of higher education to post bias intimidation and crime statistics on the institution's Internet website. The bill also requires a public institution of higher education to adopt a bias intimidation policy. The "Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act" (Clery Act) requires institutions of higher education that participate in Title IV student financial assistance programs to disclose information about crime on and around the institution's campuses to students and the public. Specifically, the Clery Act requires institutions of higher education to release statistics, for the previous three years, related to bias intimidation and hate crimes for the following offenses: murder; sex offenses; robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; motor vehicle theft; manslaughter; arson; arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for liquor law violations, drug-related violations, and weapons possession; larceny-theft; simple assault; intimidation; and destruction, damage, or vandalism of property, and any other crimes that involve bodily injury to any person. These statistics are currently publicly available on the United States Department of Education's Campus Safety and Security Internet website. Additionally, New Jersey law criminalizes acts of bias intimidation, defined as certain offenses committed with the purpose to intimidate or with the knowledge that the offense would intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of, protected characteristics, such as race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, or ethnicity. This bill requires public institutions of higher education to post the statistics required under the Clery Act at a publicly accessible location on the institution's Internet website. Specifically, the bill requires an institution to post: (1) the institution's policy prohibiting bias intimidation; (2) a link to the United States Department of Education's Internet website for campus safety and security; (3) a link to the institution's crime statistics for each campus; and (4) statistics related to bias intimidation incidents at each of the institution's campuses. The bill requires the institution to inform every student and incoming student of the institution's Internet website. Additionally, the bill requires a public institution of higher education to incorporate a course module on bias intimidation into the institution's first-year student programming. Finally, the bill requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting bias intimidation. Under the bill, the policy is required to include: (1) a statement prohibiting bias intimidation and affirming the institution's values to diversity and inclusion; (2) disciplinary actions if a person commits an act of bias intimidation; (3) a definition of bias intimidation; (4) a description of the institution's programs to combat bias intimidation; (5) a procedure for a student to internally report an incident; (6) a procedure that the institution is to follow once an incident has been reported; (7) the identification of a designated employee or office at the institution that is to be responsible for receiving and tracking each report; and (8) a description of existing counseling options available to victims and perpetrators. | In Committee |
| S2539 | Provides for law enforcement officer benefits for certain public employees enrolled in PERS; prohibits hiring by State or county of public employees after age 35 in positions eligible for PFRS. | A law enacted in 1955 established the law enforcement officer (LEO) category as a special group of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). The members of the LEO group are eligible for enhanced retirement benefits not available to regular PERS members. Under current law, the category of individuals authorized to participate as LEO members is limited and is specifically defined in the law by the title of the eligible position. An individual who does not meet the age or medical requirements for entry into the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS) as a result of employment in a title specifically named in that law is eligible to participate in the LEO category or as a regular member of the PERS. An individual employed in an eligible job title who meets the enrollment criteria is enrolled in the LEO category of PERS membership, unless the member specifically signs a waiver. A LEO-eligible individual who signs the waiver is enrolled as a non-law enforcement officer in the regular PERS retirement system; however, any member holding a LEO-eligible title is subject to the mandatory retirement provision of the current law. Under the bill, the term "law enforcement officer" would also mean county corrections police officer, county corrections police sergeant, county corrections police lieutenant, county corrections police captain, and investigator in a county department of corrections, and officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain of a county police department, State corrections officer and detective and investigator in the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety, sheriff's corrections police officer, sheriff's corrections police sergeant, sheriff's corrections police lieutenant, and sheriff's corrections police captain, Burlington County Bridge Commission police officer, Burlington County Bridge Commission police sergeant, Burlington County Bridge Commission police lieutenant, and Burlington County Bridge Commission police captain, Cherry Hill campus police officer, and any permanent and fulltime firefighter, emergency medical technician, and public safety dispatcher employed by the State, a county, fire district, or a municipality, or agency thereof. Upon enrollment in the law enforcement officer category, these members will be eligible for the enhanced benefits provided to LEO group members. The bill also would prohibit a person who is over the age of 35 years from being appointed by a county or the State to a position that is eligible for enrollment in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System. Nothing contained in the bill would affect the employment or continuance in office of any person employed prior to the effective date the bill. | In Committee |
| S2612 | Requires registration of private education lenders; establishes protections for private education borrowers. | The bill prohibits a creditor, lender, or student financing company from extending student financing or a private education loan to a New Jersey resident without first registering with the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and with the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry. Creditors, lenders, and student financing companies are required to provide the commissioner, at the time of registration and not less than once per year thereafter, certain information about the entities and the student loans that they provide. The commissioner is required to post on the department's website information about private education lenders registered in the State. The bill also requires creditors, lenders, and student financing companies to post on their websites a copy of each model promissory note, agreement, contract or other instrument used by the creditor, lender, or student financing company to substantiate a private education loan. The bill provides that the commissioner may impose a civil penalty not exceeding $25,000 on any person for a violation of the registration provisions of the bill. Each violation, which constitutes a knowing violation, is a crime of the third degree. The bill requires private education lenders to deliver certain information to a cosigner related to impacts on the cosigner in certain circumstances, prior to the extension of a private education loan that requires a cosigner. For any private education loan that obligates a cosigner and provides for cosigner release, a lender is required to provide the borrower and the cosigner an annual written or electronic notice containing clear and conspicuous information about cosigner release. Under the bill, if the borrower has met the applicable payment requirement to be eligible for cosigner release, the lender must send the borrower and the cosigner a notification informing them that the payments requirement to be eligible for cosigner release has been met. The bill requires a lender to provide written notice to a borrower who applies for cosigner release, but whose application is incomplete. Within 30 days after a borrower submits a completed application for cosigner release, the lender is required to send the borrower and cosigner a written notice that informs them whether the cosigner release application has been approved or denied. The bill prohibits a lender from imposing any restriction that permanently bars a borrower from qualifying for cosigner release. For any private education loan executed after the effective date of the bill, a lender is prohibited from requiring greater than 12 consecutive, on-time payments of principal and interest as criteria to apply for cosigner release. Under the bill, if a borrower or cosigner requests a change in terms that restarts the count of consecutive, on-time payments, the lender must notify the borrower and cosigner in writing, by mail or by electronic mail, of the impact of the change and provide the borrower or cosigner the right to withdraw or reverse the request. The bill provides that a borrower has the right to request an appeal of a lender's determination to deny a request for cosigner release, and the lender is required to permit the borrower to submit certain additional documentation. The bill requires lenders to establish and maintain a comprehensive record management system. The bill prohibits private education loans executed after the effective date of the bill from including a provision that permits the private educational lender to accelerate, in whole or in part, payments on the private education loan, except in cases of payment default. The bill prohibits a private education loan executed prior to or after the effective date of the bill from including a provision that permits a lender to attempt to collect against the cosigner's estate, other than for payment default. Upon receiving notification of the death or bankruptcy of a cosigner, when the loan is not more than 60 days delinquent at the time of the notification, the lender may not change any terms or benefits under the promissory note, repayment schedule, repayment terms, or monthly payment amount or any other loan provision. Under the bill, a lender, upon determination of the total and permanent disability of a borrower, is required to release any cosigner from his obligations under a private education loan. Upon determination of the total and permanent disability of a cosigner, a lender is required to release that individual cosigner from the obligations of the cosigner. The bill requires lenders to notify borrowers and cosigners if a cosigner or borrower is released from the obligations of the private education loan, within 30 days of the release. The bill requires lenders that extend private education loans to provide the borrower the option to designate an individual to have the legal authority to act on behalf of the borrower with respect to the private education loan in the event of the total and permanent disability of the borrower. In the event a cosigner is released from the obligations of a private education loan, a lender may not require the borrower to obtain another cosigner on the loan obligation. The bill provides that lenders may not declare a default or accelerate the debt against the borrower on the sole basis of the release of the cosigner from the loan obligation. The bill requires lenders, upon determination of the total and permanent disability of a borrower, to discharge the liability of the borrower and cosigner on the loan. After making the determination of the total and permanent disability of a borrower, a lender may not attempt to collect on the outstanding liability of the borrower or cosigner or monitor the disability status of the borrower after the date of discharge. The bill requires private education lenders to deliver a statement that benefits and protections applicable to an existing loan may be lost due to refinancing before offering a person a private education loan that is being used to refinance an existing education loan. If a lender offers any borrower flexible repayment options in connection with a private education loan, those flexible repayment options must be made available to all borrowers of loans by the lender. The bill provides that a private education lender may not: offer any private education loan that is not in conformity with the bill, or that is in violation of any other State or federal law; engage in any unfair, deceptive, or abusive act or practice; or make, advertise, print, display, publish, distribute, electronically transmit, telecast or broadcast, in any manner, any statement or representation which is false, misleading or deceptive. The bill requires private education lenders to publish the criteria used to determine borrower interest rates in all places where the interest rate is published, if the lender does not offer the same interest rate to all borrowers. The bill provides that a debt collector attempting to collect a private education loan must provide certain documentation related to the loan in the first debt collection communication with the borrower and at any other time the borrower requests the documentation. The bill also prohibits creditors from collecting or attempting to collect a private education loan debt unless the creditor possesses certain information and documentation related to the loan. Following a payment default on a private education loan by a borrower, and before a creditor may accelerate the maturity of the loan or commence a legal action against the borrower, a lender is required to provide to the borrower a notice of intention to accelerate the loan. The creditor must provide the notice at least 30 days, but not more than 180 days, in advance of the action, and must provide a copy of the notice to the department at the same time it is provided to the borrower. The bill provides that an action to enter a default judgment against a borrower must be commenced within six years of the date the borrower failed to make a payment. The bill requires a creditor or lender seeking to commence legal action against a borrower to attach certain documentation and information to a complaint filed in a court of competent jurisdiction. If a creditor fails to comply with the filing requirements of the bill, a borrower may bring an action, including a counterclaim, against the creditor to recover or obtain certain relief and damages. The bill also provides that a borrower or cosigner who suffers damage as a result of a violation may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover certain relief and damages. | In Committee |
| S2551 | "State Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights." | This bill, to be known as the "State Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights," establishes specific rights, privileges and protections for State law enforcement officers, including State correction officers who are subject to charges which, after investigation, might lead to disciplinary hearings and actions. The bill sets time frames for the commencement of investigations of complaints. If the complaint is initiated by a private citizen or inmate, the investigation must begin within 15 days of the date the complaint is received. If the complaint is brought by the department, commission or agency employing the officer, a disciplinary hearing must be scheduled no less than 10 days, or more than 30 days, from the date the complaint was served on the officer. Violations of departmental, commission or agency rules or regulations must be filed no more than 45 days after the day on which the person filing the charge reasonably becomes aware of the violation. A complaint must be dismissed if it is not filed within these time frames. Among the procedural rights and protections State law enforcement officers are afforded under this bill are: (1) notice of the nature and scope of the investigation or charges; (2) 24-hour advance notice before an officer subject to investigation may be questioned; (3) right to counsel, or an employee representative, during questioning; (4) records of all questioning periods; and (5) assurance that no officer is required to submit to a lie detector test as part of any investigation. Charges must be filed within 30 days of the conclusion of any investigation. A failure to comply with this requirement will result in the dismissal of all charges. No disciplinary action may be taken against an officer until that officer has been afforded a hearing. Notwithstanding that requirement, an officer who is charged with a crime, and who is found to be unfit for duty or is a danger to any person if permitted to remain on the job, may be suspended without a hearing. An officer may also be suspended without a hearing if he is formally charged with a crime or if immediate suspension is needed to maintain the safety, health or order of the department, commission or agency employing the officer. An officer who is formally charged with a crime is to be suspended without pay. If, however, he is found not guilty, the charges are dismissed or the prosecution is terminated, that officer is to receive all back pay within 30 days of that disposition. If the disciplinary hearing officer finds or determines that a charged officer is not guilty: (1) the matter is deemed concluded and all charges are dismissed; (2) no disciplinary action may be taken against the officer; (3) no record of, or reference to, the charge for which the officer was found not guilty shall be made part of the officer's personnel file; (4) the officer is to be reinstated to his position; and (5) the officer is entitled to any pay or benefits lost or deferred during the disposition of the charge. The officer is also entitled to any longevity pay, seniority or any other emolument or benefit to which he was entitled under law or collective agreement. All lost or deferred pay is to be paid to the officer within 30 days. Any officer who is aggrieved by a determination or finding of a disciplinary hearing officer has the right to appeal to the Commissioner of Personnel or the Merit System Board, as is appropriate. The provisions of this bill do not apply to State Police officers and troopers. | In Committee |
| S2521 | Allows for issuance of two-year temporary courtesy license for nonresident military spouses in certain professions. | This bill amends current law on temporary courtesy licenses for nonresident military spouses. Under the bill, a nonresident military spouse who seeks and is approved to be issued a temporary courtesy license in New Jersey from the State Board of Applied Behavior Analyst Examiners; the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, including the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee; the New Jersey Board of Nursing; the Occupational Therapy Advisory Council; the State Board of Psychological Examiners; the State Board of Social Work Examiners; or the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Committee is to have the temporary courtesy license for two years, with the option, at the discretion of the specific board, council, or committee and submission of an application by the holder of the temporary courtesy license, for a one-year extension. Currently, temporary courtesy licenses are granted for one year, with the option for a one-year extension. | In Committee |
| S1579 | Provides tax credits for hiring certain military spouses. | This bill provides tax credits, to be awarded by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, for the hiring of certain military spouses. Under the bill, an employer may claim a tax credit for hiring an employee who is a nonresident of this State and is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been transferred to this State in the course of the member's service, is legally domiciled in this State, or has moved to this State on a permanent change-of-station basis. The final amount of the tax credit provided to an employer for hiring a nonresident military spouse employee is to equal: (1) for a nonresident military spouse employee who works for an employer for at least 120 hours but less than 400 hours in a taxable year or privilege period, 15 percent of the wages provided by the employer to the nonresident military spouse employee; or (2) for a nonresident military spouse employee who works for an employer for at least 400 hours in a taxable year or privilege period, 25 percent of the wages provided by the employer to the military spouse employee. The bill limits the final amount of a tax credit for hiring a nonresident military spouse employee to $2,400 in a tax year. | In Committee |
| S2475 | Requires cost of living increase to be granted in each of two State fiscal years when retirement allowance or benefit is below certain amount for retiree or beneficiary in PERS, TPAF, PFRS, SPRS, and JRS; makes appropriation. | This bill would provide for a cost of living increase for certain retired public employees and their beneficiaries who are receiving monthly payments from the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, Judicial Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and State Police Retirement System. The increase would be provided only to those retirees and beneficiaries who are currently receiving an amount that is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level as set for a household of one. The increase would be provided only on January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024. The increase would be calculated in the same way that such increases were calculated when such increases were provided annually under the pension adjustment law, N.J.S.A.43:3B-1 et seq.; these annual increases were ended by law in 2011. However, the increase under this bill will be 100 percent of the change in the Consumer Price Index, instead of the 60 percent provided by the pension adjustment law. The bill requires the State to fund the cost of these increases and makes an appropriation for that purpose. | In Committee |
| S1493 | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | 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 |
| S549 | Makes it a fourth degree crime to engage in certain tracking and location activities. | This bill would make it a crime of the fourth degree, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both, for a person, in order to initiate or facilitate an unlawful act, to knowingly install or place, or cause to be installed or placed, an electronic tracking device or tracking application to track or determine the location of another person. The bill defines an "electronic tracking device" as "any device designed or intended to be used for the sole purpose of tracking the location or movement of a person that reveals its location or movement by the transmission of electronic signals"; and a "tracking application" as "any computer application software installed or otherwise operational on a computer or mobile device that is used to surreptitiously track and transmit to another person the movement or determine the location of the computer or mobile device." There would be a permissive inference (for consideration by a jury) that the use of a tracking device or application to conduct surreptitious surveillance of another person was to initiate or facilitate an unlawful act, such as stalking pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1992, c.209 (C.2C:12-10) or harassment pursuant to N.J.S.2C:33-4. The bill would exempt actions involving State or local government entities and equipment owned, leased, or operated by those entities, as the bill indicates that the provisions which criminalize tracking or location spotting activities would not be applicable. The bill also provides that several enumerated parties, and in some cases specific uses tied to those parties, would be deemed to be lawful tracking or location spotting of a person. These parties and their lawful uses would include: - a parent or guardian of a minor child for the purpose of tracking or determining the location of the minor child; - for the purpose of monitoring, tracking, or locating a person who, due to a physical or mental health condition, may be at risk of injury or death; - a person in order to track or locate personal property during a lawful business transaction in which the person's personal property is in the temporary possession or otherwise under the control of a third party; - a person collecting consumer location data as part of a lawful business practice, so long as the use is disclosed in a terms of use policy, privacy policy, or similar document or form made available to the consumer; - an employer for the purpose of tracking an employee or vehicle used by an employee while engaged in the course of employment when not prohibited by State or federal law or regulation. The bill adds that a failure by an employer to comply with the written notice requirement to use a tracking device in a vehicle used by an employee in accordance with the provisions of section 1 of P.L.2021, c.449 (C.34:6B-22) or failure to comply with any other requirements in order to track an employee or vehicle used by an employee pursuant to another State or federal law or regulation would only be considered a violation of that law or regulation, and not punishable as a crime pursuant to this section; and - any person who has obtained the consent of the person to be tracked or located, which consent would be required to be provided in writing, in the case of an electronic tracking device, or, in the case of a tracking application, by opting-in to or otherwise affirmatively accepting its use. A person's consent would be presumed to be revoked if:the person who gave consent and the person who obtained consent are spouses, civil union partners, or domestic partners, and one person has filed a petition for divorce, dissolution of the civil union, or termination of the domestic partnership; or - the person who gave consent or the person who obtained consent has filed an application for a temporary or final restraining order pursuant to the provisions of the "Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991," P.L.1991, c.261 (C.2C:25-17 et al.). The bill would take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment. | In Committee |
| S1516 | Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses employing qualified ex-offenders. | This bill allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses that employ qualified ex-offenders. The amount of each credit would be equal to 15 percent of the wages paid to the ex-offender with a maximum of $900 per ex-offender. A qualified ex-offender is defined in the bill as a person who: (1) has been convicted of a crime of the first, second, third or fourth degree in this State; and (2) has been hired within one year of the date of conviction or release from incarceration. These State tax credits are modeled on the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which encourages employers to hire targeted groups of employees, including ex-felons. Under the federal WOTC, employers may claim a federal tax credit of up to 40 percent of the first $6,000 earned by the employee, or $2,400. | In Committee |
| S2151 | Provides gross income tax credit for qualified union dues paid to labor organizations. | This bill allows a refundable gross income tax credit for qualified union dues paid to labor organizations. The bill defines "qualified union dues" as the total amount of dues, fees, assessments, or other charges or expenses required of members of or public employees represented by a labor organization. The bill also defines "labor organization" as any organization of any kind, or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work. To claim the credit allowed under the bill, a taxpayer would be required to provide, in a form and manner prescribed by the Director of the Division of Taxation, verification of the qualified union dues paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year. | In Committee |
| S57 | Creates sexual assault prevention and response program and coordinator in DMVA. | This bill establishes in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs a sexual assault prevention and response program. The Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will appoint an individual to serve as the sexual assault prevention coordinator. The coordinator will provide victim advocacy services, including ensuring that victims of sexual assault receive appropriate responsive care, understand available reporting options, and are notified of eligibility for compensation from the Victims of Crime Compensation Office. The coordinator may also file an application with the consent of the victim for a protective order on behalf of the victim. The protective order may be filed at the State level and with the military authorities. The program will permit a victim of sexual harassment to: (1) file a confidential complaint of sexual harassment with the coordinator alleging that a service member committed the offense; (2) participate in the United States Department of Defense Catch a Serial Offender Program; (3) receive notice if the accused service member is subsequently accused of an offense of sexual assault by a service member or another person; and (4) convert a confidential complaint to a formal complaint at any time. An annual report will be submitted to the Legislature and the Governor on the activities of the program and the activities of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs relating to the prevention of sexual assault. The report will include: (1) the policies and procedures implemented by the coordinator and the Adjutant General in response to incidents of sexual assault; (2) an assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of the program and the policies and procedures on the prevention and oversight of and response to sexual assaults; (3) an analysis of the number of sexual assaults involving members of the New Jersey National Guard; (4) deficiencies in the department's sexual assault prevention training; and (5) the department's plans for preventing and responding to sexual assault. The program will apply to alleged sexual assaults committed by a service member against another service member, regardless of whether or not either person was on or off duty at the time of the alleged assault. A complaint may be filed if the alleged offense took place while the accused was a service member and retires or is discharged from service prior to the filing of the complaint. Under the bill, "service member" means a member of the United States Armed Forces, or a Reserve component thereof, including the New Jersey National Guard. | In Committee |
| S1491 | Reinstates automatic COLA for retirement benefits of members of the State-administered retirement systems. | This bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits under the "Pension Adjustment Act," P.L.1958, c.143 (C.43:3B-1 et seq.), for members of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, the Judicial Retirement System, the Public Employees' Retirement System, the Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System. Provisions contained in P.L.2011, c.78 (C.43:3C-16 et al), signed into law on June 28, 2011, cancelled the automatic, annual adjustment for current and future retirees and beneficiaries of these State-administered retirement systems. COLAs protect retirement benefits against erosion by inflation, the ills of which were addressed by the Legislature, both for the individual and the State, with the enactment of the "Pension Adjustment Act" in 1958. Without the annual adjustment, retirees and beneficiaries will gradually see significant reductions in their purchasing power. The loss of COLAs will impact their everyday lives, and, over time, make it harder to afford more necessary elements of living, such as out-of-pocket medical costs, groceries, and utility bills. Retirees and beneficiaries will find it more prudent, or perhaps necessary, to leave this State for other states with a comparably lower cost of living. For the State, such outbound migration will result in the loss of the economic activity of those retirees and beneficiaries, and any tax revenues concomitant with such activity. In addition, New Jersey's fiscal outlook may be further strained by the retirees and beneficiaries who remain. These persons will continue to slip further downward on the socioeconomic scale. In some cases, they will require, or at the least become eligible and utilize, greater levels of public assistance under the many taxpayer funded social programs administered by the State, counties, and municipalities, requiring more revenues to meet this increased demand. In the interests of the retirees and beneficiaries of the State-administered retirement systems, and the State, this bill reinstates the automatic COLAs for retirement benefits under the "Pension Adjustment Act." | In Committee |
| S974 | Establishes student-athlete mental health specialists in school districts and public institutions of higher education; creates student-athlete mental health registry; makes appropriation. | This bill requires the appointment of student-athlete mental health specialists at public school districts and public institutions of higher education. Under the bill, a school district that is a voluntary member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is required to appoint a student-athlete mental health specialist. A school district may appoint a school guidance counselor, school psychologist, or another individual similarly trained that is already employed by the district if the individual is a State-licensed or State-certified mental health professional. A school district also has an option under the bill to hire a State-licensed or State-certified mental health professional to fill this position. A person appointed to the student-athlete mental health specialist position is required to obtain certification in Mental Health First Aid and complete the "Student-Athlete Mental Health Specialist Certification" every two years. The bill requires the Department of Education to develop the certification program. Similarly, a public institution of higher education is required to appoint two student-athlete mental health specialists with individuals that are State-certified or State-licensed mental health professionals. A student-athlete mental health specialist at a public institution of higher education is also required to obtain certification in Mental Health First Aid and complete the "Student-Athlete Mental Health Specialist Certification" from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education every two years. The secretary is required to develop the certification program. Under the bill, the student-athlete mental health specialist is required to screen each student-athlete, provide mental health support to student-athletes, and monitor the impact of sports-related injuries on student-athletes' mental health. At public institutions of higher education, the two student-athlete mental health specialists are also required to be easily accessible to student-athletes during the academic year and have on-campus offices. A student-athlete in high school or attending a public institution of higher education has the option to waive the screening requirement by submitting a written statement to the student-athlete mental health specialist. However, if the student-athlete refuses the screening but does not submit a written statement, the student-athlete will be prohibited from participating in the organized sport. Additionally, a student-athlete mental health specialist, at both the high school and college levels, is responsible for the creation of a student-athlete mental health policy that: 1) recognizes the symptoms of mental health disorders that may affect student-athletes; 2) establishes mental health screening tools; 3) provides guidance on techniques for reducing stressors; 4) establishes protocols for non-emergent mental health referrals and emergent mental health situations; 5) creates a plan for transition care for students-athletes that leave the program; and 6) lists additional mental health resources and organizations that a student-athlete can consult for additional services. Under the bill, the department is required to establish a central registry of the aggregated screening data collected by a student-athlete mental health specialist for student-athletes in each school district. The secretary is required to create and maintain a similar registry from the aggregate data collected for student-athletes at public institutions of higher education. The purpose of these registries are to determine the stressors, rates, patterns, and trends of mental health disorders in student-athletes in order to develop evidence-based detection, prevention, and intervention protocols. The bill stipulates that, in establishing both registries, the department and secretary are required to ensure that any student identifying information remains confidential. Under the bill, student-athlete mental health specialists are not subject to liability for exercising their judgment or discretion in connection with the performance of their duties or for any good faith act or omission related to the requirements set forth in the bill. Finally, the bill makes an appropriation from the General Fund to the department for the costs of implementing the provisions affecting high school student-athletes and to the secretary for the costs associated with implementing the provisions affecting college-aged student-athletes. The student-athlete mental health specialist position is created at the high school and college levels to improve student-athlete mental wellness. It is the intent of this bill to address mental health issues that affect high school and college student-athletes. Studies have indicated that student-athletes are less likely than their non-athlete peers to seek counseling and other professional help services. This bill seeks to remove the stigma of seeking mental health services by requiring the student-athlete mental health specialist to routinely meet with student-athletes, provide mental health support to student-athletes, and monitor the impact of sports-related injuries on student-athletes' mental health. | In Committee |
| S1518 | Establishes procedures and standards regarding public services privatization contracts. | The purpose of this bill is to ensure that no public services are privatized unless there are cost savings without increased charges or reduced services to the public, or lowered workforce standards. Each prospective private contractor would be required to demonstrate cost reductions based on improvements such as management efficiencies or technical innovation, not based on added burdens imposed on the members of the public using the services or the employees producing them. The bill requires that a contract for the privatization of public services not be entered into without cost analyses demonstrating that there will be actual cost savings for the public agency and the taxpayers without increased fees, fares, or other charges to the public, reduced quantity or quality of services, or lowered workforce standards, including reduced staff qualifications and remuneration. The bill further requires sustained oversight and public disclosure regarding those contracts to provide accountability to taxpayers, public users of the services, and employees producing the services, that the cost savings actually occur without increased charges, or reduced services or workforce standards, and provides penalties and sanctions for any noncompliance involving agency or contractor misrepresentation, fraud or other malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance. The bill prohibits any agency of the State or political subdivision from entering into a contract of $500,000 or more, if the agency is a political subdivision, or $1 million or more if it is not a political subdivision, to purchase from private entities services previously performed by agency employees, other than legal, management consulting, planning, engineering or design services, prevailing wage construction work, or certain services provided by disabled individuals employed by rehabilitation facilities, unless: 1. The agency solicits competitive sealed bids for the contracts based on a comprehensive statement of requirements by the agency; 2. The contract requires that the public not be charged fares, fees or other charges greater than those currently charged, that the quantity and quality of the services provided equal or exceed the quantity and quality of services currently provided, that the contractor is qualified, and that contractor employees have qualifications and wage and benefit rates at least equal to the agency employees currently performing the services. Contractors are required to submit payroll records to the agency and, upon any failure to pay the agreed upon wage and benefit rates, are subject to the remedies and penalties provided by the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act," P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.) for failure to pay the prevailing wage; 3. The agency permits the union of the affected agency employees to review the agency's estimate of current costs and submit an alternative cost estimate and propose cost saving measures compliant with requirements of the bill and the agency reviews the union estimate and proposal and makes a determination whether to reduce the agency's estimate of current costs; 4. The contract requires compliance with antidiscrimination standards, requires available positions to be offered to qualified displaced agency employees, and requires the agency to prepare a plan of training and assistance for displaced employees; 5. The contractor and specified associates have no adjudicated record of substantial or repeated noncompliance with any federal or State law pertaining to the operation of a business, including laws regarding contracting and conflict of interest; 6. After receiving bids, the agency publicly designates the bidder to which it proposes to award the contract and issues a comprehensive written analysis of the total contract cost of the designated bid; and 7. The agency provides written certification that the agency and the proposed contract are in compliance with all provisions of the bill and the total estimated contract cost is less than the cost of agency employees performing the services, with a statement of the amount of the savings. The Office of the State Comptroller would be required to review the certification and prohibit the agency from entering into the privatization contract if the office provides a written determination that the bid does not provide cost savings or that the agency has otherwise failed to comply with any requirement of the bill. The State Auditor would be required to conduct post-audits of contracts subject to the bill, evaluating whether the projected cost savings were obtained without raising charges, cutting services, or lowering workforce standards. If the noncompliance was related to agency or contractor misrepresentation, fraud or other malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance, the agency or contractor would be subject to penalties and sanctions including, where appropriate, debarment or rescission of contracts, or reimbursement of excess charges to the public and underpayments of employees. The requirements of the bill do not apply to any privatization contract first entered into before the effective date of the bill or to the renewal, extension, or transfer of any privatization contract first entered into prior to that effective date, but do apply to the renewal, extension, or transfer of any contract entered into after the effective date. | In Committee |
| S2240 | Provides temporary corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employer-provided child care expenditures. | This bill provides businesses with credits against the corporation business tax and the gross income tax for certain employer-provided child care expenditures. The bill allows the tax credits for the three calendar years beginning after enactment. The bill permits businesses subject to the corporation business tax or the gross income tax to apply a credit against the tax liability otherwise due for a percentage of up to $50,000 of eligible expenditure made to acquire, construct, reconstruct, renovate, or otherwise improve real property to be used as a qualified child care center. The bill also permits businesses to apply a separate, additional credit for a percentage of up to $50,000 of eligible expenditures made in connection with the provision of certain child care services. The bill provides that the amount of the credit allowed for the construction of a child care center is equal to 50 percent of up to $50,000 of the cost paid or incurred by a business to acquire, construct, reconstruct, renovate, or otherwise improve real property in this State that is to be used by the business, or another person under contract or agreement with the business, to conduct, maintain, and operate a qualified child care center primarily for the children of individuals employed by the business. The bill provides that the amount of the credit allowed for the provision of child care services is equal to: -- 50 percent of up to $50,000 of the cost paid or incurred by a business to conduct, maintain, and operate a qualified child care center of the business that is used primarily by the children of individuals employed by the business; -- 50 percent of up to $50,000 of the amount paid by a business to another person to conduct, maintain, and operate, under contract or agreement with the business, a qualified child care center of the business that is used primarily by the children of individuals employed by the business; -- 50 percent of up to $50,000 of the amount paid by a business to another person under contract or agreement with the business, for the provision of child care to children of individuals employed by the business at a qualified child care center; or -- 10 percent of up to $50,000 of the cost paid or incurred by a business for the provision, by the business or by another person under contract or agreement with the business, of qualified child care information and referral services to individuals employed by the business. The bill provides that to be eligible to apply the credit for the construction of a child care center a business must make and enter into an agreement with the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury. The bill specifies that the agreement must require the business to demonstrate the intended use and status of the real property acquired, constructed, reconstructed, renovated, or otherwise improved in this State, and require the business to use that property to conduct, maintain, and operate a qualified child care center primarily for the children of individuals employed by the business for a 60-month period. The bill defines a "qualified child care center" as a facility that is licensed as a child care center by the Department of Children and Families, and participates in Grow NJ Kids, but specifically excludes from that definition facilities licensed by the department if: the principal use of the facility is for some purpose other than the care, development, and supervision of children; the facility is not used on a regular basis to provide for the care, development, and supervision of children; enrollment in the facility is not open to children of individuals employed by the business claiming the credit; or use of the facility is limited or restricted under procedures, criteria, or other systems of selection that unfairly discriminate. The purpose of this bill is to encourage New Jersey businesses to take a more active role in the provision of child care to employees and their children. Businesses that are active in providing child care typically have a more engaged and productive workforce and play an integral part in reducing the overall demand for quality, affordable child care in this State. | In Committee |
| S1608 | Broadens eligibility for certain civil service and pension benefits for veterans by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations. | This bill broadens the eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating the requirement that a veteran serve during specific wars or other periods of emergency, and, in certain instances, that a veteran serve in a war zone. Instead of service during specific dates or in specific locations, the bill requires federal active service in any branch of the United States Armed Forces or a Reserve component thereof. The benefits in the bill are (1) a civil service preference under Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes; (2) a veteran's retirement allowance under the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) or the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS); and (3) the purchase of additional military service credit in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), TPAF, PERS, and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS). Eligibility for the civil service benefits for all veterans is contingent upon voter approval of an authorizing amendment to the State Constitution. | In Committee |
| S2139 | Requires DOT to implement highway safety program for increased commercial motor vehicle parking; appropriates up to $50,000,000. | This bill requires the New Jersey Department of Transportation to establish a program to provide additional safe parking zones on, along, or near federal-aid highways in the State for use by commercial motor vehicles and the operators of those vehicles. The bill appropriates up to $50,000,000 from funds allocated to the State pursuant to the federal "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act." The bill requires the department to provide annual reports on the program until the funds are exhausted. | In Committee |
| S783 | Requires labeling of non-flushable disposable wipes. | This bill requires non-flushable disposable wipes to be labeled, and prohibits the sale, offering for sale, or distribution for sale of these products without "Do Not Flush" labeling. The bill defines a "non-flushable disposable wipe product" to mean (1) a pre-moistened nonwoven disposable wipe marketed as a baby wipe; or (2) a pre-moistened nonwoven disposable wipe that is composed partly or entirely of petrochemical-derived fibers which may reasonably be used in a bathroom and which are to include, but not be limited to, baby wipes, bathroom cleaning wipes, toilet cleaning wipes, hard surface cleaning wipes, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizing and other sanitizing wipes, antibacterial wipes, facial and makeup removal wipes, general purpose cleaning wipes, personal care wipes for use on the body, feminine hygiene wipes, adult incontinence wipes, adult hygiene wipes, and body cleansing wipes. Any non-flushable disposable wipe product sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in this State would be required to have a "Do Not Flush" symbol and label notice on the product packaging in accordance with the provisions of this bill. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety are to enforce the bill's provisions. The bill would not apply to media advertisements or retailers who sell non-flushable disposable wipe products that are not properly labeled. Violations of the bill's provisions would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 for each offense. Each day during which a nonwoven disposable product is sold, offered for sale, or distributed in violation of the bill's provisions would constitute a separate offense. | Dead |
| S2145 | Concerns work break periods and warehouse conditions of employment. | This bill supplements and amends the "New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law," P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.), to require all employers to provide meal and rest periods for employees working for shifts of specified lengths, and to have the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development set by regulation requirements regarding work quotas in warehouse distribution centers. The bill requires all employers to provide paid meal periods of at least 30 minutes for employees who work for more than five hours continuously, and paid rest periods of at least a 15 minutes for any continuous work period of more than four hours. Current New Jersey law requires 30-minute meal breaks for minors who work five or more continuous hours, but has no requirement for adults, and no requirement for rest breaks for adults or minors. 21 states currently require meal breaks for adults and six of those states also have rest break requirements. The bill directs the commissioner to adopt regulations setting requirements for work quotas in covered warehouse facilities to assure that the quotas: 1. include the quantified number of tasks to be performed or materials to be produced or handled, within the defined time period, and any potential adverse employment action that could result from failure to meet the quota; 2. do not result in rates of work or workloads under which the wages paid are not fairly and reasonably commensurate with the value of the service provided; 3. permit rates of work and workloads which workers can maintain on a sustained basis, and do not result in high levels of turnover of the workforce, or otherwise adversely affect the general well-being and efficiency of the workers; and 4. do not prevent compliance with required meal and rest periods, prevent needed use of bathroom facilities, prevent breaks or other accommodations required by the Law Against Discrimination in connection with pregnancy or breastfeeding, or hinder any other accommodations required pursuant to any State or federal anti-discrimination or safety and health laws. In setting requirements for quotas, the commissioner is directed to consider information regarding quotas imposed by warehouse employers, data regarding the rates of work and workloads in warehouses, information regarding adverse impacts of excessive work speeds on warehouse workers, data on turnover rates and wage levels in warehouses in this State and elsewhere, and the adequacy of those wage levels to meet a cost of living necessary for health and well-being. The commissioner is also directed to consult with warehouse employer organization representatives, representatives of labor organizations representing warehouse employees, and individuals not employed by those organizations who have expertise regarding the effects of work speed and quotas on the well-being, efficiency, and turnover rates of warehouse workers. Warehouse employers are required to provide employees with a written description of quotas to which the employee is subject. The employers are prohibited from requiring any employee to meet a quota that violates any requirement set by the regulation pursuant to the bill, and are prohibited from taking any adverse employment action against an employee for failure to meet a quota that does not meet the requirements set those regulations or for failure to meet a quota which the employer has failed to disclose. Actions taken by an employee to comply with occupational health and safety laws or standards are considered productive time for purposes of any quota or monitoring system. Current and former employees who believe that meeting a quota caused a violation of the provisions of the bill are given the right to obtain from an employer a written description of each quota and employee's own personal work speed data. Any employer who violates the bill's provisions is subject to sanctions in the "New Jersey State Wage and Hour Law." | In Committee |
| S2147 | Permits issuance of special license in certain municipalities with shopping malls. | This bill authorizes the issuance of special licenses in certain municipalities with shopping malls. Under the bill, the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, upon approval of an eligible municipality, may issue one special license for each plenary retail consumption license that is sited in a premises within a shopping mall located in the municipality. The license may be issued to one or more individual corporations or other types of legal entities operating a premises not located in a shopping mall, where alcoholic beverages are intended to be served. The license authorizes the sale of alcoholic beverages for immediate consumption on the operator's premises. The bill defines an "eligible municipality" as one in which at least one shopping mall is located and the number of plenary retail consumption licenses issued has reached the population limitation. A "shopping mall" is defined in the bill as an enclosed walkway or hall area under common ownership or control, that is open to the public and connects with or provides access to separate retail establishments, including at least one restaurant or other establishment that serves alcoholic beverages pursuant to a plenary retail consumption license. Current law provides that one plenary retail consumption license may be issued per 3,000 residents of a municipality. It has become increasingly common that plenary retail consumption licenses in municipalities with shopping malls are obtained, upon becoming available, by businesses located within the shopping malls, making it difficult for local businesses in downtowns and other areas of the municipalities to compete. This bill is intended to provide an alternate method for a business, such as a bar or restaurant, not located within a shopping mall to obtain a license to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. | In Committee |
| S2159 | Prohibits internet sale of lottery tickets by State Lottery Commission. | On September 19, 2022, a rule proposal was published by the State Lottery Commission to allow the Division of State Lottery to directly sell tickets to consumers in New Jersey through its Internet website and mobile applications. This proposal has been adopted and internet sales by the State Lottery Commission are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2024. This bill prohibits the State Lottery Commission, any entity of the State Lottery Commission, or any entity contracted by the State Lottery Commission from directly selling lottery tickets via the Internet. This bill does not affect the rights of registered courier services from selling lottery tickets via the internet. | 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 |
| S875 | Indexes amount of veterans' income tax exemption for inflation. | This bill would index the amount of the veterans' gross income tax exemption, which is currently $6,000, for inflation. The bill would require that, beginning in tax year 2023, the amount of the exemption would be adjusted annually based on the percentage change in the Chained Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) for the 12-month period ending August 31 of the previous tax year. The C-CPI-U is the index currently used by the federal government to adjust federal income tax brackets for inflation. If there is no increase in that index, the amount of the exemption would remain unchanged for the applicable tax year. | In Committee |
| S2135 | Provides that leaving scene of motor vehicle accident is crime of first degree if accident results in death of another person. | This bill upgrades the penalties for leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident which results in a person's death. Under current law, a motor vehicle operator involved in an accident resulting in the death of another person who knowingly leaves the accident scene is guilty of a crime of the second degree. Second degree crimes generally are punishable by a term of imprisonment of five to 10 years, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. This bill upgrades this offense to a crime of the first degree when the accident results in another person's death. First degree crimes generally are punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 to 20 years, a fine of up to $200,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S2016 | Appropriates $70 million in federal funds to EDA to support arts and culture organizations negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. | This bill appropriates $70 million in federal funds to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support arts and culture organizations, including for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations, that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the bill, the EDA, in consultation with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (council), would be required to award $50 million in grants to support the financial recovery, resiliency, and growth of qualifying arts and culture organizations. However, of this total, $10 million in grants would be dedicated to arts education organizations that provide programs and services for public schools or afterschool programs. Specifically, these grants may be used to offset any revenue losses that occurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic or provide the cash reserves necessary to ensure continued operations in the event of future pandemic-related shutdowns. Additionally, the bill requires the EDA, in consultation with the council, to award $20 million in grants to qualifying arts and culture organizations to support the completion of placemaking projects in public spaces. Under the bill, placemaking projects would include any creative or artistic project intended to beautify or enrich public spaces, such as artistic paintings on roadways or sidewalks, landscape plantings in public areas, educational signage, and other artistic, cultural, or educational installations. The monies appropriated under the bill would be provided from the State's allocation of funds from the federal "Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund," established pursuant to the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021". | In Committee |
| S261 | Provides for spaying and neutering stray or feral cats and establishes fund therefor; designated as "Compassion for Community Cats Law." | The bill, designated as the "Compassion for Community Cats Law," provides for the spaying and neutering of stray or feral cats. In particular, the bill provides, with limited exceptions, that: (1) no cat may be released for adoption from an animal rescue organization facility, shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound unless the cat has been spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian; and (2) any community cat trapped and impounded at a shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound, or trapped and taken to an animal rescue organization facility, must be spayed or neutered, ear-tipped, and vaccinated against rabies before being returned to the location where the community cat was trapped or given to a person assuming ownership of the community cat. The spaying and neutering requirements do not apply to a cat or a community cat that: (1) is less than two months old; (2) a licensed veterinarian determines cannot be spayed or neutered for other health reasons affecting the cat; (3) is placed in a foster home or transferred to another shelter, pound, kennel operating as a shelter or pound, or animal rescue organization facility by a shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound; or (4) is to be euthanized in accordance with the provisions of section 16 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:19-15.16) and R.S.4:22-19, which provide for humanely euthanizing animals after a shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound has offered the animal for adoption for at least seven days. The bill authorizes an animal rescue organization facility, shelter, pound, or kennel operating as a shelter or pound to charge the cost of spaying or neutering the cat to the person assuming ownership of the cat. The bill also amends various sections of existing law to allow for the implementation of the new spaying and neutering requirements established by the bill and other provisions of the bill. The bill authorizes the Department of Health (DOH) to adopt regulations necessary to implement grant programs and fund the spaying and neutering requirements established in the bill. The bill establishes the "Compassion for Community Cats Fund" in the DOH to provide grants to municipalities and counties to establish programs to humanely trap community cats, and sterilize, ear-tip, and vaccinate them against rabies, and return each feral cat to the location where the cat was trapped. The "Compassion for Community Cats Fund" is to be credited with the monies collected for violations of the bill, the surcharge on dog licenses imposed by section 1 of P.L.1983, c.181 (C.4:19-15.3c), any moneys appropriated by the Legislature, and any return on investment of moneys deposited in the fund. Finally, the bill repeals sections 2 and 3 of P.L.2011, c.142 (C.4:19-15.30 and 4:19-15.31), known as the "Pet Sterilization Pilot Program." The committee amendments to the bill: (1) correct cross-references and citations in the bill; (2) correct typographical errors in the bill's reproduction of existing statutory text; and (3) delete a statutory reference to a program for aid to families with dependent children that was replaced by the Work First New Jersey program pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38. | In Committee |
| S2156 | Restricts advertising for casino games and sports pools under certain circumstances. | Gambling on casino games or sporting events is a potentially addictive behavior that can result in mental, social, and financial stresses to an individual, their family, and their community. While gambling in various forms and through various mediums is legal in this State, it is necessary to take steps to protect vulnerable populations in this State from the adverse effects associated with gambling. This bill narrowly targets gambling advertisements that are fraudulent, or designed to entice individuals on the self-exclusion list, or who are under the legal age to gamble, while leaving available all other means and methods of advertising. This bill requires the Division of Gaming Enforcement to promulgate rules to restrict advertisements made by casino licensees and sports wagering licensees, and their contracted operators, that relate to casino games or sports wagering, only if those advertisements (1) are fraudulent or deceptive, (2) are directed at individuals on the lawfully established self-exclusion list, or (3) directly appeal to individuals under the legal age to gamble or wager. | In Committee |
| S938 | Requires DMVA assist discharged service members who have diagnosed service-connected mental health condition with petitions to change discharge designation. | This bill requires the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (DMVA) to assist former service members of the Armed Forces who were separated from the service with an other than honorable discharge, bad conduct discharge, or a dishonorable discharge who have since been diagnosed with a service-connected mental health condition. The DMVA would assist these former service members with the appropriate and necessary forms and conditions to petition the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to have the designation of the discharge changed and recorded as honorable. Under current law, the DMVA creates, publishes, and distributes, material to all public agencies of the availability of assistance, and utilizes a uniform process to provide the assistance to former service members who were separated from the service with a general or other than honorable discharge due solely to their sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. This bill expands this assistance to include former service members diagnosed with a service-connected mental health conditions. Former service members who have the designation of their discharge changed will be eligible for the same rights, privileges, and benefits currently offered to service members who were honorably discharged. No fee will be charged to a former service member for seeking assistance, and information related to the change in the designation of a discharge will be confidential and not accessible to the public as a government record. This bill defines "service-connected mental health condition" as a condition defined to be consistent with generally recognized independent standards of current medical practice referenced in the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that has been diagnosed by a licensed mental health professional, in which the mental health professional deems the condition to be connected, in whole or in part, with a service member's service in the Armed Forces of the United States. | In Committee |
| S2158 | Requires certain commercial motor vehicles registered in State to be equipped with underride protection systems and requires Chief Administrator of MVC to establish underride public awareness campaign. | This bill prohibits a person from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) registered in New Jersey unless the CMV is equipped with an underride protection system. The bill defines "underride protection system" as a system consisting of devices installed on the front, rear, and sides of a CMV that reduces the possibility that a person or vehicle may travel underneath the commercial motor vehicle and prevents injuries to passenger automobile occupants, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. A person who operates a CMV registered in this State that is not equipped with an underride protection system is subject to a fine of not less than $50 or more than $100 for the first offense and not less than $100 or more than $200 for subsequent offenses. The bill also requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to establish a public awareness campaign to inform the general public about the dangers of underrides and best practices to prevent underrides. An underride protection system is designed to withstand the force of a crash to prevent a vehicle from sliding under a tractor trailer or other large bus or truck. From 1994 to 2015, there were 4,195 fatalities due to crashes involving underrides in the United States. The bill is intended to help decrease the risk of fatalities in crashes involving tractor trailers and other large buses and trucks. | In Committee |
| S969 | Streamlines emergency medical technician certification process for certain veterans. | This bill streamlines the emergency medical technician certification process for certain veterans. The bill amends current law to provide that an applicant for emergency medical technician (EMT-Basic) certification, who is a servicemember, is to be certified by the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) as an EMT-Basic, if the applicant: (1) possesses a current emergency medical technician certification from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians; (2) served or currently serves as a Combat Army Medic, a Navy Hospital Corpsman, or as the equivalent of a Combat Army Medic or a Navy Hospital Corpsman in a separate branch of the Armed Forces or the National Guard of any state; and (3) completes and passes a criminal history record background check under standards established by the commissioner. The bill defines "servicemember" to mean an enlisted person of any branch of the active duty or reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, or a veteran thereof who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances. Under the bill, , the commissioner is to publish a clear and comprehensible explanation of the current EMT-Basic certification requirements for eligible servicemembers on the Department of Health's Internet website, which can be easily found and navigated by the general public following an Internet search. | In Committee |
| S1478 | Establishes grant program for NJ YouthBuild programs through DOLWD; makes appropriation. | This bill directs the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to establish a grant program for YouthBuild programs throughout New Jersey. YouthBuild is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 through the United States Department of Labor. The bill would expand YouthBuild programs in the State by establishing a State program with funding that would work in coordination with the federal program. In order for a YouthBuild program to be eligible to receive this grant funding, several program requirements must be met: (1) serving economically disadvantaged young people ages 16 to 24 who have not received a secondary school diploma or its equivalent; (2) offering integrated education and job skills training services and activities which are evenly divided within the program, with 50 percent of students' time spent in classroom-based instruction, counseling, and leadership development instruction and 50 percent of their time spent in service learning experiences at job sites; (3) curriculum culminating in an industry recognized credential, with the YouthBuild program being the entity administering the examination; (4) providing stipends to youth participants to cover the costs associated with their full time participation in this program. Only not-for-profit private agencies that are affiliates of YouthBuild USA or have received a federal Housing and Urban Development YouthBuild award are eligible to use the term YouthBuild and apply for this funding. The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development will require all programs eligible to receive YouthBuild grant funding to meet the specific application requirements outlined in this bill. YouthBuild programs selected for funding under the bill will be required to report outcomes to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which will be publicly available. The department will also complete an initial evaluation report on the progress of individual programs funded under the bill; this report will be available to the Governor and the Legislature. The purpose of this bill is to increase accessibility and sustainability of the evidence-based YouthBuild model. For more than 30 years, the YouthBuild model, through YouthBuild USA, has demonstrated positive outcomes for youth-supporting young people in earning their high school diploma, or equivalent, and acquiring the skills and credentials necessary to meet their postsecondary goals. Over the years, the number of YouthBuild programs throughout the State of New Jersey has fluctuated because the federal YouthBuild appropriation from the federal Department of Labor is not guaranteed. A Statewide YouthBuild appropriation would help ensure that opportunity youth throughout New Jersey are consistently served with an evidence-based model. It would promote the sustainability of currently operating YouthBuild programs and would also likely lead to an increase in YouthBuild programs throughout New Jersey. The bill appropriates an unspecified amount from various federal sources. | Dead |
| S2142 | Requires each State cabinet level department to establish office dedicated to language and disability access. | This bill requires each cabinet level department in the State to establish a division to address potential barriers and gaps in language and disability access in order to support full inclusion and equal opportunity for persons with disabilities who work for, or receive services from, the department. The division administrator and head will be qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the division and is to devote his or her entire time to the performance of those duties. The division is to be responsible for the following: developing a language and disability access plan reflecting the principles of full inclusion and equal access for persons with disabilities who work for, or receive services from, the department in which the division is established in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.; implementing and coordinating the use of strategies, identified by the language and disability access plan, for effective communication, including but not limited to, language interpretation, sign language interpretation, and language translation for persons who are blind, low vision, deaf, or hard of hearing, and program accessibility, physical accessibility, and reasonable accommodations and modifications for persons with physical disabilities; and providing an annual report to the commissioner of the department in which the division is established, and the public on the department's progress in removing barriers and gaps in language and disability access for persons with disabilities who work for, or receive services from, the department. | In Committee |
| S2141 | Establishes New Jersey Center for Study and Prevention of Suicide at Rutgers School of Public Health. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide at the Rutgers School of Public Health (center). Under the bill, the purpose of the center is to research the causes of and prevention and reduction measures for suicide. The center is to conduct research and derive scientific evidence on which sound suicide prevention policies and programs may be based. The center's research is to include, but need not be limited to, the following: (1) the nature of suicide, including individual and societal determinants of suicide; (2) the individual, community, and societal consequences of suicide; and (3) treatment for suicidal thoughts at the individual, community, and societal levels. Under the bill, the center is to work on a continuing basis with State policymakers to identify, implement, and evaluate innovative suicide prevention policies and programs. To help ensure a successful, long-term effort to understand and prevent suicides, the center is to recruit and provide specialized training opportunities for new researchers who have recently completed college degrees. As a supplement to its own research, the center may administer a small grant program for research on suicide. Research funds under the grant program are to be awarded on the basis of merit as determined by an open, competitive peer review process that assures objectivity, consistency, and high quality. The bill provides that, one year following the establishment of the center, the Rutgers School of Public Health is to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature regarding the work of the center. The report is to include, but not be limited to, information on the center's current research projects, the amount and sources of funding utilized, and the future direction of the center's research. If the center administers a grant program for suicide research, the report is to also include information on the grants made, pending grants, and accomplishments of the program. Under the bill, the Legislature is to annually appropriate such monies as are necessary to fund the activities and research of the center. The center may solicit and accept any grants, gifts, donations, or other funds from public or private sources, which may be available for research related to suicide. | In Committee |
| S2143 | "New Jersey Safe Storage of Firearms Act"; establishes certain requirements and penalties regarding firearm storage; repeals law governing minor's access to firearm; requires AG to establish public awareness campaign regarding firearm storage; appropriates $500,000. | This bill, titled the "New Jersey Safe Storage of Firearms Act," establishes penalties for improper storage of a firearm that results in access of the firearm; requires a warning to be issued to firearms purchasers; and requires the Attorney General to establish a public awareness campaign regarding the risk associated with improper storage of a firearm. The bill also repeals the provisions of current law that establish penalties only for a minor's access of an improperly stored firearm, and makes an appropriation.Under current law, there are storage requirements and penalties imposed if a minor accesses a loaded firearm that is not in use. However, there currently are no general requirements for storing firearms when they are not in use. This bill requires a legal owner of a firearm to: (1) store or secure a firearm that is not in use at a premises under the owner's control unloaded, in a gun safe or securely locked box or container; and (2) store ammunition, separately, in a securely locked box or container. Under the bill, if the owner of a firearm fails to store the firearm properly as required under the bill, the owner will, for a first offense, be sentenced to period of community service of not less than 10 hours and not more than 40 hours. For a second or subsequent offense, the owner is guilty of a disorderly persons offense. If an improperly stored firearm is accessed by another person, and the access results in serious bodily injury to or the death of the person who accesses the firearm or another person, the owner is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months' imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by up to 18 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. The Attorney General is required under the bill to establish a list of approved entities with knowledge and experience in the prevention of gun violence for which a person may perform a sentence of court-ordered community service. An approved entity is required to offer community service that incorporates gun violence prevention education and effectuates behavioral change to meet the goals of gun violence prevention. An approved entity also may provide online instruction related to gun violence prevention, gun violence prevention films; and gun violence prevention interventional activities to be conducted as part of a New Jersey hospital-based gun violence intervention program. The bill requires the court to notify a person who is convicted of a second or subsequent crime or offense involving the access of an improperly stored firearm or access that results in serious bodily injury or death that he or she is prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm, and from receiving or retaining a permit to purchase a handgun (PPH) or a firearms purchaser identification card (FPIC). The court also is to order a defendant to arrange for the immediate surrender to a law enforcement officer of any firearm that has not already been seized or surrendered, as well as any PPH or FPIC. Within five days of the entry of an order, the defendant may arrange to sell the surrendered firearm to a licensed retail dealer. The dealer then has 10 days to take possession of the firearm. A law enforcement officer accepting a surrendered firearm is to provide the defendant with a receipt, which the defendant is to present to the prosecutor as proof that the firearm was surrendered. If a firearm is surrendered to a law enforcement officer, but not sold to a licensed retail dealer, the law enforcement officer is authorized to dispose of the firearm in accordance with the State's civil asset forfeiture laws. In addition, the bill requires a retail dealer or employee to notify a firearms purchaser, and post signage, explaining the New Jersey Safe Storage of Firearms Act and warning of the dangers associated with having a firearm in the home and the penalties imposed for unlawful access of an improperly stored firearm. The provisions of the bill also require the Attorney General to establish a public awareness campaign to inform and educate the public concerning the provisions of the bill, including the requirements and penalties imposed under the bill, and the dangers associated with the presence of a loaded, unsecured firearm in the home. The public awareness campaign is to be implemented in media outlets which include, but are not limited to: Statewide newspapers, radio, public service announcements, social media, television ads, and other media outlets deemed appropriate by the Attorney General. The bill appropriates $500,000 to fund the development and implementation of the public awareness campaign. The bill also requires the Attorney General to collect and analyze data related to implementation of the bill, including the number of violations that have occurred and the disposition of each violation. The Attorney General also is required to study the overall impact of bill, considering the effectiveness of the bill on public safety and the effectiveness of the community service requirements established under bill. The Attorney General is required to submit annually a report to the Legislature summarizing the analysis and study conducted pursuant to the bill, and make the report available to the public on the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety. The report is to be submitted and published by November 1st of each year. Finally, the bill repeals current law governing a minor's access to a firearm, to be replaced with the requirements and penalties established under the bill. | In Committee |
| S2153 | Permits certain retired public employees in PERS to collect pension while also collecting salary as an elected official. | This bill permits members of the Public Employees' Retirement System who are serving as an elected official on the bill's effective date to be eligible to retire and receive pension benefits while continuing to hold elected office and receive the full salary for that office if their retirement allowance is not based solely on service in the public office to which they were elected. No contributions will be required of the member covering that service. A provision of law identical to the one in this bill was repealed in 2011, but this bill will be limited to current elected office holders. | In Committee |
| SCR14 | Proposes constitutional amendment giving Legislature authority to establish slot machine gambling at horse racetracks; dedicates revenues derived to support State-administered defined benefit retirement systems, casinos, improvements to Atlantic City, and horse racing. | This constitutional amendment would give the Legislature authority to establish slot machine gambling at horse racetracks. Upon approval of this amendment, the Legislature would pass a law prescribing the specific kind, restrictions, and control of operations of such slot machine gambling. The State's share of revenues derived from such slot machine gambling would be dedicated as follows: 60 percent, to be deposited as received, into the contingent reserve funds of the State-administered defined benefit retirement systems to support the State's annual contribution to these systems or into an account to support the payment of debt service on pension obligation bonds, as the Legislature will provide by law; 30 percent allocated proportionally based on the size of investment in Atlantic City to members of a consortium of casino license owners and operators operating in Atlantic City as of December 15, 2015 or thereafter in accordance with such formulas as the Legislature shall provide by law; seven percent to fund programs dedicated for the purposes of the recovery, stabilization, or improvement of Atlantic City, as the Legislature shall provide by law; and three percent for programs to aid the thoroughbred and standardbred horsemen in the State, as the Legislature shall provide by law. The eligibility for each initial license to establish and operate a gambling house or casino shall be limited to: a holder of a New Jersey casino license that was operating a casino which was conducting gambling on December 15, 2015; and any person licensed as a principal owner of a holder of a New Jersey casino license that was operating a casino which was conducting gambling on December 15, 2015. Thereafter, the operator and principal owner of slot machine gambling at a horse racetrack must also hold a license to operate or own, as operator, a casino in Atlantic City. The operation of slot machines at horse racetracks would be mutually beneficial to both the casino industry and the horse racing industry. Racetrack slot machine gambling would provide an opportunity for casino industry operators to expand beyond the boundaries of Atlantic City and reach patrons who may not otherwise consider traveling to that city to engage in gambling activities. For the racetrack industry, the slot machines would increase attendance, drawing patrons who may not otherwise consider traveling to racetracks at which horse racing is the sole activity on which to wager. Additionally, the State would benefit from this mutually beneficial casino industry-racing industry relationship, through increased tax revenue generated directly and indirectly by new racetrack slot machine operations. | In Committee |
| S1983 | Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses. | This bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs), including restrictions that limit the ability of APNs to prescribe medications and administer anesthesia, and establishes new requirements for APNs to prescribe medications. The bill expressly provides that, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, an APN with greater than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice will be authorized to practice without a joint protocol with a collaborating provider. With regard to prescribing medications, the bill requires the use of New Jersey Prescription Blanks and satisfying continuing professional education requirements related to pharmacology and prescribing controlled substances. An APN with fewer than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be permitted to prescribe medication only if a formal joint protocol with a physician or experienced advanced practice nurse is in place. The bill revises the requirements for APNs to authorize patients for medical cannabis and to issue written instructions for medical cannabis, to provide that the APN will only be required to meet the requirements set forth under the "Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act," P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-1 et al.). Those requirements include: possessing active State and federal registrations to prescribe controlled dangerous substances; being the health care practitioner responsible for the ongoing treatment of a patient's qualifying medical condition; and complying with various other requirements for issuing written instructions for medical cannabis. The bill further provides that every APN who is an APN-Anesthesia and who has completed 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be authorized to practice as an APN-Anesthesia to the full scope of practice for APNs-Anesthesia, without any requirement for supervision by a licensed physician and without any requirement that the APN-Anesthesia enter into joint protocols with a licensed physician. The bill provides that any State law or regulation that requires the signature or similar endorsement of a physician will be deemed to require the same of an APN, to the extent consistent with an APN's scope of practice. The bill revises and repeals certain sections of law that are obviated by the changes made under the bill. | In Committee |
| S1948 | Revises reporting requirements for nursing homes concerning financial disclosures and ownership structure. | This bill revises the reporting requirements for transfers of nursing home ownership and assignments of substantial management control over a nursing home to a third party entity. Specifically, the bill requires nursing home owners and operators, as well as applicants for a transfer of ownership of a nursing home and third party entities exercising substantial management control over the nursing home, to provide an organizational chart identifying: parent entities and wholly-owned subsidiaries; principals that provide a service, facility, or supplies to the nursing home; and unrelated parties that provide a service, facility, or supplies to the nursing home that are paid $200,000 or more by the nursing home. In the case of an applicant for a transfer of ownership of a nursing home, these disclosures will be based on expectations with regard to services, facilities, supplies, and payments. For applications for transfer of ownership of a nursing home, the organizational chart is to be posted on the Department of Health's (DOH's) Internet website, along with a copy of the transfer of ownership application, which is currently required to be posted on the DOH's website. The bill removes a current provision of law that allows applicants for transfers of ownership to prepare and submit a summary of the application information that omits proprietary information and can be used for public disclosure purposes. The bill additionally removes a provision of current law that provides nothing in a transfer of ownership application may be used in an adverse licensure or disciplinary action against the applicant. The bill revises the current requirements for approval of a transfer of ownership application to provide that approval is contingent on review of the applicant's history of disciplinary actions involving facilities owned, operated, or managed by the applicant in both New Jersey and in any other jurisdiction; under current law, this review is limited to New Jersey facilities. Under current law, approval is additionally conditioned on payment of outstanding and issued Medicaid audit claims and penalties issued by the Department of Health (DOH); the bill adds as a condition of approval that there be payment of all Medicaid overpayments, and requires payment of any State-issued penalty, not just those issued by the DOH. The amended bill further specifies that, if any Medicaid overpayments are identified after the transfer of ownership occurs, the new owner will be required to submit an affidavit to the DOH and to the State Comptroller identifying the responsible party for the overpayments. The bill revises the mandatory components of the annual reports nursing homes are required to submit to the DOH to additionally require balance sheets include information concerning equity, and statements of operations include specifically itemized expenses related to leases of land, buildings, and equipment, loans of equipment, and contracts in excess of $10,000 per year for any service, as well as details concerning any mortgagee for the land or building used by the nursing home. The reporting requirements will also include information concerning the owners and operators of related parties to the nursing home and entities other than a nonprofit organization that have an ownership interest of five percent or more in a private equity fund that is invested in the nursing home. The bill revises the threshold for reporting certain interested party transactions from $2,500 per year to $10,000 per year. The bill further requires enhanced disclosure of the owners and principals of the owners, management companies, and related parties to a nursing home, including the owners and principals of holding and parent companies and subsidiaries, as well as limited liability companies. The bill further revises the current financial disclosures required for nursing home owners and operators, to require the submission of an owner-certified financial statement that: 1) is reviewed or audited by a certified public accountant and performed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in effect the day the application or statement is submitted; and 2) includes: a balance sheet detailing the assets, liabilities, and equity the end of the reporting entity's fiscal year; a statement of income, expenses, and operating surplus or deficit for the annual fiscal period; a statement of changes in equity; a statement detailing patient revenue by payer, including, but not limited to, Medicare, NJ FamilyCare, and other payers, and revenue center; a statement of cash flows, including, but not limited to, ongoing and new capital expenditures and depreciation; a combined financial statement that includes all entities reported in the owner-certified financial statement; and any other information, data, and documents as may be required by the Commissioner of Health or the State Comptroller. The bill specifies that an owner-certified financial statement required under P.L.2021, c.457 (C.26:2H-46.3 et seq.) is to meet the requirements for owner-certified financial statements established under the bill. The bill further specifies that a health care system consisting of more than one nursing home will be required to submit owner-certified financial statements that consolidate the financial data across all nursing homes that are a part of that health care system, together with a statement of operations or income with respect to each nursing home in the health care system, which statements of operations or income may be submitted in a supplemental schedule. A nonprofit nursing home that files a copy of its most recent Internal Revenue Service Form 990 Public Inspection Copy with the DOH and the State Comptroller, and a nursing home that files with the DOH and the State Comptroller a cost report with an audited financial statement that has been submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, may each be deemed to have satisfied all or part of the requirements of an owner-certified financial statement established under the bill. For applicants for a transfer of ownership and entities seeking to delegate management of a nursing home, this information will be included with certain materials that current law requires be provided to the Department of Health (DOH). The bill expands the disclosure requirements under current law to additionally reference limited liability companies, which will be required to make the required disclosures for each member of the limited liability company. The bill revises a current requirement for nursing homes to submit certain information to the DOH within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year to require the information be submitted 150 days after the end of the fiscal year. The DOH will be required to immediately transmit submitted nursing home reports to the State Comptroller. All information submitted under the bill with regard to transfers of ownership, annual reporting, and delegations of substantial management control, is to be certified under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and complete. All information submitted will additionally be deemed a public record. The bill revises the current penalties that apply for failure to make a required report or for submitting false information. Current law authorizes a civil penalty of $10 to $100 per day for each day the report is not filed or corrected. The bill revises the civil penalty to up to $200 per day, makes the penalties discretionary, and authorizes the DOH to curtail resident admissions to the nursing home. The bill provides that the State Comptroller, in consultation with the DOH and the Department of Human Services, will be authorized to monitor, review and audit owner-certified financial statements in accordance with certain existing statutory authorities, and will be authorized to obtain information and testimony, issue reports, make referrals, and coordinate with and require the cooperation of State agencies in the same manner as permitted under those existing statutory authorities. The bill grants the DOH and the State Comptroller express authority to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the bill, and the authority to issue temporary notices to implement the bill, which notices will be valid for no more than one year after the date the bill is enacted. | In Committee |
| S2275 | Directs BPU to establish program concerning renewable natural gas; provides gas public utilities with customer rate recovery mechanism for costs associated with program. | This bill directs the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish a program to encourage the procurement of renewable natural gas and investment in renewable natural gas infrastructure by a gas public utility (utility). The bill establishes portfolio targets for the distribution of renewable natural gas to the utility's retail natural gas customers in the State, for energy years 2022 through 2050. The portfolio target begins as a target of up to five percent in each of the energy years 2022 through 2024, and increases up to 30 percent in each of the energy years 2045 through 2050. The bill defines "renewable natural gas" as the following products, processed to meet pipeline quality standards or transportation fuel grade requirements: 1) biogas that meets natural gas pipeline quality standards such that it may blend with, or substitute for, geologic natural gas; 2) hydrogen gas derived from Class I renewable energy or Class II renewable energy; or 3) methane gas derived from any combination of biogas, hydrogen gas, or carbon oxides derived from renewable energy sources, or waste carbon dioxide. The bill requires the BPU to adopt a ratemaking mechanism that ensures the recovery of and on all prudently incurred costs that contribute to a utility's meeting the program's renewable natural gas portfolio targets established in the bill. Under a ratemaking mechanism adopted by the BPU by means of a periodic rate recovery mechanism: 1) any BPU-approved qualified investment and operating cost associated with a qualified investment that contributes to a utility's meeting the program's requirements may be recovered from ratepayers; and 2) any BPU-approved cost of procurement of renewable natural gas from a third party, including from an affiliate of the utility, that contributes to the utility meeting the program's requirements may be recovered from ratepayers. When a utility makes a qualified investment, the costs associated with the qualified investment are to include the cost of capital established in the utility's most recent rate case as well as other incremental costs associated with those qualified investments. The bill requires that when a utility procures renewable natural gas from a third party, the utility is to purchase the renewable natural gas supply at prices and on terms consistent with market conditions in the market for renewable natural gas. A charge assessed to customers for the supply of renewable natural gas is to be regulated by the BPU and be based on the cost to the utility of providing that supply, including the cost of renewable natural gas commodity and capacity, purchased at prices consistent with market conditions in the market for renewable natural gas, and related ancillary and administrative costs. If a utility's total incremental annual cost to meet the requirements of the renewable natural gas program exceeds five percent of the utility's total revenue requirement for an individual year, the utility is no longer authorized to make additional qualified investments under the renewable natural gas program for that year without the approval of the BPU. The bill provides that the total incremental annual cost to meet the portfolio targets of the program are to account for: 1) any value received by the utility upon any resale of renewable natural gas, including any environmental credits that the renewable natural gas producer chooses to include with the sale of the renewable natural gas to the utility; and 2) any savings achieved through avoidance of conventional gas purchases or development, such as avoided pipeline costs or carbon costs. The bill allows the BPU to permit a utility to exceed the program's portfolio targets and, in that instance, the remaining provisions of the bill are to continue to apply. | In Committee |
| S1469 | Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems. | This bill authorizes the use of a school bus monitoring system to enforce section 1 of P.L.1942, c.192 (C.39:4-128.1), the State law governing passing a school bus. A school bus monitoring system is defined as a system meeting certain requirements set forth in the bill and having at least one camera and computer that captures and records a digital video or image of any motor vehicle operating near a school bus. Under current law, school buses are required to exhibit flashing red lights when the bus has stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging any person with a developmental disability or a child. Drivers of vehicles approaching or overtaking the school bus are required to stop at least 25 feet from a school bus that has activated its flashing lights. The penalty for violating this law, for a first offense, is: 1) a fine of no less than $100; 2) imprisonment for no more than 15 days or community service; or 3) both. For subsequent offenses, the penalty is: 1) a fine of no less than $250; 2) imprisonment for no less than 15 days; or 3) both. This bill provides that the penalty for violating the law, when the violation is not evidenced by the recorded images captured by a school bus monitoring system, would be: 1) a fine of $250; 2) 15 days of community service; or 3) both, in the case of a first offense. For each subsequent offense, the penalty would be a fine of $500 and no less than 15 days of community service. Under the bill, a civil penalty of $250 would be imposed on a person who passes a school bus in violation of current law if the violation is evidenced by the recorded images captured by a school bus monitoring system. Under these circumstances, any civil penalty imposed and collected for this violation is to be forwarded to the financial officer of the municipality in which the violation occurred and used for general municipal and school district purposes, including efforts to improve the monitoring and enforcement of this law through the utilization of a school bus monitoring system and other public education safety programs. A violation that is evidenced by the recorded images captured by a school bus monitoring system would not result in penalty points or automobile insurance eligibility points being assessed on the violator. The bill authorizes a municipality or school district operating or providing Type I or Type II school buses that transport students to contract with a private vendor to provide for the installation, operation, and maintenance of a school bus monitoring system for enforcement purposes. The bill provides that a school bus monitoring system must be capable of capturing and producing a record of any occurrence that may be considered illegal passing of a school bus, and include in that recorded image: -- if the school bus is exhibiting its flashing light; -- if a motor vehicle passes a school bus; -- the license plate, make, and model of the violating vehicle; and -- the date, time, and location of the violation. The bill requires any suspected violation captured in a recorded image produced by a school bus monitoring system to be made available to the chief law enforcement officer of the municipality in which the violation occurred. A law enforcement officer is to issue a summons within 90 days of determining that a suspected violation occurred. A summons may not be issued for a violation occurring more than 90 days from date of the violation. The bill provides that any recorded image or information produced in connection with a school bus monitoring system is not a public record under New Jersey's "Open Public Records Act," is not discoverable as a public record except upon a subpoena issued by a grand jury or a court order in a criminal matter, and is not to be offered into evidence in any civil or administrative proceeding unless directly related to illegally passing a school bus. The bill provides that recorded images or information produced in connection with a school bus monitoring system pertaining to a specific violation are not to be retained for more than 60 days after the collection of any civil penalty imposed, and are then to be purged. All recorded images and information collected but not resulting in the issuance of a summons are to be purged within 95 days of the recording. The bill provides that the owner of a motor vehicle is liable for a summons for illegally passing a school bus as evidenced by a recorded image captured by a school bus monitoring system. However, a lessor or owner of a motor vehicle is not liable for a summons if: -- the lessor demonstrates that the vehicle was used without the lessor's express or implied consent, and provides the name and address of the vehicle operator or registrant; -- the lessee was operating or in possession of the vehicle at the time of the violation and the lessor provides the name and address of the lessee; or -- the owner, lessor, or lessee demonstrates that the vehicle was stolen at the time the violation occurred and provides a copy of the police report regarding the vehicle theft. The bill permits the Commissioner of Education, the Superintendent of State Police, and the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the bill, including specifications and certification procedures for the school bus monitoring systems and devices that may be installed. The bill also permits the Supreme Court of New Jersey to adopt Rules of Court as appropriate or necessary to effectuate the purposes of the substitute. The bill will take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following enactment, but permits the Commissioner of Education, the Superintendent of State Police, and the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to take anticipatory administrative actions in advance of the bill's effective date. | In Committee |
| S285 | Permits application for PERS accidental disability benefit for injury sustained after January 2003 while employed at State psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately prior to PERS membership. | This bill allows a member of the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to apply for accidental disability benefits based upon an injury sustained while employed temporarily at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, any other State psychiatric institution or any State correctional facility, which injury continues to be disabling after the person becomes a PERS member. Temporary public employees are not eligible for PERS membership until the employment becomes permanent or the passage of one year, whichever occurs first. Currently, persons employed temporarily at any State psychiatric institution or any State correctional facility who are injured while ineligible for PERS membership are eligible for workers compensation benefits only. They are not eligible for PERS accidental disability benefits even after attaining PERS member status because the injury occurred when not a PERS member. The bill provides that, for purposes of application for a PERS accidental disability benefit, a traumatic event (1) occurring during and as a result of the performance of a State employee's regular or assigned duties as, but not limited to, a doctor, nurse, healthcare worker, social worker, or correction officer caring for or guarding individuals who are permanently or temporarily incarcerated for any reason at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, any other State psychiatric institution or any State correctional facility and (2) occurring when the employee is employed temporarily and not yet eligible for membership in the retirement system will be deemed as occurring during membership, if the employee becomes a member of the retirement system without interruption in that employment. The bill's provisions would apply retroactively to January 1, 2003. In addition, the bill also adds to the duties of the Civil Service Commission a personnel orientation program that informs new employees of State psychiatric institutions and State correctional facilities of the risk of injury occurring during and as a result of the performance of their regular or assigned duties. | 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 |
| S2136 | Concerns psychological testing of police officers. | This bill requires that prior to appointment, candidates for positions as municipal, county, and campus law enforcement officers, as well as sheriff's officers, submit to a psychological evaluation. The bill defines a "psychological evaluation" as an oral interview and at least one professionally recognized clinical test developed by a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist to determine that the candidate or officer is free from any emotional or mental condition which may adversely affect the performance of law enforcement duties, including but not limited to implicit bias. These law enforcement officers also would be required to submit to a second psychological evaluation at the conclusion of the probationary period and then every five years thereafter. In addition, the bill permits "fitness-for-duty" evaluations with reason or for cause. The purpose of these evaluations is to determine if the officer remains able to carry out the officer's law enforcement duties. Reason or cause is established if an officer engages in conduct that poses a danger to the officer or another person. The conduct may include drug or alcohol abuse, acts of violence, abuse of authority or receipt of a disproportionate number of citizen complaints against the officer. The bill provides that law enforcement officers are entitled to review the results of any psychological evaluations performed on them and that they have the right to hire a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist of their choice to review the evaluations. Officers terminated based on the results of a psychological examination would be entitled to an ordinary disability retirement allowance. Under current law, ordinary disability retirement is granted to law enforcement officers under the age of 55 with four or more years of service who cannot perform their duties or any other available duties due to a certified mental or physical incapacitation that is likely to be permanent. Under the bill, psychiatrists and licensed psychologists who act in good faith and in accordance with currently accepted medical standards in performing the required evaluations would not be held civilly liable with respect to these evaluations. The bill further requires the Attorney General to promulgate rules and regulations governing the psychological evaluations of law enforcement officers. The rules are to include a list of licensed psychiatrists or psychologists who the Attorney General has deemed qualified to administer the evaluations. Although many police departments currently require police officer candidates to pass a psychological test, there is no statutory law that imposes this requirement. Under the bill, all police departments, including those that currently do not require these evaluations, would be required to psychologically test candidates. Further, every police department would be required to perform psychological evaluations of police officers after they complete initial police academy training, as well as every five years thereafter. | In Committee |
| S892 | Upgrades burglary of a residence to a crime of the second degree; requires mandatory period of parole ineligibility if residence was occupied at time of offense. | This bill would upgrade burglary of a residence to a crime of the second degree and provide that an offender is not eligible for early release if a person was present in the residence at the time of the offense. Currently, all burglary offenses are crimes of the third degree unless the offender purposely, knowingly, or recklessly inflicts, attempts to inflict, or threatens to inflict bodily injury on someone or if the offender is armed with explosives or a deadly weapon, in which case it is a crime of the second degree. This bill would provide that it is also a crime of the second degree to unlawfully enter or surreptitiously remain in a dwelling or other structure adapted for overnight accommodation of persons, whether or not a person is actually present. Additionally, the bill would provide that, if a person was present in the dwelling at the time of the burglary, the offender would be subject to the provisions of subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.1997, c.117 (C.2C:43-7.2), commonly known as the "No Early Release Act (NERA)," which requires that certain offenders must serve a minimum 85% of the sentence of imprisonment imposed for the offense. A crime of the second degree is punishable by imprisonment for five to 10 years, up to a $150,000 fine, or both. A crime of the third degree is punishable by imprisonment for three to five years, up to a $15,000 fine, or both. | In Committee |
| S2138 | Establishes bribery in official and political matters applies to person soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept benefit as consideration to act even though not yet in office or otherwise qualified to act. | This bill would authorize municipalities to adopt or amend their ordinances allowing for short-term tax exemptions and abatements in areas in need of rehabilitation to allow a subsequent purchaser of a dwelling located within an area in need of rehabilitation to submit an application for a short-term tax exemption or abatement for improvements that were made to the dwelling by the prior owner. The bill would also require the owner of a dwelling located in an area in which short-term tax exemptions and abatements are allowed, which owner has completed improvements to the dwelling, but has not submitted an application to the assessor for a tax exemption or abatement, to provide notice to that effect to the subsequent purchaser of the dwelling at the time of entering into a contract of sale for the dwelling. Current law requires applications for exemptions or abatements to be submitted to the assessor within 30 days of completion of improvements. This bill will allow municipalities that adopt ordinances providing for short-term tax exemptions and abatements for improvements to dwellings to provide that, in the event a claimant has not filed an application with the assessor within 30 days following the completion of improvements to a dwelling, a purchaser of the dwelling may file an application with the assessor within the later of one year of the date of completion of the improvements, or within one year of the date of the purchase of the dwelling. This will provide the subsequent purchaser of a dwelling, in municipalities allowing it, a window of opportunity to submit an application for an exemption or abatement which, if granted, will provide the new owner a period of time to take appropriate action based upon this financial obligation. | In Committee |
| S665 | Concerns professional licensing and application fees for spouse or dependent of active duty member of United States Armed Forces. | This bill provides that no professional or occupational board shall charge a license application fee to an applicant who is the spouse or dependent of an active-duty service member. The bill also removes the provision requiring the payment of a fee for the issuance of a temporary courtesy license. In addition, the bill provides that a professional or occupational licensing board shall include on any application for professional or occupational licensure a box for the applicant to indicate the applicant's status as the spouse or dependent of an active duty member of the United States Armed Forces. | In Committee |
| S2140 | Makes various changes to reporting requirements for independent expenditure committees. | This bill makes various changes to reporting requirements for independent expenditure committees. The bill clarifies that independent expenditure committees will report on the same schedule as continuing political committees. The bill also modifies how expenditures will be reported. Independent expenditures, which are made to expressly advocate for or against a candidate or a public question, over $3,000 will be reported in each quarterly report. If the committee makes any electioneering communication--which the bill defines as a communication valued at over $3,000 in the aggregate during any calendar year that refers to a candidate or a public question and is made within the 60 days before an election, and can be received by at least 10 percent of the electorate--then all expenditures over $3,000 made for the purpose of influencing or providing political information on the outcome of any election or public question will be reported. Under current law, an independent expenditure means an expenditure expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or a public question, legislation, or regulation. The bill removes attempting to influence legislation and regulations as activity for which contributions and expenditures would have to be reported. The bill also modifies the definition of independent expenditure committee to reflect committees that are restricted by law or regulation with regard to the coordination of its activities with any candidate or political party. The bill also modifies the definition of electioneering communication. Currently, an electioneering communication is a communication made within the period beginning on January 1 of an election year and the date of the election and refers to a candidate or a public question, regardless of whether it expressly advocates for or against a candidate or public question. The bill revises that definition to mean a communication for which the direct costs of producing and disseminating exceed $3,000 in the aggregate during any calendar year, that refers to a clearly identified candidate or a public question and is made within 60 days before the primary, general, municipal, school, or special election, and that can be received by at least 10 percent of the electorate the candidate seeks to represent or the electorate responsible for deciding the public question, regardless of whether the communication expressly advocates for or against the candidate or public question. The bill excludes certain communications in news stories or editorials, communications in a candidate debate, and communications by an organization exclusively to its members, stockholders, or executive or administrative personnel. The bill raises the threshold for reporting certain contributions to the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) within 48 hours of receipt when those contributions are received on or before a primary, general, municipal, school, or special election that occurs between the last day of a quarterly reporting period and the last day of the next reporting period. Currently, while contributions to independent expenditure committees are reportable when they exceed $10,000, contributions during this time period are reportable when they exceed $500. The bill would change this amount to match the current contribution threshold of over $10,000, requiring that such contributions be reported to ELEC within 48 hours when received during that time. The bill makes the same change with respect to expenditures, changing the $800 threshold to the $3,000 threshold to which independent expenditure committees are otherwise subject for purposes of reporting. The bill broadens the activity for which a foreign national, government, or agent is prohibited from registering as an independent expenditure committee to include making any expenditure in any State or local election, rather than only an independent expenditure. The bill lowers, from $5,500 to $2,500, the contributions threshold for a group to qualify as a continuing political committee to match the threshold for requiring that group to certify to ELEC that the committee expects to contribute that amount concerning election related activity. The bill also revises, in subsections f. and g. in section 2 of the bill, a provision of law that permits the exclusion of contributions below a reportable amount to match the threshold currently applicable to independent expenditure committees for those groups. | In Committee |
| S417 | Creates permanent commission to study various statutory definitions of veteran, disabled veteran, and service-disabled veteran. | This bill establishes a permanent study commission on the various statutory definitions of veteran, disabled veteran, and service-disabled veteran. Of the total membership, one member would be appointed by the Governor, one member would be appointed by the President of the Senate, one member would be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, one member would be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one member would be appointed by the General Assembly Minority Leader. The appointee by the Governor will be an employee of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. The purpose of the study commission would be to (1) determine the various definitions of "veteran," "disabled veteran," "service-disabled veteran," and any other definition of veteran in the statutes, and (2) recommend changes to such definitions in the statutes that may provide greater uniformity and be less restrictive. The study commission would: (1) compile and analyze the various definitions of "veteran," "disabled veteran," "service-disabled veteran," and any other definition of veteran in the statutes; (2) identify statutes with unique and restrictive requirements for the various definitions and determine if the requirements may be revised for the benefit of more uniform definitions; (3) identify potential revisions to be made to the statutes to provide for a clearer understanding of the requirements for qualification under the various definitions; (4) consult with the military community for their expertise and input on its work; and (5) utilize the findings of the study commission, and the expertise from the military community, to recommend changes to the various definitions. The bill requires the study commission to prepare and issue an annual report on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations and submit it to the Governor, the Legislature, the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, or its successor, and the General Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, or its successor. The first annual report will be issued no later than 12 months after the commission organizes. | In Committee |
| S2164 | Expands liability of certain individuals associated with limited liability companies and other commercial entities, when acting as residential landlord. | This bill expands the liability of certain individuals associated with limited liability companies and other commercial entities in relation to residential properties that they lease. Specifically, the bill provides that, in addition to retaining the ability to hold a commercial entity itself liable for housing, building, and health code charges, and charges issued under the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law," ("HMDL") P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.), a court may hold certain members of a member-managed limited liability company, the managers of a manager-managed limited liability company, and the directors and officers of a corporation, jointly and severally liable for such charges, so long as:(1) there are at least three charges concerning the property leased by the entity for residential purposes;(2) at least three charges remain unpaid on the first day of the thirteenth month following the due date of the first charge;(3) notice of the charge and impending enforcement has been issued to the address of the record owner, the registered agent, the managing agent, the members in the case of a limited liability company, the directors and officers in the case of a corporation, and each holder of a recorded mortgage and other existing lienholders, if provided within the landlord's registration information. If the landlord is not registered, in violation of section 2 of P.L.1974, c.50 (C.46:8-28), then this notice requirement would not apply. The notice provided to an individual would be sufficient even if the commercial entity ceases to own the property, so long as the same individual has a role as a registered agent, managing agent, member, manager, director, or officer of the property's new owner;(4) the individual, if a member of a member-managed limited liability company, possesses at least a 10 percent interest in the business and(5) the defendant does not successfully assert an affirmative defense showing a lack of ability to ensure payment of the charge. Additionally, landlord registration requirements, under section 2 of P.L.1974, c.50 (C.46:8-28), currently require submission of the name and address of a registered agent who may accept service of process if the landlord is a corporation. This bill requires a landlord organized as any other legal or commercial entity, to also submit the name and address of a registered agent, as well as the name and address of the members of a member-managed limited liability company who possess at least a 10 percent interest in the business, and the officers and directors in the case of a corporation, when registering as a landlord. Upon filing this information, the bill requires the municipal clerk to notify the construction official and the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury of the name and address of the record owner, and registered agent as applicable. Finally, this bill allows municipalities to amend their housing, building, and health codes to direct that any charge issued to a landlord for violating the code may, after serving notice, be enforced as a lien on the property. However, enforcement as a lien would only be permitted if the charge remains unpaid on the first day of the thirteenth month following the due date of the charge. | In Committee |
| S2154 | Concerns Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. | This bill concerns the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). Under the bill, the OPIA in the Department of Law and Public Safety is required to adopt, implement, and comply with guidelines that are consistent with the most recent "Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures" promulgated by the Office of the Attorney General. In addition, the OPIA is required to submit a report to the Legislature for each investigation conducted by the office that is not completed within 180 days. The report is to summarize all actions taken by the office during the investigation. | In Committee |
| S1404 | Provides refundable gross income tax credit for early principal payments on certain home mortgages. | This bill provides for a refundable gross income tax credit for 50 percent of early home mortgage principal payments that taxpayers make in addition to their required monthly mortgage payments. Extra payments made in addition to home mortgage required monthly payments are required to be credited as a payment on the principal amount of the mortgage loan amount. The annual refundable tax credit is allowed up to $1,000 per year and can be claimed for up to 10 taxable years. This bill is modeled on federal legislation referred to as the Building Equity for the American Middle-Class Act (BEAM Act) that will encourage families to build equity in their home, pay down their home mortgage more quickly, thus creating more wealth while securing the American dream of homeownership. This bill will provide a gross income tax break that rewards middle class families that chose to more quickly pay down the principal amounts of their home mortgages. Mortgages eligible for this tax credit are purchase money mortgages or refinanced purchase money mortgages that must: (1) be for a primary residence, (2) be for a term between 15 and 30 years, and (3) require payments that are each the same amount and made in equal intervals during the term of the mortgage. The $1,000 limit on the amount of the credit phases down for single taxpayers who have taxable income between $125,000 and $135,000 and for married individuals filing jointly who have taxable income between $250,000 and $270,000. No credit is allowed for single taxpayers with taxable income over $135,000 and for married individuals filing jointly with taxable income over $270,000. Married individuals must file a joint return to claim the credit. | In Committee |
| S2238 | Requires school district to provide majority of preschool pupil placements at licensed child care provider programs. | This bill requires a school district receiving preschool education aid through the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008" (C.18A:7F-43 et al.) to provide no less than 50 percent of preschool pupil placements at licensed child care provider programs. The remaining preschool pupil placements will be provided in district programs and Head Start programs. The bill permits, upon application, a school district to be granted a waiver by the Department of Education of the bill's requirements if sufficient preschool pupil placements are not available at licensed child care provider programs within the school district. A school district that requests a waiver is required to provide such information as the Department of Education specifies to justify the request. | In Committee |
| S2148 | Exempts licensed master plumbers from certain electrical contractor business permit requirements. | This bill exempts licensed master plumbers in the State from certain business permit requirements under the law governing electrical contractors concerning certain electric water heaters and air conditioning units. Electric water heaters are among the most common types of water heaters in New Jersey and the United States, and are increasing in popularity due to their cost and energy efficiency. Electric air conditioning condensing units are also very popular appliances. Licensed master plumbers in New Jersey possess the skills and training necessary to replace these appliances, but under current law these plumbers would need to hold a New Jersey master electrician's license to perform such work. By exempting licensed New Jersey master plumbers from needing a business permit from the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, this bill frees those plumbers to perform additional tasks. This less burdensome requirement will provide costs savings to customers by increasing competition for plumbing services and plumbers by removing a costly and unnecessary regulatory requirement. | In Committee |
| S1070 | Concerns temporary disability insurance and family leave insurance benefits. | This bill: 1. Extends TDI and FLI benefits to employees providing care for family members needed because of a public health emergency or state of emergency, including, if federal funds are available, the closure of a school or place of care. 2. Extends FLI benefits to care needed because of certain exigencies arising out of active military service. 3. Sets requirements regarding employer notification to employees of their rights, including their right to unemployment benefits after leave if an employee is not restored to employment after leave because of a reduction in force occurring during the leave. 4. Provides that an employee who is eligible for both earned sick leave and either TDI or FLI benefits, may use either the earned sick leave or whichever is applicable of the TDI or FLI benefits, and may select the order in which they are taken, but may not receive more than one kind of paid leave benefits during any period of time. 5. Extends TDI or FLI benefits to an employee regardless of the amount of time an employee has worked or the amount of the employees earnings, so long as the employee earns at least $1,000 during the employee's base year. 6. Provides that the weekly benefit rates for TDI or FLI benefits taken during a period of unemployment are set at the rates for TDI or FLI benefits, instead of the rates for unemployment compensation. 7. Provides the option to self-employed individuals of obtaining coverage for TDI and FLI benefits if they make contributions to the TDI fund which are the equivalent to the contributions made by employers and employees. 8. Eliminates the seven-day waiting period for TDI benefits. 9. Provides the right to reinstatement to equivalent employment after a period of leave applies to all periods in which TDI or FLI benefits are provided, including extending that right to FLI leave takers employed by employers with less than 30 employees, as is presently the case for TDI leave takers. 10. Requires, when employees take leave with TDI or FLI benefits, that employers maintain health insurance coverage during the leave period on the same terms as when the employees are working. 11. Provides that an employee's statement that the employee or member of the employee's family is a victim of domestic or sexual violence is sufficient documentation in a claim for benefits. | 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 |
| S2241 | Extends child care subsidies to families earning up to 300 percent of federal poverty level; appropriates funds. | This bill raises the annual household income limit for determining initial income eligibility under the State's subsidized child care assistance program. Currently, initial eligibility determination in the State's subsidized child care assistance program is limited to families that report a maximum annual gross family income of 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), which is $55,500 for a family of four in 2022. However, according to the most recent ALICE Report by the United Ways of New Jersey, the average ALICE - Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed - Household Survival Budget in the State was $88,224 for a family of four in 2018. In 2018, 37 percent of New Jersey's 3.2 million households struggled to make ends meet, with 27 percent of these households categorized as ALICE households. This bill raises the maximum initial income eligibility, and subsequent redetermination income eligibility, for the State's subsidized child care assistance program to 300 percent of the FPL, which is $83,250 for a family of four in 2022. The Commissioner of Human Services will be required to establish and utilize at least four tiers to determine initial income eligibility and placement on the Division of Family Development's co-payment schedule for child care services under the State's subsidized child care assistance program. The bill specifies that nothing in its provisions precludes the commissioner from establishing a child care assistance income threshold that is higher than 300 percent of the FPL. The bill additionally appropriates such sums as may be necessary to implement the provisions of the bill, which appropriation will be in an amount determined by the Commissioner of Human Services, subject to approval by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Department of the Treasury. | In Committee |
| S2152 | Allows municipalities to transfer inactive alcoholic beverage retail licenses for use in redevelopment areas under certain circumstances; allows retail distribution and seasonal consumption licenses to be converted into consumption licenses. | This bill establishes several procedures by which a plenary retail consumption license, generally issued to bars and restaurants, may be transferred to another municipality. Under current law, a municipality may issue plenary retail consumption licenses until the combined total number in the municipality is fewer than one license for each 3,000 municipal residents. This bill allows a municipality that is entitled to issue an additional plenary retail consumption license to offer the license at public sale to the highest bidding governing body of any other municipality in this State. A license transferred to a receiving municipality pursuant to this section only is to be used in connection with a premises as part of an economic redevelopment plan or located within a redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization area. The bill requires the host municipality to provide notice of the public sale to the director and other municipalities at least 90 days prior to the sale. The notice to the municipalities is to specify the minimum acceptable bid and general conditions of sale including a statement that the transferring municipality reserves the right to reject all bids where the highest bid is not accepted. The funds derived from the sale are to be remitted to the municipal treasurer for the general use of the host municipality. A receiving municipality that acquires the license would be entitled to offer the license at public sale. A license issued by the receiving municipality to a qualified bidder that is not actively used in connection with the operation of a premises within two years of the issuance date is to expire and not be reissued by the receiving municipality. The receiving municipality would be prohibited from acquiring more than one license through this bidding process in each calendar year. In addition, this bill establishes two procedures for transferring an inactive plenary retail consumption license to a different municipality. Under current law, an inactive plenary retail consumption license is a license to sell alcoholic beverages for on premises consumption that is not being used at an open and operating licensed premises. A licensee is required to place the license on "inactive status" when the licensed business ceases operation and the license continues to be held by the licensee of record. Under this bill, a license that remains inactive for two years is to expire. Prior to the expiration of the license, the license holder may apply to the governing body of the host municipality that issued the license and a contiguous neighboring municipality to use the license in connection with a premises located in the contiguous receiving municipality. An inactive plenary retail consumption license used in a contiguous receiving municipality only would be used as part of an economic redevelopment plan or in connection with a premises located within a redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization area. The bill requires the transferred license to remain in the contiguous receiving municipality and prohibits the transfer of the license to any other municipality. Under the bill, the host and receiving municipalities are to submit to the director notice of the intent to transfer a license at least 90 days prior to the transfer. The bill requires the host and receiving municipalities to adopt by majority vote identical resolutions authorizing the transfer of the license. The identical resolutions are to establish the license transfer fee agreed upon by both municipal governing bodies. A receiving municipality that acquires a license would be entitled to offer the license at public sale in accordance with current law. A license issued by a receiving municipality that is not actively used in connection with the operation of a premises within two years of the transfer date would expire and not be reissued by the receiving municipality. The bill prohibits a receiving contiguous municipality from acquiring more than one license through this transfer process in each calendar year. This bill also allows a receiving municipality that has reached the license population limitation established under current law to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to acquire an inactive plenary retail consumption license from any license holder in this State. The bill requires the receiving municipality to issue the license for use in connection with a premises as part of economic redevelopment plan or a redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization area. The RFP would specify a time and date after which no further applications from license holders will be accepted. The municipality is to publish the RFP in a newspaper circulating generally throughout the State by not less than two insertions, one week apart, the second of which is to be made not less than 30 days prior to the time and date specified in the notice as the time and date after which no further applications will be accepted. In addition, the request for proposal is to be published by the governing body on the official Internet website of the receiving municipality. The RFP is to require that all bids to be sealed and remain confidential to other bidders. The holder of an inactive plenary retail consumption license is to apply for permission to transfer the inactive plenary retail consumption license from the host municipality prior to submitting a bid in response to the RFP. The host municipality may approve the application by resolution. The host municipality would be prohibited from requiring the applicant to disclose the location of the proposed licensed premises. After the receiving municipality accepts a successful bid, the host and receiving municipality are to submit to the ABC director notice of the intent to transfer a license at least 90 days prior to the transfer. The bill requires the issuing and receiving municipalities to adopt by majority vote identical resolutions authorizing the transfer of the license. The identical resolutions are to establish the license transfer fee agreed upon by both municipal governing bodies. The bill requires a license that is not actively used within two years of issuance date to expire. A receiving municipality that issued the RFP would be prohibited from acquiring more than one license through this process in each calendar year. In addition, the bill establishes a procedure by which existing plenary retail distribution licenses may be converted to plenary retail consumption licenses as part of an economic redevelopment plan or for use in a redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization area. Under current law, a plenary retail distribution license allows for the sale of alcoholic beverages off the licensed premises and is generally issued to liquor stores and supermarkets. The procedure allows the holder of a plenary retail distribution license to apply to a host municipality and receiving municipality located in the same county to transfer the distribution license to the receiving municipality. Upon receiving the distribution license, the receiving municipality would be required to convert the plenary retail distribution license to a plenary retail consumption license and then issue that license at public sale in accordance with current law. The bill requires the issuing and receiving municipalities to adopt by majority vote identical resolutions authorizing the transfer of the license. The bill prohibits a receiving municipality from acquiring and converting more than one distribution license through this transfer process in each calendar year. The bill also allows a person who held a seasonal retail consumption license prior to the bill's effective date to surrender the license to the issuing authority, which then may exchange the license for a plenary retail consumption license. This license will permit the licensee to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the licensed premises throughout the entire year. Under current law, a seasonal retail consumption license allows for the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption for a limited time during the summer or winter season. A license issued during the summer season allows the licensee to serve alcoholic beverages from May 1 through November 14. The holder of a winter seasonal license may sell alcoholic beverages from November 15 to April 30. This bill allows a seasonal retail consumption license to convert the license to a full-year consumption license and requires the licensee to pay the fees associated with the full-year license. The plenary retail consumption licenses transferred to or acquired by a receiving municipality under the bill's provisions would not be included in the population formula used to issue new licenses. | In Committee |
| S2182 | Requires entities to remove abandoned lines and mark information on certain lines. | This bill establishes several requirements concerning the maintenance and removal of certain telecommunications and cable lines, including the removal or correction of abandoned lines, the removal of copper telephone lines, and the marking of new and existing lines. The bill requires certain entities, including utilities, corporations, municipalities, and persons that own above-ground telecommunications, cable lines, and copper telephone lines that are found to be abandoned, to either correct the condition that causes the line to be abandoned or remove the abandoned line from all points of attachment after receiving a request for removal submitted in accordance with this bill. The bill also provides that when an entity ceases to do business in this State, the entity would be required to remove its lines from all points of attachment, except for any lines for which ownership was transferred to another entity and which is not otherwise deemed to be abandoned. Under the bill, the owner of a pole, building, or other structure to which a suspected abandoned line is attached may submit a request for removal to the entity owning the line. The bill also permits any person, municipality, utility, or corporation to submit a request for removal of a suspected abandoned line to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), which request would be transmitted to the entity that owns the line within five business days. Any forms would be required to provide the pole numbers, address, or latitude and longitude of the associated pole, and photograph of the abandoned line. In either case, the bill requires the BPU to prescribe the form and manner for the submission of these requests, except that the bill requires the BPU to allow these requests to be submitted through the official Internet websites of the entities and BPU, respectively. Within 30 calendar days after receiving a request to remove a suspected abandoned line, the bill requires each entity to investigate and determine whether the line is abandoned. If the line is deemed to be abandoned, the bill requires the entity to either correct the condition causing the line to be abandoned or remove the line from all points of attachment within 30 calendar days. Under the bill, an abandoned line would include any above-ground telecommunications or cable line that: (1) is not terminated at both ends to equipment or to a customer's premises; (2) is not maintained in a safe condition; (3) is not intended for future use; or (4) has not been in operation for a period of at least 24 consecutive months, and the owner of a structure to which the line is attached has submitted a request for removal of the line. However, the bill provides that any line that is overlashed would not be deemed to be abandoned. Additionally, the bill requires each entity to submit a written report to the BPU every 90 calendar days beginning after the effective date of the bill, which report is required to describe all notifications, complaints, and requests received by the entity concerning a suspected abandoned line. The report would be required to include a description of all reports and notifications received from an employee of the entity or an employee of the subcontractor of the entity. The bill also requires each entity to provide annual written notice to its customers concerning the provisions of the bill and including an explanation of the processes through which the customer may submit a request for removal of a suspected abandoned line. The bill requires the BPU to prescribe a form and manner for the provision of this notice, except that the notice would be provided to each customer using the same method as the entity provides a bill to the customer, and the notice would be made available in both English and Spanish. This bill also provides that during the course of the employee's employment, each employee of an entity who is responsible for installing lines or responding to service calls would have an affirmative duty to report any line that the employee reasonable believes to be under the ownership of the employer or, in the case of an employee of a subcontractor, those lines are under the ownership of the entity for whom the subcontractor is engaged to work abandoned. If the employee of an entity discovers an abandoned line during the course of the employee's employment, the employee would be required to either remove the abandoned line, if authorized by the entity, or report the abandoned line to the entity for further action. Within 90 calendar days of receiving the report, the entity would be required to transmit a copy of the report to the BPU. The bill provides that when an entity installs certain new lines, which lines are attached to a building or structure and owned by the entity, the entity would be required to mark certain information on the end of the line that is attached to the building or structure. This information would include the initials of the entity's name, abbreviation of the entity's name, corporate symbol, or other distinguishing mark or code by which ownership may be readily and definitely ascertained. The bill also provides that when an entity owns or maintains an existing line that is attached to a building or structure, which line was installed before the effective date of the bill and does not contain the marking required under the bill, the entity would be required to mark this information on the end of the line that is attached to the building or structure after the entity discovers that the line does not contain the markings. Under the bill, an entity that fails to comply with the requirements of the bill concerning the removal of abandoned lines or the marking of lines may be subject to a fine after the BPU has submitted a written notice of an alleged violation to the entity. Specifically, the bill provides that if the entity fails to cure the alleged violation within 30 calendar days after receiving the notice, the BPU may impose a fine of $500 for each day in which the violation exists, beginning on the 31st calendar day after the submission of the notice. The bill also sets forth various factors that the BPU may consider when determining whether to impose a fine, and if appropriate, the amount of the fine. | Dead |
| S1687 | Requires emergency medical technicians and firefighters to receive training concerning electric vehicle fires. | This bill requires emergency medical technicians and firefighters within the State to be trained on the risks associated with electric vehicles and in the safe and effective management of electric vehicle fires. Under this bill, the Division of Fire Safety, in consultation with the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, will adopt a training course for firefighters. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, and the New Jersey State First Aid Council, will adopt a training course for emergency medical technicians. For the last 20 years, there has been increased interest in and use of electric vehicles. While the risk of an electric vehicle fire is low, managing an electric vehicle fire requires specialized training since a lithium-ion battery can burn hotter and for a longer period of time than a gasoline engine. | In Committee |
| S2144 | Eliminates immunity for State, county, and municipal prosecutors who fail to disclose exculpatory evidence in criminal cases. | This bill eliminates qualified immunity for State, county, and municipal prosecutors who fail to disclose exculpatory evidence in criminal cases. Under current law, as articulated in the United States Supreme Court's holdings in Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963) and Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150 (1972), prosecutors are required to disclose exculpatory and impeachment evidence to defense counsel in criminal matters. In order to ensure uniformity in compliance with these requirements, the Attorney General has issued guidelines and directives outlining the responsibilities of prosecutors in this State to disclose exculpatory and impeachment evidence. The bill defines these guidelines and directives, and any successor guidelines and directives promulgated by the Attorney General related to the disclosure of exculpatory and impeachment evidence in criminal cases, as "Brady-Giglio guidelines." Prosecutors are granted qualified immunity under the State's Tort Claims Act (TCA) and absolute immunity under the State's Civil Rights Act (CRA). Under the TCA, public employees, including prosecutors, are granted immunity unless the employee's conduct is outside the scope of employment or constituted a crime, actual fraud or malice, or willful misconduct. Under the CRA, prosecutors are entitled to absolute immunity if the prosecutor failed to disclose this evidence while functioning in the prosecutor's official capacity. This bill amends current law to eliminate prosecutorial immunity under both the CRA and TCA if the prosecutor fails to disclose exculpatory or impeachment evidence to a defendant or defendant's counsel in violation of Brady-Giglio guidelines promulgated by the Attorney General. The Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE) acts as the investigative and prosecutorial arm of the New Jersey Supreme Court in discharging the court's constitutional responsibility to supervise and discipline attorneys in this State. The provisions of the bill require a court to notify the OAE upon a finding, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a State, county, or municipal prosecutor has failed to provide exculpatory or impeachment evidence to a defendant or defendant's counsel in violation of Brady-Giglio guidelines. The court is required to provide this notice to the OAE and to defendant or defendant's counsel within 24 hours of its finding that a violation has occurred. | In Committee |
| S857 | Extends time period required for public notice of certain land use applications. | The bill extends the time period required for public notice of certain land use applications from 10 days to 21 days. Currently, section 7.1 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-12) requires a developer to give written notice of a public hearing concerning certain applications for property development at least 10 days prior to the scheduled public hearing to owners of all real property within 200 feet in all directions of the property for which the public hearing is being held in addition to the following people and entities in certain circumstances: the clerk of any municipality located within 200 feet of the subject property; the County Planning Board; the New Jersey Commissioner of Transportation; the State Planning Commission; and public utilities, cable television companies, or local utilities. The bill amends section 7.1 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-12) to require that notice of public hearings be given at least 21 days before the scheduled public hearing. | In Committee |
| S2150 | Requires drunk driver to pay restitution on behalf of child if parent or guardian is killed by that driver. | This bill requires a drunk driver to pay restitution on behalf of a child if the child's parent or guardian is killed by the drunk driver. Under current law, a court is required to order a defendant to make restitution if a victim has suffered a loss and the defendant is able to pay or, given a fair opportunity, will be able to pay. This bill requires restitution to be paid on behalf of the child of a victim killed by a drunk driver convicted of reckless vehicular homicide in that killing. In addition to other factors to be considered by the court when ordering restitution, the bill requires the court to consider: the financial needs and resources of the child; the financial needs and resources of the surviving parent or guardian of the child, including the State if the child has been placed under the care and custody of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families; the standard of living to which the child is accustomed; and the physical and emotional needs of the child. The court is required to order the defendant to pay financial support on behalf of the child until the child reaches 18 years of age or has graduated from high school, whichever occurs later; or until the child reaches 21 years of age if the child suffers from a mental or physical disability. However, any financial support ordered pursuant to the bill is to be for a period of not less than five years. If a defendant who is ordered to pay financial support on behalf of a child under the bill is incarcerated and unable to make the payments during the period of incarceration, the defendant's financial support obligation will accrue during the period of incarceration, but the defendant will have up to one year following the release from incarceration to begin making payments. The bill also provides that if an arrearage exists at the time the period of financial support is scheduled to terminate, the court is required to order the person to continue to make payments until the arrearage is paid in full. The bill further provides that if the surviving parent or guardian brings a civil action against a person who committed reckless vehicular homicide, the judgment ordered in the civil action is to be offset by any financial support payments ordered pursuant to this subsection. | 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 |
| S1191 | Establishes requirements for fee disclosure and for fees allowed as part of sale for certain tickets. | This bill requires, as defined in current law, a person, reseller, ticket broker, ticket issuer, and ticket resale website to disclose the total cost of a ticket, including all ancillary fees, including any service charge, to be paid in order to complete the purchase of a ticket. This is to be disclosed in a clear and conspicuous manner, in dollars, to the ticket purchaser. If a ticket is sold through a website, the information required to be disclosed is to be displayed prior to the ticket being selected for purchase. The information disclosed is not to be false or misleading, and is not to be presented more prominently or in the same or larger size as the total price. Moreover, the price of a ticket sold through a website is not to increase during the purchase process, excluding reasonable fees for delivery of non-electronic tickets based on the delivery method selected by the purchaser prior to payment for the ticket. Additionally, if a price is charged for admission to a venue, a place of entertainment, or their agent, representative, employee or licensee, cannot exact, demand, accept, or receive, directly or indirectly, any premium or price in excess of the set price plus lawful taxes whether designated as price, gratuity, or otherwise. However, nothing is to be construed to prohibit: (1) a reasonable service charge by the place of entertainment or an agent in charge of special services for the place of entertainment, including, but not limited to, sales away from the box office, credit card sales, or delivery; or (2) a place of entertainment or its agent from offering initial sale tickets by means of an auction. A reasonable and actual cost for the physical delivery of tickets may be charged by a seller or reseller based on the method of delivery selected by the buyer, provided, however, that no delivery fee is to be charged by a seller or reseller for tickets delivered electronically or tickets that may be printed independently by the buyer. | In Committee |
| S2146 | Establishes Commission on Oversight of Public Institutions of Higher Education. | This bill establishes the Commission on the Oversight of Public Institutions of Higher Education within the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. Under this bill, the commission would examine and report on the structure of public higher education and recommend ways to improve financial transparency, accountability, and oversight of the public institutions of higher education in the State. The commission would consist of 12 members. The members would include: the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee, serving ex officio; the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, or a designee, serving ex officio; two members appointed by the Governor, including the president of a State college or university, or a designee, and the president of a public research university, or a designee; the following four members appointed by legislative leadership including: the president of a county college, or a designee, appointed by the Senate President; the president of a county college, or a designee, appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; a member representing a public-sector higher education labor union, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; a full time faculty member employed by a public institution of higher education, appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; one member with expertise, knowledge, or experience in the fiscal management of institutions of higher education, appointed by the Governor; one student representative from a public research university; one student representative from the State colleges or universities; and one student representative from the county colleges. The student representatives would be appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Higher Education through an application process. The purpose of this commission is to bring together management of public institutions of higher education, students, faculty, staff, and union leadership to make recommendations on higher education, with a special emphasis on financial transparency, accountability, and oversight. The commission is responsible for examining issues related to the financial transparency, accountability, and oversight of public institutions of higher education. The commission would meet a minimum of three times. This bill requires the commission to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature outlining the commission's recommendations to improve the structure of higher education in the State. The commission would issue the report to the Governor and the Legislature within 180 days after the commission organizes. The commission, and its enabling legislation, would expire 30 days after the issuance of its report to the Governor and the Legislature. | In Committee |
| S4712 | Eliminates certain aviation fuel tax exemptions; provides funding for aviation improvement projects. | Eliminates certain aviation fuel tax exemptions; provides funding for aviation improvement projects. | Introduced |
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1636 | Changes MVC voter registration procedures. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2167 | Requires public and certain nonpublic schools to comply with breakfast and lunch standards adopted by USDA. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S317 | Revises "Athletic Training Licensure Act." | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2019 | Authorizes pharmacists to dispense HIV prophylaxis without individual prescription under certain circumstances; mandates prescription benefits coverage. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S862 | Requires DOT to provide additional information in annual report on pavement condition; makes report available to public. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2051 | Requires law enforcement officer to conduct risk assessment of and provide assistance to domestic violence victims. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S1403 | Requires employer or contractor engaged in work for public body to submit payroll records to DOLWD. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S1320 | Requires certain information be included in certain contracts with licensed public adjusters. | Senate Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S1067 | Directs DHS to conduct landscape analysis of available mental health services. | Senate Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A2929 | Requires disclosure of lead drinking water hazards to tenants of residential units; prohibits landlords from obstructing replacement of lead service lines; concerns testing of certain property for lead drinking water hazards. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3323 | Requires pay for extracurricular activities to be included in compensation for TPAF purposes. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3361 | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Senate Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3128 | Authorizes HMFA to use certain tax credits; directs HMFA to conduct tax credit auctions to provide financial assistance for certain housing purposes. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A1948 | Requires VCCO to issue annual report to Governor and Legislature. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| 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. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2346 | Creates Code Red alert pilot program to shelter at-risk individuals during certain hot weather and air quality events; appropriates $5 million. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2373 | Provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3424 | Establishes certain program requirements for school counselor certification; outlines role and duties of school counselor; requires professional development for school counselors; establishes position of School Counselor Liaison in DOE. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3518 | Requires MVC to create digital driver's licenses and digital non-driver identification cards. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2783 | "Travel Insurance Act." | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A3802 | Differentiates certain legal services from traditional insurance products. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| SJR96 | Permanently designates August 17th as "Nonprofit Day" in NJ. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2951 | Authorizes provision of monetary awards to whistleblowers who report State tax law violations committed by employers in construction industry. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2961 | Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S2961 | Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| SJR100 | Designates July of each year as "Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month" in NJ. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4085 | Allows for natural organic reduction and controlled supervised decomposition of human remains. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3041 | Prohibits cooperative from receiving public works contract when cooperative-approved vendor fails to pay prevailing wage; concerns cooperative purchasing agreements with other states; and permits contracting units to award certain indefinite contracts. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4178 | Authorizes State Treasurer to grant temporary deed of easement in Borough of Sea Girt in Monmouth County. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3132 | Imposes certain requirements on secondhand dealers of cellular telephones and wireless communication devices. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3189 | Makes various changes to "New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act" and Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer Program; repeals "New Jersey Ignite Act." | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4331 | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4429 | Expands prohibitions on employers concerning requirements for employees to attend or listen to communications related to political matters. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3287 | Provides gross income tax deduction for amounts paid to taxpayers for sale of certain real property interests for conservation purposes. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3309 | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3309 | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4455 | Allows exemption from New Jersey gross income of certain capital gains from sale or exchange of qualified small business stock. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3418 | Authorizes certain types of permanent structures, recently constructed or erected on preserved farmland, to be used, in certain cases, for purposes of holding special occasion events thereon. | Senate Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4603 | Allows commercial farmer to be awarded reasonable costs and attorney fees for defending against bad faith complaints under "Right to Farm Act". | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4712 | Establishes Office of Veteran Advocate and ombudsman for DMVA; appropriates funds. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4765 | Requires driver education and testing on responsibilities when approaching and passing pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances; requires driver's manual to include information on sharing roadway with motorists for certain road users. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3618 | Directs DEP and DOT to establish "Wildlife Corridor Action Plan." | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4897 | Revises law requiring certain student identification cards to contain telephone number for suicide prevention hotline. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3711 | Makes annual allocation of $500,000 from Clean Communities Program Fund for public outreach concerning single-use plastics reduction program permanent. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3776 | Establishes Chronic Absenteeism Task Force. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4937 | Concerns satellite cannabis dispensaries, Cannabis Regulatory Commission membership, and post-employment restrictions on State employees. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Nay |
| A4937 | Concerns satellite cannabis dispensaries, Cannabis Regulatory Commission membership, and post-employment restrictions on State employees. | Senate Floor: Amend | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4954 | Requires members of historic preservation commissions to complete historic preservation planning course. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4971 | Requires EDA to provide grants to certain small businesses affected by State infrastructure and construction projects. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A4969 | Ensures boards of elections have discretion to make initial determination of validity of cast ballots; requires Secretary of State to establish uniform guidelines for assessing validity of ballots. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3858 | Requires school bus personnel members to call 911 emergency line in potential life-threatening emergencies; requires certain school buses transportating students with disabilities to be equipped with certain safety features; makes appropriation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3887 | Requires DEP to provide public access for boats to certain State-and county-owned lakes and reservoirs. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5049 | Removes certain limitations on receipt of retirement or death benefits under PFRS under certain circumstances. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3910 | Makes various changes to provision of preschool aid and facilities requirements; establishes Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee; requires full-day kindergarten in all school districts. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3917 | Makes various changes to school funding law and Educational Adequacy Report; establishes Special Education Funding Review Task Force. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3931 | Updates requirements for licensure in occupational therapy. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3933 | Establishes School Supervisor Mentorship Pilot Program; appropriates $500,000. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3944 | Provides that certain non-profit corporation alcoholic beverage theater licensees include disregarded entities of such corporations; allows certain community theaters to sell alcoholic beverages. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5100 | Re-appropriates unexpended balance of FY2024 appropriation for Town of West New York to support recreation center; appropriates $3 million for Town of West New York - Recreation Center to restore lapsed FY2024 funding. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5130 | Requires enforcing agency to conduct inspection of construction in specified time window. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S3982 | Requires certain information be provided to parent at least two business days prior to annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meeting; establishes IEP Improvement Working Group in DOE. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5170 | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4028 | Limits amount of payment that State agency as property owner may withhold from certain contractors on State construction contracts to two percent of amount due. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5199 | Requires resident and fellow physicians employed by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, who are eligible for coverage in SHBP, to be eligible to enroll and receive health insurance on first day of employment. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Senate Floor: Reconsidered Vote | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Senate Floor: Amend | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5264 | Requires establishment of automated platform to expedite construction code approval of applications to install residential solar energy systems. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4122 | Revises apportionment of State lottery contributions. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4135 | Provides allowance for certain redevelopment projects undertaken by institutions of higher education under New Jersey Aspire program. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5309 | Permits up to three credits of continuing medical education on menopause to be used by advanced practice nurses and physicians for license renewal. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5378 | Modifies provisions of Cultural Arts Incentives Program, New Jersey Aspire Program, and Grow New Jersey Program; eliminates Community-Anchored Development Program. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5381 | Provides medical documentation requirement for certain members of PERS, PFRS, and SPRS to receive accidental disability retirement allowance for participation in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations; removes filing deadline. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4263 | Revises certain provisions concerning, and establishes certain education and data reporting requirements related to, involuntary commitment. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5447 | Prohibits sweepstakes model of wagering; establishes new penalties for unlawful gambling operations and practices; directs Division of Consumer Affairs and Division of Gaming Enforcement to enforce penalties. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5463 | Requires electric public utilities to submit annual report on voting to BPU. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4293 | Requires owner or operator of data center to submit water and energy usage report to BPU. | Senate Floor: Reconsidered Vote | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4293 | Requires owner or operator of data center to submit water and energy usage report to BPU. | Senate Floor: Concur in House Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4293 | Requires owner or operator of data center to submit water and energy usage report to BPU. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5563 | Establishes "Summer Termination Program" for certain utility customers. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5563 | Establishes "Summer Termination Program" for certain utility customers. | Senate Floor: Amend | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5546 | Concerns financial powers and responsibilities of Capital City Redevelopment Corporation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4376 | Establishes Department of Veterans Affairs. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5687 | Establishes Next New Jersey Manufacturing Program to incentivize in-State manufacturing investments and job creation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| A5688 | Imposes surcharge on hotel occupancies in certain municipalities to fund fire services; provides for appropriation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4426 | Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects in FY2026. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4426 | Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects in FY2026. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4467 | Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2026. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4467 | Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2026. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4451 | Clarifies requirements for land use plan element and housing plan element of municipal master plan. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| SCR131 | Approves FY2026 Financial Plan of NJ Infrastructure Bank. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4400 | Extends hours that minor employed by national sports association, league, or team may work under certain circumstances. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4387 | Requires establishment of tracking system in Division of Consumer Affairs to determine compliance with continuing education requirements. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4423 | Authorizes BPU to provide site approval for small modular reactors; authorizes operators of small modular reactors to store spent nuclear fuel on-site. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4476 | Permits awarding of contracts for certain preschool education services by resolution of board of education; extends maximum length of preschool education services contracts to three years. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4472 | Eliminates five percent down payment requirement for local bond ordinances involving hazard mitigation and resilience projects. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4506 | Exempts minor league baseball players from certain State wage laws under certain circumstances. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4530 | Requires BPU to revise community solar program targets. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| S4530 | Requires BPU to revise community solar program targets. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 06/30/2025 | Yea |
| State | District | Chamber | Party | Status | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | New Jersey Senate District 20 | Senate | Democrat | In Office | 01/09/2018 | |
| NJ | District 20 | House | Democrat | Out of Office | 01/01/2002 | 01/23/2024 |