Legislator
Legislator > Owen Henry
State Senator
Owen Henry
(R) - New Jersey
New Jersey Senate District 12
In Office - Started: 01/09/2024
contact info
Old Bridge Office
2501 Highway 516
Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Old Bridge, NJ 08857
Phone: 732-607-7580
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| S1067 | Directs DHS to conduct landscape analysis of available mental health services. | Directs DHS to conduct landscape analysis of available mental health services. | Vetoed |
| S4551 | Appropriates $3,750,990 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for grants to certain nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes. | This bill would appropriate $3,750,990 to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for farmland preservation purposes. Specifically, the bill would appropriate funds for grants to one qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization, the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, for projects at eight farms. The grants provided by the bill are for up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland for farmland preservation purposes, or up to 50 percent of the cost of acquisition of fee simple titles to farmland for resale or lease with agricultural deed restrictions approved by the SADC. The funding in this bill is provided from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, approved by the voters of the State in November 2014. The "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.), implements the constitutional dedication of CBT revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation. The "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" was established pursuant to section 8 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act." Of the total appropriated, $3,561,350 is made available due to the reallocation of previously appropriated monies. Of the total appropriated, $591,700 is to be utilized to provide grants to one qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organization, the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, for projects at three farms that were previously funded in fiscal year 2024. The allocations and projects listed in this bill have been approved by the SADC and the Garden State Preservation Trust. | Crossed Over |
| S4524 | Appropriates $34 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for county planning incentive grants for farmland preservation purposes. | This bill appropriates $34 million to the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) for the purpose of providing planning incentive grants to counties for up to 80 percent of the cost of acquisition of development easements on farmland for farmland preservation purposes. The funding in this bill is provided from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT) revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution, approved by the voters of the State in November 2014. The "Preserve New Jersey Act," P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-50), implements the constitutional dedication of CBT revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation. The "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" was established pursuant to section 8 of the "Preserve New Jersey Act. Under the bill, five counties will each receive a "base grant" of either $1 million or $500,000, as specified in the bill. Those five counties, plus 10 other counties identified in the bill, would also be eligible to compete to receive an additional grant from the "competitive grant fund" pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of the bill, in an amount not to exceed $7.5 million. The maximum grant award a county could receive under the bill is $8.5 million (i.e., the $1 million base grant, if applicable, and a $7.5 million competitive grant). The bill also appropriates to the "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" moneys from the General Fund already constitutionally dedicated to the "Preserve New Jersey Farmland Preservation Fund" for the purpose of making the appropriations from that fund required by this bill. The allocations and projects listed in this bill have been approved by the SADC and the Garden State Preservation Trust. | Crossed Over |
| S3309 | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Establishes "Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act"; revises motor vehicle franchise agreements. | Passed |
| S4567 | Appropriates $107,999,000 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition, park development, and planning projects, and for certain administrative expenses. | This bill appropriates $107,999,000 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, $102,679,000 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, $3,000,000 would be used for a new planning grant program, and $2,320,000 would be used for the DEP's associated administrative costs. The total amount of funding allocated for local government projects listed in this bill is $102,679,000. Of this amount, $22,427,000 is for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes identified in section 4 of the bill, and $80,252,000 is for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes identified in section 5 of the bill. Of the sum for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes: $19,959,000 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); $2,086,000 is allocated for open space acquisition projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; and $382,000 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). Of the sum for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes: $29,145,000 is allocated for local park development projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; $11,951,000 is allocated for local park development projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties; $6,638,000 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); $4,247,000 is allocated for stewardship activity projects; and $28,271,000 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." The projects approved by the bill include projects in "urban aid" and densely or highly populated municipalities and counties. 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. In addition, the bill would appropriate $3 million to the DEP in order to establish a new a Planning Grant program, the purpose of which would be to provide matching grants to local governments to fund the preparation of plans and other activities necessary to identify needs and opportunities for additional recreation and conservation initiatives in the State. 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 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. The projects listed in the bill have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT). | Passed |
| A5049 | Removes certain limitations on receipt of retirement or death benefits under PFRS under certain circumstances. | Removes certain limitations on receipt of retirement or death benefits under PFRS under certain circumstances. | Passed |
| S2373 | Provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions. | Provides employment protections for paid first responders diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder under certain conditions. | Crossed Over |
| S3812 | Removes certain limitations on receipt of retirement or death benefits under PFRS under certain circumstances. | Removes certain limitations on receipt of retirement or death benefits under PFRS under certain circumstances. | In Committee |
| S3818 | Requires third-party discounts and payments for individuals covered by health benefits plans to apply to copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket costs for covered benefits. | Requires third-party discounts and payments for individuals covered by health benefits plans to apply to copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, or other out-of-pocket costs for covered benefits. | In Committee |
| S3319 | Increases personal needs allowance to $140 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities. | This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA), from the current rate of $50, pursuant to the FY 2024 Appropriations Act, to $140 for residents of nursing homes, State and county psychiatric hospitals, and State developmental centers. This allowance is intended for residents to spend at their discretion on items such as telephone expenses, a meal out with friends, cards to send to family, reading materials, or hobbies. The PNA provides residents the opportunity to participate in activities beyond those provided by the facility, to remain connected with family and friends, and to obtain basic items such as clothing and shoes. The bill also stipulates that beginning January 1 of the following year after the bill's enactment, the PNA is to be increased annually by the same percentage as the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits for that year. In the case of residents eligible to receive SSI public assistance, a federal income supplement program designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people with little to no income, the federal government provides up to $30 a month for small comfort items not provided by the facility. The State currently supplements the federal allowance by $20 to ensure that SSI recipients residing in nursing facilities, State and county psychiatric hospitals, and State developmental centers receive a total PNA per month equal to that of Medicaid recipients, or $50. Under the bill, absent any changes in the federal allowance, the State would be responsible for a $90 per month supplemental payment for each SSI recipient. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| S2376 | Requires boards of education to ensure that all staff are trained in care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every five years. | Requires boards of education to ensure that all staff are trained in care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every five years. | Crossed Over |
| S4602 | Authorizes private inspection facilities to perform off-site vehicle inspections of one or more vehicles. | This bill authorizes a private inspection facility to perform an off-site vehicle inspection of one or more vehicles, including, but not limited to, diesel-fueled trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 8,500 pounds or less, heavy-duty diesel trucks, and diesel-powered motor vehicles. However, the bill provides that a private inspection facility is not authorized to perform an off-site inspection of a school bus or a motor vehicle with an elevated chassis height. Under current regulations, a private inspection facility is only authorized to perform off-site inspections of a fleet of 10 or more vehicles. Under the bill, an "off-site vehicle inspection" means a vehicle inspection conducted at a location other than the private inspection facility's licensed business address, which inspection is conducted in compliance with the rules and regulations adopted by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. | In Committee |
| S4312 | Modifies method of allocating State aid for providing auxiliary and remedial services to nonpublic school students. | Modifies method of allocating State aid for providing auxiliary and remedial services to nonpublic school students. | 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 |
| S4561 | "Grid Reliability Protection Act"; prohibits State agencies from decommissioning electric generation facilities in State under certain circumstances. | This bill, to be known as the "Grid Reliability Protection Act," would prohibit State agencies from mandating the retirement of electric generation facilities in the State under certain circumstances. Under the bill, a State agency is prohibited from mandating, incentivizing, or otherwise compelling any electric generation facility in the State connected to the State's electrical grid from deactivating unless: (1) PJM Interconnection certifies, in writing, that the facility's deactivation will not negatively impact regional grid reliability, capacity adequacy, or energy market prices; and (2) the Board of Public Utilities conducts a public rate impact analysis showing the deactivation will not materially increase costs to ratepayers. The bill also provides an exception if the electric generation facility poses a risk to public health and safety. Finally, the bill provides certain public notice requirements for any deactivation of an electric generation facility in the State connected to the electric grid serving New Jersey. | In Committee |
| S4556 | Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain SPRS 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 State Police Retirement System (SPRS). 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 the SPRS 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, this bill serves as an initial step in reinstating COLAs for all retirees of the State-administered retirement systems. Through the prioritization of the SPRS, the State will begin this process with retired State police 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 retirees of the SPRS expected to be most in need of an immediate benefit. Under the bill, members of the SPRS 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 the SPRS who are hired more than 30 days following the effective date of this act will not be considered eligible to receive these automatic COLAs. The COLAs will only apply to future pension benefit payments. 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 SPRS. Under the bill, if the Board of Trustees of SPRS 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. The bill further provides that this appropriation will take precedence over any additional funding added to the annual State budget by the Legislature through resolutions or through changes to the Governor's budget message. | In Committee |
| S4548 | Requires public institution of higher education to suspend students and employees charged with bias intimidation under certain circumstances. | This bill requires a public institution of higher education to suspend students and employees charged with certain crimes. The bill provides that, notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, whenever a student enrolled in a public institution of higher education is charged with bias intimidation for an action that was committed during a protest against a religious group or on the grounds of a religious facility, the student is to be subject to immediate academic suspension from the institution until the case is disposed of at a trial, the complaint is dismissed, or the prosecution is terminated. The bill further provides that if the student is found guilty of the charge, the student is to be subject to expulsion from the institution. Similarly, the bill provides that, notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, whenever an employee of a public institution of higher education is charged with bias intimidation for an action that was committed during a protest against a religious group or on the grounds of a religious facility, the employee is to be subject to immediate suspension from performing their duties, without pay, until the case is disposed of at a trial, the complaint is dismissed, or the prosecution is terminated. If the employee is found guilty of the charge, the employment of the employee at the institution is to be terminated. | In Committee |
| S4547 | Requires Rutgers, the State University to adopt Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups and establish other measures to ensure community safety and academic functions. | This bill requires Rutgers, the State University to adopt a Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups and other measures to ensure community safety and academic functions. The bill directs the governing boards of Rutgers, the State University to adopt a Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups. The policy is to include, at a minimum; · the establishment of clear and fair time, place, and manner parameters for protest activities that will avoid disruption of academic activities;· provisions for the application of consistent, rigorous, and effective disciplinary actions for violations of its rules;· a provision requiring all individuals who engage in protests or demonstrations, including those who wear face masks or face coverings, to, when asked, present their university identification to the satisfaction of a university Public Safety officer or other university representative;· the incorporation of a specific definition of "antisemitism." The bill directs Rutgers, the State University to identify and implement effective techniques to be used by university staff, including university public safety, during protests and demonstrations that enable the identification of individuals who violate university rules. The bill provides that any student identified as violating the Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups is to be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary sanctions. The bill directs Rutgers, the State University to expand its public safety personnel and provide certain training. The bill requires Rutgers, the State University to establish adequate oversight and support of student groups. Under the bill, sanctions for violations of the Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups are to be determined by the Office of Student Conduct and may include actions to defund, suspend, or derecognize a student group. The bill directs Rutgers, the State University to:· develop a training module on the Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policy for Students and Student Groups and requires each student and student group to annually complete the training; · designate one or more staff members to conduct a thorough review of the portfolio of programs that engage in the scholarly examination of regional areas, starting with the Middle East;· expand its faculty searches to ensure intellectual diversity among faculty, course offerings, and scholarship; · review its admissions procedures to ensure they reflect best practices and make recommendations to the President for improvements that ensure unbiased admission processes; and · develop and adopt a university policy of institutional neutrality; create opportunities for constructive dialogue programing with the goal of improving dialogue among those with differences of opinion, and engaging with others with different and distinct viewpoints. | In Committee |
| S4545 | Expands epinephrine administration mechanisms permitted in schools. | This bill modifies current law regulating the method in which epinephrine is administered in schools during emergency circumstances where a pupil is experiencing anaphylaxis. Specifically, the bill amends current law requiring the use of a pre-filled auto-injector mechanism to administer epinephrine in a school setting to allow any FDA approved epinephrine administration mechanism to be used during an in-school anaphylaxis emergency. | In Committee |
| S3317 | Allows each county to create central registry and provide emergency supply kits to distribute to senior residents during emergencies. | Allows each county to create central registry and provide emergency supply kits to distribute to senior residents during emergencies. | In Committee |
| S4444 | Requires health insurance coverage for certain neurological diseases. | This bill requires health insurance carriers (insurance companies, health, hospital, and medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations, and State and School Employees' Health Benefits Program contracts) to provide coverage for expenses incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) that is prescribed or ordered by the treating physician. Coverage pursuant to the bill includes antibiotics, medication and behavioral therapies to manage neuropsychiatric symptoms, immunomodulating medicines, plasma exchange, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. | 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 |
| SJR148 | Designates September of each year as "Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month" in NJ. | This bill designates September of each year as "Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month" in New Jersey. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscular degenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of muscle tissue and function. DMD is caused by genetic mutations on the X chromosome, which affects approximately 1 out of every 3,500 male infants. Symptoms of DMD generally present between ages two and three and rapidly progress, with many individuals with DMD requiring wheelchair assistance between ages 10 and 12 and a breathing ventilator by age 20. Individuals with DMD may also experience paralysis and cardiopulmonary complications, including difficulty breathing or heart failure. DMD is a fatal disease with an average life expectancy of 25 years. While there is no cure for DMD, non-profit organizations across the country and in New Jersey are dedicated to raising awareness of DMD, advocating for improved care and access to treatment, and funding research to cure this devastating disease. Efforts to improve patients' access to treatment are critical as research indicates that optimal care can help to significantly increase the life expectancy for individuals with DMD. In addition, increasing awareness of DMD may help promote empathy and understanding, foster a sense of community, strengthen advocacy efforts, and encourage social and emotional support for the young people and families affected by DMD. To join and support ongoing public awareness and advocacy efforts, September of each year is designated as "Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month" in New Jersey. The Governor is requested to issue a proclamation annually to recognize September of each year as "Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Month" and call upon relevant State agencies, organizations, and citizens of the State to observe the month with appropriate awareness activities and programs. | In Committee |
| S2818 | "Fentanyl and Xylazine Poisoning Awareness Act"; requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of fentanyl and xylazine. | "Fentanyl and Xylazine Poisoning Awareness Act"; requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of fentanyl and xylazine. | In Committee |
| S4331 | Prohibits local government from naming its property after foreign terrorist organization. | This bill prohibits a local government from naming property under its ownership or control, including, but not limited to, a road, bridge, school, building, neighborhood, community, or park, after a group, that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the federal government, or after land controlled by a foreign terrorist organization, not including recognized, sovereign nations. The bill requires the Division of Local Government Services (division) in the Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (office), to develop and publish a list of designated foreign terrorist organizations and lands controlled by foreign terrorist organizations, not including recognized, sovereign nations. The bill defines a "local government" as a municipality, county, school district, or other political subdivision of the State, or any public board, commission, committee, authority, or agency which is not a State board, commission, committee, authority, or agency. The bill requires a local government to remove or dismantle signs, street pole banners, plaques, or other forms of displays of support for, or the naming of property after, a foreign terrorist organization, under the control or ownership of the local government within 30 days following the bill's enactment. Within 90 days following the bill's effective date, the bill requires a local government that has named property under its control or ownership after a foreign terrorist organization to rename the property so that it does not identify the name of as a foreign terrorist organization. The bill requires the State to reimburse local governments for both of these costs, upon application. If a local government violates the provisions of the bill, the State Treasurer, for each day in which the local government is in violation of the bill, is directed to deduct a portion of the total amount of State aid allocated to the local government. The daily deduction is to be in an amount equal to the result of dividing the total amount of State aid allocated to the local government by the total number of days in the fiscal year in which the State aid is allocated. The bill provides that the division, in consultation with the office, is to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| AJR211 | Designates May 18 of each year as Six Triple Eight Day in NJ. | Designates May 18 of each year as Six Triple Eight Day in NJ. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4751 | Permits purchase of service credit in SPRS for period of enrollment in military service academy and in New Jersey State Police Academy, and employment as class two special law enforcement officer. | An Act concerning the purchase of service credit in the State Police Retirement System for certain military and police service and amending P.L.1965, c.89 and P.L.2013, c.87. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3587 | Upgrades, and in some circumstances provides for extended terms of imprisonment for, certain retail theft crimes, addresses gift card fraud, and authorizes new Attorney General initiatives to address organized retail theft. | An Act concerning retail theft, amending and supplementing various parts of the statutory law, and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3606 | Permits purchase of service credit in SPRS for period of enrollment in military service academy and in New Jersey State Police Academy, and employment as class two special law enforcement officer. | This bill allows a member of the New Jersey State Police Retirement System (SPRS) to purchase credit in the retirement system for military service in the Armed Forces of the United States, the period of enrollment in the New Jersey State Police Academy, and employment as a class two special law enforcement officer prior to becoming a member. Under current law, a period of service in the United States Armed Forces qualifies as military service that a member of the SPRS may purchase for retirement purposes. This bill permits the purchase of the period of enrollment in a United States military service academy. The military service academies are the United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and the Coast Guard Academy. These four service academies educate young people to serve as commissioned officers in the various branches of the United States Armed Forces. They are the only academies whose students are on active duty in the United State Armed Forces from the day they enter the academy, with the rank of cadet and midshipman, and subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This bill also allows a member of the SPRS to purchase credit in the retirement system for graduation from the New Jersey State Police Academy or for employment as a class two special law enforcement officer, or both, prior to becoming a member. The bill provides that a member may purchase credit for all or a portion of such service rendered while enrolled in the New Jersey State Police Academy or employed by a public employer as a class two special law enforcement officer, or both. Under the bill, the SPRS credit purchased for enrollment in the New Jersey State Police Academy or employment as a class two special law enforcement officer, or both, is equivalent to service in the State Police as a member of the SPRS in qualifying for retirement benefits. | 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 |
| SJR149 | Designates May 18 of each year as Six Triple Eight Day in NJ. | Designates May 18 of each year as Six Triple Eight Day in NJ. | In Committee |
| S3323 | Requires local unit to accept electronic payment of construction code fees. | This bill requires construction contracts entered into under the "Local Public Contracts Law" to allow the contractor to pay enforcing agency fees imposed under the "State Uniform Construction Code" by way of a card payment system or electronic funds transfer system. Under the bill, a local unit is required to establish a card payment system and electronic funds transfer system for payments required to be made under the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.). A local unit is required to establish a card payment system or electronic funds transfer system by passage of a resolution of the governing body. | In Committee |
| S843 | Requires Adjutant General of DMVA create program for veterans to receive evaluation and treatment for PTSD, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury. | This bill requires the Adjutant General of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to develop, in coordination with appropriate departments and agencies, a program to assist veterans in accessing evaluation and treatment for a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis related to military service. The program may include offering support and guidance, transportation, assistance filing disability compensation claims, assistance updating discharge status, health care and other services or programs available at the local, State and federal level for obtaining and addressing a post-traumatic stress disorder, total brain injury, or traumatic brain injury diagnosis. Under the bill, "veteran" means a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States or a Reserve component thereof, including the New Jersey National Guard. | In Committee |
| S3190 | Requires certain juveniles to appear before court in county where incident giving rise to delinquency complaint allegedly occurred. | Requires certain juveniles to appear before court in county where incident giving rise to delinquency complaint allegedly occurred. | Crossed Over |
| S4141 | Requires health insurance coverage of scalp cooling systems in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment; requires physicians to inform patients of scalp cooling therapy. | This bill requires health insurance carriers (insurance companies, health, hospital, and medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations, and State and School Employees' Health Benefits Program contracts) to provide coverage for scalp cooling systems used in connection with cancer chemotherapy treatment. Pursuant to the bill, "scalp cooling system" means any device used to cool the human scalp to prevent or reduce hair loss during cancer chemotherapy treatment, so long as the device is designed and intended for repeated use and is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose. In addition, the bill requires physicians administering cancer chemotherapy to a patient to inform the patient, prior to the initiation of treatment, of the availability of scalp cooling therapy as an option to help prevent or reduce hair loss and to maintain a record of the discussion in the patient's medical records. | In Committee |
| S653 | Allows certain persons with developmental disabilities 21 years of age and older to simultaneously participate in adult day and employment programs. | Allows certain persons with developmental disabilities 21 years of age and older to simultaneously participate in adult day and employment programs. | In Committee |
| S4060 | Increases personal needs allowance to $100 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities. | This bill would increase the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) to $100 for residents of nursing homes, State and county psychiatric hospitals, and State developmental centers. Currently, the following states provide a higher PNA than New Jersey's existing $50 monthly amount: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. This allowance is intended for residents to spend at their discretion on items such as telephone expenses, a meal out with friends, cards to send to family, reading materials, or hobbies. The PNA provides residents the opportunity to participate in activities beyond those provided by the facility, to remain connected with family and friends, and to obtain basic items such as clothing and shoes. According to budget language in the FY 2022 Appropriations Act, despite existing statutory provisions, the minimum monthly PNA provided to persons residing in nursing facilities, State and county psychiatric hospitals, and State developmental centers, who are eligible for Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, is $50. This bill would double the PNA to $100 per month. For Medicaid recipients, the PNA is the monthly sum of money that residents may retain from their personal income. Any income above the allowance is applied toward the cost of their care. In the case of residents eligible to receive SSI public assistance, a federal income supplement program designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people with little to no income, the federal government provides up to $30 a month for small comfort items not provided by the facility. The State currently supplements the federal allowance by $20 to ensure that SSI recipients residing in nursing facilities, State and county psychiatric hospitals, and State developmental centers receive a total PNA per month equal to that of Medicaid recipients, or $50. Under the bill, absent any changes in the federal allowance, the State would be responsible for a $70 per month supplemental payment for each SSI recipient. | In Committee |
| S1253 | Establishes pilot program in DOE to use therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs. | This bill establishes a three-year pilot program to assess the academic and health benefits associated with the use of therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness programs. A therapy dog is a dog that has been trained, evaluated, and registered with a handler to provide animal assisted therapy and other animal assisted activities within a school or other facility. Some research suggests that the use of therapy dogs in schools is associated with improvements in school attendance, confidence, motivation, and reading and writing skills. Under the bill, a school district that wants to participate in the pilot program is required to submit an application to the commissioner. The application is required to include, but need not be limited to: the number of elementary schools in the school district; the number of students enrolled in each elementary school; information on student participation in wellness programs at each elementary school; and information on how the school district plans to use therapy dogs to promote student wellness. The commissioner will select two districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to participate in the program and will seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State. The commission will provide pilot districts with guidance regarding the use of therapy dogs in schools including: examples of activities that students may engage in with a therapy dog; recommended training requirements for therapy dog handlers; recommended measures to evaluate the health and appropriate behavior of therapy dogs; and insurance issues relevant to having therapy dogs on school district property. No later than June 30 of the third school year following the establishment of the pilot program, the commissioner will submit to the Governor and to the Legislature a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the pilot program in improving the academic performance and health outcomes of students in elementary schools. | Crossed Over |
| S3366 | Eliminates fee for special plates for firefighters and members of first aid or rescue squads. | Eliminates fee for special plates for firefighters and members of first aid or rescue squads. | In Committee |
| S4065 | Adjusts method of determining regional need for affordable housing; permits timeline extension for municipalities to determine and plan for adjusted fair share obligations based on revisions to regional need. | This bill adjusts the method, as established in P.L.2024, c.2 (C.52:27D-304.1 et al.), for determining the regional need for affordable housing, and permits timeline extensions for municipalities to determine and plan for adjusted fair share obligations based on the revisions to the regional need. The "prospective need" methodology that has been established for the fourth round and all future rounds of affordable housing obligations, through the enactment of P.L.2024, c.2 (C.52:27D-304.1 et al.), does not appear to result in realistic regional and municipal affordable housing obligations, but in excessive and unrealistic obligations. This bill changes the methodology for determining regional need to base the calculation on objective housing market data that can be clearly understood and easily quantified. The bill directs the Department of Community Affairs (department) to determine the prospective need for a region's 10-year round of low- and moderate-income housing obligations by ascertaining the number of certified residential housing units, as determined by the data assembled by the department, for new residential units in the region, excluding new residential units that replace demolished residential units, between the most recent federal decennial census and the second-most recent federal decennial census. The bill directs the department to divide that number by five, the quotient of which is to constitute the number of low- and moderate-income homes that can realistically be provided through inclusionary zoning in the region for the 10-year round. This figure is to represent the regional need for each of the six regions of the State. In addition to recalculating regional need, the bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to revise the estimates of a municipality's prospective fair share obligation of the regional prospective need for the upcoming 10-year round, based on the changes to the regional need determinations. The bill directs that all municipalities that have already committed to a fair share obligation at the time of the enactment of the bill are to have their obligations adjusted to the fair share obligation established by the department, in accordance with the standards set forth in the bill, for determining the prospective regional need. A municipality is to be provided with 90 days from the receipt of revised fair share obligation estimates from the department, to file amended housing element and fair share plans addressing the adjusted obligation number. The bill authorizes the department to comply with the requirements of the bill as soon as possible, notwithstanding the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.). The bill permits the department to revise the deadlines for municipal compliance with the fourth round requirements, as necessary, considering the bill's adjustments to the date of the publication of regional need. The bill also repeals and replaces the findings section of the "Fair Housing Act," (FHA) P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.). The bill takes effect immediately. | 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 |
| SR122 | Urges President and Congress to exempt Social Security benefits from federal income tax. | This resolution urges the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation exempting payments of Social Security benefits from federal income tax. The Social Security Administration was established in 1935 to provide general welfare to the country's elderly population through a federal social insurance system. The payments, commonly referred to as Social Security benefits, were first paid out in 1937 to retired workers over the age of 65. Since then, the breadth of Social Security benefits has expanded to also provide for payments to early retirees, disability payments, survivors benefits, and payments to dependents of beneficiaries. The average monthly Social Security retirement benefit is about $1,900, which equals roughly $23,000 in annual gross income for a beneficiary. Almost 90 percent of individuals aged 65 or older in the United States receive some form of Social Security benefit, with these benefits representing approximately 30 percent of their total annual income. Additionally, over 20 percent of Social Security beneficiaries are not retirees but rather recipients of disability payments, survivor's benefits, or dependent's benefits. Prior to 1984, Social Security benefits were considered exempt from federal income taxes. Under current federal law, single filers who file a federal income tax return and have combined gross income greater than $25,000 are required to pay federal income tax on up to 50 percent of their Social Security benefit. Single filers with combined gross income greater than $34,000 are required to pay federal income tax on up to 85 percent of their benefit. These income thresholds have also not been adjusted to account for inflation occurring since the 1990s. While Social Security benefits have been treated as taxable income under the federal personal income tax since 1984, the New Jersey Constitution expressly prohibits levying a state personal income tax on Social Security benefits. In addition to New Jersey, 40 states and the District of Columbia do not levy a state personal income tax on Social Security payments. By placing an additional tax burden on Social Security recipients, the federal government fails to appreciate how essential every dollar of a Social Security payment is to many Americans. Legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives of Congress that would exempt payments of Social Security benefits from being treated as taxable income. H.R. 9359, The Social Security Tax Freedom Act, introduced by Representative Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-2), would exempt Social Security payments from the federal income tax. Because many New Jerseyans who are currently recipients of Social Security benefits have gross incomes greater than $25,000, the federal government should exempt all such payments from federal income tax in order to provide greater financial security for those who rely on the federal social insurance program. Exempting Social Security payments from the federal income tax, regardless of a beneficiary's gross income from other sources, would provide more assistance to hardworking Americans. | In Committee |
| S3611 | Provides grant to study and map mental health care resources for children; makes appropriation. | An Act concerning mental health services for children, supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3923 | Requires public utility to provide daily updates to municipalities concerning public utility service work. | This bill requires that from the start date until the end date of public utility service work within the boundaries of a municipality, including public utility service work in response to an emergency, a public utility is to provide to the mayor and municipal clerk, or an authorized designee, of the affected municipality daily updates, in a form and manner determined by the Board of Public Utilities, concerning the status of the public utility service work. The board is to adopt rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this bill, including rules and regulations concerning daily update requirements for public utility service work in response to an emergency that affects the electric public utility service to any municipal building. "Emergency" and "public utility" are defined in the bill. | In Committee |
| S3926 | Requires county prosecutors to establish countywide system for tracking sexual assault forensic evidence kits. | This bill requires county prosecutors to establish a countywide system for tracking sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kits. Under the provisions of this bill, every county prosecutor in this State is required to establish a centralized countywide SAFE kit tracking system for all SAFE kits collected within the county. The bill requires each countywide tracking system to meet certain requirements established by the Attorney General. Finally, under the bill, the Attorney General is required to issue or amend guidelines or directives necessary to effectuate the bill's provisions. | In Committee |
| S3904 | "S2 Appropriations Rescue Act"; appropriates $106.5 million to provide Emergency Supplemental Aid to certain school districts, including districts negatively impacted by effects of P.L.2018, c.67. | This bill provides a supplemental appropriation of $106.5 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to the Department of Education to provide "Emergency Supplemental Aid" to certain school districts. The aid is to be distributed to school districts that have been allocated a total amount of State school aid in the 2024-2025 school year that is:· less than the district's adequacy budget, which under current law represents the portion of the costs that a school district is expected to incur to provide a thorough and efficient education; and · less than or equal to $19,000 per resident pupil; and· either: less than or equal to the total amount of State school aid allocated to the district in the 2023-2024 school year; or greater than the total amount of State school aid allocated to the district in the 2023-2024 school year by up to $200,000. The amount of Emergency Supplemental Aid provided to an eligible district pursuant to the bill is to be determined by multiplying $250 by the number of resident pupils in the district. School districts from all parts of the State have experienced negative budgetary effects over the seven years following the enactment of P.L.2018, c.67, commonly referred to as "S2." The severity of these budgetary reductions have forced districts to lay off hundreds of teachers and staff, adopt half-day schedules, eliminate sports and clubs, reduce academic programming such as Advanced Placement classes, eliminate busing, and sell land and close schools just to balance their budgets. This educational funding crisis has affected hundreds of school districts representing an array of socioeconomic groups, from urban districts such as the City of East Orange, Jersey City, and Passaic City, to suburban districts such as Hillsborough Township, Freehold Regional School District, Old Bridge Township, Jackson Township, Toms River Regional School District, Brick Township, and Evesham Township, and extending to rural districts, such as Chesterfield Township, Lenape Regional School District, Estell Manor City, and Hardyston Township. This bill provides emergency restoration aid to help stabilize the budgets of these school districts, as well as 290 other districts, for the purpose of providing these children with a quality education. | In Committee |
| S3855 | Revises reimbursement payments for providers using telemedicine and telehealth. | This bill revises reimbursement payments for providers using telemedicine and telehealth. Under the bill, a health insurance carrier (including carriers of managed care plans, the State Health Benefits Commission, the School Employees' Health Benefits Commission, and health benefits plans under the Medicare program and NJ FamilyCare) will be required to provide coverage and payment for healthcare services delivered through telemedicine or telehealth at a provider reimbursement rate that equals the provider reimbursement rate that is applicable when services are delivered through in-person contact and consultation. Current law only requires that a carrier provide coverage and payment for services delivered through telemedicine and telehealth at a provider reimbursement rate that does not exceed the reimbursement rate that is applicable when the services are delivered through in-person contact or consultation. The requirements of this bill will not apply to a health care service provided by a telemedicine or telehealth organization that does not provide a health care service on an in-person basis in the State. | In Committee |
| S3870 | Exempts sales of energy-saving products and services from sales and use tax. | This bill provides an exemption from the sales and use tax for the retail sale of energy-saving products and services, including, but not limited to, insulation, LED light bulbs, window caulk, furnace filters, weather stripping, light colored roof shingles, reflective roofing tar or paint, window and door insulation kits, ductwork sealing and repair products, heating and cooling system tune-up services, and tankless water heaters. Under the bill, the term "energy-saving products and services" is defined as products or services that are primarily designed and marketed to reduce energy consumption in residential and commercial buildings. The bill also provides specific definitions for items that are considered energy-saving products or services for purposes of the bill. | In Committee |
| S3886 | Creates crime of victimization of a senior citizen or a person with a disability. | This bill establishes a separate crime of victimization against a senior citizen or a person with a disability, which must be charged and proved as any other crime. Victimization would be graded one degree higher than the offense that was committed. A person would be guilty of victimization if the person commits any crime listed in the bill against a senior citizen or a person with a disability. Upon a conviction, the sentence imposed by the court would not merge with the sentence imposed for the underlying offense. This bill also provides that if the underlying crime for which the person is being sentenced was graded as a crime of the first or second degree, the sentence imposed shall include a term of post-incarceration parole supervision. Under the bill, a "senior citizen" is defined as a person 62 years of age or over. A "person with a disability" is defined as a person who by reason of any pre-existing medically determinable physical or mental impairment is substantially incapable of exercising normal physical or mental power of resistance, and includes, but is not limited to, any person determined disabled pursuant to the federal Social Security Act or any other governmental retirement or benefits program that uses substantially the same criteria for determining eligibility. | In Committee |
| S3885 | Upgrades assault on victims who are disabled. | This bill would upgrade the offense of assault in situations where the victim is disabled. Under the bill, a person who causes bodily injury to a person with a disability would be guilty of a crime of the third degree and would be sentenced to a mandatory term of imprisonment of three years. Under the bill, a "person with a disability" means a person who by reason of a pre-existing medically determinable physical or mental impairment is substantially incapable of exercising normal physical or mental power of resistance, and includes, but is not limited to, a person determined disabled pursuant to the federal Social Security Act or any other governmental retirement or benefits program that uses substantially the same criteria for determining eligibility. This bill was prompted by the brutal assault and mugging of Joey Damiano, a Trenton man with an intellectual disability, in May 2006. According to Trenton police, Joey was beaten and blinded in one eye by an unknown assailant, or group of assailants, as he was taking his daily walk on Washington Street and Roebling Avenue in the Chambersburg section of Trenton. | In Committee |
| S3728 | Requires municipal planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment to incorporate recommendations from certain local environmental commissions on applications for development. | This bill would require each municipal planning board or board of adjustment to review and consider recommendations that are submitted, by the local environmental commission, on any application for development pending before the respective board, and, to the extent possible, to incorporate those environmental recommendations into the board's decision on the relevant application. While existing law already authorizes a local environmental commission to submit such recommendations to these local boards, in association with each such board's review of development applications submitted thereto, the law does not currently require either type of board to review or consider, or to use, those recommendations in any way. In addition, this bill would require the planning board and the board of adjustment to provide a copy, rather than an informational copy, of every application for development to the environmental commission. The bill would also change the current law to provide that a failure of the planning board or the board of adjustment to provide a copy of the application for development to the environmental commission would invalidate any hearing or proceeding. Current law provides that the failure to provide a copy of application for development would not invalidate any hearing or proceeding. | In Committee |
| S3747 | Requires written notification of advanced placement courses to parents of students with disability; prohibits exclusion from advanced placement courses on basis of disability. | This bill requires a school district to annually provide written notification of the availability of advanced placement courses offered by the school district to the parent or guardian of a student with disabilities. The bill requires the written notification to include: (1) the name of the course; (2) a description of the course material; and (3) information on any prerequisite requirements needed to enroll in the course. The bill also prohibits a school district from excluding a student with a disability from participating in an advanced placement course on the basis of the student's disability. | In Committee |
| S3727 | Provides grants to nonprofit organizations that provide financial literacy classes; appropriates $100,000. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance to establish a program to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that provide financial literacy classes. Many citizens have limited knowledge in the concepts of personal budgeting, investing, and managing debt. This lack of knowledge can hinder their abilities to secure credit for major purchases and save for retirement. The bill addresses the lack of opportunities for education in personal finance by creating a grant program for financial nonprofits to develop and provide personal finance courses, with the goal of broadening the reach of financial education. Individual grants under the program are capped at $5,000. The bill appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund. | In Committee |
| S1213 | Prohibits pharmacies from charging additional fee for processing prescriptions transmitted by telephone or electronic means. | This bill would prohibit pharmacists from charging additional fees for processing prescriptions that are transmitted by telephone or electronic means unless the fees also apply to prescriptions transmitted in writing. It is the sponsor's belief that electronically-transmitted prescriptions are more efficient than written prescriptions, and that imposing additional processing fees may discourage the use of electronic prescriptions. | In Committee |
| S3725 | Establishes Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program in DHS. | This bill directs the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services (division) to establish the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program, a rebranding of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that promotes the program, and provides program benefits, exclusively to veterans. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, is a nutrition assistance program that serves as a safety net for low-income households. The bill defines "veteran" to mean any enlisted person or officer who was discharged or otherwise released from active service in the United States Armed Forces, or any reserve component thereof, or the organized militia of New Jersey under conditions other than dishonorable, or as otherwise provided in State law. Nationwide, according to recent research, 7.5 percent of veterans do not have enough food, but less than 5 percent of those veterans are enrolled in SNAP. It is the sponsor's goal to increase veterans' utilization of the food assistance benefits they have earned and deserve by rebranding SNAP specifically for veterans. In order to implement the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program, the division is required to: 1) design, and distribute to eligibility determination agencies of SNAP, promotional materials, applications, and any other documents associated with SNAP with the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program name and branding; 2) design and issue to eligible beneficiaries electronic benefits transfer cards that bear the name and branding of the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program; 3) develop a website, separate and distinct from the State's SNAP website, with the name and branding of the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program; and 4) collaborate with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to ensure that information regarding the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program is distributed to each county Veteran Service Office in the State and posted on the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' webpage. The bill explicitly states that that its provisions are not to be construed to: 1) alter eligibility, benefits, funding, or any federal requirement of SNAP, as it exists upon the effective date of the bill or as it is rebranded to establish the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program; 2) discontinue or alter any existing promotional materials, program documents, or websites associated with SNAP, as they exist upon the effective date of the bill; or 3) replace SNAP with the Veterans Assistance for Nutritional Needs Program. | In Committee |
| S3724 | Establishes Winery Co-marketing Grant Program; appropriates $500,000. | This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Winery Co-marketing Grant Program to reimburse wineries in the State for eligible costs related to certain marketing campaigns. The purpose of the program is to encourage and enhance the ability of New Jersey wineries to engage in co-marketing campaigns that promote agricultural tourism and local businesses. Under the bill, the department is authorized to award a grant under the program to an applicant who is the holder of a plenary or farm winery license who incurred eligible costs in accordance with the bill. Eligible costs are include those that were directly incurred and paid by the grant applicant for marketing campaigns or other advertising that promote the winery owned or operated by the applicant and a winery owned or operated by another holder of a plenary or farm winery license; a restaurant located within the State; an inn, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or other similar place of public accommodation located within the State; a roadside market that sells "Jersey Fresh" designated products or agricultural tourism at a farm located within the State. An applicant may apply for a grant under the program once annually. The bill provides that the department would award grants of up to $25,000 pursuant to the following schedule: 25 percent of the eligible costs incurred marketing campaign or other advertising included one other entity; 35 percent if the marketing campaign or other advertising included two other entities; or 45 percent if the marketing campaign or other advertising included three or more other entities. The bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature. Each annual report submitted is required at a minimum to: (1) identify the total number and dollar amount of grant awards issued during the reporting period; (2) include a recommendation as to whether the grant program should be continued in future years; and (3) identify the amount of previously appropriated funds that remains unexpended and available to finance future grant awards under the program, and, to the extent that the report recommends continuation of the program, recommend additional appropriations, as deemed by the secretary to be necessary to ensure the program's continued operation and ongoing success. | In Committee |
| S3726 | Requires electric public utilities to take certain actions in event of outages in age-restricted communities. | This bill requires that, in the event of an extended power outage, the electric public utility that is responsible for providing the service affected by the extended power outage is required to, until the restoration of electric service, provide the following in every affected age-restricted community: (1) access to potable water by setting up temporary water distribution stations; (2) cooling stations equipped with air conditioning and adequate seating to accommodate residents or heating stations equipped with heating capabilities and adequate seating; and (3) charging stations for electronic devices. The bill defines "extended power outage" to mean a disruption in service provided by an electric public utility that lasts more than 24 consecutive hours and "age-restricted community" to mean a planned real estate development consisting of dwelling units governed by a common set of rules, regulations, or restrictions intended and operated for persons 55 years of age or older. | In Committee |
| S3729 | Allows certification of orthopedic assistants. | This bill amends current law by requiring the Physician Assistant Advisory Committee and State Board of Medical Examiners (the "board") to regulate individuals seeking certification from New Jersey as orthopedic assistants. Under the bill, "orthopedic assistant" is defined as a professional physician extender who has met the criteria set forth by the National Board for Certification of Orthopaedic Physician Assistants ("NBCOPA") to sit for the orthopedic assistance certification examination; passed the certification examination; is approved by the committee for certification; and maintains certification by complying with the rules in accordance with the bylaws of the NBCOPA. The term "orthopedic assistant" can be used interchangeably to refer to individuals certified by the NBCOPA, and subsequently the State, as either orthopedic physician's assistants or orthopedic assistants. An individual certified to practice as an orthopedic assistant may use the initials "OPA-C" or "OA-C." The bill establishes the requirements an individual must meet to qualify for certification, grants the committee and board the authority to approve applications for certification, and prohibits an individual from holding themselves out or performing services as an orthopedic assistant without certification. Additionally, the certification granted under the bill is to be renewed every two years and at each renewal, an individual is to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the NBCOPA to maintain certification as an orthopedic assistant. An orthopedic assistant is to be supervised by an orthopedic physician licensed in New Jersey. The assistant and physician are to sign a form, as prescribed by the committee, that delineates the services the assistant is to perform and notification of malpractice coverage for the orthopedic assistant. The bill forbids an orthopedic assistant from performing services for which they were not educated, trained and examined. Any update to the delineation of services is to be filed with the committee within 45 days. | In Committee |
| S3531 | Establishes rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for child sexual abuse and child endangerment. | This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for a defendant charged with sexual assault or criminal sexual contact when the victim is a minor, or endangering the welfare of a child. Under P.L.2014, c.31, also known as the "Bail Reform Law," criminal courts are authorized to order the pretrial release of a defendant pending further proceedings, or order pretrial detention of a defendant who is found to be a flight risk, a danger to another or the community, or likely to obstruct further criminal proceedings. Currently, there is a rebuttable presumption that a defendant who is charged with murder or a crime that subjects the defendant to an ordinary or extended term of life imprisonment is to be detained pending trial. This rebuttable presumption applies when a prosecutor makes a motion for pretrial detention, but may be rebutted upon a showing of proof, by a preponderance of the evidence, in favor of the defendant. If the presumption is not rebutted, the court may order pretrial detention of the defendant. If the presumption is rebutted, the prosecutor still has the opportunity to establish other grounds for pretrial detention. This bill provides that the rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention also applies to defendants charged with the crime of sexual assault pursuant to N.J.S.2C:14-2 when the victim is a minor, the crime of criminal sexual contact pursuant to N.J.S.2C:14-3 when the victim is a minor, and the crime of endangering the welfare of a child under N.J.S.2C:24-4. | In Committee |
| S2311 | Requires criminal history background check for individuals seeking licensure issued by boards regulating certain health care professions. | An Act concerning criminal history background checks for certain health care professionals and amending P.L.2002, c.104. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1017 | Establishes right of sexual assault victim to notification of certain developments in criminal case. | An Act concerning the rights of victims of sexual assault and amending and supplementing P.L.2019, c.103 (C.52:4B-60.1 et seq.). | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1385 | Establishes four-year pilot program in Ocean County for electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence offenders; appropriates $2.5 million. | Establishes four-year pilot program in Ocean County for electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence offenders; appropriates $2.5 million. | Crossed Over |
| S2493 | Establishes minimum base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facility with neurologically impaired young adult unit. | This bill establishes a minimum base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate of $1,100 for special care nursing facilities which operate a neurologically impaired young adult unit. Under the bill, a special care nursing facility is defined as a nursing facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) that is not a unit attached to, or on the same campus as, a rehabilitation or acute care hospital and is not a distinct unit within a NJ FamilyCare-certified conventional nursing facility, and which has been approved by the Department of Human Services to provide care to NJ FamilyCare recipients who require specialized nursing facility services beyond the scope of a conventional nursing facility Specifically, the bill requires the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to reimburse a special care nursing facility, issued a certificate of need by the Department of Health as of July 1, 2023 to operate a neurologically impaired young adult unit, a base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate that is, at a minimum, the greater of the special care nursing facility's FY 2022 base NJ FamilyCare per diem reimbursement rate or $1,100 per diem. This bill applies to reimbursements beginning January 1, 2024 and only those facilities in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning licensure, patient safety, and quality of care. | Crossed Over |
| S3482 | Increases resource threshold for certain Medicaid eligibility groups. | This bill increases the resource threshold for certain non-Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medicaid eligibility groups, or those applicants who are over 65 years of age or disabled, such as individuals eligible for nursing homes services; Medicare Shared Savings Programs; the Medically Needy pathway; and home and community-based services. This bill does alter any eligibility requirements regarding the NJ Workability Program, a non-MAGI eligibilty pathway which offers full Medicaid coverage to working disabled individuals whose income or assets would otherwise make them ineligible. Currently, NJ Workability does not limit eligibility based on resources. Generally, in increasing the resource standard under these programs, this bill more closely aligns resource requirements under Medicaid for these populations with individuals under 65 years of age without disabilities, also known as the MAGI eligibility group, who currently do not have a resource test to determine eligibility pursuant to the federal "Affordable Care Act." The current resource standards for the affected eligibility groups varies. For example, an individual applying for the Medicaid Managed Long-Term Services and Supports is required to have resources of less than $2,000, while an individual applying for a Medicare Savings Program can have resources up to $9,090. | In Committee |
| S1292 | Establishes State definition of anti-Semitism; creates a public awareness campaign; appropriates $100,000. | Establishes State definition of anti-Semitism; creates a public awareness campaign; and appropriates $100,000. | In Committee |
| S2937 | Requires definitions of Antisemitism and Islamophobia be included in State's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging policies, and in any such policy for recipients of State's funds. | Requires definitions of Antisemitism and Islamophobia be included in State's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging policies, and in any such policy for recipients of State funds. | In Committee |
| S3248 | Exempts cribs, child restraint systems, nursing bottles, and strollers from sales and use tax. | This bill exempts select baby products from the "Sales and Use Tax Act." Currently, the purchases of certain baby items such as cribs; child restraint systems; nursing bottles, nipples, and funnels; and strollers are subject to the sales and use tax. The bill would exempt these items from the tax to help reduce the costs of caring for an infant child. The bill defines a "child restraint system" as any device that is designed to protect, hold, or restrain an infant while riding in a motor vehicle to prevent or minimize injury and conforms with federal motor vehicle safety standards. The bill also defines a "crib" as a bed or containment designed to accommodate an infant and a "stroller" as a non-motorized, wheeled vehicle designed to push or otherwise transport an infant including, but not limited to, a carriage, folding-type umbrella stroller, or full-size stroller. | In Committee |
| S3403 | Provides supplemental appropriation to ensure certain school districts receive additional amounts of special education categorical, security categorical, and transportation aids. | This bill provides additional aid to certain school districts that have allocations of special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, or transportation aid that are less than those provided under the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008." To be eligible for the aid provided by the bill, a school district is required to have experienced a State school formula aid reduction in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years and be spending below adequacy. Under current law, a school district is spending below adequacy if its prior year spending (defined as the sum of equalization aid, special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, and the local general fund tax levy) is less than its projected adequacy spending for the budget year (defined as the sum of the adequacy budget, special education categorical aid, and security categorical aid). P.L.2018, c.67 (commonly referred to as "S2") was enacted to realign the amount of State aid provided to school districts with current needs and to move toward fully implementing the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 as originally enacted. In doing so, S2 established a schedule for the reallocation of State aid from school districts deemed "overfunded" under that law to those deemed "underfunded." This schedule primarily applies to State school aid allocated from the 2019-2020 school year through the 2024-2025 school year. In realigning State aid over this time period, however, S2 resulted in many school districts receiving allocations of individual aid categories that are less than those calculated under the School Funding Reform Act of 2008. This bill would provide additional aid in the 2024-2025 school year to ensure that eligible school districts receive the amount of special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, or transportation aid as calculated under the School Funding Reform Act of 2008. It is the sponsor's intent to provide reasonable, temporary assistance to allow certain school districts spending below adequacy to avoid catastrophic budget cuts due to the loss of State aid for the 2024-2025 school year. The sponsor believes a permanent solution to State school aid inequities, and the resulting harm to students' education, is necessary but not within reach in time for the next school year. The adequacy budget is determined by law to be the amount necessary to ensure a constitutionally required thorough and efficient education, and this bill applies to school districts that are otherwise spending below the sum of that amount and the district's amount of categorical aids for special education and security. The sponsor therefore believes this bill is necessary to avoid detrimental effects on students' educational quality that could result in depriving students of their constitutional rights. Twice in the past two years, the Legislature has implicitly recognized the inadequacy of the existing State school aid system by passing legislation to provide some form of relief to school districts facing massive State aid reductions. This legislation includes P.L.2024, c.13, which appropriates $44.7 million to establish a Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore 45 percent of State school aid reductions and permits certain school districts to exceed the tax levy growth limitation in the 2024-2025 school year. The Legislature also enacted P.L.2023, c.32, which provided additional State school aid to certain school districts and appropriated $103.0 million. That law restored two-thirds of the proposed State aid reductions to school districts. The sponsor believes this bill is consistent with the intentions of these enactments. | In Committee |
| S3361 | Provides that biennial renewal of license or certificate issued by New Jersey Board of Nursing is due on professional's birthday. | This bill provides that licenses and certificates issued by the New Jersey Board of Nursing are to expire on the professional's birthday, rather than on one of two fixed dates, as is the practice under current law. If the person's birthday does not correspond with a calendar day in the renewal year, the license or certificate will expire on the last day of the person's birth month in the renewal year. Licenses and certificates issued by the New Jersey Board of Nursing will continue to be valid for two years. The list of professionals licensed or certified through the New Jersey Board of Nursing includes registered professional nurses, licensed practical nurses, homemaker-home health aides, advanced practice nurses, and forensic nurses-certified sexual assault. The bill will take effect 30 days after the date of enactment and will apply to any license or certificate issued by the Board of Nursing on or after that effective date. | In Committee |
| S3338 | Establishes veterinary medicine loan redemption program for certain veterinarians who work in underserved areas for five years; annually appropriates $500,000. | This bill establishes a Veterinary Medicine Loan Redemption Program to address the current large animal veterinarian shortage in this State. The program will be administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). Specifically, the bill provides for redemption of eligible qualifying loan expenses for veterinarians who work for no less than five years at an approved site. An approved site is a site located within a State designated veterinary underserved area or within five miles of a State designated veterinary underserved area. The bill defines a State designated veterinary underserved area as a geographic area designated in this State by the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the New Jersey Horse Council, the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners, the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, and the New Jersey Farm Bureau, on the basis of a large animal veterinarian shortage affecting the area. The secretary is required to annually establish a list of State designated veterinary underserved areas and transmit that list to HESAA. Program participants are required to be State residents and be a veterinarian licensed, or eligible to be licensed, to practice in this State, agree to practice at an approved site, and agree that the practice is full-time and that at least 75 percent of the participant's work is dedicated to large animal veterinary care. In return for this commitment, the program participant's eligible qualifying loan expenses will be reimbursed. Maximum loan redemption under the bill will equal 100 percent of the eligible qualifying loan expenses for full-time service in return for five years of service, except that the amount of qualifying loans which may be redeemed for a participant under the program is not to exceed $30,000 in any year. Under the bill, no amount of loan redemption is to be provided for service performed by a program participant that is less than full-time and for service in which less than 75 percent of the participant's work at an approved site is dedicated to large animal veterinary care. No amount of eligible qualifying loan expenses is to be redeemed for services performed for less than a full year. The bill provides that in the case of a program participant's death or total and permanent disability, HESAA will nullify the service obligation of the program participant. The nullification will also terminate HESAA's obligations under the loan redemption contract. In the event of a program participant's death or total and permanent disability, HESAA will not require repayment of the prior redeemed portion of indebtedness. The bill provides that $500,000 will be annually appropriated from the General Fund to HESAA for the Veterinary Medicine Loan Redemption Program. Since New Jersey currently does not have its own veterinary medicine school, the provisions of this bill are intended to establish a cost-effective path to addressing the large animal veterinarian shortage by incentivizing veterinary school graduates to reside in the State and practice in areas of the State experiencing large animal veterinarian shortages. From 1990 to 2007, the State provided for a "contract" program with veterinary schools in other states to "buy" seats reserved exclusively for New Jersey students. This program allowed New Jersey residents vying for seats at out-of-State veterinary schools to only compete against each other for those seats, not the entire population of applicants at large. The program also provided funding that permitted those students to attend the out-of-State veterinary schools at in-State tuition rates. However, this program resulted in residents leaving the State for veterinary school, with no promise that they would return to practice in New Jersey. Several other states have implemented veterinary loan redemption programs similar to the program established by this bill, including Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, and Wyoming. The program established by this bill will incentivize residents of this State, who attend out-of-State veterinary schools, to return to New Jersey to perform services in a veterinary practice that is dedicated to large animal veterinary care, in exchange for a redemption of their veterinary school loans over a relatively short period of time. This program will provide enormous benefits for large animal owners living in areas of this State with a shortage of adequate veterinary medicine services. Additionally, this program will not penalize program participants with respect to tax liability. Under current federal and State law, amounts of student loan redemption, loan forgiveness, or loan cancellation are not considered income for purposes of taxation. | In Committee |
| S3324 | Requires boards of education to post on website information summarizing payroll, total accounts payable, and weekly accounts payable. | This bill requires each board of education to post for public inspection on its website a summary of its payroll, total accounts payable, and weekly accounts payable. The bill also requires each board to post a summary document that outlines in a user-friendly manner the board's major categories of expenditures and identifies the vendors selected through competitive bidding or competitive contracting to provide goods and services. Under the bill, the information must be posted in a prominent and easily accessible location and in a format approved by the Commissioner of Education. | In Committee |
| S3352 | Establishes third degree crime for certain trespasses involving victim of domestic violence. | This bill provides that a person commits a crime of the third degree if, intending to cause annoyance or injury or intending to commit a crime, the person enters the dwelling of a victim of domestic violence protected by a domestic violence restraining order against the actor. Moreover, the bill creates a presumption that the actor did intend to cause annoyance or injury or to commit a crime if a domestic violence restraining order is in place, or if the actor has been convicted of or charged with a crime or offense arising from a domestic violence incident involving the victim. Finally, the bill provides that no presumption of nonincarceration shall apply to persons convicted of such crime. A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S3315 | Allows gross income tax credit for volunteer firefighters. | This bill allows a gross income tax credit for volunteer firefighters who have actively been volunteering for three years. The amount of the credit is $500. To be eligible for the credit, a taxpayer must be an active member of a volunteer fire company or an active volunteer member of a part-paid fire department for three years. | In Committee |
| S3335 | Provides gross income tax deduction for expenses incurred by disabled veterans for service animals. | This bill provides a gross income tax deduction of up to $5,000 for certain expenses incurred by a disabled veteran taxpayer related to the purchasing, training, or maintaining a service animal. Eligible maintenance expenses for a service animal would include purchases of food, grooming, and veterinary care. Under current law, certain taxpayers are permitted to claim a deduction for the portion of certain medical expenses incurred related to the maintenance of service animals. The deduction authorized in this bill would be allowed for any qualifying costs incurred by a disabled veteran that are not already deductible as an eligible medical expense. A "disabled veteran" is defined under the bill as any resident of the State who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in the United States Armed Forces and who has a service-connected disability, as determined by the United States Veteran's Administration. Under the bill, the term "service animal" has the same meaning as is defined under the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq. and any regulations promulgated under the act. Currently, federal regulations at 28 CFR 35.104 define "service animal" to mean "any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability." Federal regulations further require the work or tasks performed by the service to be directly related to the individual's disability. | In Committee |
| S3348 | "Securing Access to Funding for Educating Drivers (SAFE) Act"; establishes NJ Behind-The-Wheel Driver Education Scholarship Program; appropriates $1 million. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Behind-The-Wheel Driver Education Scholarship Program (program) within the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission). The purpose of the program is to provide scholarships to eligible individuals from low-income households to cover the costs of the six-hour behind-the-wheel driver education course. As defined in the bill, "six-hour behind-the-wheel driver education course" means the six-hour behind the wheel driver education course conducted by a drivers' school duly licensed by the commission that is required for individuals between the ages of 16 and 17 to obtain a special learner's permit. Scholarships awarded under the program are required to be in an amount to cover the full cost of the six-hour behind-the-wheel driver education course or $500, whichever is less. To qualify for a scholarship under the program an individual is required to demonstrate to the commission that the individual: (1) is a resident of the State; (2) is between the age of 16 and 17; (3) is from a low-income household; (4) has passed the required written examination, which may be offered as part of a course of driving education approved by the State Department of Education and conducted in a New Jersey public, parochial, or private school; and (5) meets any other eligibility criteria that the commission deems appropriate. Interested individuals that meet the eligibility requirements are required to submit an application to the commission in a form and manner determined by the commission. The commission is required to provide scholarships on a rolling basis, subject to the availability of funds, to individuals who have submitted an application to the commission and meet the eligibility criteria for a scholarship under the program. The bill requires the commission to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature containing certain information as described in the bill. Finally, the bill appropriates from the General Fund to the commission the sum of $1 million to provide scholarships under the program. | In Committee |
| S3345 | Requires president of public institution of higher education to regularly report on-campus criminal and fire events to the institution's governing board. | This bill requires the president of each public institution of higher education, or his designee, to report to the governing board of the institution, at each of its regular meetings, all crimes, fires, and other emergencies which occurred on campus during the previous reporting period. The report must include: a count and classification of all criminal incidents which occurred on campus and which were recorded by campus security and campus or local police departments; a list of campus alerts, threats, or emergencies which occurred on campus; and a count and classification of all fire incidents which occurred on campus and which were recorded by campus security and local fire departments. The report may also include: the status of all investigations of such acts or events, the type and nature of any discipline imposed on any student or employee identified as causing or contributing to such acts or events; and any other measures imposed, training conducted, or programs implemented, to reduce the incidence of such acts and events. The bill directs the president to report all matters that are not a matter of public record to the governing board in an executive session, and to clarify that such reporting does not render the information a government record available for public inspection under the provisions of P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), commonly known as the open public records act, or under any other statute, regulation, executive order, or federal law, regulation, or order. | In Committee |
| S3374 | Permits certain students not enrolled in public schools to participate in interscholastic athletics. | This bill requires school districts to allow students in grades six through 12 who receive equivalent instruction other than at school, and students who attend charter schools, county vocational schools, or nonpublic schools to participate in interscholastic sports programs in the student's resident district in accordance with the same criteria established for students enrolled in the district. The bill also provides that interscholastic sports programs offered by charter schools, county vocational school districts, and nonpublic schools must be available to students attending other public schools. Under the bill, a student in grades six through 12 who receives equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school who wishes to try out for, and participate in, school-sponsored interscholastic athletics in the student's resident district is required to: 1) provide proof that the student resides in the district; 2) meet the sports participation requirements established by the school district for students enrolled in the district such as physical examinations, insurance, age, academic, and other requirements. The student is to comply with the same standards of behavior, responsibilities, and performance as other members of the team; and 3) demonstrate to the board of education that the student is receiving an academically equivalent education compared to students enrolled in the school district and is academically qualified to participate. Under the current rules of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), the participation of such a student is at the discretion of the board of education of the resident school district. In the case of a student enrolled in a charter school, county vocational school, or nonpublic school, the student may try out for, and participate in, interscholastic athletics in the student's resident district if the student's charter school, county vocational school, or nonpublic school does not sponsor an interscholastic sports team in the sport in which the student wishes to participate. In order to participate, the student is to comply with the requirements listed above, other than the requirement to demonstrate academically equivalent instruction. Under current NJSIAA rules, a student enrolled in a nonpublic school, a charter school, or full-time in a county vocational school may only participate in interscholastic athletics in the resident district if the principal of the charter school or county vocational school, as applicable, and the principal of the resident district school agree to such participation. There are reciprocal provisions in the bill for students enrolled in public schools who may want to participate in interscholastic athletics sponsored by charter schools, county vocational school districts. Under the bill, any controversy in regard to whether a home-schooled student, a charter school student, a county vocational school student, nonpublic school student, or other public school student meets the eligibility requirements for student athletes established by the NJSIAA will be adjudicated by the association in compliance with its constitution and by-laws. | In Committee |
| S3340 | "Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act"; prohibits distribution of State aid to an institution of higher education that authorizes, funds, or supports antisemitic events or organizations or fails to punish acts of antisemitism on campus. | This bill, entitled the "Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act" prohibits the disbursement of any State aid to an institution of higher education that:· authorizes, facilitates, provides funding for, or otherwise supports or encourages antisemitism or any event or organization promoting antisemitism on campus; · fails to enforce its own student code of conduct and policies and procedures on harassment, intimidation, and bullying; or· fails to adequately and appropriately punish the perpetrators of antisemitism with academic, professional, and legal consequences, which may include expulsion and referral for criminal prosecution. The bill defines "antisemitism" to mean the same as the term defined in the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016. | In Committee |
| S3312 | Establishes process to exempt municipality from certain fair share affordable housing obligations based on flood risk. | This bill would direct the Commissioner of Community Affairs to exempt a municipality from any responsibility for a fair share affordable housing obligation if the municipality is designated by the council or its successor as extensively flood-prone. This exemption would have the effect of protecting a municipality from any potential builder's remedy action to compel housing construction. The "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.), establishes that a municipality has an obligation to provide for a fair share of the need for affordable housing in its region. However, this statute has allowed for adjustments to be made to a municipality's obligation based on certain factors, such as needs for historic preservation and environmental protection. This bill would direct the Commissioner of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, to adopt rules and regulations to exempt certain municipalities from municipal fair share obligations based flood risk. These rules and regulations would, in compliance with appropriate criteria, designate certain municipalities as extensively flood-prone, and thereby exempt from a fair share obligation, including any present and prospective obligation, unfulfilled prior round obligation, and gap period obligation. The bill requires the rules and regulations to be based on flood insurance paid by property owners, the number of repetitive loss and severe repetitive loss properties in a municipality relative to the size of the municipality, and other relevant information. The bill directs the commissioner to adopt rules and regulations by the first day of the third month following enactment. | In Committee |
| S3339 | Establishes loan redemption program for certified veterinarians employed as large animal veterinarians in New Jersey. | This bill establishes the Large Animal Veterinarian Loan Redemption Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. Under the program, a participant would redeem 20 percent of eligible student loan expenses for each year of service as a large animal veterinarian in a State-designated underserved area. Eligible student loan expenses is defined as the cumulative total of the principal and interest due on student loans used to cover the cost of attendance while enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an institution of higher education. Program participants are matched to State-designated underserved areas by the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture. Under the bill, each program participant must be a resident of the State, be a graduate of a veterinary school approved by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, have completed a professional residency program and received a recommendation from the director of the training program concerning participation in the loan redemption program, and agree to practice large animal veterinary medicine in a State-designated underserved area. The contract would be for five one-year periods and would specify the total amount of debt to be redeemed by the State in return for the service. Eligible loans will not be redeemed for service of less than one full year annually. | In Committee |
| S3351 | Establishes rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention of defendant charged with aggravated assault of law enforcement officer. | This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention of a defendant charged with aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer. Under P.L.2014, c.31, also known as the "Criminal Justice Reform Law" (CJR), courts are authorized to order: the pretrial release of a defendant pending further proceedings, or the pretrial detention of a defendant who is found to be a flight risk, a danger to another or the community, or likely to obstruct further criminal proceedings. For certain crimes, the CJR establishes a rebuttable presumption that a defendant is to be detained pending trial because no amount of monetary bail, non-monetary conditions of release, or combination thereof would reasonably assure the defendant's appearance in court, the safety of any other person or the community, and that the eligible defendant will not obstruct or attempt to obstruct the criminal justice process. This presumption may be rebutted by the defendant upon a showing of a preponderance of the evidence in support of the defendant. Under current law, the rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention applies when a prosecutor files a motion for the pretrial detention of a defendant charged with murder or any crime for which the defendant would be subject to an ordinary or extended term of life imprisonment. Under the bill, the rebuttable presumption also would apply when a prosecutor files a motion for pretrial detention of a defendant charged aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer. | In Committee |
| S3316 | Requires Firefighter 1 certification of candidate who completes military firefighter training and at least 12 months active duty military service in lieu of training course requirements. | This bill provides that a person who completed at least 12 months of active duty military service and has satisfactorily completed military firefighter training is eligible to receive Firefighter 1 certification. Under current law, a candidate for Firefighter 1 certification is required to meet the eligibility, training, and examination requirements established by the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs. Under the bill, a person who has not completed the training program requirements established by the division, but meets the other eligibility and examination requirements required for certification, is to receive a Firefighter 1 certificate if the person has completed at least 12 months of active duty military service and has satisfactorily completed military firefighter training during the period of active duty military service. | In Committee |
| S3362 | Establishes Domestic Violence Shelter Pet Grant Program to provide funds to house pets in shelters with their owners. | This bill establishes the Domestic Violence Shelter Pet Grant Program to provide funds to house pets in domestic violence shelters with their owners. Specifically, the bill establishes the program in the Department of Human Services to provide funds to domestic violence shelters to allow the pets of victims of domestic violence to reside concurrently with their owners within domestic violence shelters. Grants are to be awarded to domestic violence shelters to defray the costs of purchasing food, medication, toys, cat litter, leashes, and other supplies necessary for the health and well-being of domesticated animals, as well as for needed veterinary care during the residency of a victim of domestic violence at a domestic violence shelter. To qualify for a grant award under the program, a domestic violence shelter is required to submit an application to the Commissioner of Human Services (commissioner), in accordance with application procedures and requirements prescribed by the commissioner When awarding grants, preference is to be given based on the number of pets housed at a shelter. Grants shall be awarded by the Commissioner in amounts determined by the commissioner, not to exceed $50,000 to each qualifying shelter. Pursuant to this bill, the sum of $1,000,000 is allocated from the General Fund. | In Committee |
| S3318 | Requires State reimbursement to local government units for first-year uncollected property tax revenue attributable to veterans' property tax exemptions. | This bill would require the State to reimburse local government units, including municipalities, counties, school districts for the assessed value of property taxes that are no longer collectible during the first year in which a person is approved for the 100 percent service-disabled veterans property tax exemption. During any tax year in which a person is approved for the property tax exemption, the tax collector of the municipality in which the person resides, would be required to provide the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury with the following documentation: a copy of the resolution approved by the governing body of the municipality granting the property tax exemption; a copy of the person's property tax bill for the tax year; and a certification of the amount of property taxes that would have been otherwise due and payable by the person for each local government unit during the remainder of the tax year following the date of approval by the governing body of the exemption. After this documentation is provided, the State Treasurer would be required to reimburse each local government unit not later than 10 calendar days following the due date of each quarterly tax bill for which property taxes are no longer owed for the property. | In Committee |
| S3325 | Makes FY 2024 supplemental appropriation of $500,000 from General Fund to Department of Agriculture for Jersey Fresh marketing and promotion activities. | This bill supplements the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations act to make an additional appropriation of $500,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture to increase funding to the Jersey Fresh program. Jersey Fresh is an advertising and marketing program that helps farmers inform consumers about the availability of locally grown produce. The program began in 1984 as a $50,000 campaign before accruing appropriations of over $1 million per year; funding has since been limited to $100,000 as the campaign approaches its 40th anniversary. Under the fiscal year 2024 appropriations act, Jersey Fresh programs received $100,000 for the purpose of marketing and promoting locally grown produce. This bill increases the funding for FY 2025 by $500,000. The sponsor intends this appropriation to replace the use of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crops Block Grant for the Jersey Fresh program. As a result of the supplemental appropriation, the amount of federal money available to farmers and organizations from this needed federal grant program will be increased, as up to 50 percent of the federal grant funds are used to fund the Jersey Fresh program. This bill would rebalance the funding of the Jersey Fresh program and the amount available for USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant awards so that both benefit the State's farmers to the fullest. | In Committee |
| S3273 | Requires court to order financial support for child if child's parent or guardian is killed by drunk driver. | This bill requires the court to order financial support for a child if the child's parent or guardian is killed by a drunk driver. Under the bill, if a person is convicted of reckless vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the sentencing court is required to order the defendant to pay financial support on behalf of a minor child if the deceased is the parent or guardian of the minor child. In determining the amount to be paid by a defendant for the financial support of the child, the court is required to consider the following factors:· 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 as 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;· the physical and emotional needs of the child;· the child's educational needs;· the physical and legal custody arrangements for the child;· the work-related child care expenses of the surviving parent or guardian; and· any other factor the court deems relevant. 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 obligation ordered under the bill is to be for a period of not less than five years. The provisions of the bill require the court to order the defendant to make the financial support payments to the clerk of the court, who is then required to remit payment to the surviving parent or guardian within 10 business days of receipt. If a defendant who is ordered to pay financial support on behalf of a child pursuant to this section is incarcerated and unable to make the financial support payments during the period of incarceration, the defendant's financial support obligation is to accrue during the period of incarceration but the defendant has up to one year following the release from incarceration to begin payments. The bill further 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 defendant to continue to make payments until the arrearage is paid in full. In addition, if the surviving parent or guardian brings a civil action against a defendant following the entry of an order of financial support pursuant to this section, the judgment ordered in the civil action is to be offset by any financial support payments ordered pursuant to this section. | In Committee |
| SR101 | Condemns Rutgers University's acquiescence to anti-Semitic protests. | This resolution condemns Rutgers, The State University's acquiescence to anti-Semitic protests. In response to the escalating Israel-Hamas conflict, students at institutions of higher education across the country established protests and encampments to protest the conflict, including Rutgers University-New Brunswick. On April 29, 2024 student protestors at Rutgers established an encampment on the lawns of Voorhees mall, disturbing the operations of the institution, glorifying the violence Hamas has inflicted on the Israeli people, and utilizing anti-Semitic rhetoric. The student protestors demanded 10 actions from Rutgers, including: a divestment of funds from any corporation materially participating in, benefitting from, or otherwise supporting the State of Israel; the termination of the institution's partnership with Tel Aviv University; the establishment of a memorandum of understanding with Birzeit University; the acceptance of, and scholarships for, 10 Gazan students; a statement from President Jonathan Holloway referring to the conflict as a genocide and advocating for a ceasefire; hiring based on cultural competency; and full amnesty for those participating in the encampment. Rutgers accepted eight out of 10 of the demands in return for an end to the encampment. In acquiescing to eight of the 10 demands, the administration of Rutgers displayed a blatant disregard for its Jewish and pro-Israel students. The glorification of violence and use of anti-Semitic rhetoric, a form of hate speech, and the acceptance of this hate speech by the administration, creates a hostile learning and working environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff. Therefore, due to the anti-Semitic practices of the administration of the institution, it is altogether fitting and proper for the Legislature to condemn the institution's acquiescence to the demands of the anti-Semitic protestors. | In Committee |
| SCR104 | Condemns Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry and intolerance. | This resolution condemns Hinduphobia, anti-Hindu bigotry and intolerance, and declares the State of New Jersey as a place that welcomes the diversity brought by Hindu Americans. This resolution recognizes that Hinduism is one of the world's largest and oldest religions with over 1.2 billion adherents in over 100 countries and which encompasses an array of diverse traditions and belief systems with values of acceptance, mutual respect, and peace. The United States has always been a beacon of hope, progress, and innovation, attracting people from around the world to create and live a better and fulfilling life, and has welcomed more than four million Hindus from all corners of the world and given them better opportunities and the freedom to practice Hinduism, also known as "Sanatana Dharma". The American Hindu community has been a major contributor to diverse sectors such as medicine, science and engineering, information technology, hospitality, finance, academia, manufacturing, energy, retail trade, and so much more. Hindu contributions of Yoga, Ayurveda, meditation, food, music, arts, and more have enriched the cultural fabric and have been widely adopted in American society and enriched the lives of millions. Hinduphobia, as described by the Understanding Hinduphobia Initiative, is "a set of antagonistic, destructive, and derogatory attitudes and behaviors towards Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and Hindus that may manifest as prejudice, fear, or hatred". There have been documented instances of hate crimes against Hindu Americans over the last few decades in many parts of the country. | In Committee |
| S3076 | Amends appropriations act to provide funding for restoration of State school aid reductions for certain school districts; shifts $64,920,000 from certain appropriations for purposes of restoring aid; provides supplemental appropriation of $145,215,047. | This bill amends the FY 2024 appropriations act to provide funding for the restoration of State school aid reductions for certain school districts. The bill ensures that: 1) school districts that previously received an allotment of Supplemental Stabilization Aid under P.L.2023, c.32 receive such aid in the same amount allocated to the district under that law; and 2) that a school district proposed to experience a State school aid reduction in the 2024-2025 school year receive an additional amount of State school aid equal to the difference between the amount of aid received in the 2023-2024 school year and the amount of aid proposed for the 2024-2025 school year. The total funds that would be appropriated under the bill to effectuate these purposes is $210,135,047. The bill would shift a total of approximately $64.9 million in funds from current FY 2024 appropriations, as well as certain unexpended balances from appropriations made in prior fiscal years, to provide for a portion of the total funding needed to effectuate the purposes of the bill. In order to provide for the remaining need, the bill appropriates an additional $145.2 million from the General Fund for the bill's purposes. | In Committee |
| S3045 | Expands definition of newspaper for required public advertisements to include those published online. | This bill amends the definition of a legal "newspaper" for the publication of all official notices and advertisements to allow the State or local bodies to publish in qualified or previously qualified newspapers that are published electronically through the Internet. The bill retains the requirements that the newspaper be entirely printed in the English language, printed and published within the State of New Jersey, be a newspaper of general paid circulation possessing an average news content of not less than 35%, and have been published continuously in the municipality where its publication office is for not less than two years. The bill removes the requirement that the newspaper be registered as a second class mail matter with the postal service. | In Committee |
| S3046 | Provides corporation business and gross income tax credit for employment of persons who have experienced job loss due to automation. | This bill would provide a corporation business and gross income tax credit for businesses with a headquarters in New Jersey for employment of persons who have experienced job loss due to automation. According to a 2020 ALICE report (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) from United Way of New Jersey analyzing living conditions for households with incomes above the Federal Poverty Level but below the basic cost of living, found that 84 percent of jobs paying less than $20 per hour and 42 percent of jobs paying more than $20 per hour in the State are at high risk of becoming automated. The sponsor notes that Ocean County is among the State's counties with the highest rates of these types of jobs, leaving many of the county's residents and families vulnerable to the impact of job loss due to automation. The amount of the credit would be equal to 10 percent of the salary and wages paid to each person employed by the taxpayer whose previous employment with another taxpayer was terminated as a result of automation during the immediately preceding privilege period or taxable year, as the case may be. In order to qualify for the credit, the taxpayer would be required to employ the person for at least seven months of the privilege period or taxable year for which the taxpayer claims the credit. The amount of the credit would not exceed $2,500 per employee per privilege period or taxable year. The bill defines "automation" as a device, process, or system that replaces human labor and functions without continuous input from an operator. | In Committee |
| S2957 | "New Jersey Transit Accountability Act"; requires independent audit of NJT. | This bill, to be known as the "New Jersey Transit Accountability Act," requires that the New Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) hire an independent firm to conduct an audit of the financial management practices and budget reporting practices of the corporation since the date of the issuance of the report conducted pursuant to Executive Order No. 5 of 2018 and prepare and issue a report on the independent firm's findings and recommendations, which report is to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature. Executive Order No. 5 of 2018 resulted in the issuance of the Comprehensive Strategic, Financial & Operational Assessment of NJ Transit on October 5, 2018. Among the issues identified in the assessment is that, for eight years preceding its publication and despite increasing operation and maintenance costs, the corporation had been forced to transfer much needed capital funds for capital maintenance due to dramatically reduced State Operating Assistance. Through its requirement of an independent audit, this bill is intended to shed light on the financial needs and practices of the corporation since the issuance of the 2018 assessment, including the diversion of capital funds for operations. The report for which the corporation is required to hire an independent firm under this bill is to: (1) include findings on the financial management and budget reporting practices of the corporation since the date of the issuance of the report conducted pursuant to Executive Order No. 5 of 2018; (2) summarize the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on the demand for the corporation's services and on the financial and practical needs of the corporation to meet current and projected long-term demand; (3) evaluate the corporation's current sources of funding and their adequacy in relation to demand for the corporation's services; and (4) recommend policies and best practices for the corporation to adopt based upon the findings of the independent firm, including, but not limited to, recommendations on the decision-making process, corporate governance, personnel hiring and protocols, and improvement of the customer experience. Within six months of the issuance of the report, the corporation is required to adopt any individual policies and best practices recommended in the report. Under the bill, the corporation is permitted to opt not to adopt an individual policy or best practice, provided that the corporation provides a detailed explanation of why the adoption of that policy or practice is not in the best interest of the corporation within six months of the issuance of the report issued by the independent firm. This bill does not affect any obligation of the corporation to conduct, or hire an independent firm to complete, an audit or study under existing law. | In Committee |
| SCR96 | Proposes constitutional amendment to dedicate certain revenues for State transportation system. | This concurrent resolution would amend the State Constitution to dedicate certain additional revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). As required under the State Constitution, all revenues deposited into the TTF may only be used to support the cost of planning, acquisition, engineering, construction, reconstruction, repair and rehabilitation of the transportation system in this State. Specifically, during any fiscal year in which a tax is imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax Act" on receipts from the sale of electric vehicles, this constitutional amendment would require an amount equivalent to the amount annually derived from the tax, up to $100 million, be deposited into the TTF. Additionally, during any fiscal year in which an additional motor vehicle registration fee is imposed on electric vehicles, this constitutional amendment would require an amount equivalent to the amount of revenue annually derived from the additional registration fee be deposited into the TTF. This constitutional amendment would not require the State to impose a new tax or fee on electric vehicles, nor would it change the standard registration fee that is currently imposed on non-electric motor vehicles. Rather, if the State were to impose a sales tax on electric vehicles or an additional registration fee on electric vehicles, the amendment would require certain amounts of these revenues to be used for transportation purposes. | In Committee |
| S2956 | Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act"; extends process for calculating gas tax rate until Fiscal Year 2032; imposes sales and use tax and additional registration fee on electric vehicles; appropriates $2.5 billion. | This bill amends the "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act of 1984" to make changes necessary to support the State's Annual Transportation Capital Program (capital program) for Fiscal Years (FY) 2025 through 2032. These changes also (1) extend the process for calculating the rate of tax imposed on highway fuels under the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax (PPGRT) through Fiscal Year 2032; (2) impose an additional registration fee for electric vehicles; (3) appropriate funds to the New Jersey Transit Corporation; (4) appropriate funds from the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF); and (5) repeal the sales and use tax exemption for zero emission vehicles. Transportation Trust Fund Authority Renewal This bill extends the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority's (authority) existing authorization to issue transportation program bonds and creates the potential to increase the authority's bonding authorization from FY 2029 through FY 2032. Under current law, the authority is authorized to issue such transportation program bonds as are necessary to fund the capital program, in an amount not to exceed $12 billion, through June 30, 2024. The bill extends this authorization through June 30, 2032. The bill requires the authority, on or before June 30, 2028, to assess whether its remaining bonding capacity is sufficient to fund the capital program through FY 2032 and report its findings to the Legislature and Governor. If the authority determines that additional authorization is needed to fund the capital program, the Legislature and Governor may authorize the authority to issue a maximum of $4 billion in transportation program bonds from FY 2029 through FY 2032. This bill authorizes $15.96 billion in capital program expenditures for an eight-year period from FY 2025 through FY 2032. Specifically, this bill allows for an average annual capital program size of $2 billion from FY 2025 through FY 2032. The bill requires $500 million to be annually appropriated to the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) for capital projects during FY 2027 through FY 2032. However, under the bill, no monies are to be appropriated in the capital program to NJ Transit for these purposes in FY 2025 and FY 2026. Extension of PPGRT Rate Adjustment Procedure Until 2032 This bill extends the PPGRT annual rate adjustment procedure through FY 2032. Under current law, the rate of tax imposed under the PPGRT is annually adjusted by the State Treasurer to ensure that the State realizes a statutorily prescribed revenue target, more commonly referred to as the "highway fuel cap," based on 2016 collections of highway fuel taxes. The cap amount is based on the Fiscal Year 2016 sum of: (1) the taxes collected under the Motor Fuel Tax, (2) the amount derived from taxing the gallonage of highway fuel subject to the four cent motor fuel tax, and (3) the amount that would have been derived from taxing the gallonage of highway fuel subject to the motor fuel tax at a rate of 23 cents per gallon. All revenues collected are deposited into the TTF to support transportation infrastructure projects and debt service on transportation bonds. This annual adjustment mechanism is currently set to expire at the conclusion of FY 2026. The bill allows this process to continue through FY 2032. Additional Vehicle Registration Fee for Electric Vehicles The bill imposes an additional registration fee for electric vehicles registered in the State. The fee would be collected by the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission at the same time the vehicle is initially registered or renewed, as the case may be. Beginning on July 1, 2024, the amount of the fee would be $300 for passenger electric vehicles and $450 for commercial electric vehicles. Under the bill, the revenues generated from these fees would be credited to the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Capital Reserves" to support transportation projects. However, the bill specifies that these collections may not be used to pay debt service on transportation system bonds, transportation program bonds, or any other bonds, notes or other obligations, including subordinated obligations of the authority until such time as these revenues may be constitutionally dedicated to the TTF. Appropriation of Funds to New Jersey Transit The bill makes a supplemental appropriation of $1 billion from the General Fund to NJ Transit. The bill requires $760 million of these funds to be used for the financing of capital projects and $240 million to be used for NJ Transit operating expenses. The bill also requires the State to appropriate an additional $1 billion in FY 2026 for those same purposes. Appropriation of Funds from Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to TTF The bill appropriates $1.5 billion from the "New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund" to the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Capital Reserves" to be used for the funding of transportation capital projects on a pay-as-you-go basis. The bill prohibits the expenditure of these funds for debt service on transportation system bonds, transportation program bonds, or any other bonds, notes, or other obligations, including subordinated obligations of the TTF. Repeal of Sales Tax Exemption for Electric Vehicles The bill repeals the sales and use tax exemption currently provided for the sales of zero emission vehicles and annually dedicates the revenues derived from the sales of these vehicles, up to $100 million, to the TTF. Specifically, these revenues would be credited to the "Transportation Trust Fund Account - Subaccount for Capital Reserves" to be used for transportation projects. The bill also specifies that these collections may not be used to pay debt service on transportation system bonds, transportation program bonds, or any other bonds, notes, or other obligations, including subordinated obligations of the authority, until such time as these revenues may be constitutionally dedicated to the TTF. | In Committee |
| SJR99 | Recognizes International 22q11.2 Foundation, and designates November 22 of each year as "22q Awareness Day" in New Jersey. | This resolution would designate November 22 of each year as "22q Awareness Day" in New Jersey, in order to: increase public awareness of the genetic conditions that are caused by variations in the 22q11.2 chromosome; encourage further study and early diagnosis of these conditions; highlight the work of the International 22q11.2 Foundation, which is the leading organization focusing on 22q11.2 chromosomal conditions; and facilitate the connection of persons and families affected by these little-known genetic conditions. The resolution also recognizes and lauds the International 22q11.2 Foundation for its superb achievements in promoting public awareness, creating and facilitating patient and family support and communications networks, and engaging in advocacy and research related to 22q11.2 genetic conditions. The International 22q11.2 Foundation was founded in 2003 by the parents of children with medical conditions stemming from variations in chromosome 22q11.2. The Foundation has since worked to merge these varied clinical conditions under more unified names, including "22q11.2 deletion syndrome," and "22q11.2 duplication syndrome," in order to make it easier for people to identify the conditions; enable families across the globe to access consolidated information on the conditions; and help connect families who were previously unable to connect with each other due to the differing names used in the diagnosis of these varied, but interrelated conditions. The Foundation has established alliances with scientific and support organizations across the globe; has prepared numerous medical papers on 22q11.2 deletion and duplication syndromes; has created an interconnected network of patients and families affected by these genetic conditions; and has engaged in innumerable events designed to increase public awareness about these conditions. Because of the Foundation's work, patients and families affected by differences in chromosome 22q11.2 now have a network of similarly situated persons and families that they can use to find support and share and discuss information related to these genetic conditions. Since its founding, the Foundation's programs and resources have served more than 50,000 affected families. Nevertheless, despite the good work undertaken by the Foundation, the general public still has little knowledge about 22q11.2 deletion and duplication syndromes, and there is an ongoing need to increase awareness of these genetic conditions, so as to improve early detection, diagnosis, and care. | In Committee |
| S1649 | Creates crime of fiscal victimization against senior citizens or disabled persons. | Creates crime of fiscal victimization against senior citizens or disabled persons. | In Committee |
| S2839 | "Energy Security and Affordability Act"; requires BPU to consider energy security, diversity, and affordability when preparing Energy Master Plan and perform economic and ratepayer impact analysis of energy generation projects and Energy Master Plan. | This bill would amend P.L.1977, c.146 (C.52:27F-14), which establishes the State's Energy Master Plan Committee, to require the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), when preparing the Energy Master Plan or any portion thereof or amendment thereto, to consider the following: (1) the energy needs, supplies, and reliability in all geographic areas of the State; (2) the use and development of diverse energy generation sources including, but not limited to, solar, wind, nuclear, hydrogen, natural gas, and renewable natural gas to assure a reliable and sufficient energy supply; (3) the affordability of energy generation, transmission, and distribution to ratepayers; (4) the prioritization of in-State energy generation, to the extent practicable and feasible to minimize subsidies for out-of-State energy generation; and (5) the use of incentives, rather than mandates, when feasible, to increase consumer transparency and choice. The bill would also require the Energy Master Plan to provide that intermittent energy sources are not to exceed 50 percent of the State's energy generation portfolio. The bill updates membership of the Energy Master Plan Committee in accordance with Governor Murphy's Executive Order No. 28. The bill also adds the heads of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of the Rate Counsel, and New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, or their designees, as members of the Energy Master Plan Committee. In addition, the bill would require the BPU to perform an analysis of any energy generation facility project prior to issuing final approval, and of the State's Energy Master Plan no later than six months after publishing an update thereto. Specifically, the analysis would: (1) detail the cost, financial impact to the State and any applicable local government unit, effect on ratepayers, and economic impact of the energy policy or project, as applicable; (2) provide a breakdown of all associated costs including, but not limited to, the capital cost of energy generation, transmission, and distribution as well as the capital cost of any infrastructure upgrades needed; (3) use only open source modeling software, and provide details about the software used and all parameters entered into the model; (4) provide an opportunity for public comment at least 30 days prior to the publication of the analysis, and include all pertinent written comments received as part of the analysis; and (5) be published and maintained for at least 10 years on the board's Internet website. The bill would also require the BPU, upon invitation, to present testimony each year to the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on the analyses it performed during the previous year. | In Committee |
| S2597 | Permits individual holding a nursing multistate license to be eligible for school nurse certification. | This bill permits registered nurses holding a nursing multistate license to be eligible for an educational services certificate with a school nurse endorsement, a school nurse/non-instructional endorsement, and a substitute school nurse/non-instructional credential. P.L.2019, c.172 (C.45:11A-9 et seq.) entered the State into the enhanced multistate Nurse Licensure Compact (eNCL). The eNLC provides for a mutual recognition model of nurse licensure in which a nurse needs to obtain one license from the nurse's state of residence in order to be permitted to practice nursing in any other state that is a party to the compact, as long as the nurse complies with the state practice laws of the state in which the patient is located at the time that care is rendered. This bill amends current law to permit a nurse holding a multistate license through the eNCL to be eligible for an educational services certificate with a school nurse endorsement, a school nurse/non-instructional endorsement, and a substitute school nurse/non-instructional credential. | In Committee |
| S2500 | Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Children. | This bill establishes the Office of the Ombudsman for Children in, but not of, the Office of the Attorney General in the Department of Law and Public Safety. The bill provides that the office is to ensure the provision of effective, appropriate, and timely services for children at risk of abuse and neglect in the State, respond to the concerns and addressing the needs of children in the resource family care, and that children under State supervision due to child abuse or neglect are served adequately and appropriately by the State. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children is deemed a child protective agency for the purposes of N.J.S.A.9:6-8.10a. The bill requires the ombudsman to: (1) investigate, review, monitor, or evaluate any State agency response to, or disposition of, an allegation of child abuse or neglect in this State, or the out-of-placement of children under the care, custody, and supervision of the State; (2) inspect and review the operations, policies, procedures, and contracts of all juvenile detention centers or facilities, resource family homes, group homes, residential treatment facilities, shelters for care of abused or neglected children, homeless youth, or juveniles considered as juvenile-family crisis centers, or independent living arrangements operated, licensed, or approved for payment, by the Departments of Children and Families, Community Affairs, or Health, or any other public or private setting in which a child has been placed by a State or county agency or department; (3) review, evaluate, report on, and make recommendations concerning the procedures established by any State agency providing services to children who are at risk of abuse or neglect, children in State or institutional custody, children in out-of-home placement, and children who receive child protective or permanency services; (4) review, monitor, and report on the performance of State-funded private entities charged with the care and supervision of children due to abuse or neglect or children, as deemed necessary by the ombudsman to assess the performance of the entities; (5) intervene in or institute administrative proceedings before any department, commission, agency, or State board, to assert the broad public interest of the State in the welfare of children and to protect and promote the rights of children; (6) hold a public hearing on the subject of an investigation or study underway by the ombudsman, and receive testimony from agency and program representatives, the public, and other interested parties, as the ombudsman deems appropriate; and (7) establish and maintain a 24-hour toll-free telephone hotline to receive and respond to calls from members of the public referring problems to the ombudsman, both individual and systemic, in how the State, through its agencies or contract services, protects children. The bill also provides that the ombudsman report annually to the Governor, Commissioner of Children and Families, and Legislature on: (1) the activities of the office; (2) priorities for children's services that have been identified by the ombudsman; and (3) recommendations for improvement or needed changes concerning the provision of services to children who are at risk of abuse or neglect, children in State or institutional custody, children in out-of-home placement, and children who receive child protective or permanency services by State agencies and State-funded private entities. The report is to be posted on the Office of the Attorney General's and the Department of Children and Families' websites. | In Committee |
| S816 | Expands purpose of Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by eligible individuals in accessing support group meetings. | This bill expands the purpose of the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund to support transportation costs incurred by an eligible individual in accessing support group meetings. Under the bill, support group meetings mean any gathering of individuals with traumatic injuries who congregate in order to obtain information and perspective, relative to their injuries, and to improve their general well-being. Pursuant to N.J.A.C.10:141-1.11, the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund currently provides payment to an eligible individual for transportation services related to accessing medical appointments, treatment facilities, or vocational programs. The Traumatic Brain Injury Fund purchases supports and services for eligible New Jersey residents of any age, who have survived a traumatic brain injury, to foster independence and maximize quality of life when insurance, personal resources, or public programs are unavailable to meet those needs. A portion of the fund also is used to support public education, outreach, and prevention activities related to traumatic brain injuries. A $.50 surcharge on motor vehicle registration fees generates revenue for the fund. | 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 |
| S454 | Prohibits discrimination against individuals who have not received COVID-19 vaccine. | This bill prohibits discrimination against individuals who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine. Under the bill, it is to be unlawful to ask any individual if the individual has received a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, to require any individual to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, or to require any individual to show proof of having received a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of or as a prerequisite to: (1) the exercise of any privilege or right granted under State or federal law; (2) conducting any business or commerce; (3) travelling to, outside, or within the State; (4) obtaining or maintaining an internship, obtaining or maintaining employment, or receiving a promotion from an employer; (5) participation in any governmental or political activity; (6) admission or enrollment into any child or adult day care program; (7) admission in, enrollment in, or graduation from a preschool program, elementary or secondary school, college, university, or any other institution of education; (8) participation in any activity, internship, opportunity, program, or sport offered by a preschool program, elementary or secondary school, college, university, or any other institution of education; (9) receiving adequate dental care or health care; (10) maintaining, receiving, or renewing a professional certification or license; (11) obtaining or renewing membership in any professional organization; (12) entrance into or service from any place of business, including, but not limited to, any market, restaurant, or store; (13) entrance into and service from any public building, office, or structure; (14) entrance into and use of any public park or beach; or (15) admission into or service from any amusement park, concert venue, theater, or sporting event. The bill provides that it is to be unlawful to discriminate against or to take any adverse action against any individual who has not received a COVID-19 vaccine or who does not disclose whether the individual has received a COVID-19 vaccine. An individual who violates the provisions of this bill is to, in addition to any other relief authorized by law, be liable for civil damages to the victim in the amount of $25,000 in an action brought in the Superior Court in the county where the offense occurred. In addition to an award of civil damages, the court is to order the defendant to pay such attorney's fees or expenses, or both, that are actually and reasonably incurred by the victim who is the successful party in the action. | In Committee |
| S804 | "New Jersey Disability Savings Act." | This bill expands the "New Jersey Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program," P.L.2015, c.185 (C.52:18A-250 et al.) to incentivize qualified individuals with disabilities and their families to save for disability-related expenses in tax-advantaged savings accounts, known as ABLE accounts. Pursuant to current federal statute, qualified individuals who have significant disabilities with onset prior to age 26 years, and who receive Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, may contribute as much as the federal gift tax limit, or $16,000 in 2022, to a qualifying ABLE account. Individuals with disabilities, or their parent or guardian, may open an ABLE account in the individual's state of residence, or in another state. As of January 2022, there are 49 ABLE plans operating nationwide. Funds deposited into an ABLE account may only be used for qualifying disability-related expenses such as transportation, housing, education, assistive technology, legal fees, and personal support services. Distributions from a New Jersey ABLE account are not subject to federal tax, provided the distributions do not exceed the individual's disability-related expenses for the year. New Jersey statute currently limits total lifetime contributions to an ABLE account to $305,000. Once the value of an ABLE account exceeds $100,000, SSI cash benefits for the ABLE account owner are suspended until the account's value falls below this threshold. However, a qualifying individual will not lose Medicaid benefits, no matter the balance in an ABLE account. Pursuant to the bill, all contributions to a qualifying New Jersey ABLE account are fully-deductible on a New Jersey State tax return, similar to qualifying contributions to the State's Section 529 educational savings program, known as the NJBEST. As amended, the bill additionally incentivizes taxpayer savings in New Jersey ABLE accounts by providing up to $750 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds for taxpayers whose gross annual income equals $150,000 or less, and who deposit funds into a newly opened ABLE account. It is important to note, however, that the savings incentives instituted under this bill are subject to the annual appropriations process. Therefore, the bill authorizes the Department of Human Services to select a methodology for allocating these incentive funds in years in which State appropriations for these incentive payments are insufficient to fulfill the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| S725 | Criminalizes unlawful occupancy of dwellings. | This bill would criminalize unlawful occupancy of a dwelling, also known as "squatting." Currently, squatting is not a criminal act. In order to lawfully evict a squatter, the owner of the property must apply to the court for a writ of possession. This bill would create three criminal offenses: housebreaking, unlawful occupancy, and unlawful reentry. They would be crimes of the fourth degree. Housebreaking. Under the bill, a person who forcibly enters an uninhabited or vacant dwelling knowing or having reason to believe that such entry is without permission of the owner of the dwelling or an authorized representative of the owner, with the intent to take up residence or provide a residency to another therein, would be guilty of housebreaking. The bill provides that a person is presumed to know that an entry is without the permission of the owner of the dwelling or an authorized representative of the owner unless the person provides a written rental agreement that is notarized or signed by an authorized agent of the owner and includes the current address and telephone number of the owner or the owner's authorized representative. Unlawful Occupancy. The bill provides that a person who takes up residence in an uninhabited or vacant dwelling and knows or has reason to believe that such residency is without permission of the owner of the dwelling or an authorized representative of the owner is guilty of unlawful occupancy. A person is presumed to know that the residency is without the permission of the owner or an authorized representative unless the person provides a written rental agreement that is notarized or signed by an authorized agent of the owner, and includes the current address and telephone number of the owner or the owner's authorized representative. Unlawful Reentry. The bill provides that a person commits unlawful reentry if an owner of real property has recovered possession of the property from the person pursuant to a court order and, without the authority of the court or permission of the owner, the person reenters the property. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S2045 | Requires certain animals used in testing to be offered for adoption; requires establishment of procedures for assessment and disposition of animals; establishes penalties for noncompliance. | This bill requires any cat, dog, or ferret used for product testing or research conducted or contracted by a company, corporation, manufacturer, or contract testing facility in the State to be offered to an animal rescue organization or private individual for adoption when the testing or research is concluded, if the animal is assessed to be suitable for adoption. Current law limits circumstances under which animal product testing or research may be conducted by manufacturers and contract testing facilities. Current law also requires, pursuant to the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act," P.L.2019, c.414 (C.18A:3B-85), that cats and dogs used for educational, research, or scientific purposes by an institution of higher education or a research institution that contracts with an institution of higher education for such use of cats and dogs, to be assessed for the suitability of adoption, and if suitable, to be offered for adoption. The bill expands the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act" to include testing or research using ferrets and to provide for adoption of ferrets used in that way. The bill directs the Office of Veterinary Public Health (OVPH) in the Department of Health (DOH) to establish procedures for documenting the assessment and disposition of any cat, dog, or ferret used by a company, corporation, manufacturer, contract facility, institution of higher education, or a research institution for such purposes. The bill authorizes the OVPH to monitor compliance with the procedures and enforce the provisions of section 1 of the bill and section 1 of P.L.2019, c.414 (C.18A:3B-85), concerning the assessment of the suitability of animals for adoption and the requirements to offer suitable animals for adoption. The bill further requires that each company, corporation, manufacturer, or contract testing facility that is subject to the bill, and each institution of higher education and research institution that is subject to the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act" to register with the OVPH when undertaking animal testing with cats, dogs, or ferrets, and to report to the OVPH: 1) the type and number of animals being used; 2) the date on which the testing or research is completed or upon which the animal is no longer being used in the testing or research; 3) an assessment of the condition of any animal no longer being used in the testing or research and its suitability for adoption; 4) the disposition of the animal, including the name and contact information of the animal rescue organization with which, or the animal rescue organization facility in which, the animal is placed; and 5) if an animal assessed as suitable for adoption is not adopted, documentation of the good faith effort to place the animal with an animal rescue organization or in an animal rescue organization facility, and any effort to offer the animal for private adoption. The bill provides that private individuals who have adopted animals would not have to be identified but requires documentation of which animals were adopted by private individuals. The bill establishes civil penalties for noncompliance with the bill's provisions and requirements, and the provisions of the "Homes for Animal Heroes Act." The bill provides for a civil penalty of $10,000 for a first offense, and $50,000 for a second offense, to be collected in a summary proceeding brought by the DOH pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). Upon finding of a third offense, the DOH is required to institute an action for an injunction to prohibit the company, corporation, manufacturer, contract testing facility, institution of higher education, or research institution from conducting animal testing. The bill provides that the Superior Court would have jurisdiction for enforcing the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999" and for imposing an injunction for a third violation. Finally, the bill requires the DOH to maintain a registry of animal rescue organizations and animal rescue organization facilities, directs the DOH to establish a database of those animal rescue organizations and facilities that accept animals that have been used in testing or research, and requires a company, corporation, manufacturer, contract facility, institution of higher education, or research institution, as applicable, to contact an animal rescue organization or animal rescue organization facility listed in the database whenever a cat, dog, or ferret used in testing or research is determined to be suitable for adoption. | In Committee |
| S672 | Establishes State definition of anti-Semitism. | This bill establishes a State definition of anti-Semitism. Under the bill, the term "definition of anti-Semitism" refers to the definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, including the "contemporary examples of antisemitism," while noting that criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country is not antisemitic. The bill provides that in reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of any policy, law, or regulation prohibiting discriminatory acts, the State must take into consideration this definition of anti-Semitism for purposes of determining whether the alleged act was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. Under the bill, nothing contained in the bill would be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, or paragraph 6 of Article I of the New Jersey State Constitution. The bill also provides that nothing in the bill would be construed to conflict with local, State, or federal anti-discrimination laws or regulations. | In Committee |
| S1547 | Provides that salary and other costs associated with Commissioner of Education's appointment of State monitor and other staff under "School District Fiscal Accountability Act" will be paid by State. | This bill provides that the salary and other costs associated with a State monitor and any additional staff appointed by the Commissioner of Education under the provisions of the "School District Fiscal Accountability Act," P.L.2006, c.15 (C.18A:7A-54 et seq.), to provide direct oversight of a board of education's business operations and personnel matters will be paid by the State. Under current law, these costs are assumed by the school district. | In Committee |
| S1937 | Requires public and nonpublic secondary schools to annually conduct written or verbal substance use screening on all students using a particular screening program. | This bill will require school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools to provide for an annual written or verbal substance use screening on each high school student. The screening will assess the student's risk for substance abuse using the screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program. If the student screens positive for potential substance misuse, the person administering the screening will be required to provide brief counseling using motivational interviewing and assist the student with referral to treatment options, if needed. The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, using existing public and private training resources, will make available to school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools, training for personnel using the SBIRT program. Under the provisions of the bill, the parent or guardian of a student being screened must be given prior written notice of the screening and an opportunity to have the student opt out of the screening. The bill also includes a provision regarding the privacy of information collected during the screening. Statements made by a student during a screening are considered confidential information and cannot be disclosed by a person receiving the statement to any other person without the prior written consent of the student and the student's parent or guardian, except in cases of immediate medical emergency or if disclosure is otherwise required by State law. A school district, charter school, or nonpublic school is permitted to opt out of the SBIRT program required pursuant to the bill, if it is implementing an alternative screening program and provides to the Department of Education a detailed description of the alternative program and the reasons why the SBIRT program is not appropriate for its use. The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Human Services, will promulgate regulations to effectuate the provisions of this bill, including standards pursuant to which the SBIRT program will be conducted. | In Committee |
| S888 | Provides for certain pediatric NJ FamilyCare beneficiaries to maintain private duty nursing hours when transitioning to Managed Long Term Services and Supports; codifies and expands appeals provisions for private duty nursing services. | This bill provides that a NJ FamilyCare beneficiary transitioning from the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program for children under age 21 to the Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) program for people of all ages with long-term care needs will automatically receive coverage under the MLTSS program for no less than the number of weekly private duty nursing service hours that the beneficiary was eligible to receive pursuant to the most recent nursing assessment completed under the EPSDT program. Moreover, the bill requires that such beneficiaries will be allowed to carry forward unused private duty nursing service hours from week to week. A managed care organization may decrease the number of covered private duty nursing service hours for such a beneficiary only based on a change in medical necessity, as determined by an authorized provider. The MLTSS program currently limits the number of weekly private duty nursing hours to 16. By contrast, there is no cap on such services under the EPSDT program. Furthermore, the bill directs the Department of Human Services to review the records of all beneficiaries who have transitioned from the EPSDT program to the MLTSS program in the five years preceding the bill's enactment to determine if any beneficiaries may be eligible for coverage of an increased number of private duty nursing services hours pursuant to the provisions of the bill. The bill also codifies and expands certain provisions in the contract between the Medicaid managed care organizations and the State for all private duty nursing services appeals. Under the bill, a managed care organization is required to automatically continue a beneficiary's provider-authorized private duty nursing services benefits during an appeal of a change of previously authorized private duty nursing services, provided that the appeal request is made by an eligible entity within 30 calendar days of the date of notification of the adverse benefit determination. These provisions reflect existing contract elements, except that currently an appeal request must be made within 10 calendar days, rather than 30. The bill also requires managed care organizations to continue the beneficiary's private duty nursing services benefits while an appeal is pending until 30 days after either the beneficiary withdraws the appeal or the appeal results in a decision adverse to the beneficiary. Currently, the managed care organizations can discontinue benefits upon the date of either of these two events. | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| S730 | Requires Director of Division of Taxation to conduct study on impact of State business income taxation on business out-migration, formation, and employment for previous and upcoming tax years. | This bill requires the Director of the Division of Taxation to engage in a study of the impact of New Jersey business income taxes on business out-migration, business formation, and employment within the State. In conducting the study, the director would examine data available from corporation, partnership, and other New Jersey income tax returns from the period beginning on January 1 of the eighth calendar year immediately preceding the effective date of the bill and ending on December 31 of the eighth calendar year immediately following the effective date of the bill. Based on data available from the period beginning on January 1 of the eighth calendar year immediately preceding the effective date of the bill and ending on December 31 of the calendar year immediately preceding the effective date of the bill, the director would be required to submit a Retrospective Tax Policy Impact Report consisting of the study's findings and recommendations, including whether any State or local tax laws or policies may be modified to improve the State's business climate and decrease the financial impact of taxes on businesses residing in the State. The director would be required to submit the report on or before January 15 of the second calendar year immediately following the effective date of the bill to the Governor and the Legislature. For the first full calendar year beginning after the effective date of the bill and for each of the seven calendar years thereafter, the director would be required to annually submit to the Governor and the Legislature, a Tax Policy Impact Report consisting of the study's findings and recommendations from the data available for that year, by January 15 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year for which each report is prepared. | In Committee |
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1636 | Changes MVC voter registration procedures. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Yea |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Abstain |
| 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 | Nay |
| A5563 | Establishes "Summer Termination Program" for certain utility customers. | Senate Floor: Amend | 06/30/2025 | Nay |
| A5546 | Concerns financial powers and responsibilities of Capital City Redevelopment Corporation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Nay |
| S4376 | Establishes Department of Veterans Affairs. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 06/30/2025 | Abstain |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Nay |
| 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 12 | Senate | Republican | In Office | 01/09/2024 |