Legislator
Legislator > Tennille McCoy
State Assemblymember
Tennille McCoy
(D) - New Jersey
New Jersey Assembly District 14
In Office - Started: 01/09/2024
contact info
Hamilton Square Office
3691A Nottingham Way
Hamilton Square, NJ 08690
Hamilton Square, NJ 08690
Phone: 609-631-0198
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5358 | Revises New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program. | Revises New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program. | Crossed Over |
| A4767 | Limits regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in menstrual products. | Limits regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in menstrual products. | Crossed Over |
| A4762 | Designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in NJ; encourages DOE to provide resources on water safety. | This bill designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" to raise awareness for safe water practices and accident and drowning prevention. The bill encourages the Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), to provide resources to school districts to hold presentations and educational activities during "Water Safety Month" for students in grades kindergarten through five to provide water safety education. The bill stipulates that the presentations and educational activities may be held in partnership with nonprofit organizations. The bill also encourages the DOE, in consultation with the DOH, to provide resources to public schools to educate students on water safety. | Crossed Over |
| A4763 | Requires development of educational fact sheet on water safety for public and nonpublic schools; requires DOE to maintain list of locations providing swim lessons. | Requires development of educational fact sheet on water safety for public and nonpublic schools; requires DOE to maintain list of locations providing swim lessons. | Crossed Over |
| A3893 | Allows complaint for guardianship of minor to be filed six months before minor reaches age 18 under certain circumstances; establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints. | This bill allows a complaint for guardianship of a minor who is anticipated to require a guardian upon attaining the age of 18 to be filed six months before the minor attains the age of 18. The bill also establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints in general. Under current law, once a child reaches age 18, a parent or other appropriate person may file a complaint for guardianship. However, if proceedings are delayed and a guardian is not yet appointed, the young person is left without the legal protection of a parent, other appropriate person, or appointed guardian, until such time as the guardian is actually appointed. Allowing guardianship proceedings to be initiated in advance will help avoid potential administrative or procedural delays and ensure a seamless transition as the minor turns age 18. Under the bill, an order of guardianship entered before a minor is 18 would not take effect until the day the minor turns 18. The bill additionally specifies that a complaint for adjudication of incapacity and appointment of a guardian shall not be withdrawn absent a showing that the alleged incapacitated person is deceased or has capacity. The showing of capacity does not require medical evidence but may, in the court's discretion, be satisfied by testimony of a witness with knowledge of the alleged incapacitated person's condition and circumstances. | In Committee |
| S2886 | Requires pharmacies to provide certain information regarding insulin manufacturer assistance programs. | Requires pharmacies to provide certain information regarding insulin manufacturer assistance programs. | Passed |
| S2332 | Allows complaint for guardianship of minor to be filed six months before minor reaches age 18 under certain circumstances; establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints. | This bill allows a complaint for guardianship of a minor who is anticipated to require a guardian upon attaining the age of 18 to be filed six months before the minor attains the age of 18. The bill also establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints in general. Under current law, once a child reaches age 18, a parent or other appropriate person may file a complaint for guardianship. However, if proceedings are delayed and a guardian is not yet appointed, the young person is left without the legal protection of a parent, other appropriate person, or appointed guardian, until such time as the guardian is actually appointed. Allowing guardianship proceedings to be initiated in advance will help avoid potential administrative or procedural delays and ensure a seamless transition as the minor turns age 18. Under the bill, an order of guardianship entered before a minor is 18 would not take effect until the day the minor turns 18. The bill additionally specifies that a complaint for adjudication of incapacity and appointment of a guardian shall not be withdrawn absent a showing that the alleged incapacitated person is deceased or has capacity. The showing of capacity does not require medical evidence but may, in the court's discretion, be satisfied by testimony of a witness with knowledge of the alleged incapacitated person's condition and circumstances. | Passed |
| A3019 | Requires new flooring for schools, community centers, and child care centers to be certified mercury-free. | Requires new flooring for schools, community centers, and child care centers to be certified mercury-free. | In Committee |
| A4015 | Requires pharmacies to provide certain information regarding insulin manufacturer assistance programs. | Requires pharmacies to provide certain information regarding insulin manufacturer assistance programs. | In Committee |
| A5460 | Revises value of solar alternative compliance payment. | This bill would reduce the value of the solar alternative compliance payment, which may be used to satisfy the solar renewable portfolio standard in lieu of purchasing and retiring a solar renewable energy certificate (SREC), for Energy Years (EY) 2025 through 2033 (i.e, from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2033). The bill would provide that the value of the solar alternative compliance payment would be $50 in EY 2026, $40 in EY 2027, $30 in EY 2028, $20 in EY 2029, and $10 in EY 2030 and thereafter. The bill would also clarify that the value of the solar alternative compliance is to be determined by the amounts provided in section 38 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-87), and is not to be determined by the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The bill would provide that any cost savings that accrue to an electric public utility as a result of the changes to the alternative compliance payment rate made pursuant to the bill would be reflected in the utility's rates. Finally, the bill would authorize the BPU to adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the bill that would be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law for a period of 18 months. | In Committee |
| AJR205 | Permanently designates last week in February as "Eating Disorders Awareness Week" in New Jersey. | This resolution permanently designates the last week in February as "Eating Disorders Awareness Week" in New Jersey in order to raise public awareness about eating disorders and the work the National Eating Disorders Association does in providing services to, and advocating for early intervention and improved access to treatment for, individuals with eating disorders and encourage those suffering from eating disorders and their families to seek the support they need to overcome these life-threatening illnesses. | Crossed Over |
| A5275 | Imposes locational restriction on construction of a new crematory. | Imposes locational restriction on construction of a new crematory. | Crossed Over |
| A4468 | Replaces certain fixed interest rate award in eminent domain cases with interest rate based on just compensation awards. | This bill replaces the fixed interest rate award in eminent domain cases with an interest rate based on just compensation awards. Under current law, interest rate awards in certain eminent domain cases are either (1) fixed at 6 percent or (2) set at an applicable "legal rate." This bill eliminates those fixed rates and provides that the interest will be fixed and determined by the court in a summary manner after final determination of compensation. Under the bill, in making its determination, the court may consider any relevant factors, including but not limited to: prevailing commercial interest rates, the prime rate or rates, the applicable legal rates of interest, and an appropriate interest rate on a just compensation award that justly indemnifies the condemnee for the loss of the use of the compensation to which the condemnee was entitled. | Crossed Over |
| A2993 | Authorizes local governments to provide voluntary contributions to certain nonprofit veterans' organizations. | Authorizes local governments to provide voluntary contributions to certain nonprofit veterans' organizations. | Crossed Over |
| A3541 | Establishes legislative internship program. | Establishes legislative internship program. | Crossed Over |
| S3525 | Requires financial institutions to allow mortgagors to make biweekly and semi-monthly payments and payments to mortgage principal. | Requires financial institutions to allow mortgagors to make biweekly and semi-monthly payments and payments to mortgage principal. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| 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 |
| A2813 | Enters NJ in Social Work Licensure Compact. | Enters NJ in Social Work Licensure Compact. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3555 | Requires inspection for pest infestation prior to certain demolitions. | Requires inspection for pest infestation prior to certain demolitions. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| A3973 | Revises law concerning patient referrals to substance use disorder treatment facilities, recovery residences, and clinical laboratories. | Revises law concerning patient referrals to substance use disorder treatment facilities, recovery residences, and clinical laboratories. | Crossed Over |
| A3974 | Prohibits use of deceptive marketing practices by substance use disorder treatment providers. | Prohibits use of deceptive marketing practices by substance use disorder treatment providers. | Crossed Over |
| A1675 | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | Extends membership in TPAF to 10 years after discontinuance of service and to 15 years for those who were laid off or had 10 or more years of continuous service upon voluntary termination. | Crossed Over |
| A5475 | Concerns sexual assault training for prosecutors. | This bill revises training requirements concerning sexual assault cases for prosecutors and assistant prosecutors. Currently, the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Law and Public Safety is required to develop or approve triennial in-service training for county prosecutors and assistant county prosecutors assigned sexual assault cases. This bill increases the frequency of the training to every two years. In addition to the current requirement that the curriculum include a component emphasizing the value of restorative justice, the bill also specifies that the curriculum is required to include: (1) a component on cultural competency, including an understanding of the intersectionality of race, gender, and socioeconomic status in sexual assault cases; (2) a module on emotional intelligence and counseling techniques designed to support victims of sexual assault and harassment, emphasizing empathetic communication and psychological support to ensure victims are treated with sensitivity throughout their contact with the prosecutor's office; and (3) a module on victim-centered approaches with a focus on trauma-informed care, victim safety, and the importance of maintaining victim autonomy throughout the victim's contact with the prosecutor's office. This includes strategies to minimize the re-traumatization of a victim and to ensure a victim's interests are acknowledged and respected. Under the bill, the division is required to review the training curriculum every year. Currently, the requirement is for a review every five years. The training course and curriculum are currently available in an on-line format; however, prosecutors are required to attend training in person every six years. The bill increases the frequency for prosecutors to train in-person to every two years. The bill also requires that Attorney General (AG) implement a system to evaluate compliance with the training requirements set forth in the bill, including a periodic audit of county prosecutors' offices. The bill also requires the AG to develop a mechanism to address noncompliance. Finally, the bill requires that the sexual assault unit within the division include a rape care advocate. Currently, the sexual assault unit includes a sexual assault investigator and a certified forensic sexual assault nurse examiner. | In Committee |
| A5473 | Permits counting of mail-in ballots that are mailed, delivered, or deposited prior to death of voter; repeals laws requiring rejection of such ballots. | This bill would permit the counting of mail-in ballots that were properly mailed, delivered in person, or deposited in a ballot drop box in accordance with "The Vote By Mail Law," by a voter whose death occurred after the voter mailed, delivered, or deposited the mail-in ballot, unless a law or regulation requires that the ballot be fully or partially rejected for deficiencies unrelated to the death of the voter. Under current law, mail-in ballots are rejected if the county board of elections receives evidence that a mail-in voter has died before the opening of the polls on election day. This bill repeals the laws requiring the rejection of such ballots. The bill provides that if a county board of elections determines that any such mail-in ballot should be fully or partially rejected due to deficiencies unrelated to the death of the voter, no opportunity to cure such deficiencies, as currently allowed by law, will be provided, and such mail-in ballots will not be counted. A determination by the county board of elections to reject a mail-in ballot submitted by someone who is deceased will be considered to be a final determination and would not be appealable, except as part of a challenge to the results of an election. | In Committee |
| A5474 | Defines conduct which constitutes voter disenfranchisement and establishes penalties therefor; authorizes private cause of action for voter disenfranchisement; creates Independent Election Oversight Committee; establishes public awareness campaign on voting rights; appropriates $100,000. | This bill defines and prohibits conduct which constitutes voter disenfranchisement in this State and establishes a mechanism for enforcement. In doing so, the bill intends to safeguard the fundamental right to vote and deter bad actors that would seek to undermine this right. Under the bill, to "disenfranchise" a voter means to deny or abridge the right of an individual to vote in an election in this State or to register to vote in this State, including by engaging in conduct prohibited by the bill. The bill prohibits public entities and elections officials from requiring voters or prospective voters to provide identification in order to vote or to register to vote, except when otherwise required by law. The bill also prohibits any person from knowingly and willfully providing false information regarding the eligibility of a person to register to vote, or how, when, or where a person may cast their vote which, if believed, would result in the person being denied their right to vote. Any person who engages in this conduct is guilty of a crime of the second degree, and any election official who engages in this conduct will additionally be barred from serving as an elections official permanently. A crime of the second degree is punishable by imprisonment for five to 10 years, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. Under current law, a person is also prohibited from knowingly and willfully intimidating, threatening, or coercing any person for registering to vote, voting or attempting to register to vote, and from knowingly and willfully depriving or defrauding the residents of this State of a fair and impartially conducted election. These are crimes of the second degree as well. Under current law, polling places selected for the conduct of elections are required to be accessible to the elderly and persons with disabilities. This bill ensures that, in making such selections, the polling places will be accessible to all voters in the election district. Current law allows for selecting polling places which are up to 1,000 feet outside of the election district, with the permission of the Secretary of State. The bill requires that, if such a polling place is selected, it must not impose a severe burden on voters in the election district that it could result in some voters being disenfranchised. Under this bill, any voter or prospective voter who is disenfranchised is authorized to bring a civil action in the Superior Court of the county in which the violation occurred and any organization, entity, or person found to have disenfranchised a voter or prospective voter will be liable for damages, including nominal and punitive damages, in an amount that the court shall deem necessary and appropriate. Additionally, the bill establishes an Independent Election Oversight Committee to investigate and pursue reports of voter disenfranchisement. The committee will consist of seven total members, six of whom will be appointed, and the seventh will be the Secretary of State, or their designee. The appointed members of the committee will serve three year terms and until a successor is appointed. Any vacancy in the membership of the committee will be filled for the unexpired term in the manner in which the original appointment was made. The committee will have the power to appoint, employ, promote, and remove assistants, employees, and personnel as deemed necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the committee, within the limit of funds appropriated for such purposes. The committee will solicit and accept information from members of the public related to the conduct of elections and reports of voter disenfranchisement occurring in this State, and investigate such reports. Any employee who reports incidents of voter disenfranchisement being conducted by their employer, or who provides information to the committee in furtherance of an investigation into their employer, will be subject to the protections of the "Conscientious Employee Protection Act." If the committee finds that a voter has been disenfranchised, the committee may impose a reasonable fine on the parties responsible in light of the totality of the circumstances. All fines collected will be used exclusively in furtherance of the committee's work to prevent and remedy instances of voter disenfranchisement in this State. In addition to any fines imposed, the committee may refer any identified violations of law to the Attorney General, county prosecutor, or another appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation and prosecution. The committee may also refer any pertinent information discovered in the course of an investigation to State or local agencies that oversee the issuance of a license or permit which was used to further conduct that disenfranchised voters or prospective voters. Such agencies may suspend or revoke licenses or permits so used, and may restrict the organization, entity, or person responsible from acquiring such licenses or permits in the future. Under the bill, all poll workers in this State will be instructed in their poll worker training on the kinds of conduct which may be considered voter disenfranchisement. Poll workers will be instructed on how to avoid this and how to report instances of voter disenfranchisement. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to commission an audit in every year in which there is a general election for all members of the General Assembly in order to asses elections policies and procedures and identify policies and procedures which may result in the disenfranchisement of voters in this State. The audit will recommend changes which should be made to election policies and procedures, and a final report of the audit will be published online. Finally, the bill directs the Division of Elections and the county clerks in each county to conduct a public awareness campaign to inform all residents as to their right to vote in elections. The bill appropriates $100,000 for purposes of the audit and public awareness campaign. | In Committee |
| A4492 | Establishes fee refund program for businesses applying for permits, licenses, or certifications in this State. | This bill establishes a fee refund program for businesses applying for permits, licenses, or certifications in this State. This bill requires State entities that issue permits, licenses, or certifications to compile a catalog of the types of permits, licenses, or certifications it issues and submit that catalog to the Governor. This bill establishes information to be included in the catalog. This bill requires the Governor's office to establish recommended application processing times for the various types of permits, licenses, and certifications. Any State entity that exceeds the recommended application processing time as established under this bill after having received a completed application will refund the amount of the application fee to the extent permitted by law. The refund will have no bearing on the disposition of the underlying application. This bill defines "State entity" as a State department or agency, board, commission, corporation, or authority. | In Committee |
| A3418 | Enters New Jersey in Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact. | Enters New Jersey in Women's Reproductive Health Care Compact. | In Committee |
| A5421 | Requires development of online tax training for small and micro-businesses. | This bill requires the Director of the Division of Taxation (division) to develop, and update as necessary to reflect current law, an online training program for the purpose of providing instruction on the process of filing and remitting State taxes, including, but not limited to, the corporation business tax, gross income tax, and sales and use tax. The training program is required to be designed specifically for use by small businesses and micro-businesses and to be made available, free of charge, on the Internet website of the division. | In Committee |
| A3546 | Requires insurers and SHBP to provide coverage for expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer. | This bill requires hospital, medical, and health service corporations, commercial individual, small employer, and larger group insurers, health maintenance organizations, and the State Health Benefits Program to provide coverage for medically necessary expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer for symptomatic women or women at risk of ovarian cancer, which coverage shall include, but is not limited to, an annual pelvic examination, an ultrasound and blood testing for cancer markers, such as CA 125 levels. Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in women in the United States. The provisions of this bill will ensure that women who may have symptoms of ovarian cancer, or are at risk of ovarian cancer because of a family history or other health conditions, are able to receive appropriate and necessary diagnostic screening tests for this deadly disease. | In Committee |
| A3636 | Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices. | This bill requires that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA, or the most up-to-date version of the guidelines, be the accessibility standard for the websites of all State agencies, and requires that each website be configured in such a way that it can be navigated, viewed, and accessed on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. The WCAG guidelines are published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium, and make content accessible for people with disabilities. Under the bill, the Chief Technology Officer is required to establish the protocol by which a State agency can determine that its websites comply with the requirements. The Chief Technology Officer is required to certify each website's compliance two years after the bill's effective date and recertify compliance once every two years thereafter. As used in this bill, "State agency" means the Executive and Legislative Branch of the State, including, but not limited to, any department, board, bureau, commission, division, office, council, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or independent agency, public authority, or public benefit corporation. | In Committee |
| AR168 | Urges US Congress to enact legislation allowing individuals with disabilities to retain federal disability benefits upon marriage. | This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to enact legislation allowing individuals with disabilities to retain federal disability benefits upon marriage. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two disability related programs known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI is a need-based program that provides financial assistance to disabled individuals, as well as seniors, with limited income and resources, regardless of their work history. SSDI is based on an individual's work history and the Social Security taxes they have paid. It provides benefits to those who have worked and paid into Social Security for a sufficient number of years but have become disabled and are unable to work. The SSA recently recognized Patrice Jetter and Garry Wickham, subjects of "Patrice: The Movie", a documentary that focuses on the couple's concerns about losing their disability benefits if they were to get married. The film highlights how changes to the asset limit and related marriage rules can only be made by Congress because those have been set by statute. On September 30, 2024 the Social Security Administration issued a public statement acknowledging that some of the policies enforced by the administration are antiquated and should be updated to reflect the modern day needs of individuals living with disabilities and receiving disability benefits. Along with the public statement issued by the SSA on September 30, the SSA enacted three SSI enhancements that is estimated to lead to new or increased SSI payments for hundreds of thousands of Americans with disabilities. In New Jersey, approximately 10.2 percent of the population has a disability. The majority of recipients are disabled workers. In order to implement effective changes to the SSA's policies concerning SSI and SSDI, Congress should take action to enact legislation concerning these two programs that would allow individuals with disabilities to retain their federal disability benefits upon marriage. | In Committee |
| A3169 | Allows property tax rebate for disabled veterans. | Allows property tax rebate for disabled veterans. | In Committee |
| S2423 | Renames Juvenile Justice Commission as Youth Justice Commission. | An Act renaming the Juvenile Justice Commission and amending the various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3645 | Establishes low-carbon transportation fuel standard program in DEP. | Establishes low-carbon transportation fuel standard program in DEP. | In Committee |
| S1445 | Requires public institution of higher education to readmit student whose enrollment was interrupted due to military service. | An Act concerning military service members at public institutions of higher education and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4589 | Permits use of credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment for bingo, raffles, and penny auctions. | This bill would permit the use of credit cards, debit cards, and other electronic payment devices for the sale of shares, tickets, or rights to participate in raffles, bingo games, penny auctions, and any other legalized games of chance the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission deems appropriate. The bill requires the commission to adopt regulations to accept credit cards and other electronic payments. Current law does not expressly permit the use of credit card or electronic payments to purchase shares, tickets, or rights to participate in legalized games of chance such as raffles, bingo, and penny auctions. | In Committee |
| A5406 | Prohibits self-service storage facilities from charging certain punitive fees to consumers paying with vouchers under certain circumstances. | This bill prohibits self-service storage facilities from charging late fees and other punitive fees when a consumer is paying with a voucher and the payment is delayed by the issuing authority of the voucher. Currently, a self-storage facility may charge certain penalty fees when a consumer misses a payment deadline. Additionally, the consumer may lose access to their stored belongings in measures leading up to a foreclosure. In the instance of a person paying with a voucher, the delayed payment may be due to the actions of the issuing authority. This bill prohibits a storage facility from charging punitive fees to a consumer using a voucher issued in accordance with provisions of Work First New Jersey or any other federal or State income assistance program established by law when the payment is delayed by the issuing authority of the voucher. An initial violation of the bill's provisions is punishable by a monetary penalty of $1,000. Any subsequent violation of the bill's provisions is an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, violations may result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured party. | In Committee |
| A5303 | Requires AG to review Statewide policy regarding investigation of human trafficking. | This bill requires the Attorney General to review the Statewide policy regarding the investigation of human trafficking. Currently, Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive No. 2012-2 sets forth standards and procedures for the investigation of human trafficking. Under the provisions of this bill, upon the review of the policy, the Attorney General is required to consider and address: 1) whether the use of audio or video recording by law enforcement officers conducting undercover investigations of human trafficking would protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure the proper treatment of victims of human trafficking; 2) the implementation of strict policies for dissemination of the audio or video recording, if used, in order to protect victims of human trafficking; 3) the involvement of county prosecutors at the beginning of and throughout human trafficking investigations conducted by county or municipal law enforcement officers in order to address legal challenges as they arise; and 4) any other areas, as determined by the Attorney General. This bill is in response to a recommendation contained in a report issued by the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation in October 2024 entitled "An Inquiry into Human Trafficking Activity in the Massage and Bodywork Therapy Industry in New Jersey." | Crossed Over |
| A5305 | Broadens public awareness signage to include notices in Chinese and Korean. | This bill broadens the public awareness signs containing national, 24 hour hotline information about human trafficking to include information in Chinese and Korean. This legislation is based upon Recommendation #4 contained in "An Inquiry into Human Trafficking Activity in the Massage and Bodywork Therapy Industry in New Jersey," an October, 2024 report of the State Commission of Investigation. | Crossed Over |
| A3810 | Requires adoption of policy addressing job-related issues of pregnant firefighters. | This bill provides that within 180 days after the bill's effective date a paid or part-paid fire department or force will adopt, review, and update, if needed, at least annually, a policy that addresses the job-related issues of any pregnant member of that department or force. These include, but not limited to, disclosure of a pregnancy, issuance of a medical certificate by the member's physician in regard to any limitations on job-related duties, and the availability of any light-duty or non-hazardous assignments. The policy will also provide that a pregnant firefighter will be given information as to when certain job-related tasks may not be appropriate for the member; the use of leave time for pregnancy, and the continuation of employee benefits. In creating this policy the department or force will be guided by the standards of the National Fire Protection Association, or of another such professional organization, that apply to the job-related issues affecting pregnant firefighters. | Crossed Over |
| A5371 | Concerns administration of employer payroll tax. | This bill amends the local payroll tax law to require certain employers, which employ persons within any municipality that imposes a local payroll tax, to provide additional information to assist in the administration of the local tax, as requested by the municipality collecting the tax. The bill further provides that if an out-of-State municipality, or other out-of-State entity, imposes an employer payroll tax on a New Jersey resident employee, an employer payroll tax imposed pursuant to section 15 of P.L.1970, c.326 (C.40:48C-15) would not apply to that employee. The bill also establishes a reporting mechanism by which employers and municipalities may address multiple taxation concerns regarding out-of-State resident employees. | In Committee |
| A4755 | 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. | 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. | In Committee |
| A5304 | Upgrades penalties for certain prostitution crimes; creates crimes of leader of prostitution network and participant in prostitution network. | This bill upgrades certain crimes related to prostitution and creates the crimes of leader of a prostitution network and participant in a prostitution network. The bill upgrades the criminal penalties for the promotion of prostitution to a crime of the second degree and imposes a mandatory minimum term of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed, or five years, whichever is greater, during which time the defendant would not be eligible for parole. Under current law, all crimes under the umbrella of promotion of prostitution are crimes of the third degree, except the crimes of soliciting a person to patronize a prostitute and procuring a prostitute for a patron, which are crimes of the fourth degree. The bill also upgrades the criminal penalties for compelling another to engage in or promote prostitution and promoting prostitution of one's spouse from crimes of the third degree to crimes of the second degree, and imposes a mandatory minimum term of one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed, or five years, whichever is greater, during which time the defendant would not be eligible for parole. The bill creates two new crimes: (1) leader of a prostitution network, a crime of the second degree; and (2) participant in a prostitution network, a crime of the third degree. The bill provides that it is an affirmative defense to the crime of participant in a prostitution network that the defendant was a victim of human trafficking during the commission of the crime. A disorderly persons offense is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 6 months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. A crime of the fourth degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A crime of the third degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. A crime of the second degree is ordinarily punishable by a term of imprisonment of five to 10 years, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. Under the bill, crimes related to prostitution, with the exception of engaging in prostitution as a prostitute, would be ineligible for admission into the Pretrial Intervention Program. This bill is in response to the State Commission of Investigation report released on October 17, 2024, entitled "An Inquiry into Human Trafficking Activity in the Massage and Bodywork Therapy Industry in New Jersey." | In Committee |
| A5328 | Increases certain local public contract bid threshold. | This bill amends the "Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.), to increase, from $17,500 to $22,000, the statutory, maximum contract amount at which the governing body of a local contracting unit may designate an employee to award a contract without public advertising for bids, regardless of whether the designated employee possesses a qualified purchasing agent certificate. Under the bill, if a contracting unit has established a bid threshold in excess of $22,000, and has designated a person possessing a qualified purchasing agent certificate to serve as the contracting unit's purchasing agent, then the contracting unit is not required to award the contract itself, and may delegate the power to award contracts in an amount between $22,000 and the bid threshold to the holder of the qualified purchasing agent certificate. Current law authorizes the governing body of a contracting unit that has designated a purchasing agent to establish a bid threshold of up to $25,000 or the threshold amount set by the Governor, which amount is currently set at $44,000. Therefore, under the bill, a contracting unit would be able to delegate the award of a contract below $22,000, or all contracts below $22,000, to a purchasing agent or other employee, without publicly advertising for bids. If a contracting unit designates a purchasing agent and sets a bid threshold in excess of $22,000, the contracting unit may delegate the power to award contracts between $22,000 and the public bid threshold to the purchasing agent. | In Committee |
| A4979 | Requires law enforcement officers to complete training regarding identification of machine gun conversion devices. | This bill requires law enforcement officers to complete training regarding the identification of machine gun conversion devices. Under current law, the Police Training Commission is to require all law enforcement officers as a condition of continued employment or appointment as a law enforcement officer to receive periodic commission-approved continuing officer education training. The training is to be mandated or prescribed by the commission. Under this bill, the training required under current law is to include training regarding the identification of machine gun conversion devices and associated firearm components used to convert a semiautomatic firearm into a machine gun. | In Committee |
| A4692 | Establishes certain requirements for State and local governments awarding contracts or grants to nonprofit organizations. | This bill establishes certain requirements for the State and local governments awarding contracts or grants to nonprofit organizations. This bill establishes a de minimis indirect cost rate of 15 percent of the modified total direct costs to nonprofit organizations that have been awarded a contract by a State agency or local government agency. This rate will apply when the source of funding is from federal funds or State funds. Any State agency or local government agency will be prohibited from limiting reimbursements of indirect, administrative, or overhead costs for nonprofit organizations participating in a contract or grant with such agency on or after the effective date of this bill. The Department of the Treasury will be required to oversee and manage the development and maintenance of a database which can be used by nonprofit organizations that intend to participate in contracts or grants offered by State agencies or local government agencies. All such organizations can submit to the database any general documents specified under this bill that are required for State or local contracts or grants. The State Treasurer can permit the submission of other documents relevant to bids for and awards of public contracts and grants as the State Treasurer determines to be appropriate for the purpose of the database. The information maintained in the database will exclude personal identifying information of individuals to prevent compromising personal privacy and security. State agencies or local government agencies seeking to award a contract or grant will be required to utilize the documentation submitted to the database by a nonprofit organization, unless the documentation is not available, in which case the agency can request the document from such nonprofit organization. This bill also requires State agencies and local government agencies to review and adopt the cost principles and federal grant reforms contained in the federal Office of Management and Budget's Uniform Guidance standards with regard to nonprofit organizations to the extent permitted by law. This bill permits the State Treasurer and local government agencies to create a list of common terminology relevant to contracts or grants for nonprofit organizations to define services, processes, and client populations and a list of common terminology for contracts or grants to be accessible to all State and local agencies. This bill also requires the amount of any contract, awarded by a State agency or local government agency, determined for the prior calendar year to be adjusted annually in direct proportion to the percent change in the Consumer Price Index over a 12-month period beginning November 1 and ending October 31. This bill also requires a contract awarded by a State agency or local government agency to be automatically extended for a period of three months if the extension or renewal process is not completed within 10 days of expiration of such contract. This bill prohibits any unilateral change of contract language or terms by a State agency or local government agency for a contract awarded to a nonprofit organization. This bill requires the State Treasurer and local government agencies to develop procedures to reduce redundant monitoring of nonprofit organizations that have been awarded contracts or grants by standardizing and integrating reporting procedures across all State or local agencies. This bill also requires that, if goods and services are rendered, a State agency or local government agency will be required to pay a nonprofit organization 30 calendar days from the date specified in the contract. If no required payment date is specified in the contract, then the required payment date is 30 calendar days from the receipt of a properly executed State agency or local government agency contract, or 30 calendar days from the receipt of goods or services, whichever is later. This bill requires interest on required payments that are not made on or before the required payment date pursuant to a properly executed State agency or local government agency to be paid at a rate of 1 percent of any amount approved and unpaid. Interest can be paid by separate payment to a nonprofit organization, but must be paid within 30 days of the late payment. This bill defines "local government" to mean a municipality, county, or other political subdivision of the State. This bill defines "nonprofit organization" to mean a private nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3). This bill defines "State agency" to mean any of the principal departments in the Executive Branch of the State Government, and any division, board, bureau, office, commission, or other instrumentality within or created by such department and any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality, or agency which is authorized by law to award contracts or grants. | In Committee |
| A5271 | 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 |
| A3581 | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | In Committee |
| A2803 | Codifies and extends authorization for certain out-of-State health care practitioners and recent graduates of health care training programs to practice in New Jersey. | Codifies and extends authorization for certain out-of-State health care practitioners and recent graduates of health care training programs to practice in New Jersey. | Crossed Over |
| A2801 | Renames, extends eligibility, and makes various other changes to Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program. | Renames, extends eligibility, and makes various other changes to Primary Care Practitioner Loan Redemption Program. | Crossed Over |
| A2980 | Requires health care professionals to report cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. | Requires health care professionals to report cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. | Crossed Over |
| A2804 | Provides DHS and State Board of Medical Examiners to develop and implement process to improve efficiency of reviewing NJ FamilyCare provider applications. | Requires DHS and State Board of Medical Examiners to develop and implement process to improve efficiency of reviewing NJ FamilyCare provider applications. | Crossed Over |
| S2331 | "Equitable Outcomes in Child Support Collection Act"; establishes procedures regarding collection of child support on behalf of children in custody of DCPP. | An Act concerning the liability for maintenance costs of children in the care or custody of the Division of Child Protection and Permanency and amending and supplementing P.L.1962, c.142. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3678 | Renames Juvenile Justice Commission as Youth Justice Commission. | Renames Juvenile Justice Commission as Youth Justice Commission. | In Committee |
| A3803 | Requires public institution of higher education to readmit student whose enrollment was interrupted due to military service. | This bill requires a public institution of higher education to readmit an undergraduate student who withdrew from the institution due to the student's service in the uniformed services, including service in the Armed Forces, or as a member of the National Guard or Reserve, on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal or State authority. Under the bill, the institution is required to readmit the student with the same academic status as the student had when the student last attended the institution. The bill also provides that readmission is to be granted upon written request by the student for the next academic semester beginning after the date of the request. Finally, the bill provides that an institution cannot charge an application or other fee for a readmission request made pursuant to the bill's provisions. This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed. | In Committee |
| A3545 | Establishes programs to address needs of toddlers and certain children who are deaf or hard of hearing. | This bill establishes requirements to provide certain services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as their parents or guardians, to help the child achieve certain benchmarks in the development of the child's sign or spoken language. Specifically, the bill provides for children and their parents or guardians participating in the program to participate in certain including, but not be limited to: (1) holding two meetings per year between the child, the child's parent or guardian, and a language team until the child's sign or spoken language development meets the objective criteria and developmental benchmarks set forth by the early intervention program; and (2) pairing the child's parent or guardian with a mentor. The mentor will be required to: provide guidance to, and share personal insights with, the parent or guardian about living day to day as a person who is deaf or hard of hearing; be a member of the child's language team and play an active role in the child's language development; and be trained as a SKI-HI deaf mentor in accordance with the SKI-HI Deaf Mentor Manual training program. In the case of a toddler who is under the age of three, these activities will be provided by through the Department of Health's (DOH) early intervention program. In the case of a child between the ages of three and five, the activities will be provided through the Department of Education (DOE). The DOE program will be limited to children who previously received services through the early intervention program. A child receiving services under the DOE may continue in the program until the child enters kindergarten or elementary school. A toddler aging out of the DOH program may be eligible for the DOE program. A child who is deaf or hard of hearing and is eligible to receive the services outlined in the bill is to be automatically enrolled to receive the services provided by a language team unless the child's parent or guardian declines the services. As defined in the bill: "language team" means a team consisting of a pediatric audiologist, a teacher of the deaf or hard of hearing, a deaf mentor, and a speech and language pathologist; "pediatric audiologist" means a licensed professional trained to test, diagnose, evaluate, and manage the presence, extent, and reason for hearing loss and other hearing-related issues in infants and children, and to provide recommendations for interventions or rehabilitation, including, but not limited to, prescribing hearing aids or other assistive devices; and "speech and language pathologist" means a licensed professional trained to identify, assess, and rehabilitate persons with speech, voice, or language disorders. | In Committee |
| A3679 | Establishes New Jersey Veterans' Organization Building Grant Program. | Establishes New Jersey Veterans' Organization Building Grant Program. | In Committee |
| A4266 | Provides that only registered design professionals or employees with certified fire escape contractors are authorized to install, service, repair, inspect, and maintain fire escapes. | Provides that only registered design professionals or employees with certified fire escape contractors are authorized to install, service, repair, inspect, and maintain fire escapes. | In Committee |
| A5163 | Establishes penalties for appraisers who engage in discriminatory real estate appraisals and requires certain information to be provided to present and prospective owners or occupants of real estate. | This bill establishes penalties for appraisers who engage in discriminatory real estate appraisals and requires certain information to be provided to present and prospective owners or occupants of real estate. Under the bill, holders of appraisal licenses or certificates, or appraisal management company registrations, may have their licenses, certificates or registrations revoked or suspended, or be subject to fines, if the State Real Estate Appraiser Board determines that the holder of the credential has engaged in a discriminatory appraisal of real estate on the basis of the race, color, religion, sex, actual or perceived sexual orientation, actual or perceived gender identity, age, actual or perceived marital status, disability, familial status, or national origin of either the prospective owners or occupants of the real estate or real property, the present owners or occupants of the real estate or real property, or the present owners or occupants of the real estate or real properties in the vicinity of the property, or on any other basis prohibited by federal, State, or local law. If the board finds a holder of a credential discriminated in the appraisal of real estate, the appraisal is deemed void and, for a first violation, the board is to fine the holder, order the holder to make restitution of the cost of the discriminatory appraisal, and require the holder to attend an anti-bias seminar approved by the board. A second violation requires the board to suspend the credential of the holder, order the holder to make restitution by covering the cost of the appraisal, and require the holder to attend an anti-bias seminar approved by the board. A credential may be restored after a second violation if the individual demonstrates restitution of the discriminatory appraisal and completion of the required anti-bias seminar after a period of suspension of no less than 30 days. If a third violation is committed, the board, after appropriate notice and a hearing, is to revoke the credential of the holder and order the holder to make restitution of the discriminatory appraisal. A holder of a credential who discriminates in the appraisal of real estate is also subject to civil penalties of varying amounts depending on the violation--up to $10,000 for a first violation; up to $25,000 for a second violation occurring within five years of the first; and up to $50,000 for a third violation. Additionally, the bill provides that within three days of a first interaction or within three days of receiving a mortgage loan application, a licensed mortgage broker or licensed real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson must provide the present owners or occupants of the real estate or real property, the prospective owners or occupants of the real estate or real property, or the agents of the present or prospective owners or occupants with a document, provided free of charge, that contains information, in a form and manner as prescribed by the board, informing the present or prospective owner of the opportunity to report, through the Internet website or telephone number of the Division on Civil Rights, any suspicion of discriminatory appraisal by the holder of an appraising credential. Finally, the bill requires that, when receiving a report of an alleged discriminatory appraisal, the Division on Civil Rights must ascertain the basis for the allegation and solicit from the complainant relevant demographic information, including but not limited to the identity of the complainant. The complainant may provide the demographic information solicited by the division on a voluntary basis. The division must compile any demographic information provided by the complainants and report in the aggregate the demographic information collected to the Governor and to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2026. | In Committee |
| A5160 | Provides PERS members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007. | This bill removes the membership tiers established in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and transfers all current non-retired members of PERS to the membership tier referred to as "Tier 1" by the Division of Pensions and Benefits. All transferred members will be considered eligible for any benefits associated with Tier 1. Under the bill, employees of public employers who earn more than the minimum salary requirement, but do not currently meet the minimum hour eligibility requirements, will be considered eligible to be enrolled as members of PERS. The employer is to process the compulsory enrollment of each affected employee within two months following the enactment of the bill. Any affected employees who are currently enrolled as participants of the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) will be eligible for an automatic transfer of all years of service credit to PERS, if the employee elects to transfer their membership from DCRP to PERS. Any years of service credit transferred to PERS from DCRP will be used to qualify members for retirement and health benefits associated with PERS, but will not be used to calculate the amount of pension benefit. A participant's prior contributions into the DCRP will not be transferred into PERS and will remain in the fund. The employee will receive a notice of the transfer of service credit to PERS within two months following the enactment of the bill. Upon receiving the notice, the affected employee has six months to notify their employer if they do not wish to become enrolled as a member and transfer their service credit to PERS. Employees in the DCRP who opt out of the transfer will remain in the DCRP. Additionally, any members of PERS who are receiving long term disability insurance will be eligible to apply for disability retirement as long as they apply within two calendar years following the enactment of the bill. Any changes to the early retirement, deferred retirement, service retirement, and maximum base salary resulting from the transfer of members to Tier 1 of PERS will only affect members who begin processing a retirement application after the bill is enacted. | In Committee |
| A5158 | Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007. | This bill removes the membership tiers established in the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and transfers all current non-retired members of TPAF to the membership tier referred to as "Tier 1" by the Division of Pensions and Benefits. All transferred members will be considered eligible for any benefits associated with Tier 1. Under the bill, employees of public employers who earn more than the minimum salary requirement, but do not currently meet the minimum hour eligibility requirements, will be considered eligible to be enrolled as members of TPAF. The employer is to process the compulsory enrollment of each affected employee within two months following the enactment of the bill. Any affected employees who are currently enrolled as participants of the Defined Contribution Retirement Program (DCRP) will be eligible for an automatic transfer of all years of service credit to TPAF, if the employee elects to transfer their membership from DCRP to TPAF. Any years of service credit transferred to TPAF from DCRP will be used to qualify members for retirement and health benefits associated with TPAF, but will not be used to calculate the amount of pension benefit. A participant's prior contributions into the DCRP will not be transferred into TPAF and will remain in the fund. The employee will receive a notice of the transfer of service credit to TPAF within two months following the enactment of the bill. Upon receiving the notice, the affected employee has six months to notify their employer if they do not wish to become enrolled as a member and transfer their service credit to TPAF. Employees in the DCRP who opt out of the transfer will remain in the DCRP. Additionally, any members of TPAF who are receiving long term disability insurance will be eligible to apply for disability retirement as long as they apply within two calendar years following the enactment of the bill. Any changes to the early retirement, deferred retirement, service retirement, and maximum base salary resulting from the transfer of members to Tier 1 of TPAF will only affect members who begin processing a retirement application after the bill is enacted. | In Committee |
| A1476 | Establishes "New Jersey Target Zero Commission." | An Act establishing the "New Jersey Target Zero Commission" and supplementing Title 27 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3853 | Extends certain pay parity regarding telemedicine and telehealth until July 1, 2026. | An Act regarding telemedicine and telehealth and amending P.L.2021, c.310. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3517 | "Equitable Outcomes in Child Support Collection Act"; establishes procedures regarding collection of child support on behalf of children in custody of DCPP. | This bill is to be known as the "Equitable Outcomes in Child Support Collection Act." The bill amends section 1 of P.L.1962, c.142 (C.30:4C-29.1) to remove provisions in the statutes that outline how the Department of Children and Families currently collects child support obligations from legally responsible persons to offset the costs of maintenance, incurred by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP), on behalf of children in the DCPP's care or custody, and establishes new procedures for such collection. Specifically, as amended, the bill stipulates that any current child support obligation or any unpaid outstanding arrears balance of a court-ordered child support obligation, all unsatisfied civil judgments based on a court-ordered child support obligation, all warrants issued solely based on the alleged failure to pay or the sole purpose of enforcing a child support obligation, or any current outstanding liens entered on any and all property to which the defendant has or has acquired an interest, which is owed to reimburse the DCPP for maintenance costs incurred while a child was in its care or custody, are deemed null and void and are to be vacated and discharged. This bill updates the State's statutes concerning the liability for maintenance costs of children in the care or custody of the DCPP to align with revised policies issued in 2022 by the Children's Bureau, an office of the federal Administration for Children and Families, allowing for Title IV-E agencies to define more narrowly when it is appropriate to seek child support from legally responsible persons. | In Committee |
| A4893 | Requires financial institutions to allow mortgagors to make biweekly and semi-monthly payments and payments to mortgage principal. | Requires financial institutions to allow mortgagors to make biweekly and semi-monthly payments and payments to mortgage principal. | In Committee |
| A3323 | Requires pay for extracurricular activities to be included in compensation for TPAF purposes. | This bill amends the definition of compensation for purposes of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) to include additional pay for performing extracurricular duties beyond the regular school day or the regular school year. This additional pay is currently not included in the definition of compensation for pension purposes. Extracurricular duties include, but are not limited to, preparation for and involvement in public performances, contests, athletic competitions, demonstrations, displays, and club activities. | Crossed Over |
| A4148 | Requires DOH to develop informational materials on type 1 diabetes and DOE to distribute to parents and guardians of enrolled students. | An Act concerning information provided on type 1 diabetes in public schools and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AJR208 | Designates October 12 of each year as "Jump4Jerry Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates October 12 of each year as "Jump4JerryDay" in New Jersey. Jump4Jerry is a nonprofit youth development organization founded in memory of Jeremiah "Prince Bee" Grant. Jeremiah, also known as Jerry, was a pillar of his community and a championship Double Dutch jumper. His life was tragically cut short in October 2017 at the young age of 8 years old when he was struck and killed by a car. Although Jerry was only 8 years old, he did outstanding work in and out of his community that gave him a sense of pride and made him realize his potential. He was a champion jumper who left his mark on the world of Double Dutch, highlighted by a performance on the Jimmy Fallon TV show. Jerry had a passion and joy for serving his community and jumping rope. Jump4Jerry was created to carry on his passion and commitment and ensure his memory lives on. The mission of Jump4Jerry is to honor Jerry by enabling children of different ages and backgrounds to acquire life skills, build confidence and strong character, and to realize their potential as leaders and active members of their community. On June 2, 2018, Jerry was posthumously inducted into the Trailblazer Wall of Fame at the Mary McLeod Bethune Center in Jersey City, New Jersey. | In Committee |
| A5097 | Authorizes creation of "Woman Veteran" license plates with emblem displaying silhouette of woman veteran saluting set against American flag background. | This bill requires the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue woman veteran license plates. The design of the woman veteran license plates is to display a silhouette of a woman veteran saluting set against an American flag background and the words "Woman Veteran." An application to obtain a woman veteran license plate is to include satisfactory proof that the applicant is a veteran as evidenced by the applicant's DD-214 form or on a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. In addition to the required motor vehicle registration fees, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the license plates. After deducting the costs to implement the plates, the additional fees collected are to be deposited into the "Woman Veteran License Plate Fund." The proceeds of the fund are to be appropriated annually to the organizations and groups that support women veterans. The chief administrator is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the license plate program. The bill also requires that the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (department) appoint a liaison to represent the department in all communications with the MVC regarding the license plates. The bill provides that State or other public funds may not be used by the MVC for the initial cost to implement the license plate program. The bill requires the department, or an individual or entity designated by the department, to contribute non-public monies, not to exceed $25,000, to offset the initial costs to design, produce, issue, and publicize the license plates and for any computer programming necessary to implement the program. The bill authorizes the department to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs. The chief administrator is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates, or make any necessary programming changes, until: (1) the department, or an individual or entity designated by the department, has provided the MVC with the money necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC in establishing the license plate program; and (2) the department has provided the MVC with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the license plates, upon the availability for purchase of those license plates. The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month after the date on which the appropriate applications and fees required to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC are provided by the department or its designee. The bill expires on the last day of the 12th month after the bill's enactment if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received. | In Committee |
| A5098 | Requires MVC to accommodate walk-in services on certain days. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to provide service to walk-in customers at least two full days per week for the purpose of better accommodating customers and allowing services to be available for all individuals. Specifically, those lacking the email or computer access required for completion of online tasks and scheduling. The bill also requires the commission to accommodate all walk-in customers on a first-come, first-served basis for all commission services. | In Committee |
| A4083 | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey." | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey." | In Committee |
| A3561 | Establishes crime of doxxing. | This bill establishes the crime of doxxing. Under the bill, doxxing occurs if a person, with the purpose to subject another person to violence, stalking, physical restraining, mental anguish, or to cause a person to fear for their own safety or that of another, knowingly discloses personal identifying information without the person's consent. A crime is committed under the bill when the disclosure: (1) creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or physical harm to the person or a close relation of the person; (2) creates a substantial risk that the person or a close relation of the person is subjected to stalking; or (3) inflicts mental anguish upon the person or a close relation of the person and places the person or close relation in reasonable fear of physical harm. Under the bill, "close relation" is defined as a spouse; domestic partner; partner in a civil union couple; former spouse, former domestic partner; former partner in a civil union; parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, stepsibling, child, stepchild, or grandchild, whether related by blood or by law; any person who is a present household member, or who was, within the prior six months, a household member; or any person with a significant personal or professional relationship. The crime of doxxing does not occur if the disclosure was made: (1) in good faith to inform any member of the public of conduct by the person that the actor reasonably believed to be unlawful; (2) in good faith to inform law enforcement of conduct committed by the person that the actor reasonably believed to constitute a crime; or (3) while cooperating in an official investigation or prosecution of a violation of N.J.S.A.2C:33-4.1, cyber harassment. The bill also establishes a rebuttable presumption that the actor did not act with the purpose established under the bill if the personal identifying information of another person was disclosed for the primary purpose of: (a) publishing, disseminating, or reporting in good faith conduct by an elected public official or law enforcement officer acting in their official capacity that the actor reasonably believe to be unlawful or an abuse of authority; or (b) engaging in lawful and constitutionally protected activity as it pertains to speech, assembly, press, or petition. Doxxing is a crime of the fourth degree unless the disclosure results in any serious bodily injury, physical harm, or stalking, at which time it becomes a crime of the third degree. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. 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 |
| A3388 | Facilitates construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing built in part through sweat equity by eventual occupant. | Facilitates construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing built in part through sweat equity by eventual occupant. | In Committee |
| A2444 | Requires DOH to study racial aspects of ovarian cancer. | Requires DOH to study racial aspects of ovarian cancer. | Crossed Over |
| A4815 | Permits certain local units and authorities to reduce water, sewer, and stormwater fees and other charges for low-income persons. | Permits certain local units and authorities to reduce water, sewer, and stormwater fees and other charges for low-income persons. | In Committee |
| A3505 | Establishes protected leave under "Family Leave Act" and family temporary disability leave benefits for bereavement for death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth, and certain other circumstances. | Establishes protected leave under "Family Leave Act" and family temporary disability leave benefits for bereavement for death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth, and certain other circumstances. | Crossed Over |
| S2310 | Requires transparency concerning compensation with promotional opportunities and in employment listings. | An Act concerning transparency in employment listings and supplementing Title 34 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A5042 | 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 |
| AJR46 | Designates October of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates January of each year as "Hindu Heritage Month" in the State of New Jersey in recognition of the many Hindu residents of this State and their rich and noteworthy history and cultural contributions to this State. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world, dating back to a time between 3000-8000 BCE. Sacred texts have been passed on through generations for thousands of years, creating a strong following of 1.1 billion Hindus in the 21st century. Hindus believe in a variety of deities, each representing different concepts and values within Hinduism. Different sects of Hindus emphasize particular deities and practices over others, depending on their beliefs. Various Hindu gods and goddesses can be traced to origin points spanning several thousand years, making the traditions surrounding Hinduism and the Hindu deities rich and storied. Some deities have holidays celebrated in their honor, such as Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which celebrates Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and fortune. Another well-known Hindu holiday is Holi, the Festival of Colors. It is a holiday celebrating the coming of spring, famous for colorful paste and water thrown on those celebrating. Hindus have made enormous contributions to cultural development throughout history across the globe. Significant achievements in math, science, and medicine used in the modern world can be traced to Hindus. New Jersey is lucky enough to be the state with the highest percentage of Hindu residents in the United States. The Hindu community has shown others the beauty of their beliefs, including though the establishment of the largest Hindu temple in the world, now located in Robbinsville, New Jersey. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4987 | Establishes protections for immigrants interacting with government agencies; designates "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act." | This bill creates a uniform code for State and local government entities, as well as health care facilities, regarding the use of resources to aid federal immigration law enforcement, and designates the "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act." Under the bill, the definition of government entities includes any of the principal departments of the executive branch of State government and any parts or creations thereof, any independent State authority, commission, instrumentality or agency, including any public institution of higher education. The bill's definition also includes political subdivisions of the State and combinations of political subdivisions, independent authorities, commissions, instrumentalities and agencies created by a political subdivision or combination of political subdivisions. Under the bill, government entities and healthcare facilities are prohibited from collecting certain personal and identifying information unless it is strictly necessary for program or service administration. Any record resulting from that collection, whether written or oral, would not be a government record under the "Open Public Records Act" unless an election agency requires it to ascertain the eligibility of a candidate when citizenship is required for an elected office. Any record also shall not be disclosed except as required to administer benefits or services pursuant to State or federal law, or valid court order or warrant, issued by a federal Article III judge or magistrate or the State equivalent. The bill provides that the prohibition on sharing information may be waived if the subject of the record or information provides written consent in that person's preferred language. The written consent shall include the following: (1) the exact record or information to be shared; (2) the purpose for sharing the record or information; (3) a statement clarifying that consent is voluntary and declining to consent shall not result in discrimination or retaliation by the government entity; (4) a statement clarifying that consent may be revoked, but that revocation does not impact a record or information already shared via prior written consent provided pursuant to this section; and (5) the person or agency to receive the record or information. The bill requires government entities to review their confidentiality policies, guidance and recommendations to identify any changes necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of the bill and make any changes as expeditiously as possible, but no later than one year after the bill becomes effective. The bill also requires these entities to share their policies prominently on their Internet websites. This bill also requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Public Defender, to prepare a written notice explaining in plain language the provisions of section 6 of the bill. Section 6 of the bill details the prohibition of certain actions by law enforcement. The bill requires the notice and all translations to be posted to the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety and to be considered vital documents pursuant to P.L.2023, c.263 (C.52:14-40 et seq.). The Attorney General is also required to consult with stakeholders serving or representing immigrant communities in the development of standardized training and guidance for law enforcement to comply with the bill's provisions. The AG also shall provide mandatory training to all State, county and local law enforcement agencies within one year of the bill's effective date. Any newly sworn officer is required to complete this training within a year of the officer's appointment. The Department of Human Services is required to consult with stakeholders serving or representing immigrant communities to develop and lead a multilingual campaign to promote public awareness of the bill's requirements for law enforcement agencies. As part of the awareness campaign, DHS is required to publish the text of section 6 of the bill's provisions and a plain language summary and explanation of those requirements on its Internet website within 180 days of the bill's enactment. Under the bill, the Attorney General is also required to consult with other government entities and stakeholders in the development of model policies for sensitive locations. These locations include health care facilities, public schools, public libraries, shelters, and any other locations deemed appropriate by the Attorney General to ensure that eligible individuals are not deterred from seeking services or engaging with government entities. The model policies prohibit the request or collection of certain information regarding a person's immigration status, place of birth or taxpayer identification except to determine eligibility for services or program benefits. The model policies prohibit assistance or participation of immigration enforcement, and prohibit the permission of immigration enforcement on entity premises that are not open without restriction to the general public. The Attorney General is required to publish the model policies on the Internet website of the Department of Law and Public Safety. The bill requires government entities with authority to regulate sensitive places to adopt the model policies within 180 days of issuance by the Attorney General's office and encourages facilities not regulated by government entities to adopt the policies. The bill prohibits certain actions by law enforcement. Specifically, State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies and officials shall not: (1) stop, question, arrest, search, or detain any individual based on actual or suspected citizenship or immigration status, or actual or suspected violations of federal civil immigration law; (2) inquire about an individual's immigration status, citizenship, place of birth, or eligibility for a social security number; (3) make an arrest, detain, or prolong the detention of an individual based on civil immigration warrants; (4) use agency or department moneys, facilities, property, equipment, or personnel to investigate, enforce, or assist in the investigation or enforcement of any federal program requiring registration of individuals on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, citizenship, or national or ethnic origin; or (5) make agency or department databases available to anyone or any entity for the purpose of immigration enforcement or investigation or enforcement of any federal program requiring registration of individuals on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, citizenship, or national or ethnic origin. The bill nullifies any agreement, policy or practice in place that is in conflict with this clause. Law enforcement agencies in the State are also prohibited from: (1) participating in civil immigration enforcement operations; (2) providing to federal immigration authorities any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular person; (3) providing access to any State, county, or municipal law enforcement equipment, office space, database, or property; (4) providing access to a detained individual for an interview; (5) facilitating or complying with immigration detainers, notification requests, and transfer requests from federal immigration authorities; (6) continuing to detain a person past the time the person would otherwise be eligible for release from custody based solely on an immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant; (7) entering into, modifying, renewing, or extending any agreement to exercise federal immigration authority or conduct immigration enforcement pursuant to section 287(g) of Title 8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §1357(g), or otherwise exercising federal civil immigration authority or conducting immigration enforcement outside of the purview of 287(g) of Title 8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. §1357(g); or (8) providing or sharing funds, property, equipment, personnel, or access to facilities or real property not open to the general public for purposes of engaging in, assisting, supporting, or facilitating immigration enforcement. The bill provides that violations of the prohibitions on police conduct in the bill would be enforceable under the "New Jersey Civil Rights Act," P.L.2004, c.143. If an agency or law enforcement official intends to comply with an immigration detainer, notification request, civil immigration warrant, or transfer request concerning a person in custody, a written explanation specifying the legal basis for that action is required to be given to the person is custody. Lastly, the bill requires each State, county, and municipal law enforcement agency to submit to the Attorney General a report that includes: (1) the number of detainer requests, transfer requests, and notification requests made by immigration authorities, and the responses of the State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency. For any request that was granted, the report shall specify any legal basis for granting that request; (2) the number of interviews requested and the number of interviews conducted, either in person or telephonically, by immigration authorities of people in State, county, or municipal law enforcement custody. For each interview conducted, the report shall specify any legal basis for granting the interview; (3) any other requests made by immigration authorities for the agency's participation in immigration enforcement, the responses of the State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, and the legal basis for granting the request; and (4) to the extent the law enforcement agency has knowledge, any information about State, county, and municipal databases to which immigration authorities have had access to at any time in the course of the year, including: the name of the database; an overview of information available on the database; the purpose for which immigration authorities have access to this database; the process through which immigration authorities requested access and agencies reviewed this request, if applicable; any legal basis for providing immigration authorities access to the database; and the frequency with which immigration authorities accessed the database over the course of the year. Law enforcement agencies have 180 days after the effective date of the bill to produce the first report and must then annually submit a report within 30 days of the end of the State's fiscal year. The Attorney General is initially required to publish the report on the office's website within 90 days of receipt, and then within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year thereafter. The Attorney General is also required to annually submit to the Governor and Legislature a report on each law enforcement agency's compliance with the provisions of this act. | In Committee |
| A4941 | Provides seniority service credit to educational support professionals for military service. | Current law provides that a teaching staff member may receive up to four years of credit, in computing length of service for seniority purposes, for military service. This bill provides a similar benefit to educational support professionals. Under the bill, every educational support professional who has served in the active military of the United States and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits is to receive equivalent years of employment or seniority credit, up to four years, for that service as if the professional had been employed for the same period of time at the school district. Any military service is to be credited towards this employment or seniority credit, including service that occurred prior to the professional's employment as an educational support professional. | In Committee |
| A4889 | Mandates certain child care centers to retain audio-visual recordings for 180 days and requires review of such recordings before recordings can be deleted. | This bill would require all child care and family day care centers that have an audio-visual surveillance system in place to retain all recordings for 180 days. This bill would also require the Department of Children and Families or an independent third-party organization designated by the department to review the recordings before the recordings can be deleted. This bill would not require child care and family day centers that do not currently have an audio-visual surveillance system in place to install such a surveillance system. | In Committee |
| A1813 | Prohibits delivery of electronic smoking devices and tobacco products to individuals under 21 years of age. | Prohibits delivery of electronic smoking devices and tobacco products to individuals under 21 years of age. | Crossed Over |
| A2029 | Directs DOE and DOH to develop guidelines for school districts and institutions of higher education concerning student vaping awareness campaigns. | This bill directs the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Health (DOH), to develop guidelines for school districts and institutions of higher education that will help facilitate the implementation of on-campus anti-vaping awareness campaigns that target student populations. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist school districts, colleges, and universities in equipping adolescents and young adults with research backed material on the dangers of vaping in effort to combat the increased use of e-cigarettes among adolescents and young adults. The DOE and DOH are to review and update the guidelines annually. The guidelines, at a minimum, are to include recommendations for: (1) implementing an in-school and on-campus multi-tiered anti-vaping campaign that focuses on theories that promote age-appropriate positive behavior change among adolescents and young adults; (2) disseminating research backed materials on the dangers of vaping, as it relates to: its effects on the users' lungs, effects on mental health, how it compares to cigarette smoking, dangers to pregnant women, and its impact on people in the workplace and small children; (3) using decision-making models and decision-making aids to help students make healthy decisions and overcome peer pressure that encourages vaping; and (4) incorporating marketing materials, such as pamphlets, to promote on-campus age-appropriate anti-vaping information to middle school students, high school students, and college age adults. Under this bill, the DOE and DOH are to post the guidelines on the respective website of each department. | Crossed Over |
| A2158 | Requires institutions of higher education and government employers to provide certain students and employees with information about Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. | This bill requires institutions of higher education and government employers to provide information to certain students and employees, as applicable, concerning the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program is an initiative run by the United States Department of Education which offers student loan forgiveness to individuals who have spent ten years working full time in the public service sector. This bill aims at increasing awareness of the PSLF program for students and employees who may qualify for loan forgiveness under the program. Under this bill, institutions of higher education will be required to provide all students who have outstanding federal student loan debt with information about the PSLF program. This information will be distributed at two points - once during the second-to-last academic semester of a student's program of study, and once during the academic semester in which a student is scheduled to graduate from the institution. Any employer within the State of New Jersey that is considered a qualifying government employer under the PSLF program will be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program. Employees hired after the date of enactment of this bill will be provided with the information during the explanation of benefits at the beginning of employment. The United States Department of Education advises an annual submission of the PSLF application, therefore employers will also be required to provide employees with information about the PSLF program at least once per calendar year. The information provided to students and employees will include notification of potential eligibility for the PSLF program, provide the Internet address for the PSLF program, and explain the eligibility requirements for the PSLF program pursuant to federal law, 20 U.S.C. s.1087e. With respect to the bill's requirements for government employers, any information about the employer necessary for the employee to fill out the PSLF program application will also be provided to the employees. The information about the PSLF program may be distributed in writing electronically, by regular mail, or in person. The executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority and Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development will develop a model format for the information. | Crossed Over |
| A575 | Directs DEP to develop guidelines concerning State and local government purchase of goods made from recycled material. | This bill would require the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop, and update as appropriate, guidelines for use by State and local agencies when entering into contracts for the purchase of goods to encourage the maximum purchase of goods made with the highest percentage of recycled material. The bill provides that these guidelines may be based upon, or incorporate by reference, guidelines developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, including but not limited to the recommended recovered materials content levels specified in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Consolidated Recovered Materials Advisory Notice. The bill requires the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury, the Director of the Division of Property Management and Construction in the Department of the Treasury, and all State and local agencies having authority to contract for the purchase of goods or services to ensure that all product specifications for new procurements advertised after the bill is enacted into law reflect the guidelines developed, or updated, if applicable and to the extent practical and feasible. However, this requirement would not apply to a contract entered into by a local contracting unit, if following the guidelines developed, or updated, pursuant to the bill would increase the cost of the contract. | Crossed Over |
| A2163 | Requires DMVA notify certain veteran organizations and county officers and municipal registers of names of persons buried or cremated in State veteran cemeteries. | This bill requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide a monthly report to veteran organizations, county officers, and municipal registers of the names of persons buried or cremated in State veteran cemeteries the previous month. The bill also requires that a representative of the person buried or cremated in a State veteran cemetery sign a waiver before the information may be released. The department may transmit and receive the reports and waivers electronically. The monthly reports and waivers will be confidential and not subject to the law commonly referred to as the open public records act. Veteran organization means a veteran organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization. | Crossed Over |
| A4134 | Requires homemaker-home health aide and nursing assistant certification examinations to be translated into multiple languages. | Requires homemaker-home health aide and nursing assistant certification examinations to be translated into multiple languages. | Crossed Over |
| A3366 | Establishes Women's Menstrual Health Program to identify and assist patients with symptoms related to endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. | Establishes Women's Menstrual Health Program to identify and assist patients with symptoms related to endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. | Crossed Over |
| A2835 | Establishes Second Chance Program in charge of providing opportunities through labor organizations for formerly incarcerated individuals. | Establishes Second Chance Program in charge of providing opportunities through labor organizations for formerly incarcerated individuals. | Crossed Over |
| A1925 | Modifies languages that examinations are to be conducted in for applicants seeking professional license issued by New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | Modifies languages that examinations are to be conducted in for applicants seeking professional license issued by New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | Crossed Over |
| A4151 | Requires transparency concerning compensation with promotional opportunities and in employment listings. | Requires transparency concerning compensation with promotional opportunities and in employment listings. | In Committee |
| A4724 | Establishes sheltered market program for certain business enterprises seeking State contracts. | This bill establishes a sheltered market program that allows for State agencies, with the approval of the Chief Diversity Officer, to designate certain public contracts for availability to contractors who have been certified by the Department of the Treasury. This program will be available to contractors who are certified as a disabled veterans' business, minority business, women's business, small business, economically or socially disadvantaged business, LGTBQ+-owned business, or veteran-owned business. The bill directs the Chief Diversity Officer to establish criteria for determining which contracts should be designated for this program, including the degree of historical underutilization of qualified business enterprises based on a review of qualified business enterprises in the State's central certification registry or a State-commissioned disparity study. State agencies will be permitted to object to the designation of certain contracts for the program if they determine such designation would be contrary to an important State public policy, the practical limitations of the agency or contract, or an applicable legal order. The bill also requires that State agencies publish all contracts or categories of contracts approved for the sheltered market program on their respective websites prior to opening such contracts for bidding, and the chief publishes such contracts on the department's website. The bill further requires State agencies and the chief to conduct outreach regarding available contracts under the sheltered market program to qualified business enterprises and State agencies to conduct general or pre-bid submission conferences or workshops to help potential bidders understand the bidding process for the sheltered market program. State agencies will also be required to offer each bidder to a contract designated for the sheltered market program the option to debrief on the process following the award of the contract and conclusion of any challenges to contract awards after the expiration of the time period for challenges to be filed. This bill will require each State agency to submit an annual report to the chief on the implementation of the sheltered market program, including: (1) the number and dollar value of contracts awarded to qualified business enterprises under the sheltered market program; (2) the total number, the percentage, the total dollar value, and the percentage dollar value of contracts awarded by State agencies to qualified business enterprises eligible for participation in the sheltered market program; (3) recommendations for continuing, modifying, or terminating the sheltered market program; and (4) a description of efforts undertaken to increase contracting with qualified business enterprises. The bill provides that a State contract will not be awarded under the sheltered market program for a term to exceed three years, and that each contract will include termination for cause and termination for convenience clauses, consistent with the State agency's standard terms and conditions. Finally, the bill requires that prime contractors awarded contracts under the terms of the bill make a good faith effort to offer subcontracting opportunities to qualified business enterprises. The bill provides that failure on the part of a contractor to demonstrate a good faith effort may be cause for the rejection of bids made by that contractor. In determining whether a good faith effort has been made, the State agency and the chief will consider whether the contractor has advertised the opportunity to qualified business enterprises and (1) whether qualified business enterprises exhibited interest in working with the prime contractor on a particular project by attending, or having attended, a pre-bid conference, if any, scheduled by the State agency awarding the contract; and (2) whether qualified business enterprises, which have been solicited by the contractor, have responded in a timely fashion to the contractor's request to engage qualified business enterprises prior to the State agency's bid date. The chief and the State agency will also consider whether the contractor provided timely written notification of subcontracting opportunities to qualified business enterprises that appear in the State's central certification registry and whether the contractor can reasonably structure the amount of work to be performed under subcontracts to increase the likelihood of participation by qualified business enterprises. | In Committee |
| A4573 | Requires study of vacant commercial space for small businesses. | This bill requires the Business Action Center in the Department of State to conduct a study on the impact of vacant commercial real estate in the State and prepare a report within one year of the effective date of the bill to be submitted to the Governor and to the Legislature. The report is required to include, but not be limited to: (1) information concerning existing county and local government efforts to track vacant commercial real estate within their jurisdictions; (2) the progress and efforts of municipal governments in utilizing the "Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act;" (3) an assessment of any existing county and local government programs that provide financial or technical assistance to address vacant commercial real estate within their jurisdictions; (4) a survey of business owners and prospective business owners and their satisfaction with using private real estate resources to identify vacant commercial real estate; and (5) any further recommendations that may help guide business owners and prospective business owners in their search for vacant commercial real estate. | In Committee |
| A4744 | Requires NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA to consider minorities and women when hiring or awarding contracts. | This bill requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA), South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA), New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), when offering employment, to consider, and when feasible prioritize, individuals who are minorities and women. The bill also requires the NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA, when awarding contracts for service, to consider, and when feasible prioritize, minority businesses and women's businesses. Finally, the bill requires the NJTA, SJTA, EDA, CRDA, PANYNJ, and DRPA to publish on their respective Internet websites information concerning: (1) the number of employees employed by the entity by gender, race, and ethnicity, and the average salary range for each group; and (2) the number of contractors the entity has contracted with by gender, race, and ethnicity, and the average contract awarded for each group.The bill requires the information to be maintained and updated on a quarterly basis. The enactment of substantially similar legislation by New York and Pennsylvania, respectively, is required before the bill's provisions concerning the PANYNJ and the DRPA become operative. | In Committee |
| A3807 | Requires public institution of higher education to post syllabus of each undergraduate course on its website. | This bill requires each public institution of higher education to post on its Internet website a syllabus for each undergraduate course offered for academic credit by the institution. The syllabus is to include: (1) a brief description of each major course requirement, assignment, and examination; (2) the titles and authors of any required or recommended reading; and (3) a general description of the subject matter of each lecture or class. The bill further provides that the syllabus is to be made available no later than the seventh day before the first day of the course registration period for the semester during which the course is being offered. | In Committee |
| ACR115 | Urges United States Congress to pass "Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023." | This concurrent resolution urges the United States Congress to pass the "Universal School Meals Program Act of 2023." This federal legislation would provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all school children regardless of their socioeconomic background. This legislation also eliminates school food debt and reimburses schools for all delinquent school meal debt. | Crossed Over |
| A3508 | Requires child abuse reporting hotline maintained by DCPP to provide information on resources available to victims and families. | This bill requires that the child abuse reporting hotline maintained by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) provide information on resources available to the victims of child abuse or neglect and their families. DCPP regularly contracts with community-based agencies throughout the State to provide a variety of services to children and families, including counseling, parenting skills classes, substance abuse treatment, in-home services, foster care, and residential placement. It is critical for families to be made aware of these services so that they are empowered to break the cycle of abuse and protect the most vulnerable residents of New Jersey. | Crossed Over |
| A3800 | Bans certain children's products containing excessive amounts of lead, mercury, or cadmium. | Bans certain children's products containing excessive amounts of lead, mercury, or cadmium. | Crossed Over |
| A4718 | "New Jersey Motorcycle Awareness and Safety Act"; requires DOT to develop public awareness campaign for motorcycle day. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety to develop and annually update a motorcycle safety public awareness campaign for the purpose of promoting motorcycle safety, encouraging vigilant driving, and reducing the number of motorcycle-related accidents on New Jersey roads. The public awareness campaign is required to include, at a minimum: (1) educational materials on the importance of motorcycle safety; (2) information on the risks associated with distracted driving; and (3) variable message signs to promote best practices for sharing the road safely with motorcyclists. | In Committee |
| A2294 | Establishes mortgage payment relief and foreclosure protection for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. | Establishes mortgage payment relief and foreclosure protection for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. | Vetoed |
| A4688 | Requires MVC to utilize legal name including roman numerals on certain documents issued by MVC. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to permit an individual whose legal name includes a roman numeral to have the individual's legal name, including the roman numeral, displayed on the individual's standard basic driver's license; standard motorcycle license; standard special learner's permit; standard examination permit; standard probationary driver's license; standard identification card; REAL ID basic driver's license; REAL ID motorcycle license; REAL ID probationary driver's license; REAL ID identification card; or commercial driver license, provided that the individual has provided the commission with the required documentation to obtain such documents. As defined in the bill, "legal name" means the name recorded on a birth certificate unless otherwise changed by marriage, divorce, or order of court. | In Committee |
| A2983 | Prohibits pre-approval or precertification of prenatal ultrasound screenings covered under health benefits plans. | This bill prohibits health insurers, third party administrators, and the State Health Benefits Program and the School Employees' Health Benefits Program from requiring the pre-approval or precertification of prenatal ultrasound screenings covered under a health benefits plan. | In Committee |
| S2435 | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | An Act concerning the "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund" and amending P.L.1992, c.143. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A2280 | Codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training. | An Act concerning discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals and supplementing and amending P.L.1991, c.68. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2470 | Permits service credit in Prosecutors Part of PERS for judicial clerk service; increases salary of Presiding Judge of Appellate Division and county prosecutor; permits retired judges to collect pension while serving as county prosecutor. | An Act concerning certain service credit for certain members of the Prosecutors Part of the Public Employees' Retirement System, salaries and retirement benefits of certain prosecutors and judges, and amending various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3861 | "Louisa Carman Medical Debt Relief Act." | An Act concerning the report and collection of medical debt and supplementing P.L.1997, c.172 (C.56:11-28 et seq.). | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3537 | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | In Committee |
| A2824 | Modifies down payment assistance program for benefit of first-generation and first-time homebuyers. | Modifies down payment assistance program for benefit of first-generation and first-time homebuyers. | In Committee |
| S1446 | Modifies down payment assistance program for benefit of first-generation and first-time homebuyers; makes an appropriation. | An Act concerning housing assistance for certain homebuyers and amending P.L.2023, c.78. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3930 | Permits service credit in Prosecutors Part of PERS for judicial clerk service; increases salary of Presiding Judge of Appellate Division and county prosecutor; permits retired judges to collect pension while serving as county prosecutor. | Permits service credit in Prosecutors Part of PERS for judicial clerk service; increases salary of Presiding Judge of Appellate Division and county prosecutor; permits retired judges to collect pension while serving as county prosecutor. | In Committee |
| A4029 | Requires employer or contractor engaged in work for public body to register with and submit payroll records to DOLWD. | This bill requires any employer or contractor engaged in work for a public body to register with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and submit certified payroll records to the department and to the public entity with which the employer or contractor is engaged to work. Under current law, employers and contractors engaged in public work, or otherwise subject to the State's prevailing wage requirements, are required to register with the State and submit certified payroll records. This bill would require all contractors engaged in work for a public body to register, whether or not that work is subject to the prevailing wage law or constitutes public work under the law. Under the bill, a "public body" is defined as "the State of New Jersey, any of its political subdivisions, any authority created by the Legislature of the State of New Jersey and any instrumentality or agency of the State of New Jersey or of any of its political subdivisions." The bill defines "work for a public body" as "construction, reconstruction, demolition, alteration, custom fabrication, duct cleaning, or repair work, or maintenance work, which is done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of the funds of a public body, done on any property or premises owned or leased by the public body or under agreement to be owned or leased by the public body, or undertaken in connection with any loan, loan guarantee, grant, incentive, expenditure, investment, tax exemption or other financial assistance approved, funded, authorized, administered or provided by a public body, or undertaken to fulfill any condition of receiving any of the financial assistance." | In Committee |
| A4656 | Secures protections for patients and providers accessing and providing legally protected health care activities; establishes right of residents to legally protected health care services, which are restricted in other states. | This bill establishes certain protections for individuals seeking abortion or gender-affirming health care services, as well as certain protections for professionals who provided abortion-related health care services. Crime: Interference with Reproductive or Gender-Affirming Health Services This bill creates the new crime of "interference with reproductive or gender-affirming health services." A person is guilty of the crime if the person purposely or knowingly, with the purpose to unlawfully restrict another's access to or receipt or provision of reproductive or gender-affirming health care services or to intimidate the person from becoming or remaining a reproductive or gender-affirming health care services patient, provider, volunteer or assistant: (1) inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily injury; (2) obstructs any person seeking to enter into or exit from a reproductive or gender-affirming health care services facility; (3) intimidates, threatens, or coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any person or entity because that person or entity is a reproductive or gender-affirming health care services patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant; (4) damages, defaces, or destroys the property of a person, entity, or facility, or attempts to do so, because the person, entity, or facility is a reproductive or gender-affirming health care service patient, provider, assistant, volunteer, or facility; (5) videotapes, films, photographs, or records by electronic means, within 100 feet of the entrance to a reproductive or gender-affirming health care services facility, a patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant without that person's consent; or (6) discloses or distributes a videotape, film, photograph, or recording of the person. Interference with reproductive or gender-affirming health care services is a crime of the fourth degree, but is a crime of the second degree if the victim suffers significant or serious bodily injury. Further, interference with reproductive or gender-affirming health care services is a disorderly persons offense if the act would cause a reasonable person to suffer: (1) damage to the victim's business or personal reputation; (2) financial harm; or (3) pain and suffering, mental anguish, or emotional harm. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A crime of the second degree is punishable by five to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. A disorderly persons offense is a punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Civil Action: Interference with Reproductive or gender-affirming Health Services The bill also authorizes a person to bring a civil action against a person who unlawfully interferes with another person's reproductive or gender-affirming health care services. Under the bill, a court may award: (1) injunctive relief; (2) compensatory damages in an amount not less than liquidated damages computed at the rate of $1,000 for each violation; (3) punitive damages upon proof of willful or reckless disregard of the law; (4) reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs; and (5) any other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate. Under the bill, the Attorney General may bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of the law, for compensatory damages, and for the assessment of a civil penalty against each person who violates the law. The civil penalty imposed on each actor will be up to, but not exceed, $10,000 for a first violation, and $25,000 for any subsequent violation. Dispersal of Gatherings The bill authorized any law enforcement officer to order the immediate dispersal of a gathering that substantially impedes access to or departure from an entrance or driveway to a reproductive or gender-affirming health care facility during the business hours of the facility. Failure to comply with an order to disperse issued by the Attorney General or a law enforcement officer is a disorderly persons offense. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Licensing Boards The bill prohibits a board from imposing any additional or alternative penalties, in accordance with N.J.S.A.34:1-22, on the holder of a certificate, registration, or license based solely on the holder providing, authorizing, participating, referring to, or assisting with any health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion for a person who resides in a jurisdiction where the provision, authorization, participation, referral, or assistance is illegal. Applicability of Laws of Other States The bill establishes that a law of another state that authorized a person or government entity to bring a prosecution, civil action, or any other legal action to deter, prevent, sanction, or punish any person engaging, aiding, or assisting in providing or prescribing any legally protected health care activity is against the public policy of this State. Further, such laws of another state are prohibited from being applied to any matter, case, or controversy heard in a State court or in an administrative tribunal of this State. The prohibition does not apply to an action founded in tort, contract, or statute under the laws of this State, or an action founded in tort, contract, or statute under the similar laws of another state. This includes, but is not limited to, an alleged act of malpractice or negligence by a person in the person's profession or occupation. Protection of Patient Information This bill updates P.L.2022, c.51 to provide a definition of "legally protected health care activity" and "gender-affirming health care services." P.L.2022, c.51 provides certain protections with respect to the disclosure of patient information relating to reproductive health care services, as well as protecting access to health care, medical services, and procedures related to an abortion for persons who come to this State from jurisdictions in which these actions are illegal. The bill provides that in any civil action or other proceeding preliminary thereto, a medical provider or other covered entity, as described under federal law concerning medical privacy and security, is barred from disclosing the following communications or information, unless the patient or patient's conservator, guardian, or other authorized legal representative explicitly consented in writing to the disclosure: (1) any communication made to the covered entity, or any information obtained by the covered entity from, a patient or the conservator, guardian, or other authorized legal representative of a patient relating to legally protected health care activity; or (2) any information obtained by personal examination of a patient relating to legally protected health care activity that is permitted under the laws of this State. Additionally, under the bill, a public entity of this State or employee, appointee, officer or official or any other person acting on behalf of a public entity would be prohibited from providing any information, or expending or using time, money, facilities, property, equipment, personnel or other resources in furtherance of any interstate investigation or proceeding seeking to impose civil or criminal liability upon a person or entity for: (1) the provision, receipt, or seeking of, or inquiring or responding to an inquiry about legally protected health care activity that is legal in this State; or (2) assisting, advising, aiding, abetting, facilitating, soliciting, or conspiring with any person or entity providing, receiving, seeking, or inquiring or responding to an inquiry about legally protected health care activity that is legal in this State. Extradition This bill updates N.J.S.A.2A:160-14.1 to prevent a person from being extradited to another state under certain circumstances related to "legally protected health care activity." Under current law, N.J.S.A.2A:160-14.1 prevents extradition as it relates to "reproductive health care services." Under the bill, "Legally protected health care activity" is defined as activity providing, seeking, receiving, assisting with, or inquiring about reproductive health care services or gender-affirming health care services that are lawful in this State, regardless of the patient's location. Relatedly, the bill also defines "gender-affirming health care services" to mean all supplies, care, and services of a medical, behavioral health, mental health, surgical, psychiatric, therapeutic, diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitative, or supportive nature, including medication, relating to the treatment of gender dysphoria and gender incongruence. "Gender-affirming health care services" does not include sexual orientation change efforts as defined by N.J.S.A.45:1-55. In Vitro Fertilization Protections This bill strengthens reproductive health care freedom in New Jersey by specifying that: every individual present in this State, including, but not limited to, an individual who is under State control or supervision, shall have the fundamental right to choose whether to use assisted reproductive technology (ART), including, but not limited to in vitro fertilization (IVF); and a fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus shall not have independent rights under any of the laws of the State. Medicolegal Investigations This bill removes the requirement that a medical examiner conduct a medicolegal investigation of a death in the State related to a fetal death occurring without medical attendance. This provisions seeks to ensure that a woman who has a miscarriage or fetal complications is not investigated or the fetal death criminalized. Repealers The bill repeals the following statutes, which have either been obviated by court decision or would be obviated by this bill: (1) N.J.S.A.2A:65A-5 through N.J.S.A.2A:65A-7 (banned partial birth abortions); (2) N.J.S.A.9:17A-1.1 through N.J.S.A.9:17A-1.12 (required parental notification for minors' abortion); (3) N.J.S.A.30:4D-6.1 (barred Medicaid payment for abortion except where necessary to save the woman's life). | In Committee |
| A4459 | Revises film and digital media content production tax credit program to allow certain production expenses to be eligible for tax credits. | This bill revises certain provisions of the film and digital media content production tax credit program to increase the amount of credits that may be awarded based on certain post-production costs. The bill also revises other provisions of the program, including increasing eligibility for compensation paid to persons who are not subject to tax under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act" due to a tax reciprocity agreement with another state. Under the film and digital media content production tax credit program, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) awards corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to eligible taxpayers equal to (1) 30 percent of the qualified film production expenses incurred for use within certain parts of Northern New Jersey, or 35 percent of qualified film production expenses incurred for use within all other parts of the State; and (2) 35 percent of the qualified digital media content production expenses incurred through vendors located in certain counties in Southern New Jersey, or 30 percent of all other qualified digital media content production expenses incurred through vendors within the State. In addition to certain other eligibility requirements, current law also provides that to qualify for the digital media content production tax credit, at least 50 percent of the qualified digital media content production expenses incurred by the taxpayer are required to be for wages and salaries paid to full-time or full-time equivalent employees in New Jersey. Increased Digital Media Content Production Tax Credits The bill increases the amount of digital media content production tax credits that may be awarded to taxpayers for qualified digital media content production expenses related to certain post-production services, including visual effects. Specifically, the tax credit would be equal to 40 percent of the qualified digital media content production expenses of the taxpayer incurred during the tax period for post-production services performed at a New Jersey film-lease production facility, provided that at least $500,000 of these expenses were incurred for services performed at the New Jersey film-lease production facility. Additionally, the tax credit would be equal to 35 percent of the qualified digital media content production expenses of the taxpayer incurred during the tax period for post-production services performed by independent post-production companies, as defined in the bill. In either circumstance, if the taxpayer includes a diversity plan with their tax credit application and complies with all relevant requirements established in that plan, the taxpayer's tax credit may be increased by an additional four percent. Compensation Subject to Tax Reciprocity Agreements Under current law, the terms "qualified film production expenses" and "qualified digital media content production expenses" are defined to include, among other expenses, the wages and salaries paid to individuals who are employed for the purposes of the production and who are subject to the tax imposed by the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act." Current law also defines the term "full-time or full-time equivalent employee" to include persons working not less than 35 hours per week, or other standard of service accepted by custom or practice as full-time or full-time equivalent employment, and whose wages and salaries are subject to withholding as provided in the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act." This bill expands the scope of qualified film production expenses and qualified digital media content production expenses to include wages and salaries that are paid to individuals who are employed for the purposes of the production and who are not subject to tax under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act" due to the provisions of a tax reciprocity agreement with another state. The bill also provides that these expenses would include any payments made by the taxpayer to a loan out company for services performed in New Jersey by individuals who are employed by the loan out company and whose wages and salaries are not subject to tax under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act" due to the provisions of a tax reciprocity agreement with another state. Additionally, the bill amends the definition "full-time or full-time equivalent employee" to include otherwise eligible persons whose wages and salaries are not subject to tax under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act" due to the provisions of a tax reciprocity agreement with another state. Currently, the State has entered into a reciprocal income tax agreement with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Under the terms of this agreement, compensation paid to Pennsylvania residents who are employed in New Jersey is not subject to tax under the "New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act." Accordingly, the bill provides that wages and salaries paid to certain Pennsylvania residents may be included as qualified film production expenses and qualified digital media content production expenses, provided that these persons are employed in New Jersey for the purposes of the film or digital media content production. Tenants of New Jersey Film-Lease Partner Facilities The bill also provides that certain tenants of New Jersey film-lease partner facilities would be eligible for tax credits under the program. Specifically, the bill provides that any film production company that enters into a lease or sublease with the owner or developer of a designated New Jersey film-lease partner facility before receipt of the facility's temporary or final certificate of occupancy, which lease or sublease is for not less than three years and includes at least 36,000 square feet of soundstage space, and which company executes a contract to provide production services for all films produced at the New Jersey film-lease partner facility, would be eligible for the tax credit allowed for a taxpayer designated as a New Jersey film-lease production company, provided that the film production company satisfies all other eligibility requirements for New Jersey film-lease production companies. If the EDA determines that a New Jersey film-lease partner facility has failed to meet the requirements of the program, the EDA may rescind the New Jersey film-lease partner facility designation. In this circumstance, the bill provides that any tenant of the New Jersey film-lease production company that has entered into a lease for the film-lease partner facility would not be entitled to the portion of any tax credit that is only available to the New Jersey film-lease production company by virtue of the company being a tenant at a New Jersey film-lease partner facility. | In Committee |
| A3034 | Directs Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote State aquaculture products through Jersey Fresh Program; establishes annual $100,000 appropriation; appropriates $100,000. | This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote aquaculture products as part of the Jersey Fresh Program. The Jersey Fresh Program is the marketing and quality grading program that is currently used, by the department, to advertise and promote the availability of fruit and vegetable agricultural commodities that have been produced in the State and graded for quality. This bill would expand the Jersey Fresh Program to additionally include marketing for fish and shellfish that are produced in the State, or in State waters, through means of aquaculture, and the quality of which complies with standards adopted by the department and is verified thereby through the use of an appropriate quality grading system. The bill would require the department to develop and implement a quality grading system that is specific to the grading of aquaculture products, as distinguished from wild-caught seafood products, which system is to be consistent with, and similar to, the quality grading system that is used, by the department, to grade the quality of other agricultural commodities for the purposes of the Jersey Fresh Program. The bill provides an initial appropriation of $100,000 for the bill's purposes, and it additionally provides for an annual appropriation of $100,000 to be made in each fiscal year after the bill's effective date, in order to facilitate the ongoing marketing and promotion of aquaculture products under the Jersey Fresh Program. The monies made available under the bill would be in addition to any other monies that may be appropriated or allocated to the Jersey Fresh Program. | In Committee |
| A3567 | Requires each public institution of higher education to convene menstrual equity task force. | Requires each public institution of higher education to convene menstrual equity task force. | In Committee |
| A2258 | Creates Code Red alert pilot program to shelter at-risk individuals during certain hot weather and air quality events. | Creates Code Red alert pilot program to shelter at-risk individuals during certain hot weather and air quality events. | In Committee |
| A4561 | Includes Sikhs as protected class in bias intimidation law; appropriates $100,000. | This bill amends N.J.S.A.2C:16-1, the crime of bias intimidation,to specifically include Sikhism in the protected classes set forth in the statute. Sikhism is the monotheistic religion founded in India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak. New Jersey is home to approximately 100,000 Sikhs, which is one of the largest Sikh populations in the United States. On October 16, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") released its annual report of hate crime statistics, which recorded 198 anti-Sikh hate crime incidents. According to the FBI report, Sikhs remain the second-most targeted group in the nation for religiously-motivated hate crime incidents. Current law enumerates the protected classes of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, and ethnicity in the bias intimidation statute. Under the provisions of the bill, a person is guilty of the crime of bias intimidation if he commits, attempts, conspires, or threatens the immediate commission of certain specified offenses with a purpose to intimidate an individual or group because of their membership within a protected class, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, or Sikhism, or knowing that the conduct would cause an individual or group to be intimidated on that basis or under circumstances in which the victim believes he was targeted on that basis. Pursuant to this bill, all local, county, and State law enforcement entities in New Jersey are to report all violations under the statute to the State and federal law enforcement agencies responsible for preparing bias crime reports. Further, this bill sets forth that the Office of Attorney General, in consultation with the Department of Education, is to: (1) develop training, for the dissemination to county and local law enforcement agencies, on Sihkism, which shall include, but not limited to, visible Sikh identity features, including turbans, bracelets, moustaches, beard, and physical attire, and the classification of bias intimidation cases as anti-sikh, to prevent the misclassification of hate and bias incidents. (2) coordinate with other State agencies and departments in the creation of a public awareness campaign and educational initiatives on Sikhism; and (3) annually report to the Governor and the Legislature on the public awareness campaign,educational initiatives on Sikhism executed through the public awareness campaign across different public platforms, and on the steps taken to include Sikhism education across curriculum standards in different grades across township boards of education within this State. Pursuant to this bill, the New Jersey Office of Attorney General, in consultation with the New Jersey field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, shall develop a transnational repression recognition and response training program that is to include how to identify different tactics of transnational repression and best practices for appropriate county, local and state law enforcement prevention, reporting, and response tactics. Current law establishes within the Division of Purchase and Property in the State Department of the Treasury, the position of Chief Diversity Officer. This bill expands the Chief Diversity Officer's responsibilities to include: ensuring that each public entity of this State incorporate the definition for anti-Sikh hate into the bias intimidation policy of the public entity; and ensuring that the definition of anti-Sikh hate is incorporated into the diversity, equity, and inclusivity promotion policies in any program offered by the State or any political subdivision of the State. This bill appropriates $100,000, for three consecutive years following enactment, from the General Fund to the Office of the Attorney General to fund Sikh awareness educational initiatives and outreach efforts to the Sikh community. | In Committee |
| A4483 | "Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act." | This bill, to be known as the "Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act," provides certain protections for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer patients. The bill: 1. Requires health insurance carriers (including health service corporations, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, commercial individual and group health insurers, and health maintenance organizations), entities contracted to administer health benefits in connection with the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program, and the NJ FamilyCares/Medicaid program to provide coverage for individuals diagnosed with cancer and with a prognosis that is deemed Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal (1) parenteral treatment of the cancer; (2) survivorship care plan, including follow-up appointments; and (3) any other service or item as determined by the regulators of each type of carrier or contract. Under the bill, "parenteral treatment" means the intravenous, intra-arterial, intraperitoneal, or intrathecal administration of nutrition or medication bypassing the gastrointestinal system and "survivorship care plan" means a plan for an individual with cancer from diagnosis through the end of life that focuses on the health and well-being of the individual. This includes, but is not limited to, side effects from treatment, cancer recurrence, and quality of life. Any cost-sharing or copayment or coinsurance that may be required for coverage will not apply. 2. Prohibits residential mortgage lenders from providing a notice of intention to a residential mortgage debtor undergoing treatment for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer. Under the bill, a residential mortgage lender shall ensure, before sending a notice of intention to cure a default on a mortgage debtor's residential mortgage obligation, that the residential mortgage debtor is not undergoing treatment for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer. If a mortgage debtor is undergoing treatment, the mortgage lender will be prohibited from providing a notice of intention to the mortgage debtor until the mortgage lender receives notice from the physician of the mortgage debtor that the debtor is no longer undergoing treatment. Additionally, the bill provides that any foreclosure action to take possession of a residential property will be dismissed upon submission by the residential mortgage debtor to the residential mortgage lender of a letter from the physician of the debtor certifying that the debtor is undergoing treatment for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer. 3. Prohibits a creditor from initiating a collection proceeding for a default on any debt against an individual who is undergoing treatment for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer and who submits to the creditor a letter from the individual's physician certifying treatment of the individual for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer. The bill also provides that any collection proceeding against an individual who is undergoing treatment for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer is required to be dismissed upon submission by the individual of a letter from the individual's physician certifying treatment of the individual for Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer. 4. Requires that for eviction actions based on nonpayment or habitual late payment of rent, or for failure to pay a rent increase, the Superior Court will authorize a stay of eviction for up to 45 days if the tenant is actively undergoing Stage III, Stage IV, or terminal cancer treatment. To qualify for this stay, the tenant must provide a confidential certification from their treating physician, submitted under seal. Additionally, during the stay period, the tenant has the right to renew their lease upon its expiration, subject to reasonable changes proposed by the landlord. The bill also provides the right to reinstatement to equivalent employment after a period of leave applies to all periods in which TDI or FLI benefits are provided, including extending that right to FLI leave takers employed by employers with less than 30 employees, as is presently the case for TDI leave takers. Under the bill, an employee who is eligible for both earned sick leave and either TDI or FLI benefits, may use either the earned sick leave or whichever is applicable of the TDI or FLI benefits, and may select the order in which they are taken, but may not receive more than one kind of paid leave benefits during any period of time. | In Committee |
| A4111 | Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to grant deferment of New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) student loan payments to new parent. | This bill provides that in the event that an eligible student borrower under the NJCLASS Loan Program becomes a parent, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority will be required to grant a deferment of payment of loan principal and interest for a period of 12 weeks. To qualify for the loan deferment, the student borrower must provide the authority with proof of the child's birth or adoption within 120 days of the birth or adoption. The bill provides that the deferment will begin on the date that the student borrower's proof of the child's birth or adoption is received by the authority and will end 12 weeks after that date. Interest on the loan will not accrue during the period of deferment. | In Committee |
| A3939 | Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for professional firefighters not enrolled in SHBP, but who are eligible for SHBP by virtue of public employment. | An Act mandating access to periodic cancer screening examinations for full-time paid firefighters not enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program, and amending P.L.2021, c.478. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3801 | Prohibits sale, distribution, and manufacture of jewelry containing cadmium. | This bill would prohibit the sale, distribution, import, or manufacture of jewelry that contains more than 0.03 percent cadmium by weight. Under the bill, the Director of Consumer Affairs or any manufacturer, distributor, or importer of jewelry who discovers that a type of jewelry contains more than 0.03 percent cadmium by weight would have to issue an immediate recall for that type of jewelry. Within 48 hours of receiving notice of the recall, retail mercantile establishments would be required to remove the jewelry from displays and make it unavailable for purchase. Within 14 business days, a retail mercantile establishment would be required to return all inventory of the jewelry to the manufacturer, distributor, or importer from which it was obtained, at the cost of the manufacturer, distributor, or importer. The manufacturer, distributor, or importer would then have 60 business days to dispose of the jewelry in a manner and location designed to remove it from access by the public. A violation of the provisions of the bill would be considered an unlawful practice under the "Consumer Fraud Act," P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.), and would be punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. Additionally, a violation of the "Consumer Fraud Act" can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured. The bill would take effect on the first day of the seventh month following enactment. | Crossed Over |
| A868 | Requires bidder on State contract to be evaluated on report of its gender-based pay equity and job equality standards for its employees. | This bill would require the Division of Purchase and Property in the State Department of the Treasury to require every bidder on a contract or agreement to submit a report to the division that measures the extent to which men and women employed by that bidder perform the same or comparable work at different rates of pay and the extent to which job titles within that entity may be predominately held by members of the same gender. The division will develop a system for bidders to use to measure and remedy gender-based pay gaps and gender-based equality within job titles. The division will develop uniform reporting instructions and criteria and provide prospective bidders with technical assistance in complying therewith. Reports submitted by bidders will be assigned a rating that indicates the extent to which the bidder is free of gender-based pay inequity and inequality within job titles. A contract will be awarded to the bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation for bids, will be most advantageous to the State, price and other factors, including the rating on this report, considered. The bill's provisions will not apply to any contract when the public exigency requires the immediate delivery of goods or performance of services or to any contract that is paid for in whole or in part with federal funds if application thereto would affect eligibility to receive those funds. The division will adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the bill's purpose. The bill will take effect one year after enactment but the division may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as may be necessary for its implementation. | In Committee |
| A1896 | Adopts Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact. | Adopts Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact. | In Committee |
| A3992 | Increases penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products. | Increases penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products. | In Committee |
| A4364 | Establishes EMS part of PERS; provides enhanced benefits for emergency medical services employees. | This bill creates an EMS Part in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) to provide enhanced pension benefits under terms identical to those provided to prosecutors under the Prosecutors Part of the PERS, including mandatory retirement at age 70. The members of the EMS Part will include State, county, or municipal employees serving in one of the following positions: emergency medical technician; mobile intensive care paramedic; paramedic; flight paramedic; mobile intensive care nurse; flight nurse; emergency medical services supervisor or deputy supervisor; emergency medical services chief or deputy chief; emergency medical services hazardous materials responder technician; emergency medical services coordinator, dispatcher, or instructor; or any position the primary or essential duties of which require the employee to be trained in basic or advanced life support services and who is certified or licensed by the Department of Health to perform these services. The State will be liable for the increased pension costs payable by counties or municipalities as a result this bill. | In Committee |
| A4337 | Provides tax credit to developers for affordable housing projects in certain neighborhoods. | This bill would provide up to $600 million in tax credit available to developers to construct affordable housing projects in distressed neighborhoods. A distressed neighborhood is defined in the bill as a neighborhood located within a distressed municipality, in which the median family income does not exceed 80 percent of the Statewide or metropolitan median family income, as reported in the most recently completed decennial census published by the United States Census Bureau. Distressed municipalities include certain municipalities that receive assistance from the State, municipalities under the supervision of the Local Finance Board pursuant to the provisions of the "Local Government Supervision Act (1947)," P.L.1947, c.151 (C.52:27BB-1 et seq.), municipalities identified by the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs to be facing serious fiscal distress, SDA (Schools Development Authority) municipalities, and municipalities in which a major rail station is located. An SDA municipality is defined as a district that received education opportunity aid or preschool expansion aid in the 2007-2008 school year. In order to qualify for tax credit, a developer is required to construct a residential project in that: (1) at least 20 percent of the residential units are constructed and reserved for low- to moderate-income housing; and (2) at least 20 percent of the residential units are constructed and reserved for workforce housing. Developers are to apply for tax credit in the same manner in which developers applied for grants under the Economic Redevelopment Growth Program. This bill would incentivize development of affordable and market-rate housing in distressed neighborhoods around the State. The bill is expected to create balanced redevelopment in municipalities experiencing financial trouble and a more comprehensive urban development strategy. The bill is designed to transform the State's urban centers from areas with just offices, to 24-hours per day, seven-days per week communities with robust residential populations. | In Committee |
| A4338 | Requires distribution of family leave informational materials to certain patients. | This bill requires the Department of Health to develop, in consultation with the Department of Labor, a pamphlet and informational materials for patients concerning the availability of programs developed pursuant to the "Family Leave Act," P.L.1989, c.261 (C.34:11B-1 et seq.). The department is to make the pamphlet and informational materials available to all health care professionals and licensed health care facilities, as well as through its Internet website, and will be required to distribute the pamphlet and informational materials to health care professionals and health care facilities that provide maternity care services. Health care professionals and facilities providing maternity care services will be required to make the pamphlet and informational materials available in their patient waiting areas, and to distribute the pamphlet and informational materials to maternity care patients upon discharge. The bill additionally requires hospitals providing a discharge plan to a patient caregiver pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2014, c.68 (C.26:2H-5.28) to include a copy of the pamphlet and informational materials in with the discharge plan. | In Committee |
| AR130 | Urges Governor and Legislature to establish initiatives towards education of social workers. | This resolution urges the Governor and the Legislature to establish initiatives towards the education of students seeking degrees in social work. Social workers play a crucial role in improving the well-being of the people of New Jersey and helping the State become a better place to live. As essential workers, social workers played a crucial role in helping communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational debt for social work graduates has continued to rise over the past 10 years. According to the Council on Social Work Education, 71.3 percent of baccalaureate graduates and 76 percent of master's graduates were in substantial educational loan debt. In 2021, the average loan debt was approximately $26,500 for a baccalaureate graduate, $48,000 for a master's graduate, and $135,000 for a doctorate graduate. The student loan debt burden carried by social workers is further compounded by the low salaries and compensation afforded to this segment of the workforce. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a social worker's median salary is only $50,390. Failure to address the student loan crisis faced by social workers will continue to economically harm those in practice and dissuade prospective social workers from entering the field. This resolution urges the Governor and the Legislature to work together to establish initiatives, such as creating scholarships and loan redemption programs, that invest in the education of students seeking to obtain baccalaureate and graduate degrees in social work in order to incentivize the career and ensure that the State has a qualified and educated workforce. | In Committee |
| A4213 | Requires water supply system testing and compliance with secondary drinking water regulations. | This bill would require a public community water system to sample and test the water supply on a quarterly basis for compliance with secondary drinking water regulations in accordance with testing protocols established by the Department of Environmental Protection (department). The testing protocols, in addition to requiring sampling when the water enters the distribution system, would require the public community water system to collect samples for testing from at least 10 percent of customer taps. The bill would also require that the owner or operator of a public community water system submit quarterly and annual test results to the department, to the governing body of each municipality within its service area, and to customers of the system. The bill would further require, whenever the test results of a water supply exceed the standards established in the secondary drinking water regulations, that the owner or operator of the public community water system formulate a compliance plan, within 30 days, that provides for the public community water system to take any action necessary to bring the water supply into compliance with the standard within 30 days after the plan's completion. Finally, the bill would require that the public community water system also develop and submit, for department approval, a maintenance plan for the system to ensure that the water supply continues to meet the standards set forth in the State's secondary drinking water regulations. | In Committee |
| AR134 | Urges United States Congress to renew funding for Affordable Connectivity Program. | This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to renew funding for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Millions of Americans are without access to broadband Internet services. As a result, these individuals struggle to improve social outcomes through education, achieve upward economic mobility, gain digital literacy skills, and receive quality healthcare. In 2021, to close the digital divide, the FCC launched the ACP, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. In addition, the program offers a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers, under specific circumstances, for eligible households. Currently, over 20 million households receive broadband benefits through the ACP. In New Jersey, as of January 2024, 335,079 households are enrolled in the program. Specifically, New Jersey has received nearly $152 million in ACP funding, resulting in $8.3 million per month in collective cost savings on broadband Internet services for all New Jersey households enrolled in the program. However, the ACP is slated to expire in April 2024 when the program is scheduled to exhaust its $14.2 billion budget. To improve broadband access for millions of Americans, and thereby advance social, economic, and health outcomes for the underserved, Congress is respectfully urged to renew funding for the ACP. | In Committee |
| S1313 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | An Act concerning the certification of businesses owned by LGBTQ+ persons and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AR127 | Condemns Arizona Supreme Court ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes banning abortions in the state and reaffirms New Jersey citizens' freedom to access reproductive health care services. | This Assembly Resolution condemns the Arizona Supreme Court ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes, which upheld a long-dormant and outdated 1864 law banning abortions. The resolution additionally reaffirms the rights of all New Jersey citizens to have the freedom to make decisions about planning their families free from unreasonable governmental interference. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A1815 | Requires DOH to conduct survey on status of antenatal and prenatal care clinics in New Jersey. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Health to conduct a survey and analysis of antenatal and prenatal care clinics for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State. The survey includes data collected from all antenatal and prenatal care clinics in the State, including antenatal and prenatal care clinics that have closed or substantially ceased operation of any of its beds, facilities, or services, within a two-year period prior to the effective date of the bill. As used in the bill, "antenatal and prenatal care clinic" means an inpatient or ambulatory health care facility licensed by the Department of Health that provides maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services. The purpose of the survey is to: inform policy on the certificate of need requirements as provided by P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) concerning the closure or discontinuance of all, or a component of, antenatal and prenatal care clinic's services; assess the availability of antenatal and prenatal care clinics and their ability to provide maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services; identify where low and moderate income pregnant women receive maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services; and collect cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic background data about the pregnant women served by antenatal and prenatal care clinics. The collected survey data is to be analyzed to: identify local and Statewide trends and developments in the provision of maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services and disparities in the care received by pregnant women based on economic factors and the accessibility of antenatal and prenatal care clinics; and develop programs, resources, and strategies to improve access to, and the quality of, maternity, antenatal, and prenatal care services throughout the State. Survey data is to be made available through the Department of Health's website, and the commissioner is to submit a report to the Legislature concerning the results of the survey and any recommendations for legislation or other action. The bill specifies that published and reported data is not to include any personal identifying information or confidential patient information. The bill authorizes the commissioner to contract with a third party entity to administer the survey, review survey data, and produce the required report. | Crossed Over |
| AJR59 | Designates November of each year as "Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Awareness Month." | This joint resolution would establish the month of November of each year as "Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to raise awareness of the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease and encourage education and improved public understanding in regard to the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not properly produce or use the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar. The condition affects more than 29 million Americans and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, with more than seven million Americans undiagnosed and more than 5,000 Americans diagnosed each day. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, representing an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed adult cases. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death associated with diabetes and accounts for 68 percent of deaths in people with type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes also have a much higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the first place. Yet findings from a recent study reveal that 52 percent of adults living with type 2 diabetes are unaware of this increased risk. There are significant costs associated with the treatment of patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and Medicare expenditures for this population in the State total nearly $1.5 billion for 5,481 beneficiaries. By increasing public awareness and providing education about the cardiovascular risks associated with diabetes, the State can improve the overall outcome of, and reduce the financial burdens associated with, the illness. | Crossed Over |
| A817 | Requires public institutions of higher education to establish plans concerning cyber security and prevention of cyber attacks. | Requires public institution of higher education to establish plans concerning cyber security and prevention of cyber attacks. | Crossed Over |
| A4133 | Prohibits seller of residential real estate from requiring potential buyers to disclose down payment when presenting offer to seller. | This bill prohibits a seller of residential real estate from requiring potential buyers to disclose the amount that the buyer will provide as a down payment for the residential real estate. A seller who violates the provisions of this act will be liable to a civil penalty of no more than $1,000. For the purpose of this bill, "residential real estate" means a property or structure or both which serves as a dwelling. "Residential real estate" does not include a dwelling with more than four residential units. | In Committee |
| A4131 | Establishes Office of Clean Energy Equity in BPU; directs establishment of certain clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs for overburdened communities; makes change to community solar program. | This bill would establish the Office of Clean Energy Equity ("office") in the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The office would be charged with promoting, guiding, and overseeing the equitable deployment of clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs and technologies in overburdened communities, and the equitable provision of the tangible benefits of clean energy, increased energy efficiency, and energy storage at the household and community level, including clean energy asset ownership, energy cost savings, and employment and economic opportunities, to overburdened communities. The bill would require the BPU to: (1) establish onsite solar or community solar programs, which benefit 250,000 low income households or 35 percent of the low income households in the State, whichever is larger, by 2030, with the goal of reducing these households' average energy burden to below six percent of household income; and (2) require the establishment of a minimum of 1,600 megawatt hours of energy storage to benefit overburdened communities by 2030. In addition, the BPU, in cooperation with the office, would be required to: integrate workforce development training into all clean energy and energy storage programs established by the BPU; provide outreach and recruitment campaign grants to community-based organizations to increase participation in clean energy and energy efficiency programs; develop, in coordination with community-based organizations, outreach materials in multiple languages; appoint a community liaison and establish an advisory board consisting of representatives of overburdened communities to review and evaluate the clean energy and energy storage programs available to overburdened communities; and coordinate with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) concerning their responsibilities pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of the bill. The bill would require the BPU to direct no less than 10 percent of the BPU's annual total clean energy budget, or at least $50 million annually, whichever is greater, to the office for the purposes of the bill. The BPU would be authorized to allocate additional funding, staff, and resources to the office as it determines appropriate. In addition, the bill would require the office, in collaboration with the DLWD, New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation, and Technology (CSIT), and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) to establish program guidelines for clean energy job training and workforce development grants to be issued by the EDA, Department of Education (DOE), and the DLWD. The grants would be issued to community-based, diversity-focused nonprofit organizations, community colleges, vocational-technical schools, and other organizations to develop energy efficiency or clean energy paid workforce training programs that provide training to at least 2,500 individuals from overburdened communities by 2025. Under the bill, it would be a condition of a grant award that the programs be updated every two years to ensure that they prepare participants adequately for the current job market in the solar energy or clean energy industry. The bill would also direct the DLWD, in coordination with community-based organizations, to develop programs to provide entrepreneurial training, mentoring, apprenticeships, investment capital, loans, or other training, capacity building, technical, and financial support to residents of overburdened communities to help launch new clean energy enterprises or establish careers in the clean energy workforce. The bill would also direct the DCA, in consultation with the office, to require the all new construction located in an overburdened community be solar ready, subject to any specific exemptions that the DCA and the BPU deem reasonable and necessary and that the DCA adopts as rules and regulations. The bill would also require the DCA to give preference to applications for onsite, community solar, energy storage, or other clean energy projects that are sited in overburdened communities or include minority or women-owned businesses. Lastly, the bill would amend the law establishing the Community Solar Energy Pilot Program to require that the eventual permanent community solar program provide for access to solar energy projects for low and moderate income customers, in accordance with the requirements of the bill. In addition, the bill would require that the permanent community solar program be consistent with any land use provisions of the permanent successor to the SREC program. | In Committee |
| A4122 | Establishes commission to advise Secretary of Higher Education on student issues of concern. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Higher Education Student Advisory Commission in, but not of, the Department of State. The commission will consist of 14 members appointed by the Secretary of Higher Education including: three student representatives of the State colleges and universities, a student representative of each of the four public research universities, three student representatives of the county colleges, three student representatives of the independent colleges and universities, and one student representative of a proprietary degree-granting institution. Under the bill, a student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary degree-granting institution in the State may submit an application to serve on the commission to the Secretary of Higher Education. The commission is charged with advising the secretary on system-wide issues of concern to students, which will include, but are not limited to, the following issues: postsecondary education affordability, student mental health, and campus safety. The commission is directed to annually report to the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees on the concerns, perspectives, and experiences of students attending institutions of higher education or proprietary degree-granting institutions in the State and may make recommendations on suggested legislative initiatives. | In Committee |
| AR117 | Urges United States Congress to permanently fund Affordable Connectivity Program. | This resolution urges the Congress of the United States to permanently fund the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Millions of Americans are without access to broadband Internet services. As a result, these individuals struggle to improve social outcomes through education, achieve upward economic mobility, gain digital literacy skills, and receive quality healthcare. In 2021, to close the digital divide, the FCC launched the ACP, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. In addition, the program offers a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers, under specific circumstances, for eligible households. Currently, over 20 million households receive broadband benefits through the ACP. In New Jersey, as of January 2024, 335,079 households are enrolled in the program. Specifically, New Jersey has received nearly $152 million in ACP funding, resulting in $8.3 million per month in collective cost savings on broadband Internet services for all New Jersey households enrolled in the program. However, the ACP is slated to expire in April 2024 when the program is scheduled to exhaust its $14.2 billion budget. To improve broadband access for millions of Americans, and thereby advance social, economic, and health outcomes for the underserved, Congress is respectfully urged to permanently fund the ACP. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AR122 | Condemns Alabama Supreme Court ruling in LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, P.C. and pending federal legislation, H.R.431; reaffirms freedom of access and protection of reproductive health care services in New Jersey, including IVF. | This resolution condemns the Alabama Supreme Court ruling in LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, P.C. and pending federal legislation, H.R.431; and reaffirms the freedom of access and protection of reproductive health care services in New Jersey, including in vitro fertilization. In the United States, one in six people of childbearing age struggle with infertility and require some type of professional assistance in order to conceive a child. Fortunately, 90 percent of infertility cases are treatable with medical therapies including drug treatment, surgery, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a process whereby an egg is removed from a person's body and combined with sperm inside a laboratory for fertilization; the fertilized egg, called an embryo, is then transferred into the uterus. In LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, P.C. (Docket No. SC-2022-0515, SC-2022-0579), the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos are "extrauterine children," finding that that the State's "'Wrongful Death of A Minor Act' applies on its face to all unborn children, without limitation." This holding could have widespread implications for anyone in Alabama who is seeking or provides IVF. With the support of over 120 representatives from the Republican party, Congressman Alexander X. Mooney of West Virginia introduced H.R. 431, which would implement equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution for the right to life of each "born and preborn human person." Under this bill, the terms "human person" and "human being" include "each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being." This legislation, if enacted, poses a significant threat to the reproductive freedoms of the citizens in New Jersey and the United States, particularly those related to IVF and other fertility treatments. A number of Republican senators joined the Democrats in criticizing the LePage ruling, and expressed their support for IVF. Tammy Duckworth, a Democratic Senator from Illinois who utilized IVF to conceive her two children, introduced legislation, S.3612, to protect the rights of individuals to seek reproductive assistance, such as IVF, and physicians who provide these services, without the fear of prosecution. Senator Duckworth urged her Republican colleagues to join the Democrats' efforts to protect access to IVF by unanimously passing this legislation, as many Republican Senators initially denounced the LePage ruling for the harmful precedent that the decision has set on reproductive assistance services,. However, Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi blocked the unanimous passage of the bill by objecting to Senator Duckworth's request. When the United States Supreme Court's issued its 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Org., which overturned Roe v. Wade, the country faced fear and uncertainty around key reproductive rights issues. A number of states took action to interfere with a person's access to reproductive health care out-of-state, in some instances by seeking to prosecute a person in a state where reproductive health care access was criminalized following Dobbs, for seeking reproductive health care services in another jurisdiction where it remained legal. Such actions are designed to prevent individuals and health care providers from seeking and providing lawful reproductive health care services by instilling fear through the threat of prosecution. In stark contrast to actions taken in states to monitor private health information, the New Jersey legislature has acted to protect private medical information from prosecutors in other states, to ensure New Jersey law enforcement will not take part in extraditions to people who have sought reproductive health care that is legal in New Jersey, and to require the creation of a website so people who are confused about recent court decisions know what their freedoms are on reproductive health decisions in New Jersey The LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, P.C. ruling threatens the rights of Alabamians who are planning to have children, and endangers the fertility clinics that provide IVF services, those that have embryos stored, and the overall future of family planning in Alabama. It is in the public interest of the citizens of New Jersey to condemn, in the strongest terms, any ruling that infringes on citizens rights to exercise their reproductive freedom or their access to reproductive health care, including IVF. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AR108 | Urges United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. | This Assembly resolution urges the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to establish an inpatient hospital facility at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The citizens of this nation and State are indebted to the sacrifice and heroism of all who have bravely served in the Armed Forces of the United States. In return for their sacrifices, this country has made a commitment to meeting the health care needs of veterans. As of 2023, 338,012 veterans live in New Jersey, with 119,200 of them residing in the southern counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem. Currently, there is no federal Department of Veterans Affairs inpatient hospital facility in southern New Jersey, making it necessary for veterans needing inpatient care to travel long distances to northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware. The East Orange Veterans Medical Center is the largest health care facility serving veterans from southern New Jersey, which is over two hours away from some veterans. In New Jersey, the average resident lives approximately 12 minutes away from the closest hospital, therefore, requiring veterans to travel multiple hours for medical care is unjust. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is an ideal location for an inpatient hospital facility for veterans from southern New Jersey as it shortens the travel distance for these veterans. Additionally, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst provides a variety of other services to veterans, therefore, making trips to the base efficient and convenient for veterans and their families. It is fitting and appropriate for the State to take steps to ensure that our nation's promise of health care access is kept to the veterans of southern New Jersey. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4086 | Provides additional State school aid to school districts experiencing enrollment increases due to conversion of age-restricted housing developments to non-restricted developments. | P.L.2009, c.82 (C.45:22A-46.3 et seq.) established a procedure by which an age-restricted housing development previously approved for construction by a municipal or regional planning board, zoning board of adjustment, or joint land use board may convert to a development that would be marketed with no age restrictions. The law requires that the approving board approve an application for such a conversion if the developer satisfied certain requirements, and if the approving board determines that the conversion can be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the zone plan and zoning ordinance. The conversion of an age-restricted development to a non-restricted development has the potential to increase the number of students enrolled in a district's public schools. This bill provides converted development assistance aid to a school district in which such a conversion has occurred. Specifically, the school district would receive an amount equal to the lesser of: 1) its actual cost per pupil, or 2) the per pupil tuition rate adopted by the school district's board of education for the school year, multiplied by the increase in its resident enrollment between the last school year prior to a dwelling unit within a converted development being occupied and the budget year. However, the change in enrollment used to determine the aid may not exceed the total number of students who reside in a converted development. | In Committee |
| A3330 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | In Committee |
| AR107 | Urges U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to utilize and fund existing paratransit transportation networks to transport disabled veterans to and from its New Jersey medical centers. | This resolution urges the United State Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to utilize and fund existing paratransit transportation networks to transport disabled veterans to and from its New Jersey medical centers. Approximately five million veterans in the United States have a service-connected disability, and about 53,000 of those veterans live in New Jersey. The VA operates two medical centers in New Jersey, with one in East Orange and one in Lyons. Service-connected disabilities can adversely impact veterans' abilities to access necessary medical care at these facilities. Currently, the VA provides transportation service via the Veterans Transportation Service, but this service has limitations that can result in the reduced efficiency of transporting disabled veterans to and from medical appointments. Disabled American Veterans and other veterans' service organizations also provide free van transportation to and from VA medical centers in New Jersey, but these non-profit organizations should not shoulder the responsibility to provide properly coordinated VA-funded patient transport for deserving veterans and qualified family members. It has also been reported by numerous New Jersey veterans that the transportation service provided to these VA facilities is deficient, with veterans being left at facilities for hours, overnight, and in adverse weather conditions. Both New Jersey counties and non-profit social service organizations have existing paratransit transportation for use by senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. These high quality county and non-profit paratransit providers may be able to expand their coverage to meet the transportation needs of veterans traveling to and from VA facilities if provided funding to cover the cost of such an expansion. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3726 | Establishes State Commission on Minority Affairs within Department of State. | This bill would establish the State Commission on Minority Affairs within the Department of State. The commission would be responsible for: studying matters affecting the social and economic welfare of minorities residing in the State; collecting and disseminating information on activities, programs, and essential services available to minorities in the State; studying the availability of employment for minorities in this State, and the manner in which minorities are employed; studying the ways in which minorities can be encouraged to start and manage their own businesses successfully; studying the availability of affordable housing; in cooperation with the Division on Civil Rights, promoting public information regarding State laws that prohibit discriminatory practices and procedures pursuant to which aggrieved persons may file complaints or otherwise take action to remedy such discriminatory practices; promoting the creation of networks within the business community between majority-owned and minority-owned businesses; advising the Governor on matters relating to minorities and of concern to minorities; and recommending legislation to the Governor. | In Committee |
| AJR161 | Permanently designates August 17th as "Nonprofit Day" in NJ. | This resolution designates August 17 of every year as "Nonprofit Day" in New Jersey with the goal of recognizing the over 40,000 nonprofit organizations operating in the State. Nonprofits are organizations that serve different purposes, such as raising awareness and providing a public service. These organizations are not run with the sole purpose of generating a profit which means they rely heavily on donations and volunteers for day-to-day operation. Nonprofit organizations play a crucial role in society by addressing many social and humanitarian issues that impact marginalized communities. To accomplish this, nonprofit organizations provide essential services, such as food assistance, healthcare and educational programming. Through partnerships with both private sector and governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations are able to promote a collective responsibility in every facet of the community. In New Jersey, there are roughly 1.8 million nonprofit volunteers contributing 225 million hours of service every year. In addition to volunteers, nonprofits employ 330,000 members of New Jersey's workforce accounting for 10 percent of private sector workers. The value that nonprofit volunteers and their employees bring to the state New Jersey is valued at over $5.3 billion a year. Throughout the United States, August 17 is already recognized as "Nonprofit Day" in order to acknowledge the contributions these organizations provide to society. By designating August 17 as "Nonprofit Day" in New Jersey, the State of New Jersey will join a broader movement to honor the work of nonprofit volunteers and workers throughout the State. | In Committee |
| A4064 | Establishes Autism Education Council. | This bill establishes the Autism Education Council in, but not of, the Department of Education. The council will consist of seven members including the Commissioner of Education, or his designee, who will serve ex officio, and six public members to be appointed by the Governor, including two public school teachers and one representative of each of the following organizations: Parents of Autistic Children, The New Jersey Center for Outreach Services for the Autism Community, The Family Resource Network, and ASPEN. To the greatest extent practicable, consideration will be given to the appointment of members from these organizations who possess some teaching experience. The two public school teachers appointed to the council will have a Master's Degree in Education or other relevant subject area, certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and a minimum of five years' experience as a teacher. The commissioner or his designee will serve as chairman of the council. The council will establish a five-member Educational Advisory Committee whose members will serve at the pleasure of the council. Three members of the committee will be appointed by the chairman of the council and will include one director of special education in a public school district and two chairpersons, coordinators, or other individuals in charge of teacher preparation programs for special education teachers. Two members of the committee will be appointed by a majority vote of the council. The committee will identify and make recommendations to the council regarding the most effective use of grant funds to improve the quality and availability of public school services and programs for children with autism. The committee will identify potential grant recipients who represent a variety of research-based approaches to educating children with autism. The council will award grants through the Department of Education, upon recommendation of the Educational Advisory Committee, to public school districts and public institutions of higher education to increase the quality and availability of public school services and programs for children with autism. Grants may be used to offset the costs of: professional development and educational activities for educators and other individuals working with children with autism in the public schools and for students of postsecondary institutions who are pursuing education careers working with children with autism; hiring additional paraprofessionals to work directly with children with autism in the public schools; and supplemental education services for children with autism in the public schools including after-school socialization programs, recreation programs, transitional planning services, and other appropriate services. The council will establish mechanisms to monitor the impact of the grants distributed by the council and will submit an annual report to the Governor, the Legislature, and all public school districts. The report will identify the number of grants distributed and the amount, recipient, purpose, and impact of each grant. The bill directs the Governor to recommend and the Legislature to appropriate $10,000,000 annually beginning in fiscal year 2025 through fiscal year 2033 to the Department of Education for the Autism Education Council. Of the amount appropriated, a minimum of $9,600,000 must be used annually to fund grants. | In Committee |
| AJR162 | Designates May 1st of each year as "Silver Star Service Banner Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates May 1st of each year as "Silver Star Service Banner Day." Throughout the history of the United States, individuals have dedicated their lives and service to the protection of our values and nation. Those individuals deserved to be honored and recognized. The Silver Star Service Banner is a symbol to honor and remember wounded and ill service members and veterans. Formally recognized by the United States Congress in 2010, "Silver Star Service Banner Day" is observed at the national level on May 1st of each year to honor wounded and ill service members and veterans. It is fitting and proper for this State to honor and remember wounded and ill service members and veterans and the service they provided for our country by designating May 1st of each year as "Silver Star Service Banner Day" in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| A920 | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | Updates scope of practice of optometrists. | In Committee |
| A904 | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey." | This bill establishes the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey" and is modeled after the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York." Under the bill, all statutes, rules, and regulations, in this State including all local laws or ordinances related to the elective franchise must be construed liberally in favor of: (1) protecting the right of voters to have their ballot cast and counted; (2) ensuring that eligible voters are not impaired in registering to vote; and (3) ensuring voters of race, color, and language-minority groups have equitable access to fully participate in the electoral process in registering to vote and voting. The bill prohibits the authority to prescribe or maintain voting or elections policies and practices to be so exercised as to unnecessarily deny or abridge the right to vote. The bill also prohibits a county board of elections or political subdivision from using a method of election that has the effect of impairing the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of elections, as a result of vote dilution. The bill requires any policy and practice that burdens the right to vote must be narrowly tailored to promote a compelling policy justification that must be supported by substantial evidence. The bill provides factors for determining if a violation of the bill has occurred, including if a voter's right to vote has been violated or if the voter has experienced vote dilution. Under the bill, if a violation of the provision of the bill occurs, the bill provides a remedy process, including for apportionment and redistricting maps. The bill provides that after a New Jersey Voting Rights Act notification letter is mailed from a prospective plaintiff to a political subdivision the political submission may pass a New Jersey Voting Rights Act resolution reaffirming: (1) the political subdivision's intention to enact and implement a remedy for a potential violation of the bill; (2) specific steps the political subdivision will undertake to facilitate approval and implementation of such a remedy; and (3) a schedule for enacting and implementing such a remedy. The bill provides that if the governing body of a political subdivision lacks the authority under this act or applicable State law or local laws to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, or fails to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, within 90 days after the passage of the resolution, or if the political subdivision is a covered entity as defined by the bill, the governing body of the political subdivision must coordinate with the Division on Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety to resolve the violation, including reaffirming that any proposal is unlikely to violate the United States Constitution, New Jersey Constitution, or any federal or State law, would not diminish the ability of protected class members to participate in the political process and to elect their preferred candidates to office; and is feasible to implement. Under the bill, the Attorney General and the Division on Civil Rights are provided with certain preclearance powers. The bill provides that if certain political subdivisions that have been the subject to court order or government enforcement action based on violations of the bill; the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended; the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution, or a voting-related violation of the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution, may be subject to preclearance, which is the process of obtaining prior approval from the Division on Civil Rights or a court of this State for any changes related to election procedures in that political subdivision. The bill provides assistance to language-minority groups. Under the bill, a county board of elections or a political subdivision that administers elections must provide language-related assistance in voting and elections to a language-minority group in a political subdivision if, based on data from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, or data of comparable quality collected by a public office, that: (1) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than 300 individuals, of the citizens of voting age of a political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient; or (2) more than 4,000 of the citizens of voting age of such political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient. The bill further provides that a county board of elections or political subdivision required to provide language assistance to a particular language-minority group pursuant to this section must provide voting materials in the covered language of an equal quality of the corresponding English language materials, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots. Under the bill, any aggrieved persons or organization whose membership includes aggrieved persons or members of a protected class, organization whose mission, in whole or in part, is to ensure voting access and such mission would be hindered by a violation of this bill, or the Attorney General may file an action pursuant to the bill in court. The bill provides that any action or investigation to enforce any provision of this bill, the Attorney General would have the authority to take proof and determine relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil and criminal laws of this State. The bill also contains a severability provision. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, or other portion of the bill is for any reason held or declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or preempted by federal law, or the applicability of that portion to any person or facility is held invalid, the remainder of the bill would not thereby be deemed to be unconstitutional, preempted, or invalid. The purpose of this bill is to: (1) encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible voters to the maximum extent; (2) ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups have an equal opportunity to participate in the political processes of this State and exercise the elective franchise; (3) improve the quality and availability of demographic and election data; and (4) protect eligible voters against intimidation and deceptive practices. This bill would take effect on the first day of the 18th month next following the date of enactment, except that the Attorney General may take any anticipatory action in advance thereof. | Dead |
| A3778 | Reaffirms continuation of Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations; appropriates $750,000. | Reaffirms continuation of Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations; appropriates $750,000. | In Committee |
| AJR156 | Establishes the "Williams and Amenhotep New Jersey Task Force on Missing Persons." | This bill establishes the "Williams and Amenhotep New Jersey Task Force on Missing Persons" to (1) review best practices for investigating reports of missing persons; (2) examine on a Statewide basis the current law enforcement response to reports of missing children by law enforcement agencies; and (3) determine whether the practices of State and local law enforcement agencies require any changes to conform to best practices. The task force membership would include: (1) the Attorney General, ex officio, or a designee: (2) the Commissioner of Children and Families, ex officio, or a designee; (3) the Commissioner of Human Services, ex officio, or a designee; (4) one member of the Missing Person's Unit of the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety, designated by the Attorney General; (5) one member of the New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force established within the Department of Law and Public Safety, designated by the Attorney General; (6) two public members appointed by the Governor representing a local law enforcement agency, one each based upon the recommendation of the Senate President and the Senate Minority Leader; (7) one public member appointed by the Governor representing a child advocacy organization concerning missing, abducted, or exploited children, based upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly; and (8) one public member appointed by the Governor representing an organization concerning missing or trafficked persons, based upon the recommendation of the General Assembly Minority Leader. The bill provides that within 12 months after the task force's organizational meeting, it would be required to submit a written report to the Governor and to the Legislature. The report is to contain the task force's findings on best practices and the current law enforcement response to reports of missing persons in the State, and any recommendations for legislative or other action. Under the bill, the task force would dissolve three months after submitting the report. The task force is named in honor of two missing young people: Sanaa Amenhotep the 15 year-old daughter of a New Jersey resident who went missing in Columbia, South Carolina and whose body was found three weeks later; and Yasir Williams, a 21 year-old Rutgers University student from East Orange, New Jersey whose body was found in a park pond in Orange, New Jersey two weeks after he went missing. | In Committee |
| A4019 | Revises high school student financial aid application requirements. | This bill revises certain high school student financial aid application requirements. Under current law, beginning with the 2023-2024 grade 11 class, and for two years after, a board of education is to require a student, and the student's parent or guardian, as applicable, to complete and submit a financial aid application as a prerequisite to the student receiving a high school diploma unless a waiver is submitted. This bill makes permanent the requirement that students complete a financial aid application after the 2023-2024 school year. | In Committee |
| A4018 | Requires public institution of higher education to award academic credit to certain volunteer emergency responders. | This bill requires public institutions of higher education to award academic credit to certain volunteer emergency responders. Under the bill, a public institution of higher education is to award academic credit to a volunteer emergency responder enrolled in the institution, provided that: (1) the student is enrolled in an undergraduate degree-granting program; (2) the volunteer service was performed within five years before the student's initial enrollment in the institution or is being performed concurrently with the student's enrollment in the institution; (3) the student provides proof to the institution of the number of volunteer hours performed; (4) the student volunteered with a volunteer fire company, duly incorporated first aid, rescue, or ambulance squad, or a county or municipal volunteer Office of Emergency Management, provided the student's official duties include responding to a fire or emergency call; and (5) the student held the appropriate certificate while performing the volunteer service, as applicable. Pursuant to the bill, academic credit is to be awarded commensurate with the number of hours the student served as a volunteer emergency responder and the credits are to be applied toward relevant coursework offered by the institution. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Higher Education to develop credit recommendations for a public institution of higher education to award academic credit as required under the bill. | In Committee |
| AJR158 | Establishes task force to study ways to increase diversity within law enforcement agencies. | This joint resolution establishes the "New Jersey Diversity in Law Enforcement Task Force" to study ways to increase diversity and community representation within law enforcement agencies throughout the State of New Jersey including State, local, and municipal police departments. Law enforcement officers serve a vital role in all communities throughout the State of New Jersey by enforcing the law, controlling crime, and maintaining public order and safety. However, law enforcement officers are not always representative of the communities they serve. In recognition of this, many law enforcement agencies have taken measures to increase the diversity of their officers, such as focusing recruitment efforts on underrepresented groups and providing mentoring to new recruits. Despite these efforts to increase diversity within law enforcement agencies, many still do not reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. This lack of diversity and community representation within law enforcement agencies can make it increasingly difficult for law enforcement officers to build lasting community relationships. For these reasons, it is important for law enforcement agencies to expand their efforts to diversify, so that law enforcement officers and the communities they serve can work together to keep all residents of the State of New Jersey safe. The task force shall consist of 13 members with representation from the Senate, the General Assembly, the Attorney General, the President of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association, the President of the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, the President of the New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police, the National President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, the President of the New Jersey State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), two representatives of local police departments throughout the State, and two representatives of the public. The task force shall examine current data, research, and policies related to diversity issues within law enforcement agencies and examine current diversity present within law enforcement agencies across the State including State, local, and municipal police departments. In addition, the task force shall identify effective strategies to increase diversity and community representation within the State's law enforcement agencies and develop recommendations to implement those strategies within law enforcement agencies. Within a year after the organization of the task force, the task force shall submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature of the task force's findings and recommendations. | In Committee |
| AJR157 | Designates month of September of each year as "Emergency Preparedness Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates the month of September of each year as "Emergency Preparedness Month" in New Jersey to raise awareness of the importance of preparing ourselves and our families now and throughout the year for emergencies and disasters. Prior to declared emergencies, New Jersey residents should establish a family preparedness plan in case of an emergency or disaster which should include establishing evacuation and meeting locations, creating communication and financial plans, determining how the family could best shelter in place, and evaluating property insurance needs. Preparedness plans should consider the medical and physical needs of all family members and pets. | In Committee |
| A4016 | Creates "Manufacturing Reboot Program" in EDA to provide financial assistance to certain manufacturing businesses; makes $10 million appropriation to EDA. | This bill establishes a New Jersey "Manufacturing Reboot Program" (program) within the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA). The purpose of the program is to address the negative effects the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had on New Jersey manufacturing businesses. The program is to be used by the EDA to assist "qualified manufacturing businesses," as defined in the bill, as they retool to develop new products or expand current manufacturing capabilities. The EDA is to provide priority assistance to a qualified manufacturing business (manufacturing business) having sales revenues that have been reduced due to the economic effects of, and increased costs to, its business operations during the pandemic, that is at risk of discontinuing its manufacturing operations in this State as determined by the EDA, that is able to retool to produce products for the healthcare industry such as medical devices, personal protection equipment, or pharmaceuticals, especially any vaccine used to reduce the spread of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019, and that is able to make adjustments for the manufacturing business's capacity to manufacture a vaccine for that purpose. The EDA is to provide a grant award to a qualified manufacturing business deemed eligible by the EDA upon application by a manufacturing business in a manner established by the EDA, and only if the result of providing the grant will yield a net positive benefit to the State that equals a percentage amount of a grant award as determined by the EDA. The EDA is to work in conjunction with the Business Action Center and State, local, and private business assistance entities to develop and promote the program. Under the program, the EDA is to provide a grant award ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 per manufacturing business, depending on the market potential and long-term economic impact of a manufacturing business's new production capabilities on the State or regional economy. Each grant award is to be revenue neutral to the State, as determined by the EDA, and a grant award may be used by a manufacturing business for the purchase of manufacturing equipment, machinery used in a manufacturing process, or computer aided design or computer aided manufacturing equipment or software, for payroll expenses or costs, or for the training of new or existing employees. A program application proposing new jobs creation will improve an applicant manufacturing business's chances of application approval; however, the creation of new jobs is not to be required if the applicant manufacturing business can provide to the EDA evidence that the approval of a grant award will expand sales, improve productivity, or increase diversification and capabilities of the applicant manufacturing business. The bill requires a manufacturing business to provide to the EDA quarterly reports verifying its employment levels and expenditures using grant funds provided by the EDA as determined by the EDA and requires to EDA to report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on the functioning of the program and whether the program meets the needs of manufacturing businesses. The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the EDA the sum of $10 million solely for the awarding of grants to manufacturing businesses participating in the program. Of that amount, $5 million is to be used to award grants to manufacturing businesses manufacturing a vaccine used to reduce the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019, or is able to make adjustments for the qualified manufacturing business's capacity to manufacture a vaccine for that purpose. The remaining $5 million is to be used to provide grants to manufacturing businesses producing products for the healthcare industry such as medical devices, personal protection equipment, or pharmaceuticals that are not vaccines used to reduce the spread of the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019. The EDA may seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for funding the costs of the program, except that the EDA may not accept a gift, grant, or donation that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with any other law of this State. | In Committee |
| A3988 | Provides free telecommunication services for incarcerated persons at State, county, and private adult and juvenile correctional facilities. | This bill provides that all adult and juvenile correctional facilities in the State operated by the Department of Corrections, the Juvenile Justice Commission, the counties, and private operators allow incarcerated persons to make and receive telephone calls, video calls, and electronic mail free of charge to both the sending and receiving party. Under current law, incarcerated persons may be charged for domestic telephone calls at up to 11 cents per minute using a debit, prepaid, or collect call system. Current law does not require incarcerated persons to have access to video calls or electronic mail, although such capability is already in place at certain facilities, with a fee charged to the incarcerated person. The bill makes an appropriation of such funds as may be necessary for the implementation of the bill, as certified by the Commissioner of Corrections and the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. The Department of Corrections and the Juvenile Justice Commission retain the authority to establish rules and regulations for the security of telecommunication services. It is the sponsor's intent that the bill would not require any renegotiation of existing State or local contracts for telecommunication services, but would instead shift the costs associated with the contracts to the correctional facility operator. In the sponsor's view, the more incarcerated persons stay in touch with their families, the better they do when they reenter society, while those with weaker support systems due to lack of communication during incarceration are more likely to re-offend. Maintaining family and community connection while incarcerated is key to successful reentry, and thus it is in the public interest to reduce the economic burden on incarcerated persons associated with making and receiving calls and messages. The sponsor notes that New York City, Connecticut, California, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Colorado have all recently adopted legislation to make telecommunication services free to incarcerated persons. The sponsor further notes that prison telecommunication services is a $1.4 billion industry that has been accused of price-gouging and profiteering from the families of incarcerated persons. According to some studies, one in three families with an incarcerated loved one goes into debt over the cost of telephone calls charged by correctional facilities. It is the sponsor's intent to ease the enormous financial burden on the families of incarcerated persons who are simply trying to maintain communication with their loved ones. | In Committee |
| AR121 | Urges restaurants to include warnings against use of mobile ordering features while driving. | This resolution urges restaurants located in New Jersey that accept mobile ordering to implement safety features, such as pop-up warnings, to caution consumers against placing a mobile order while driving. Distracted driving is among the five leading causes of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States, resulting in 42 deaths on New Jersey interstate highways during 2021. The most common distraction for drivers is cell phone use, which may include placing a mobile order with a restaurant while driving. | In Committee |
| A4017 | Requires certain public water systems to publish certain financial and employee information on Internet. | This bill supplements the "Water Quality Accountability Act," which imposes certain testing, reporting, management, and infrastructure investment requirements on certain water purveyors, i.e., public water systems with more than 500 service connections. The bill requires each water purveyor to develop and maintain either a website or a webpage on the municipality's or county's website in which it provides service, as applicable, in order to provide increased public access to information on the operations and activities of the water purveyor. The following information is to be posted: 1) a description and map of the service area of the water purveyor, identifying each municipality that receives water from the public water system; 2) the budget, once adopted, for the current fiscal year and the budget for the immediately preceding fiscal year; 3) the most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report or other similar financial information; 4) the annual audit for the most recent fiscal year and immediately preceding fiscal year; 5) the title, office mailing address, office email address, and office telephone number of every person who exercises day-to-day supervision or management over some or all of the operations of the public water system; 6) any rules, regulations, or official policy statements deemed relevant by the water purveyor to the interests of the residents within the service area of the public water system, including certain certifications required pursuant to the "Water Quality Accountability Act"; and 7) a list of attorneys, advisors, consultants, and any other person, firm, business, partnership, corporation, or other organization that received any remuneration of $17,500 or more during the preceding fiscal year for any service whatsoever rendered to the public water system. | In Committee |
| A3991 | Directs State Board of Education to authorize general science endorsement to instructional certificate. | This bill directs the State Board of Education to authorize the issuance of a general science endorsement to an instructional certificate. The endorsement authorizes the holder to teach any science course in grades nine through 12. The bill defines "instructional certificate" as a certificate of eligibility, certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, provisional certificate, or standard instructional certificate. The bill requires a candidate seeking an instructional certificate with a general science endorsement to: (1) possess a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in biology, chemistry, physics, or a related field; (2) achieve a grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0, or its equivalent; (3) pass a Commissioner of Education-approved basic skills test; (4) pass a commissioner-approved subject matter test, if applicable, and (5) meet any other requirements as established by the commissioner. Under the bill, a teacher who currently holds a biological science, chemistry, earth science, physical science, or physics endorsement to an instructional certificate may apply for an instructional certificate with a general science endorsement provided the teacher meets the requirements set forth in the bill. | In Committee |
| A3958 | Establishes program in New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing for support of residency programs at veterans' memorial homes in New Jersey; appropriates $500,000. | This bill establishes a program through which veterans' memorial homes in New Jersey may apply to receive financial, material, and technical support from the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing ("NJCCN") to implement a residency program for licensed practical nurses and registered professional nurses, or one of these professions. To manage the operations of the program, the bill appropriates $500,000 to NJCCN. Data on the residency programs is to be collected for review by the Governor and Legislature. | In Committee |
| A3944 | Establishes "Male Teachers of Color Mentorship Pilot Program"; appropriates $95,000. | This bill establishes the three-year "Male Teachers of Color Mentorship Pilot Program," which is to be developed and operated by the Commissioner of Education. The commissioner is to select one or more institutions of higher education that offers an educator preparation program, and one or more school districts, charter schools, or renaissance school projects that each employ at least one male teacher of color to participate in the pilot program. Under the pilot program, the commissioner is to select 19 male students of color from among the institutions of higher education selected for participation in the pilot program and 19 male teachers of color from the school districts, charter schools, or renaissance school projects selected for participation in the pilot program. To be eligible for the program, a student is required to be in the final year of an educator preparation program. The commissioner is required to pair each selected student with a current teacher, who is to serve as the student's mentor through the candidate's last year of the educator preparation program and, if the student is hired for employment in the participating district, charter school, or renaissance school project upon the student's graduation from an educator preparation program, for the first two years of the student's teaching career. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school project that provides mentoring services under the provisions of the amended bill is to conduct a review of the student's performance under the pilot program following completion of the student's final year in an educator preparation program. A school district, charter school, or renaissance school project that provides mentoring services to a student under the pilot program is required to make a good faith effort to hire the student following the student's graduation from an educator preparation program, if the student receives a favorable performance review under the review conducted by the school district, charter school, or renaissance school project. Under the pilot program, a mentor is to receive a stipend of $5,000 for each year of participation in the pilot program. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner is to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program, including the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of the program's continuation and expansion to additional school districts, charter schools or renaissance school projects, and institutions of higher education in the State. The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of Education $95,000 to establish the "Male Teachers of Color Mentorship Pilot Program." | In Committee |
| A3938 | Establishes task force to examine school discipline practices including racial disparities and effectiveness. | This bill establishes a ten-member task force to examine, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding discipline policies and practices in New Jersey public schools, including any racial disparities in the implementation of those policies and the effectiveness of the policies. The task force will consist of 10 members. One member will be appointed by the Commissioner of Education or a designee. Seven members will be appointed by the Governor, who will include: one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators; one member upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Charter Schools Association; and one member of the public who has specialized knowledge or expertise in issues related to school discipline practices. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly will each appoint a public member with specialized knowledge or expertise in issues related to school discipline practices. Under the bill, the task force is charged with studying, evaluating, and making recommendations regarding school discipline policies and practices in New Jersey. The task force will:· examine discipline practices of school districts in the State and any racial disparities or disproportionate impacts associated with the discipline practices, including the impact of race on the suspension or expulsion of students enrolled in preschool programs;· evaluate the effectiveness of school discipline practices in the State in reducing problem behaviors and protecting the safety and security of students and school staff;· study federal guidance on school discipline issued by the United States Department of Education and the United States Department of Justice, including the January 8, 2014 Dear Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline and the January 2014 document entitled "Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline";· study other best practices or emerging research regarding improving school climate and creating positive and nondiscriminatory school discipline practices;· provide recommendations to assist school districts in improving school discipline policies and practices, including ensuring that discipline practices are applied in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner; and· provide recommendations for legislation concerning school discipline policies and practices. The task force is required to issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within 12 months of its organization. | In Committee |
| A3937 | Requires Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain primary and mental health care services match reimbursement rates under Medicare. | This bill requires the Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care and mental health services to match the reimbursement are for those services under Medicare. Specifically, commencing July 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Medicaid reimbursement rate for primary care and mental health services is required to be no less than 100 percent of the payment rate that applies to such services under part B of the federal Medicare program. Primary care and mental health services include those services furnished by: (1) a physician with a primary specialty designation of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatric medicine, or obstetrics and gynecology; (2) a health care professional, including but not limited to an advance practice nurse or a physician assistant, who is working in the area of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatric medicine, or obstetrics and gynecology; or (3) a midwife. Mental health services additionally include those services furnished by a health care provider with one of the following specialty designations: licensed clinical social worker, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor, or psychiatrist. The provisions of the bill are not to be construed to require any decrease in the Medicaid reimbursement rate for a primary care or mental health service from the previous fiscal year's reimbursement level for the same service. The requirements of the bill will apply to services reimbursed under both the Medicaid fee-for-service delivery system and the Medicaid managed care delivery system, but will only to services delivered by an approved Medicaid provider. The bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services, no later than one year after the effective date of the bill, to submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature concerning implementation of the bill, including data regarding changes in access to primary care and mental health services, as well as the quality of care of these services, for Medicaid beneficiaries following any rate increases implemented under the bill. The report is also to include any recommendations for further enhancements to the Medicaid rates for these services to improve provider access and quality of care for Medicaid beneficiaries in underserved areas of the State. | In Committee |
| A3176 | Establishes and allocates funds for program to provide mental health services to veterans; appropriates $2 million. | This bill directs the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to establish a program to provide grants to certain veterans organizations to provide mental health services to veterans. The veterans organizations will contract with mental health care professionals to provide the services. The bill appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Fund for the program. The bill defines "veterans organization" to mean a veterans organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization. It shall also include the New Jersey SOS Veterans Stakeholders Group and the New Jersey Catholic Charities Diocese. | In Committee |
| A518 | Provides for expansion of county transportation services to include disabled veterans; provides funding source for expansion. | Provides for expansion of county transportation services to include disabled veterans; provides funding source for expansion. | In Committee |
| A3177 | Establishes New Jersey Veteran Services Grant Program in DMVA; makes appropriation. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Veteran Services Grant Program to assist veterans in applying for and receiving State and federal benefits and to provide training for veterans service officers employed by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The grants will be awarded to qualified veterans' organizations on a competitive basis based on criteria developed by DMVA. An application for a grant must have a detailed outline of the training that will be provided to State veterans service officers or the number of additional veterans service officers the organization will provide to assist veterans with applying for and receiving State and federal benefits, or both. Implementation of the grant program would be subject to a future appropriation by the Legislature. Under the bill, "qualified veterans' organization" is defined as a nonprofit veterans' organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, or a federally chartered Veterans' Service Organization. This bill also appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the department to defray the costs of the grant program. | In Committee |
| A3970 | Requires Police Training Commission to study gender disparity in police employment and issue recommendations. | This bill requires the Police Training Commission in the Department of Law and Public Safety to study and evaluate gender disparity in police employment in State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies. Under the bill, the commission is required to consider issues including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring practices, and retention policies. The bill requires the commission to issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months following enactment of this bill that contains the commission's findings and recommendations concerning methods to improve Statewide gender disparity in police employment. | In Committee |
| A3948 | Allows each county to create central registry and provide emergency supply kits to distribute to senior residents during emergencies. | This bill allows each county in the State to establish a central registry that allows senior residents, 65 years of age or older, to voluntarily register to receive additional assistance during an emergency. A county that creates a central registry is to conduct a public awareness campaign, utilizing the Internet and any other available resources, to inform the general public of the importance of registration by senior residents so that appropriate preparations may be made to ensure that these individuals receive necessary assistance. Each county in the State may prepare and provide emergency supply kits for senior residents, who have registered to receive additional assistance. The items within these emergency supply kits would be determined by each county office of emergency management in accordance with section 20 of P.L.1989, c.222 (C.App.A:9-43.3). | In Committee |
| A3556 | Requires DOT to establish paratransit brokerage program to consolidate provisions of paratransit services under State Medicaid program and NJT Access Link. | This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to oversee the implementation of a paratransit brokerage program, through which the provision of certain forms of paratransit service would be managed by a transportation broker and made available through an interactive brokerage software. Under current law, the State is required to provide various forms of paratransit service, including: (1) ADA paratransit service, which is currently administered by the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) under the Access Link program, which service is required under the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990"; and (2) Medicaid paratransit service, which is currently administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS), through a contracted broker, under the State Medicaid program, which service is required under Title XIX of the federal "Social Security Act." Under the bill, the provision of these paratransit services would be consolidated into one paratransit brokerage program overseen by the DOT. Specifically, the paratransit brokerage program would be managed by a transportation broker contracted by the DOT and facilitated through the use of an interactive brokerage software, which would allow eligible persons to schedule requests for service and allow participating providers to competitively bid to fulfill these requests. Importantly, this brokerage model is intended to achieve cost savings and operational efficiencies in the provision of paratransit service, which efficiencies are not achievable under the current, fragmented service models. In managing the paratransit brokerage program, the bill requires the transportation broker to assume the following responsibilities: (1) maintaining a paratransit provider network for ADA paratransit service and Medicaid transportation service, respectively, with sufficient capacity to provide all required forms of paratransit service within all applicable service areas in the State; (2) ensuring that each provider of ADA paratransit service and Medicaid paratransit service is qualified to provide the service and complies with all applicable provisions of law or regulation; (3) ensuring that each recipient of ADA paratransit service and Medicaid paratransit service is eligible to receive the service; (4) compensating each paratransit provider that operates in the program; (5) receiving and acting upon passenger complaints; and (6) divesting from any ownership stake or equity interest in any entity or organization that operates as a paratransit provider under the program. The bill also requires the DOT and DHS to develop separate standards concerning the provision of ADA paratransit service and Medicaid paratransit service, respectively, under the program. At a minimum, these standards would be required to prescribe minimum functionality requirements for interactive brokerage software to ensure that the provision of ADA paratransit service and Medicaid paratransit service, respectively, complies with all applicable requirements of law. Thereafter, the bill requires the DOT, in consultation with DHS and NJ Transit, to issue a request for proposal (RFP) and enter into a contract for the development of the interactive brokerage software. After this software has been developed, the bill also requires the DOT, in consultation with DHS and NJ Transit, to issue an RFP and enter into a contract for the procurement of the transportation broker. In each case, the contractor selected by the DOT would be required to demonstrate experience in the development of a similar software platform or the administration of a similar brokerage program. Immediately after the paratransit brokerage program has been implemented, the program would be limited to the provision of ADA paratransit service and Medicaid transportation service by paratransit providers other than county transit agencies and community organizations. However, within two years following the implementation of the program, and every five years thereafter, the DOT would be required to conduct a study to assess whether the program should be expanded to incorporate other forms of paratransit service or to allow county transit agencies and community organizations to operate as paratransit providers. Thereafter, the bill provides that the program could be expanded, subject to the determinations of this study and the adoption of rules and regulations effectuating such expansion. Under the bill, the operational and administrative costs of the paratransit brokerage program would be defrayed by proportionate funding from the DHS and NJ Transit, with DHS responsible for the costs of Medicaid paratransit service and NJ Transit responsible for the costs of ADA paratransit service. In each case, the bill requires these monies to be transferred to the DOT and paid to the transportation broker. Using these monies, the transportation broker would be required to compensate the paratransit providers operating in the program, which compensation would be based exclusively on the requests for paratransit service that have been fulfilled by the provider. Of the remaining funds, the bill permits the transportation broker to retain such amounts as may be prescribed in the transportation brokerage contract to support the costs of managing the program. The bill would also amend and repeal various sections of statutory law to reflect the creation of the paratransit brokerage program and to allow for the possibility of program expansion. Specifically, the bill would repeal several sections of the "Paratransit Services Improvement Act," P.L.2020, c.114 (C.27:25-35 et seq.), which sections set forth an alternative process for integrating the provision of certain paratransit services. However, the bill would amend this law to clarify that the Regional Paratransit Coordinating Councils would also be responsible for encouraging participation in the program. | In Committee |
| AJR155 | Establishes "Autism and Developmental Disabilities Study Commission." | This joint resolution establishes the "Autism and Developmental Disabilities Study Commission," which will consist of seven members, including the Commissioner of Health, or the commissioner's designee; the Commissioner of Human Services, or the commissioner's designee; one member to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one member to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one member to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; one member to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and one member to be appointed by the Governor. Under the resolution, the commission would study how certain organizations, including hospitals, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, and courts, train their employees to identify and interact with people with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. The members of the commission are to be appointed within 60 days from the date of enactment of the resolution, and the commission is to issue a report one year after the date of its organization. The commission would submit the report, together with any recommendations it may have for legislative or regulatory action, to the Governor and the Legislature, and would dissolve 30 days after the issuance of its report. | In Committee |
| A3871 | Requires school districts to provide instruction on history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans as part of implementation of New Jersey Student Learning Standards. | This bill directs the State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies and English Language Arts on Latino and Hispanic American history. The bill also requires a board of education to include instruction on the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of the school district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Social Studies and English Language Arts. The bill further requires the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage, to provide school districts with sample learning activities and resources that may be used to support implementation of the instructional requirement. Current law requires the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage, in consultation with the Department of Education, to develop curriculum guidelines for the teaching of subjects and topics concerning and relating to the culture, history, and heritage of people of Latino and Hispanic descent. School boards are to incorporate these guidelines into the curriculum to the extent possible. This bill specifically requires instruction on the history and contributions of Latino and Hispanic Americans in the curriculum as part of the implementation of the learning standards. | In Committee |
| A3866 | Sets State's mileage reimbursement rate at IRS rate for business use of automobile. | Under current law, the State's mileage reimbursement rate is $0.18 cents per mile, adjusted biannually to reflect changes in gasoline prices. Annual appropriations acts have adjusted this mileage reimbursement rate. This bill provides that the mileage reimbursement rate payable to a State officer or employee driving a private automobile on State business will be the same as the standard mileage rate established by the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business purposes. The bill repeals the provision of current law that requires adjustment twice each year to reflect changes in the price of gasoline. | In Committee |
| A3978 | Establishes "Substance Use Disorder and Addiction Treatment Best Practices Task Force." | This bill establishes the "Substance Use Disorder and Addiction Treatment Best Practices Task Force." The purpose of the task force is to: 1) determine whether an existing government body or a new agency should be established to oversee the substance use disorder system of care; 2) make recommendations on how to improve the current substance use disorder system of care; 3) develop and implement best practices for owners and operators of outpatient treatment centers and sober homes; and 4) make recommendations on how the State should regulate dual ownership of outpatient treatment centers and sober homes. The task force is to consist of 12 members as follows: one member of the General Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who is to serve as co-chairperson; one member of the General Assembly, appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; one member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, who is to serve as co-chairperson; one member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; the Commissioner of Health or the commissioner's designee, who is to serve ex officio; the Director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) or the director's designee, who is to serve ex officio; and six public members, who are to be appointed by the Governor, as follows: one peer recovery specialist, certified by the Addiction Professionals Certification Board of New Jersey; one peer recovery support specialist, certified by the Association for Addiction Professionals; one member who is in a management position at an outpatient treatment center; one member who is in a management position at a sober home; one member who is the owner of an outpatient treatment center; and one member who is the owner of sober home. The task force will present a report of its findings to the Governor and to the Legislature no later than two years after the organization of the task force. The task force will expire 30 days after the issuance of its report. | In Committee |
| A3869 | Prohibits electioneering within 25 feet of person waiting in line at polling place or ballot drop box; makes electioneering a disorderly persons offense. | Current law prohibits electioneering inside a polling place and within 100 feet of the outside entrance of a polling place or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box. Electioneering consists of distributing or displaying circular or printed materials that offer suggestions about how to vote or which solicit support for a candidate, party, or public question. This bill expands current law to prohibit electioneering within 25 feet of a person waiting in line in an area that is farther than 100 feet from the polling place or ballot drop box. Current law also prohibits the following actions, which constitute crimes of the third degree: (1) tampering, defacing, or interfering with any polling booth; (2) obstructing or interfering with any voter, or loitering in or near a polling place; and (3) spending an inordinate amount of time in the polling booth. This bill expands current law to also apply such prohibited actions to ballot drop boxes. Current law also classifies electioneering as crime of the third degree in R.S.19:34-6, but as a disorderly persons offense in R.S.19:34-15. This bill provides for consistency in the law and makes electioneering a disorderly persons offense. The bill clarifies that the provisions concerning electioneering within 25 feet of a person waiting in line at a polling place or ballot drop box or in an area that is farther than 100 feet thereof would not be construed to prohibit: (1) the placement of newspaper racks or vending machines, or other newspaper sales or dissemination sites, including home delivery sites, that distribute or display printed matter; or (2) the provision of nonpartisan voter assistance to persons waiting in line, provided that such assistance does not involve support for, or opposition against, any candidate, party, or public question. The bill specifies that these exempted activities concerning newspapers and voter assistance, as described under (1) and (2) above, would not be construed to be a violation of the bill. | In Committee |
| AJR153 | Designates May of each year as "Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month." | This joint resolution designates May of each year as "Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month" in New Jersey in order to increase public awareness about the dangers of smoking among youth, including the short-term and long-term health consequences associated with tobacco use, and to encourage efforts supporting smoking prevention and cessation among middle and high school students. The joint resolution requests the Governor to issue a proclamation designating May of each year as "Youth Smoking Prevention and Awareness Month" in New Jersey and calling upon public officials and the citizens of the State to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs. | In Committee |
| A3909 | "Max's Law"; requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of fentanyl and xylazine. | This bill, to be known as "Max's Law," requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. Under the bill, the instruction is required to include information on: (1) fentanyl and xylazine abuse prevention; (2) fentanyl and xylazine poisoning awareness; (3) the dangers of synthetic opioids, including fentanyl or any substituted derivative of fentanyl, xylazine, and counterfeit drugs; (4) recognizing the symptoms of fentanyl and xylazine poisoning; (5) how to respond to a fentanyl or xylazine poisoning emergency; and (6) laws that provide immunity or other protections for persons who report drug or alcohol use, or who seek medical treatment for drug or alcohol poisoning or overdoses for themselves or others. Additionally, the bill requires the Commissioner of Education to provide school districts with age-appropriate resources designed to implement the requirements established under the bill. The information is required to utilize information and resources provided by: (1) the National Institutes of Health; (2) the United States Drug Enforcement Administration; (3) the United States Department of Health and Human Services; (4) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; or (5) any State, county, or municipal department or agency. The bill requires the Department of Education to post and maintain on its Internet website: (1) information for instruction on the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine provided to school districts; (2) informational materials containing awareness and safety information for school staff, students, and parents, on opioid poisoning prevention; (3) information on outreach organizations with resources concerning opioid awareness and opioid poisoning prevention; and (4) preventative mental health resources available from applicable federal, state, county, or municipal departments and agencies. Xylazine, commonly referred to as "tranq," is a non-opioid sedatitve, or tranquilizer. While xylazine is not considered a controlled substance in the United States, it is not approved for use in people. The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration reported that xylazine and fentanyl mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. It is the sponsor's intent that this bill raise awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine and to honor the memory of Max Lenowitz of Woodcliff Lake, a beloved son, brother, and friend, and the thousands of other New Jersey residents who have lost their lives to fentanyl or xylazine poisoning. | In Committee |
| A3915 | Establishes Veterans State Government Fellowship program. | This bill creates the Veterans State Government Fellowship program within the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey. The purpose of the program is to foster and encourage education and training in the executive and legislative processes for veterans who have an interest in law, public policy, and politics. The program will be administered by the Eagleton Institute. Eight veterans will be selected to serve as fellows. The fellows will be selected by the director of the program. Each veteran fellow will be paid a stipend and will work for the Legislature in either the Senate Majority Office, Senate Minority Office, General Assembly Majority Office, or General Assembly Minority Office, or for a participating State department or agency. An annual appropriation of $600,000 will be made to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for the purposes of this bill. | In Committee |
| AJR154 | Designates April of each year as "Autism Acceptance Month" in NJ. | This resolution designates April of each year as "Autism Acceptance Month" in New Jersey to coincide with National Autism Acceptance Month. Autism spectrum disorders are a group of developmental disabilities characterized by atypical development in socialization, communication, and behavior, symptoms that generally appear before three years of age and continue over a lifetime. People with autism face a variety of communication, socialization, safety, and financial challenges. Although there is no known cure for autism, research suggests that early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the cost of lifetime care and improve outcomes for people with autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 36 American children born today will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. New Jersey has the highest rate of autism in the nation, and the prevalence of autism in the State continues to exceed and outpace the rate of autism in other states. | In Committee |
| A3878 | Establishes three-year pilot program in DOE to provide certain students with information and assistance regarding federal financial aid application. | This bill directs the Commissioner of Education, in coordination with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, to establish a three-year pilot program to provide information on and assistance in the proper completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The goal of the pilot program is to ensure that each 12th grade student has the opportunity and instruction necessary to apply for federal financial aid. Under the bill, a school district that wants to participate in the program is required to submit a proposal to the commissioner. The commissioner will select four districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to participate in the program. The bill requires the board of education of a participating school district to ensure that each student receives information at least once before the student enters grade 12 on how to properly complete and submit the FAFSA. Information may be disseminated through classroom instruction during regular school hours. Information may also be provided through an existing school program, family information sessions, or group or individual sessions with school counselors. The information provided is to include material related to: (1) the types of documentation and personal information that each student financial aid application requires; (2) an explanation of terms used for each application; (3) eligibility requirements for student financial aid; and (4) application timelines and submission deadlines for the FAFSA. The bill also requires the board of education of a participating school district to ensure that the parent or guardian of each student entering grade 12 receives, via written or electronic means, information on the FAFSA and how to properly complete and submit the form. Under the bill, the board of education of a participating school district is required to ensure that a paper copy of the FAFSA is provided upon request to each high school student or the student's parent or guardian. The board of education is also required to ensure that any information shared by a student, parent, or guardian pursuant to this bill is handled according to applicable State and federal privacy laws and regulations. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the Commissioner of Education is directed to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature. The report is to contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, including the commissioner's recommendation on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis. | In Committee |
| A3902 | Requires certain nursing homes to improve quality ratings. | This bill requires nursing homes certified to participate in the Medicaid program with an overall rating on the CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System of one star to develop and implement a corrective action plan to improve the nursing home's rating as a condition of receiving reimbursement under the Medicaid program. A nursing home with a one star rating will submit a corrective action plan to the Department of Human Services, providing a description of the action steps to be taken by the nursing home over a six-month period to resolve quality issues indicated by the nursing home's domain ratings within the CMS federal Quality Rating System. The plan, at a minimum, will include steps that would improve the nursing home's overall rating to a minimum of two stars after the implementation of the plan. The department, in cooperation with the Department of Health, will review the plan. The nursing home will immediately commence implementing the plan upon written approval by the department. Any plan that is not approved will be returned to the nursing home by the department with a written explanation of the plan's deficiencies. The nursing home will resubmit an updated corrective action plan to the department for review within 30 days of receipt of this notification. Within 60 days of the completion of the nursing home's approved corrective action plan and every 60 days thereafter, the facility will submit a report to the department documenting the execution of the plan, as well as the outcomes of the action steps. The department, in cooperation with the Department of Health, will evaluate the facility's report and determine the facility's compliance in implementing the plan as approved by the department. At the Commissioner of Human Services' discretion, a nursing home determined to be non-compliant with the implementation of the facility's plan may be provided additional time to fulfill the action steps outlined in the plan. A nursing home with a one star rating determined by the Commissioner of Human Services to be non-compliant with any provisions of this bill will be ineligible to receive reimbursement under the Medicaid program, provided that reimbursement for services will continue until all Medicaid beneficiaries residing at the facility have been relocated. The nursing home will be responsible for informing Medicaid residents, in writing, of the facility's non-compliance with this bill and for providing the department with a patient-centered discharge plan for current Medicaid residents within 30 days of the receipt of the department's written determination of non-compliance. The department will include information on an appeals process, to be established by the Commissioner of Human Services, in the written documentation provided to non-compliant nursing homes. | In Committee |
| A3884 | Increases transparency and accountability for NJT and independence of NJT board members; establishes Office of Customer Advocate; requires greater detail for capital program. | This bill provides for changes to the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) enabling statues to increase transparency and accountability and the independence of NJ Transit board members. Election of the vice chairperson The bill provides that the vice chairperson of the NJ Transit board of directors is to be elected from among the public voting members of the board. The vice chairperson is to serve for a two year term. The bill prohibits an ex officio member from serving as the vice-chairperson of the board. The bill also prohibits designees of ex officio members from presiding over any board meeting. Public Meetings The bill requires that board agendas be provided to the public seven calendar days prior to the meeting and that the board is not to allow more than 60 calendar days to elapse without holding a public board meeting. The bill authorizes any board member to request, through the office of the chair, that a topic of item be included for discussion or board action at a future board meeting. Board Hiring This bill requires that the board of directors directly hire the Executive Director, Director of the Office of Customer Advocate, and Auditor General. It also requires board approval of hiring by the Executive Director for certain positions including all positions at the level of Senior Vice President and Chief. Board and Committee Transparency and Accountability The bill subjects major planning documents to review and approval by the board of directors. The board is also required to review and approve any substantial curtailment or elimination of paratransit service. The bill requires the board to take an active role in developing corporate bylaws and to adopt new bylaws within 180 days of the effective date of the bill to ensure consistency with statutory law governing NJ Transit. The board is required to ensure that the bylaws are available to the public and published on NJ Transit's website. Under the bill, NJ Transit personnel are required to make audit documents in their final form available to the members of the board in a centralized database. If NJ Transit has not yet established a centralized database for these documents, the bill requires that the documents be made available to a board member upon request. The bill requires NJ Transit senior management to collaborate with the administration committee on the development of any major fiscal item. NJ Transit is prohibited from taking certain action concerning a major fiscal item until the major fiscal item has been presented to the administration committee. If the members of the administration committee find that the major fiscal item should not advance or needs to be modified, the full board may, at a subsequent board meeting, require NJ Transit to take action. The bill provides that the Auditor General and internal audit department of NJ Transit are to report directly to the audit committee and the board of directors and are to be independent of the supervision of the Executive Director, unless specifically authorized by the audit committee or the board. The bill clarifies that each committee of the board is to serve as an apparatus for members of the committee to obtain information and to engage in policy discussions within the purview of the committee. Upon request of a committee member, NJ Transit personnel is required to provide information to the committee at a time and in a form and manner determined by the committee. The bill permits the establishment of any ad hoc or temporary committee to address a specific issue of interest to the board or the public. Each committee, standing or temporary, is to submit a committee report to the board for each committee meeting, which is to include the written summary of the substance of any discussions and any action taken at the committee meeting. The bill states that the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate, or the director's designee, may attend any committee meeting to provide pertinent information or commentary to the committee. The chairperson of each passenger advisory committee is authorized to provide pertinent information to any committee but is not privileged to committee discussion. The bill also clarifies that the board and each member of the board remain authorized and obligated to exercise the functions and responsibilities of each committee and emphasizes that each board member is required to apply independent judgment while fulfilling the board member's duties. Customer Advocate This bill repeals a provision of law that requires NJ Transit to employ a customer advocate and, instead, establishes the Office of Customer Advocate (Customer Advocate) to: provide information and independent analysis to the NJ Transit board of directors on the impact that board and NJ Transit actions are having, or are expected to have, on NJ Transit's customers; provide genuine customer input and feedback to the board of directors, including relaying the needs and concerns of customers to the board of directors; and represent the best interest of NJ Transit's customers as determined by the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate. The Customer Advocate is allocated within the Department of Transportation but is independent of any supervision or control by the department, provided, however, that the director of the office is to be supervised by NJ Transit's board of directors. The Customer Advocate is authorized to conduct investigations, initiate studies, conduct research, present comments and testimony before the board of directors, legislative committees, and other governmental bodies, and prepare and issue reports. The Customer Advocate is required to arrange for meetings with NJ Transit passengers, on at least a monthly basis, for the purpose of: relaying the concerns and needs of passengers to the board of directors and the executive management team of NJ Transit; and providing information to passengers on major board or NJ Transit actions of which the director has knowledge. In addition to monthly meetings, the director of the office may undertake any other action that the director deems to be in furtherance of the Customer Advocate's purposes. The Customer Advocate also has the authority to represent the public interest regarding proposed fare increases, proposed substantial curtailments of service, proposed expansion of service, and any other action or omission of NJ Transit that the Customer Advocate determines has an impact on NJ Transit's customers. The Customer Advocate is required to issue an annual report detailing the office's activities for the prior year. The bill reduces the number of persons appointed by the Governor to each passenger advisory committee from six to five and instead authorizes the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate to appoint one person to each passenger advisory committee. The bill also directs the passenger advisory committees to provide advice, input, and guidance to the Office of Customer Advocate. Capital Program Public Hearing and Reporting The bill requires NJ Transit to hold at least two public hearings concerning the contents of the annual capital program before it adopts and implements the program. The bill also requires NJ Transit to hold at least two public hearings per year on its strategic plan, capital program priorities, and vision for NJ Transit's future. The bill provides requirements for the public hearings. This bill amends the requirements for the annual transportation capital program report that is annually submitted to the Legislature as part of the annual budget process. This report is a recommendation provided by the Department of Transportation and NJ Transit for how the State should appropriate the State's capital program appropriations from the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund. The bill requires that the reporting of capital projects in the report be more specific by narrowing the scope of what is to be reported as a project down to the level of each contract of $100,000 or more, or a group of contracts totaling more than $100,000 that are for related work at a single site. The bill also requires the projects to be reported in a manner that conveys the scope and scale of work to be completed over the course of the fiscal year. These requirements are directed specifically at the reporting for NJ Transit which has traditionally reported capital requests in broad categories that obscure the specific capital work to be completed. The bill also provides that the capital program is to be reported in a document format as is currently the case, and to also require the reporting of capital program information in a sortable spreadsheet format. | In Committee |
| A3913 | Requires State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to assign paid or volunteer advocates to long-term care facilities; makes appropriation. | This bill requires the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman (ombudsman) to assign paid or volunteer advocates to long-term care facilities, and makes an appropriation. Under the bill, the ombudsman is to appoint an advocate, either paid or volunteer, to be assigned to on-site duties at one or more long-term care facilities, which duties are to include in-person visitation with long-term care residents to ensure that the financial, health, legal, social, and other needs of the residents are met, in a manner to be determined by the ombudsman. | In Committee |
| A3907 | Requires MVC to allow customers to schedule appointments on MVC's website; extends expiration date of certain documents under certain circumstances. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to allow a customer to reserve an appointment for service at a specific commission agency location on the commission's website. If a customer schedules an appointment through the commission's website to renew a document that is set to expire and the first available appointment at the selected commission agency location is for a date and time after the document is set to expire, the document is not to expire until the date and time of the appointment scheduled by the customer for that service at the selected commission agency location. The commission is required to issue to the customer documentation that extends the expiration date of the document to the date and time of the scheduled appointment. | In Committee |
| A2166 | Permits students at public institutions of higher education to donate unused meal plan funds to emergency meal fund for distribution to New Jersey food banks. | This bill creates a new fund in the Department of State entitled the "New Jersey Emergency Meal Fund." The bill requires public institutions of higher education that offer meal plans to allow a student to voluntarily donate any unused funds that remain in the student's meal plan at the end of a semester to the New Jersey Emergency Meal Fund. All funds donated to the New Jersey Emergency Meal Fund will be provided to the New Jersey Federation of Food Banks for the purpose of providing and distributing food to the federation's network of food banks in the State of New Jersey. The bill directs public institutions of higher education to develop policies and procedures for verifying the amount of any unused funds remaining in a student's meal plan at the end of a semester and for facilitating the transfer of unused funds that have been donated by students from their meal plans to the New Jersey Emergency Meal Fund. Under the bill, unused funds from a meal plan include direct money that remains in a student's meal plan at the end of a semester and the amount of money that equates to the value of any unused meals or unused meal points that remain in a student's meal plan at the end of a semester. | In Committee |
| A3774 | Establishes five-year conception to cradle pilot program in DOE. | This bill establishes a five-year Conception to Cradle Pilot Program in the Department of Education (DOE). The objective of the pilot program is to facilitate partnerships between public schools, community-based nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, health and social services providers, public and private universities, and State and local governmental agencies to: (1) provide an integrated focus on early childhood development, health and social services, educational counseling, and community development; (2) offer prenatal and pediatric health and nutritional care to infants and toddlers from birth to age three; and (3) actively engage families and foster collaborative practices based on an individual community's identified need. Under the pilot program, 50 public schools with the worst student performance are to be selected to receive training in providing community school services to infants and toddlers from birth to age three, and would be assigned a site coordinator to assist in the provision of services. The bill stipulates that no later than six months following the bill's effective date, the Commissioner of Education (commissioner) is to survey every school district in the State to assess the extent to which public schools in the district can provide community school services to infants and toddlers from birth to age three. The survey is to: (1) identify public schools with the worst student performance in the district that have an interest in providing community school services; (2) list the entities with which a school can enter into a partnership for the provision of services; and (3) detail services that are to be provided through the community school services program. Under the bill, the commissioner would issue a request for proposals to identify a nonprofit organization located in the State to manage the pilot program. The selected organization would be responsible for providing technical assistance to the public schools participating in the pilot program, and may enter into an agreement with another nonprofit entity to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities as outlined in the bill. The organization, in coordination with the DOE, would develop an application procedure and specific criteria for selecting the 50 public schools to participate in the program and receive direct support from a site coordinator. The selection criteria would be posted on the DOE's website at least 20 days prior to the beginning of the application period. In selecting the 50 public schools to participate in the pilot program, priority is to be given to a school that: has the worst student performance in its school district as determined by standard assessment measures; and serves low-income and under-resourced communities. The organization would employ and train individuals who would be assigned to serve as a site coordinator in a public school selected to participate in the pilot program. Those selected to be site coordinators would be required to be employees of the organization, and not the school they are assigned. The commissioner would annually enter into a contract with an independent entity to perform an audit of the organization's accounts and financial transactions. The audits, which must be completed no later than five months following the organization's fiscal year, would be posted on the DOE's website. The bill also requires that the commissioner enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program. The final report, which the commissioner would forward to the Governor and the Legislature, would be due no later than six months prior to the conclusion of the pilot program. The bill also establishes in the DOE a nonlapsing fund known as the Conception to Cradle Pilot Program Fund. The fund is to consist of any funds that are appropriated by the Legislature for inclusion in the fund, investment earnings of the fund, and moneys contributed to the fund by private sources. | In Committee |
| A3760 | "Medical Debt Homestead Protection Act." | This bill establishes the "Medical Debt Homestead Protection Act." Under the bill, any person aged 18 or over, married or single, who resides within the State may hold as a homestead exempt from attachment, execution, and forced sale, as result of a judgement obtained for the payment and satisfaction of a medical debt, any one of the following: an interest in real property upon which exists a dwelling house in which the person resides; an interest in a condominium or cooperative in which the person resides; or a manufactured home, including the land on which the manufactured home is situated. Only one homestead exemption at a time may be held by a person under the bill. | In Committee |
| AR112 | Urges schools to implement share tables in order to reduce food waste and help alleviate food insecurity. | This Assembly resolution would urge schools to implement share tables, in order to reduce food waste and help alleviate food insecurity in the State. | In Committee |
| A895 | Establishes provisions for use of applicant and student criminal history at institution of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institution. | Establishes provisions for use of applicant and student criminal history at institution of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institution. | In Committee |
| A441 | Exempts experienced volunteer firefighters from certain requirements. | Exempts experienced volunteer firefighters from certain requirements. | In Committee |
| A3722 | Requires certain State employees receive mental health first aid training. | Mental illness impacts approximately 44 million people, but many people with mental illness do not get professional help or delay getting professional help. Directors in a workplace are in a unique position to provide assistance to those dealing with mental illness, and the State, as an employer, should provide its directors with the necessary training to recognize and help those dealing with mental illness. This bill requires the Civil Service Commission to ensure that every State employee with director status receives mental health first aid training. The commission will establish appropriate requirements for the training, and each employer will provide a list of directors in need of training to the commission. The training will include, at a minimum, information regarding common mental health disorders that may arise, information to assist in recognizing early signs of mental health problems and who may need professional mental health services, and information on appropriate intervention and referral strategies. | In Committee |
| A2386 | Establishes Firefighter Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program; appropriates $1 million. | This bill establishes the Firefighter Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program. Due to the nature of firefighting, with its associated risks, danger, and stress, firefighters face a high probability of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses. Firefighters commonly feel that disclosure of mental illness will result in negative professional consequences up to and including job loss, creating a culture in which firefighters often do not divulge mental health struggles and do not seek appropriate and necessary treatment. Family members of firefighters often face unique stressors related to their loved ones' employment and may have an elevated need for mental health services. To address these concerns, the bill establishes the Firefighter Critical Mental Health Assistance Grant Program in the Department of Human Services. The purpose of the program is to award grants to mental health providers to provide confidential mental health services to firefighters and members of their immediate families who are in a mental health crisis or suicidal. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Human Services is required to develop an application by which a mental health services provider may apply for a grant for funding to provide mental health services pursuant to the provisions of the bill. The commissioner is required to establish selection criteria for the awarding of grants under the program. The bill provides that consideration is to be given, to the greatest extent possible, to the geographical location of mental health providers and the areas where they provide services in order to facilitate patients traveling less than one hour to receive mental health services. Under the bill, the commissioner is to provide notice of the availability of funding for this program and make the application available on the department's Internet website. Upon receipt of an application, the commissioner is required to review the application and, subject to the availability of funds, award a grant to each approved grant applicant. Additionally, under the bill, the commissioner is required to publish a list of approved mental health providers on the department's Internet website. | In Committee |
| A3845 | Concerns recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters; appropriates $2 million. | This bill concerns the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and is based upon recommendations contained in the Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Task Force Report issued by the State of Delaware. Specifically, the bill: 1) requires the Division of Fire Safety to manage any Americorps program related to volunteer firefighters that are established in this State and implement a recruitment program for volunteer firefighters; 2) establishes a paid service program in the Office of Volunteerism to allow for new volunteers of any firehouse in this State to receive a monthly stipend for their service. The bill creates a special fund to pay for the volunteer stipends and allocates an initial $2 million to support the program; 3) encourages school districts to sponsor an after school program on the topic of volunteer fire service and requires the Department of Education to establish a public awareness campaign regarding the after school program; 4) establishes the Volunteer Firefighter Tuition Remission Program to incentivize volunteer firefighting in the State. The program is to provide tuition remission for up to 16 undergraduate or eight graduate credits per semester, for a maximum of eight semesters. The bill requires the Legislature to annually appropriate from the General Fund to the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority amounts necessary to implement the Volunteer Firefighter Tuition Remission Program; 5) requires county vocational schools that include grades nine through 12 to incorporate instruction on public safety services into the curriculum for students as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. The instruction will include information on firefighting and emergency medical services; 6) requires the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs to establish training course materials regarding incentives to promote the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and requires the division to administer a website dedicated to the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters; and 7) provides a $1,000 gross income tax credit to taxpayers that are members of a volunteer fire company and perform at least 100 hours of volunteer service to the company each year. To be eligible for a credit, a taxpayer would be required to obtain certification from the fire company noting the number of hours that the taxpayer performed volunteer services for the company during the taxable year. | In Committee |
| A3804 | Establishes interagency council on menopause in DOH. | This bill establishes an Interagency Council on Menopause in the Department of Health (DOH) to promote and support access to best practice health care for a person through their menopause transition and post-reproductive years, enabling the person to achieve optimal health and well-being. Under the provisions of the bill, the interagency council is to consist of 15 members as follows: (1) the Director of the Office of Women's Health in the DOH, the Assistant Commissioner of Family Health Services in the DOH, and the Director of the Division on Women in the Department of Children and Families, or their designees, who will serve ex officio; and (2) 12 public members appointed by the Governor, who include: a person with perimenopause, a person with menopause, a public health educator, an expert in perimenopause and menopause treatment and research, a representative of a women's health organization, an epidemiologist, a gynecologist licensed to practice in this State who is a menopause specialist, a general practitioner licensed to practice in this State with expertise in treating persons experiencing perimenopause or menopause, a geriatrician licensed to practice in this State, a registered professional nurse licensed to practice in this State, a nutritionist who has experience in providing services to persons with perimenopause or menopause, and a representative of a women's health advocacy organization. The purpose of the interagency council is to: promote the health and quality of a person's life during midlife and beyond through an understanding of perimenopause, menopause, and healthy aging; disseminate evidence-based knowledge concerning perimenopause and menopause to health care professionals through multi-lingual and multi-cultural educational resources, programs, and events; support and promote research into all aspects of perimenopause, menopause, and post-reproductive health; facilitate collaboration and information-exchange between health care professionals, medical societies, governmental agencies, research institutions, community-based organizations, and other organizations or entities with shared interests and goals relating to the study of, and treating persons experiencing, perimenopause or menopause; encourage the multi-disciplinary delivery of health care from menopause transition to a person's post-reproductive years; develop and provide State-supported evidence-based treatment services related to perimenopause, menopause, and post-reproductive health; increase awareness and understanding of perimenopause and menopause through the provision of multi-lingual, culturally sensitive health information to health care professionals and policy makers; develop and establish a plan to disseminate information, through television, radio, Internet, print media, social media, and other forms of communication, about new treatment options, research findings, and ways in which a person experiencing perimenopause or menopause can access services in the State; and make policy recommendations to the Legislature on the quality of, and access to, treatment and services for persons experiencing perimenopause or menopause. The bill also requires the Commissioner of Health to report to the Governor and the Legislature, no later than 18 months after the effective date of bill, and annually thereafter, on the activities and accomplishments of the interagency council and its findings and recommendations on issues relating to the quality of, and access to, treatment and services for persons experiencing perimenopause or menopause in this State. | In Committee |
| A3742 | Requires Secretary of Agriculture to establish Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to reimburse school districts for costs expended in sourcing and procuring local foods for students; appropriates $6,500,000. | This bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture (secretary) to establish and operate a Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program. The purpose of the grant program would be to provide sufficient reimbursement financing to eligible school districts in the State, as necessary to allow such districts to implement or undertake expanded or modified local food procurement policies, standards, processes, systems, and activities at their own pace, and to whatever extent that such policies, standards, processes, systems, and activities are capable of being so expanded or modified, as may be necessary to increase the total number or type of local foods being procured for students, the meal periods during which such local foods are served to students, or the total number or type of students being offered such local foods, during either the school year or the summer months, or both. A school district would be eligible for a program grant if all of the schools participating in, or directly benefitting from, the district's expanded or modified local food procurement policies, standards, processes, systems, or activities (i.e., "participating schools") are schools that provide subsidized meals to eligible students. The secretary would be authorized to annually award a program grant to each eligible school district that submits an application therefor, in accordance with the following minimum and maximum annual funding allowances: (1) a small school district, which has less than 5,000 students enrolled at participating schools, would be eligible to receive an annual program grant of not less than $10,000 and not more than $50,000; (2) a medium-sized school district, which has not less than 5,000 and not more than 10,000 students enrolled at participating schools, would be eligible to receive an annual program grant of not less than $20,000 and not more than $125,000; and (3) a large school district, which has 10,000 or more students enrolled at participating schools, would be eligible to receive an annual program grant of not less than $44,000 and not more than $250,000. A school district that wishes to obtain a program grant would be required to submit an application as prescribed by the secretary. Among other things, the grant application would be required to: (1) identify the total number and percentage of schools, in the district, that will be participating in grant-funded local food sourcing and procurement activities; (2) identify the total number of students enrolled at participating schools in the district, and, based on such enrollment numbers, indicate whether the applicant district constitutes a small district, a medium-sized district, or a large district, for the purposes of funding determinations being made pursuant to the bill; (3) indicate the total amount of the grant award being sought by the district, within the appropriate minimum and maximum funding range established by the bill; (4) indicate whether the district, or any participating school therein, is located in a food desert area; (5) include a copy of the district's existing food procurement plan, if relevant, including baseline data specifically indicating the type and amount of local food products currently being sourced and procured for students at participating schools in the district; and (6) describe the ways in which the district proposes to use program grant funding to initiate, expand, or otherwise modify its local food procurement policies, standards, processes, systems, or activities, and expressly identify the expanded types or amounts of local food products that the district proposes to source and procure for students, including the name and address of each farm or other local food producer from which the local foods will be sourced. Grants under the Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program would be awarded on a competitive basis, directly to an applicant school district, within the limits of moneys appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Agriculture for the program's purposes. In reviewing grant applications and making funding determinations, the secretary would be required to give priority funding preference to those eligible school districts that: (1) have a high number or percentage of subsidized students enrolled at participating schools and will use awarded grant funds, in full or in part, to increase subsidized students' access to local foods; (2) are located, or have participating schools located, in a food desert area; (3) propose to expand or modify their local food procurement policies so as to require the increased sourcing and procurement of local food products produced by small or mid-sized family farms or socially disadvantaged farmers in the State; or (4) were recipients of a program grant award in one or more prior years, the full amount of which has been expended and reimbursed in compliance with all applicable requirements. Of the program grant funds annually awarded to an eligible school district: (1) at least 80 percent of the awarded funds are to be used, by the school district, to reimburse the costs being expended by the district, by participating schools, and by district-operated or third party-contracted food service providers or vendors, in sourcing and procuring the increased types or numbers of local foods that are needed to implement the district's expanded or modified local food procurement policies, standards, processes, systems, and activities, as described in the grant application; and (2) up to 20 percent may be used, by the school district, to reimburse the costs being expended by the district, by participating schools, and by district-operated and third party-contracted food service providers or vendors, in acquiring, maintaining, repairing, replacing, or updating to appropriate equipment, materials, and supplies, or in employing or training appropriate staff, as necessary to facilitate the effective implementation of the district's expanded or modified local food procurement policies, standards, processes, systems, and activities, as described in the grant application. Program grant funds may not be used to reimburse any ineligible costs, or any eligible costs that are already being paid for or reimbursed with other State or federal funds. Program grant funds also may not be awarded in a single, lump-sum payment, but are to be disbursed to the recipient school district on a rolling, term-limited, monthly installment basis, over the course of a single-year commencing on September 1 and ending on July 31 next following the date on which the program grant is awarded, and using a draw-down process that provides for reimbursement checks to be issued to the district within 60 days after the department receives a monthly invoice and accounting statement submitted by the district. Each monthly invoice and accounting statement is to include appropriate receipts, photos, or other documentation verifying the expenditures being accounted for therein, as well as a brief explanation detailing why such expenditures should be deemed to constitute eligible costs for the purposes of program reimbursement. Any program grant funds that are disbursed to a school district may be further allocated, by the district, to participating schools, or to district-operated or third party-contracted food service providers or vendors, in order to reimburse the eligible costs being expended thereby, as documented in the district's most recent invoice and accounting statement. Except as otherwise provided by the bill, any program grant funds that are awarded to a school district, but which remain unclaimed at the end of the annual disbursement period, are to be reclaimed by the secretary and used to finance future grant awards under the program. An eligible school district that receives a program grant in one year may apply for another program grant in any subsequent year. However, the roll-over of awarded program grant funds from one year to the next would be prohibited, except in the case of hardship beyond the district's control. In that instance, the secretary may authorize any remaining grant fund balance to be rolled-over and used by the district, for the same purposes, in the next school year, subject to the same rolling disbursement requirements applicable to the original grant award. Any school district applying for such roll-over funding would be required to submit documentation sufficient to establish that the district's failure to expend the full amount of the grant award, during the first annual disbursement period, was the result of a reasonable, valid, and unexpected hardship outside the district's control. The bill would appropriate $6,500,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture for the bill's purposes. Of that amount, $5,500,000 would be dedicated for use in funding grant awards pursuant to the Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program and $1,000,000 would be dedicated for use in financing the department's administrative costs. | In Committee |
| ACR124 | Urges New Jersey State Park Service to establish visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park. | This concurrent resolution urges the New Jersey State Park Service to establish a visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park. Princeton Battlefield State Park preserves a critically important piece of American and New Jersey history. Important leaders in the early history of the United States of America, including General George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Willson Peale, and Dr. Benjamin Rush, were present at the Princeton Battlefield. It was also the hallowed ground where several important military leaders gave their lives, notably, General Hugh Mercer of Virginia, Colonel John Haslet of Delaware and Captain William Shippin of Pennsylvania, the first United States Marine to fall in land combat. The Battle of Princeton ended ten long days of battle between the Continental Army, the hired Germanic auxiliary troops, and the British military forces, beginning with the famous Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River by General George Washington and his Continental Army. Victory for the Continental Army at the Battle of Princeton was a major turning point in the war for America's independence. Preserving the Princeton Battlefield is crucial. The site memorializes the sacrifice of those who defended the United States in its first war, and is a tribute to those who still defend the nation almost 250 years later. The battlefield's status as a State Park is not enough. Establishing a visitor's center will highlight its importance in New Jersey and in American history by providing a permanent place in which visitors can learn about the Battle of Princeton and the American Revolutionary War. Without a visitor's center to welcome and educate the public, the physical site of the Princeton Battlefield is at risk and its story could become lost. Private donations would help the State Park Service in developing the best possible visitor's center. | In Committee |
| ACR123 | Urges United States President, Congress, and USDA to take steps to protect SNAP beneficiaries from fraud. | This resolution urges the President of the United States, the United States Congress, and the United States Department of Agriculture to take all steps necessary to promptly find a comprehensive resolution to the rising levels of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit fraud occurring throughout the country. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides assistance to supplement the food budget of low-income families nationwide. The program is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Division of Family Development, within the Department of Human Services, in conjunction with the county welfare agencies. Fraud of SNAP benefits has risen to an alarming level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the most frequent culprit of lost benefits related to "skimming" devices. Skimming occurs when devices are illegally installed on point-of-sale terminals to capture a cardholder's personal identification number and other data stored on the magnetic strip of the EBT card. Criminals use the data to duplicate the EBT card and access the victim's SNAP benefits. In December 2022, Congress addressed the growing concern of stolen SNAP benefits in the passage of the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023," which allows state agencies to temporarily use federal funds to replace SNAP benefits lost to skimming and other forms of fraud between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024. While these federal efforts to protect SNAP beneficiaries from the consequences of skimming are a positive step in the right direction, the New Jersey State Legislature encourages its federal partners to take additional actions to more aggressively safeguard this vulnerable community; including authorizing the permanent replacement of stolen SNAP benefits with federal funds, retroactive to October 2021, and the provision of regulations and funds to support more secure card payment systems for SNAP benefits. | In Committee |
| A3775 | Creates online job portal for behavioral health care workers and online internship and externship portal for health care students. | This bill creates an online job portal for behavioral health care workers and online internship and externship portal for students enrolled in both physical and behavioral health care training programs. Under the bill, the Department of Health (department) is to create, maintain, and update an online job portal that permits in-State employers to post job openings for behavioral health care workers. The bill defines "behavioral health care" to mean health care and associated services for the treatment of a mental illness, emotional disorder, or substance use disorder. In addition, the department will be required to create, maintain, and update an online internship and externship portal that permits in-State employers to post internship and externship openings providing academic credits for students studying to become a health care professional. The department will be authorized to contract with a third-party entity to develop and administer the online behavioral health job portal, the online internship and externship portal, or both. | In Committee |
| A3018 | Establishes task force to study presence of mercury in floors of certain facilities. | This bill establishes the Task Force on Mercury Exposure in Schools and Child Care Centers. The task force will be established in the Department of Health, and its duties will include: examining the health risks associated with flooring that contains mercury; developing best practices with regard to testing the floors of schools and licensed child care centers to determine whether mercury is present; establishing standards for remediation of flooring containing mercury; and developing strategies and protocols to assist schools and child care centers to implement the best practices developed by task force. The task force will comprise 15 members, including the Commissioners of Health, Environmental Protection, Education, Community Affairs, and Children and Families, or their designees, who will serve ex officio; and 10 public members, with two each appointed by the Governor, the Senate President, the Speaker of the General Assembly, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the General Assembly. The public members are to have knowledge and experience with regard to identifying and addressing environmental health risks in schools and child care centers, as well as with regard to the particular risks to the public health associated with building materials containing mercury. Appointments to the task force are to be made no later than 30 days after the effective date of the bill, and the task force is to organize as soon as practicable, but no later than 30 days following the appointment of its members. The task force will choose a chairperson from among its members and may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force. Members of the task force will serve without compensation, but will be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of available funding. The Department of Health will provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force will be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes. No later than one year after its organization, the task force will be required to submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature containing its findings and recommendations, including the standards, best practices, and strategies and protocols developed by the task force, and any recommendations for legislative, regulatory, or local government action to address issues related to the presence of mercury in schools and child care centers in New Jersey. The task force will dissolve upon submission of its report. Reports suggest that some types of polyurethane flooring commonly used in school buildings, including in multipurpose rooms, gyms, cafeterias, auditoriums, stages, and indoor and outdoor tracks, contains a chemical that releases odorless, colorless mercury vapor, which can damage the nervous system, kidneys, lungs, eyes, and skin, and may be particularly harmful to the development of young children. It is the sponsor's intent that New Jersey develop appropriate strategies to detect and remediate mercury hazards in schools and child care centers. | In Committee |
| A3786 | Requires Commissioner of DOLWD to conduct study to identify composition of current health care workforce, estimate future gaps, and recommend solutions to address gaps. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Departments of Health and Human Services, to conduct a study of the current and future needs for the health care workforce in New Jersey. The study would consist of research on (1) vacancy rates; (2) configuration of the workforce by race, ethnicity and gender, occupation or specialty, educational level, and size of the health care workforce in each region of the State; (3) patient care needs addressed by the health care workforce in each region of the State; (4) a cross analysis of the identified data to identify common themes and differences across categories; (5) an estimate of the future pipeline of the health care workforce; and (6) identification of any gaps between supply and demand, with recommendations on addressing the gaps. The commissioner would be required to submit a report to the Legislature setting forth the results of the study within one year of the effective date of the bill. | In Committee |
| A3761 | Directs DOE to develop guidelines for school districts concerning student mental health services. | This bill directs the Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, to develop and distribute to school districts guidelines for providing mental health services to students. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist school districts in enhancing and improving mental health services for students. Under the bill, the guidelines are to be reviewed and updated annually by the Department of Education. In developing and updating the guidelines, the department is required to seek the input and recommendations of school district administrators, educators, mental health professionals, and other appropriate stakeholders. The guidelines established under the bill, at minimum, are to include recommendations on: (1) implementing a quality-based multi-tiered student mental health system of care that prevents mental health concerns and mitigates trauma; (2) establishing sustainable school partnerships with community mental health service providers; (3) providing mental health services to English language learners; (4) providing culturally sensitive mental health services; (5) incorporating new technology and innovations into existing mental health services including, but not limited to, providing mental health services to students through virtual or remote means; (6) evaluating the effectiveness of available student mental health services; (7) identifying and maximizing the use of available State, federal, nonprofit, and private funding to support a multi-tiered student mental health system of care; and (8) the ratios of student mental health providers to students. Under the bill, the Department of Education is to post the guidelines on its Internet website. The bill also requires the Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Children and Families, to create and maintain a database consisting of available mental health resource providers throughout the State. The database is to be available to school districts, as well as students and their families. | In Committee |
| A3777 | Establishes food rescue hotline. | This bill requires the Food Security Advocate to establish and maintain, in the Office of the Food Security Advocate, a food rescue hotline that is designed to: (1) receive and respond to requests, whether by telephone, in-person, or via electronic or other means, as authorized by the Food Security Advocate, from individuals or organizations that are seeking to donate large quantities of food; and (2) direct each such individual or organization requesting hotline assistance to an appropriate food bank, and to other appropriate community resources and organizations, in order to facilitate the delivery of the donated food to an appropriate location. The bill requires the Food Security Advocate to engage in a public awareness campaign, using all available media, including television, radio, print, the Internet, and social media, to inform the public about the availability and purpose of the food rescue hotline. | In Committee |
| A3787 | Allocates $200 million to Department of Labor and Workforce Development to improve unemployment insurance infrastructure technology. | This bill allocates $200 million in available federal assistance to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. In the event that federal funds are insufficient, the money is to be allocated from the "New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund" for the purpose of funding capital construction projects. The money shall be spent in efforts to improve the unemployment insurance (UI) program following the unprecedented spike in UI benefit claims filings caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Under the bill, the department is required to submit to the Legislature an implementation plan to effectuate the provisions of this bill. | In Committee |
| A3785 | Requires DOLWD and DHS to conduct assessment of community rehabilitation programs and community businesses. | This bill requires the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the Department of Human Services to conduct a case-by-case assessment of employment offered by community rehabilitation programs and community businesses, including but not limited to, work crews, call centers, employment through contracts under the New Jersey Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act, employment through AbilityOne contracts, and other independent work assignments to determine if the employment opportunity meets the criteria for "competitive integrated employment" under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The bill also prohibits the division and the commission from disqualifying work programs from being considered "competitiveintegrated employment" solely because the programs are provided through AbilityOne contracts or contracts under the "Rehabilitation Facilities Set-Aside Act," P.L.1991, c.147 (C.30:6-33 et al.). | In Committee |
| A3784 | Makes $100 million in federal funds available to DEP for grants to local governments for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. | This bill would allocate $100 million in federal funding provided by the State pursuant to the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a grant program to provide grants to local governments to fund drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. The bill would direct the DEP to establish a grant application process and transparent eligibility and ranking criteria, and publish them on the DEP's website no later than six months after the bill's effective date. The bill would also direct the DEP to determine a maximum grant amount, to ensure that grants are distributed to local government units throughout the State. The bill would direct the DEP to reserve at least 10 percent of the grant funds for wastewater or stormwater projects that would alleviate harmful algal blooms in Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake. The DEP would be authorized to utilize up to three percent of the money allocated to administer the program. Finally, the bill would direct the DEP, no later than three years after the bill's enactment, to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that provides details about the projects funded by the grant program. After the report is submitted, or three years after the bill's enactment, whichever is sooner, the bill would expire. The State received more than $6 billion in funding from the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," but, as of January 2022, much of the funding remains unspent. | In Committee |
| A3602 | Makes $250,000 supplemental appropriation to New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders for pediatric clinical services at Tourette Syndrome Clinic of Rutgers University. | This FY 2024 supplemental appropriation provides $250,000 to the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) to support diagnostic assessments and counseling services for children at the Tourette Syndrome Clinic of Rutgers University, New Brunswick. The clinic, established jointly by the NJCTS and the Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP), provides psychological assessments, social-emotional skills groups, and individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults with Tourette Syndrome. The clinic offers sliding scale rates for services delivered to individuals and families with demonstrated financial need. According to a 2022 data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 50 children between the ages of five and 14 years have a persistent tic disorder, including Tourette Syndrome. | In Committee |
| AR105 | Memorializes Congress to provide Medicare coverage for eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures. | This resolution respectfully memorializes the United States Congress to enact legislation to provide Medicare coverage for eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures. | In Committee |
| A3701 | Requires implicit bias training for physicians. | This bill requires implicit bias training for physicians biennially. Under the bill, the Department of Health (department), in consultation with the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the Department of Human Services, and the Board of Medical Examiners (board), is to establish a list of approved implicit bias training programs and a protocol by which providers of implicit bias training may seek approval of their training programs by the department. The implicit bias training programs are to, at a minimum, train physicians to recognize and diminish the impact of implicit bias in the practice of medicine, include an overview of current research on implicit bias in the practice of medicine, and include ways to recognize and diminish the impact of implicit bias in order to achieve better health care outcomes. Under the bill, the board is to ensure that a physician completes a minimum of two hours of implicit bias training within two years following the effective date of this bill, and a minimum of two hours of implicit bias training every two years thereafter. The bill defines "implicit bias" to mean an individual's prejudice in favor of or against a person or group which manifests itself in an unconscious manner. | In Committee |
| A3451 | Revises law concerning family leave to extend protection by reducing, over time, employee threshold from 30 employees to five employees in definition of employer. | This bill extends to employees of employers with less than 30 employees the right to be reinstated to employment after taking paid or unpaid family leave, thus ensuring that all workers who pay for family temporary disability leave insurance (FLI) will be able to able to return to work after taking FLI benefits. The extension is phased in, with the threshold reduced to 20 employees upon the effective date of the bill, 10 employees one year later, and the threshold is reduced to five employees two years after the effective date. Once the phase-in is complete, the bill extends to employees of employers with five or more employees, the provision under current law that provides that a covered employee who takes FLI benefits to care for a family member may not be retaliated against by their employer refusing to reinstate them after the leave. Currently, an employer who employs less than 30 workers, and is thus exempt from the reinstatement requirements of the Family Leave Act (FLA), is also exempt from the reinstatement requirements of that provision. By reducing this exemption, the bill extends that provision's reinstatement rights to recipients of FLI benefits even if their employers have less than 30 employees, in the same way that provision currently provides that reinstatement protection for temporary disability insurance recipients no matter how few employees the employer has. Once fully phased in, the bill also amends the FLA to make employers of five or more employees subject to that law's requirement to reinstate leave takers, thereby extending that right of reinstatement to employees of employers with five or more employees, whether or not the employees receive FLI benefits. The bill provides that an employee who is eligible for both earned sick leave, and either temporary disability benefits or family temporary disability leave benefits will have the option of using either the earned sick leave or whichever is applicable of temporary disability benefits or family temporary disability leave benefits, and may select the order in which the different kinds of leave are taken, but may not receive more than one kind of paid leave simultaneously during any period of time. | Crossed Over |
| A3649 | Expands Medicaid coverage regarding assistive devices for hearing impaired under certain circumstances. | This bill requires Medicaid coverage for hearing aids and other assistive devices for hearing impaired under certain circumstances. Specifically, the bill provides that coverage under the Medicaid Program includes expenses for unilateral or bilateral hearing aids, cochlear implants, or auditory osseointegrated devices, as well as any related accessories or services, provided that the devices, accessories, and services are deemed to be medically necessary and are prescribed or recommended by a licensed physician or audiologist. Under the bill, a "hearing aid" means an ear-level or body-worn electroacoustic device for amplifying sound whose basic components are a microphone, amplifier, and receiver; a "cochlear implant" means a device that is implanted under the skin that picks up sounds and converts them to impulses transmitted to electrodes placed in the cochlea; and an "auditory osseointegrated device" means a device implanted in the skull that replaces the function of the middle ear and provides mechanical energy to the cochlea via a mechanical transducer. Furthermore, "bilateral" means relating to or involving both ears, while "unilateral" means relating to or involving one ear. Currently, the State's Medicaid Plan provides that hearing aids are a covered benefit for eligible participants of the Medicaid Program if the hearing aid is determined to be medically necessary. This bill codifies this existing provision, and expands upon the benefit to include cochlear implants and auditory osseointegrated devices, as well as any related accessories or services. | In Committee |
| A3632 | Requires State employees to be trained in disability law and etiquette. | This bill would require the State Treasurer (who has the authority, under law, to establish training programs for State employees) to work in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services to: 1) develop a training program to inform all State employees about the laws, and the rules of etiquette, that are applicable to the treatment and accommodation of individuals with intellectual, developmental, or other mental or physical disabilities; and 2) regularly revise and update the training program in order to maintain consistency with current law and practice in this area. At a minimum, the bill would require the training program to include instruction on: 1) the import and substance of the "Americans with Disabilities Act," 42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.; 2) the methods and approaches that can be used to reasonably accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities; and 3) the proper etiquette that is to be used by State employees when working or otherwise interacting with individuals with disabilities. The training program is to be made available to, and implemented by, each State government employer no later than one year after the bill's effective date, and each State government employer is to administer the training program to all of its employees. Individuals who are employed prior to the implementation of the training program will be required to complete the training no later than 180 days after the training program is implemented, and biennially thereafter. Individuals who become employed after the training program is implemented will be required to complete the training no later than 180 days after hiring, and biennially thereafter. Each employee will be required to file a certification with the employer stating that the employee has completed the training, and the employer will be required to retain those certifications and forward them to the State Treasurer or the Commissioner of Human Services, upon request. | In Committee |
| A3675 | Directs DOLWD to establish advertising campaign to attract candidates to health care professions; appropriates $1 million. | This bill directs the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services, to establish a multimedia advertising campaign to attract candidates to health care professions. The health care field experienced shortages due to working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign will promote health care professions as presenting engaging, dynamic, and rewarding career opportunities. The campaign shall use a combination of digital outlets, television, radio, print, and other media for its purposes. The department, in developing and administering the general advertising campaign, is also required to create targeted advertising to increase the recruitment of health care professionals: (1) from underrepresented racial groups; and (2) into high-demand fields, as identified by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development in consultation with the Department of Health and Department of Human Services. The bill appropriates to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development the sum of $1 million from the funds received by the State under the federal "American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act," Pub.L.117-2 to effectuate the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| A3651 | Establishes "College Child Care Advisory Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations on providing programs and services for college students who require child care services. | Establishes "College Child Care Advisory Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations on providing programs and services for college students who require child care services. | In Committee |
| ACR117 | Urges Congress and President to reauthorize "Family Violence Prevention and Services Act." | This concurrent resolution urges Congress and the President of the United States to reauthorize the "Family Violence Prevention and Services Act" (FVPSA). A federal law enacted in 2010 reauthorized, or allowed for formal continued federal funding of, the FVPSA until 2015, but the FVPSA has not been reauthorized since. Bipartisan legislation, pending before the United States Senate and House of Representatives as S.2784 and H.R.6014, would reauthorize FVPSA funding from 2019 to 2023. FVPSA provides the primary federal funding stream in support of victims of domestic and dating violence and their dependents. Each year, the FVPSA, through various grants, helps fund over 1,600 community-based programs that provide emergency shelter, counseling, legal assistance, crisis intervention, and domestic and dating violence prevention education to 1.3 million victims nationwide. The law also funds the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and has a staff of trained operators and advocates who, in fiscal year 2017, answered 323,081 total phone calls, text messages, and online chats. A study conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) revealed that in just one day in 2017, 72,245 victims of domestic violence across the United States, 1,288 of whom were from New Jersey, received crucial services supported by the FVPSA. Despite the volume of services that FVPSA-funded shelters and programs provide daily, the NNEDV study noted that 11,441 requests for services, 131 of which were in New Jersey, went unmet due to lack of funding and resources. During a time in which domestic violence shelters overwhelmingly report that they struggle to meet demand for critical services, reauthorization of the FVPSA will help ensure protection against significant future funding cuts. | In Committee |
| AJR141 | Designates October of each year as "Walk to School Month." | This resolution designates October of each year as "Walk to School Month." Walking and biking to school are beneficial for children, their families, their schools, and their communities. Walking and biking bring physical and health benefits to children and their families by providing regular exercise. This reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, making the whole family healthier. The more families who walk to school, the fewer vehicles there are on the road which reduces traffic and air pollution. The benefits also extend to the school and community with lower road maintenance costs. In order to fully realize the benefits of more children walking to school, communities and schools must do their part in planning safe routes for families to walk. This can mean placing or repairing sidewalks along busy roadways, introducing traffic calming measures near schools, or installing pedestrian signals at intersections. It is important that parents, school officials, and community leaders work together to ensure safe walking and biking routes to schools for families in their community. By recognizing "Walk to School Month," the State encourages all schools and communities to promote the benefits of walking or biking to school. | In Committee |
| A3604 | Requires lactation rooms be made available at certain PANYNJ airports. | This bill requires the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Port Authority) to provide a lactation room at all airports maintained or operated by the Port Authority that have 1,000,000 or more enplanements per year. Airports that are maintained or operated by the Port Authority that have fewer than 1,000,000 but more than 10,000 enplanements per year are required to provide lactation rooms upon the completion of construction of a new passenger terminal or the replacement, expansion, or renovation of an existing passenger terminal. All lactation rooms are required to include, at minimum, a chair and an electrical outlet and be located outside of the confines of a public restroom. Lactation rooms that are provided following the completion of construction of a new passenger terminal, or the replacement, expansion, or renovation of an existing passenger terminal, are required to include a sink. | In Committee |
| A3652 | Establishes "Supporting Educational and Entrepreneurial Development (S.E.E.D.) Program" in Office of Secretary of Higher Education. | This bill establishes a "Supporting Educational and Entrepreneurial Development (S.E.E.D.) Program" in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The purpose of the S.E.E.D. Program will be to support original student-led projects through the awarding of grants. Awards made through the program will provide the initial funding necessary to support the development of promising new concepts, products, or companies led by the next generation of researchers. Under the bill, the S.E.E.D. Program will be implemented by a seven member board that includes the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee; a representative of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association; and five public members. The board will establish a competitive application process for receipt of a S.E.E.D. grant that considers objective factors which include, but need not be limited to: the intellectual merit of the proposed project; the overall feasibility of the proposal; and the qualifications of the applicant. The bill directs the board to award S.E.E.D. grants from the fund to qualified applicants enrolled in each public institution of higher education, within the limits of available funds. The board will determine the amount of each grant awarded under the program and may award multi-year grants. The bill creates a special fund in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education entitled the "S.E.E.D. Fund," consisting of all moneys appropriated by the State for the purposes of the program and all interest and investment earnings received on moneys in the fund. The fund will be used to provide S.E.E.D. grants. The bill provides that in each of the first three years of the S.E.E.D. Program, the State must appropriate to the S.E.E.D. Fund for each public institution of higher education an amount equal to $2,500 per each 500 full-time student cohort and $2,500 per each 1,000 part-time student cohort. In the event that the funds available to an institution are not awarded as S.E.E.D. grants in any of the first three years of the program, the board may either allocate those funds to the institution in subsequent years or reallocate those funds to other institutions of higher education. Under the bill, in each subsequent year, the State appropriations to the S.E.E.D. Fund for each institution will be determined with consideration of the outcomes of the projects of prior years' grantees. In the event that an independent institution of higher education opts to participate in the program, a State appropriation must be made to the fund in accordance with the guidelines established herein. Finally, the bill directs the board to submit a report to the Governor, and the Legislature four years after the establishment of the S.E.E.D. Program on its implementation and outcomes. | In Committee |
| A3682 | Requires utility service providers to notify BPU of scheduled service work; permits government agencies and utility service providers to access BPU online database of scheduled service work. | This bill requires the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create, maintain, and update, as appropriate, an online database providing real-time information on the date and type of scheduled utility service work. The online database is to serve as an online resource for a government agency to plan utility service work, roadwork, and other related work within a public right-of-way. The online database is to be accessible by any "government agency" and "utility service provider," as those terms are defined in the bill, and is to be designed and function in a manner that maximizes communication among all government agencies and utility service providers that may be impacted by scheduled utility service work. The bill requires a utility service provider to submit to the BPU electronic notice and detailed information of scheduled utility service work at least five business days prior to the date the utility service provider performs the service work. The BPU is to maintain the information on the online database until the service work is completed, cancelled, or rescheduled. The bill provides for an exception to the prior notice requirement for service work if the work is undertaken in response to an "emergency" as that term is defined in the bill. If the work is undertaken in response to an emergency, a utility service provider is to submit to the BPU electronic notice and detailed information of the work as soon as possible after the beginning of the emergency. | In Committee |
| A3629 | Establishes Task Force on Institutional Discrimination in Health Care. | This bill establishes the Task Force on Institutional Discrimination in Health Care (task force). Under the bill, the task force is to study and evaluate aspects of the institution of health care that may contribute to unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and socioeconomic classes. The task force is to: (1) review existing research, studies, and data concerning unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and socioeconomic classes; and (2) identify specific policies for diminishing unequal health outcomes for patients of different races and socioeconomic classes, including, but not limited to, institutional analyses of hospitals and other facilities and training on racism in the medical profession. | In Committee |
| AJR133 | Designates February 4th of each year as "Women and Girls in Sports Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates February 4th of each year as "Women and Girls in Sports Day" in New Jersey. Opportunities in sports were traditionally only open to men, and women were discouraged from taking an interest in, or participating in, athletics. In the 20th and 21st centuries, women and girls increasingly strove to participate in sports. However, gender disparities in sports still remain, with less support and resources available for women's sports programs, in comparison with men's sports. This lack of investment has contributed to gender pay disparities for female athletes and the unequal allocation of facilities and equipment for women's and girls' sports. Despite these inequities, inspiring female athletes, such as New Jersey natives Carli Lloyd and Laurie Hernandez, have made significant contributions to sports and have served as excellent role models for fans of all ages and genders. Women and girls deserve recognition for their contributions to sports and public awareness of their fight for gender equality in athletics. It should be further acknowledged that sports are essential in the lives of girls, since participation in sports teaches important life skills that empower girls to stand up against gender inequities, both in sports and in daily life. Participation in sports, moreover, encourages women and girls to become and remain physically active, which is essential to achieving and maintaining good physical and mental health throughout life. | In Committee |
| A3702 | Requires State, county, and municipal social service workers to periodically complete implicit bias and cultural competency training. | This bill requires implicit bias and cultural competency training for all State, county, and municipal social service workers. Implicit bias is a bias in judgment or behavior that results from subtle cognitive processes, including implicit prejudice and implicit stereotypes, that often operate at a level below conscious awareness and without intentional control. Cultural competency is the ability to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from different cultures or belief systems. The bill requires social service workers to complete the online tutorial by April 1 of every even-numbered year and to participate in training annually. The bill mandates that certain certifications and verifications be communicated to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and such communications will be considered public information. Every day, State, county, and municipal social service workers make decisions that impact people of all backgrounds and cultures. In doing this important work, it is critical for all of these individuals to understand their own biases as well as cultures and belief systems different from their own. | In Committee |
| AJR126 | Designates April 18 of each year as "Worker Safety Day." | This joint resolution designates April 18 as "Worker Safety Day" in New Jersey. Workers have a right to a safe environment that is free from danger while at work. Currently, there are almost 6,400 deaths globally every day as a result of an occupational accident or disease, which is almost 2.3 million deaths every year due to unsafe working conditions. Additionally, 313 million people worldwide suffer from non-fatal occupational injuries every year. In New Jersey, there were approximately 101 fatal work injuries in 2016 and thousands of other non-fatal injuries. Furthermore, there are negative consequences for both workers and employers when a worker sustains an injury at work. Workers who sustain occupational injuries face consequences such as loss of life, loss of income, loss of career, and increased health care costs. Employers must contend with difficulties such as a reduction in productivity, increased workers' compensation insurance costs, decline in worker morale, and decline in product quality. A safe and healthy workplace provides benefits to both workers and employers. It is important to raise public awareness about the importance of worker safety so that employers and workers will ensure that the workplace is safe. By declaring April 18 to be "Worker Safety Day," the State of New Jersey encourages employers, workers, government agencies, and communities to work together to ensure that the workplace is safe and healthy. | In Committee |
| ACR111 | Urges Congress to reauthorize "Violence Against Women Act." | This concurrent resolution urges the United States Congress to reauthorize the "Violence Against Women Act" (VAWA) to allow the VAWA's programs to continue to impact the way law enforcement agencies, the courts, legal professionals, and victim services organizations respond to, and meet the needs of, victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, while holding perpetrators responsible for their actions, and to provide additional protections for victims of these crimes. | In Committee |
| AJR132 | Designates April 22 of each year as Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day in NJ. | This joint resolution designates April 22 of each year as "Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day" in New Jersey. The Girl Scouts program has been positively impacting the lives of girls since its inception in 1912. The Girl Scouts program seeks to empower and challenge girls. Girl Scouts involves activities, volunteer opportunities, and lessons on various academic and personal subjects that altogether set young girls up for success in the future. Girl Scouts helps to create strong, confident women who embody self-awareness, leadership, courage, and respect. The success of the Girl Scouts program relies on the hard work and contributions of its volunteer Girl Scout Leaders. Girl Scout Leaders serve as mentors and role models for girls, in the Girl Scout program, as they approach womanhood. Girl Scout Leaders share their time, energy, love, and expertise with the girls in their Girl Scout troops serving as chaperones and mother figures to girls on overnight trips and overseeing their participation in activities Without the selflessness, dedication, and hard work of Girl Scout Leaders, the mission of the Girl Scouts program would not be possible. The month of April is recognized, within the Girl Scouts program, as volunteer appreciation month and April 22 as "Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day". The contribution Girl Scout Leaders make to the development of young women should be celebrated by all of the residents of the state of New Jersey. For this reason, April 22 of each year should be designated as "Girl Scout Leader Appreciation Day" in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| A3607 | Requires public school instruction in suicide prevention to be provided in grades kindergarten through 12 and include certain elements. | Current law requires that instruction in suicide prevention be included in an appropriate place in the curriculum of elementary school, middle school, and high school students. This bill provides that the instruction in suicide prevention will also include mental health as it relates to suicide prevention, and the instruction will be provided to students in each of the grades kindergarten through 12. The instruction must incorporate evidence-based standards and be adapted to the age and understanding of the students. The bill also specifies the following minimum elements that must be included as part of the instruction: (a) the concept of wellness including self-care and personal responsibility for one's own mental health and wellness; (b) the concept of mental health as an integral part of health; (c) recognition of the warning signs of suicide; (d) awareness of the risk of suicide and self-harm; (e) the relationship between mental health, substance abuse, and other negative coping behaviors; (f) the negative impact of stigma and cultural attitudes toward mental illness; (g) the implications of risk factors, protective factors, and resiliency on mental health and wellness; and (h) identifying appropriate professionals, services, and family supports for suicide prevention. | In Committee |
| A3569 | Requires menopause information to be distributed under certain circumstances. | This bill requires menopause information to be distributed under certain circumstances. Under the bill, commencing 180 days following the bill's effective date, a licensed health care professional who performs an annual physical examination on a female patient who is 40 years of age or older is to provide the female patient an informational pamphlet on perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, as prepared and published by the Department of Health pursuant to the bill, during the visit. The bill provides that, within 90 days following the bill's effective date, the Department of Health is to prepare and publish on its Internet website an informational pamphlet on perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. | In Committee |
| AJR124 | Designates October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in New Jersey. Postmenopause is the period of time after menopause after a woman's menstrual periods have ceased for 12 consecutive months. Natural postmenopause typically occurs sometime between a woman's late 40s and early 60s, with the average postmenopausal age being 51 years old. Postmenopause is caused by the same hormonal changes that drive the entire menopause transition and can be influenced by internal factors such as fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone hormones and external factors such as lifestyle habits, stress, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. It is a common belief that the uncomfortable symptoms associated with menopause will disappear once postmenopause begins; however, some women can continue to experience symptoms during postmenopause, which can be very similar to the symptoms experienced during menopause and perimenopause. Postmenopausal women may be at an increased risk for health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and urinary tract infections, which are conditions where early awareness of a woman's elevated risk can help women receive appropriate and timely healthcare. A bone density screening test is an example of an important screening tool for postmenopausal women that can help determine the levels of calcium in bones and allow postmenopausal women to take timely action to prevent osteoporosis. Since 2009, the International Menopause Society, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has designated October as World Menopause Awareness Month, with October 18 celebrated as World Menopause Awareness Day with the purpose of raising awareness of menopause and the support options available for improving health and well-being throughout the menopause process. It is fitting and proper for the State of New Jersey to designate October 18 of each year as "Postmenopause Day" in order to raise awareness about the period of time after menopause, the symptoms and health risks associated with postmenopause, and the disease management options available for women experiencing postmenopause. | In Committee |
| AJR125 | Designates October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day" in New Jersey. Perimenopause is the time during which a woman's body makes the natural transition to menopause and often begins about eight to 10 years before menopause. Perimenopause is a natural process caused by the gradual decline of ovary function and estrogen production, during which ovulation may become erratic, the menstrual cycle lengthens, and flow may become irregular before a woman's final period. Common symptoms can last for a few months to many years and may include: irregular periods or skipping periods; periods that are heavier or lighter than usual; hot flashes; vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex; urinary urgency; sleep problems; changes in mood; and depression. Perimenopause is a lesser known stage of the menopause process and individuals may not realize that the symptoms the person is experiencing are associated with perimenopause and may instead attribute the symptoms to ageing, stress, anxiety, and depression, which may result in the delay of appropriate treatment from health care professionals. October 11 is recognized as "World Perimenopause Day" with the purpose of educating people about mental health and the early signs of perimenopause and supporting women going through perimenopause who may feel lost. It is altogether fitting and proper for the State of New Jersey to designate October 11 of each year as "Perimenopause Day" in order to support women going through perimenopause, to raise awareness of the realities of perimenopause and the available disease management options, and to combat stigma and misinformation concerning perimenopause. | In Committee |
| A3576 | Requires menopause informational pamphlet to be distributed under certain circumstances. | This bill requires menopause information to be distributed under certain circumstances. Under the bill, commencing 180 days following the bill's effective date, a licensed health care professional who performs an annual physical examination on a female patient who is between the ages of 35 and 39 is to provide the female patient a pamphlet containing information on premature menopause, early menopause, and primary ovarian insufficiency, as prepared and published by the Department of Health pursuant to the bill, during the visit. The bill provides that, within 90 days following the bill's effective date, the Department of Health is to prepare and publish on its Internet website a pamphlet containing information on each stage of menopause. | In Committee |
| A3583 | Authorizes creation of registered nurse license plates. | This bill authorizes the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special registered nurse license plates. The bill provides that the design of the registered nurse license plate is to display the caduceus symbol, along with the words "Registered Nurse." The chief administrator is to select the design and color scheme of the registered nurse license plates. In addition to all fees otherwise required by law for the registration of a motor vehicle, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the registered nurse license plates. The chief administrator is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, renewing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the license plate program. The bill requires the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting (director) to determine the source of initial funding for the costs of the license plate program. The commission is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the license plates or make programming changes until the director specifies the initial funding source. The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the first day of the 13th month after the director specifies the funding source for the initial costs of the license plate program. The bill expires on the last day of the 12th month after enactment if the director does not specify a funding source. | In Committee |
| A2769 | Establishes program in DOLWD to connect persons with disabilities with job training and employment. | Establishes program in DOLWD to connect persons with disabilities with job training and employment. | In Committee |
| A3560 | Concerns false public alarms involving places of worship. | This bill establishes a second degree crime for false public alarms when the alarm involves a church, synagogue, temple, or other place of public worship. The bill defines "place of worship" as a building capable of seating more than 50 people used primarily as a place of public or private worship on a permanent basis by a recognized and established religious sect or denomination. Finally, the bill provides for additional penalties for false alarms as it relates to churches, synagogues, temples, or other places of worship. A person committing such a violation is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $5,000 or the actual costs incurred by or resulting from the emergency response to the false alarm, whichever is higher. A second degree crime is punishable by a term of 5-10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. | In Committee |
| A547 | Requires public agency receiving State funds to post on website use of State funds for public work contracts with minority, women, and veteran owned businesses. | This bill requires a public agency that is receiving State funds for the purpose of public work to post on its main website for public inspection an accounting of how much of those funds were used for public work contracts in which the public agency contracted with businesses to owned by minorities, women, and veterans. The accounting will also provide how much of those funds were used for public work contracts in which the public agency contracted with other businesses that are not owned by minorities, women, or veterans, and the accounting is required to be updated monthly. Whenever a public agency does not maintain a website, the information shall be forward by the public agency to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and posted on that department's main website, which shall be updated monthly. The bill also requires the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, on an annual basis, to submit a report that summarizes each public agency's use of State funds for public work and how much of those funds went to contracts with businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans. | In Committee |
| A3506 | Grants child placed in resource family care and resource family parents the right to be notified when case manager or supervisor is assigned to child; grants child in resource family care right to be notified of certain property and benefits. | This bill amends the "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act" to grant a child placed in resource family care and the child's resource family parents the right to be promptly notified of the identity and contact information of the child's case manager or supervisor, and if a new case manager or supervisor is assigned to the child. The bill further amends the "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act" to grant a child placed in resource family care the right to be promptly notified of property and benefits to which the child is the owner or beneficiary at the time of the child's placement outside of the child's home, including but not limited to federal Social Security benefits; to be informed of the department's intent to file for federal benefits on the child's behalf; and to have an opportunity to review the contents of any application form for federal benefits filed on the child's behalf prior to submission. | In Committee |
| AJR123 | Designates September of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates September of each year as "Menopause Awareness Month" in New Jersey. Menopause is the stage of life where a woman's hormone levels change and she permanently stops having menstrual periods, and is diagnosed after 12 months without a menstrual period. The average age women begin menopause is 51, but it can commence anytime in a women's 40s or 50s. In 2019, there were 1.2 million women in New Jersey between 40 and 59 years of age. Menopause and the years preceding menopause, known as perimenopause, are natural biological processes, however the physical and emotional symptoms that coincide with these processes may disrupt a woman's daily life. In addition to enduring the symptoms of menopause, the process is often a shrouded subject, not discussed in families or the community, which results in women feeling alone and isolated. Nationally, September is designated as "Menopause Awareness Month" by organizations throughout the United States to raise awareness on menopause. It is fitting and proper for the State to join these entities to promote understanding and encourage discussion regarding menopause throughout the month of September. | In Committee |
| A3554 | Requires NJT to offer discount fares to certain individuals. | This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (corporation) to offer discount fares to elementary and secondary school students who use corporation service to commute to and from school, full-time college and university students who use corporation service to commute to and from school, full-time workforce training program students who use corporation service to commute to and from a workforce training program, individuals currently receiving benefits under the Work First New Jersey program, and newly employed individuals who meet certain criteria. | In Committee |
| A3551 | Requires front-loading clothes washing machines and dryers to have child safety locks; requires installation of safety locks and warning for machines previously purchased without child safety locks. | This bill requires front-loading clothes washing machines and dryers to be equipped with child safety locks. The bill also requires that safety locks be installed by the vendor at the manufacturer's expense on machines previously purchased without child safety locks, and that notices and warning stickers are issued to consumers who previously purchased machines without child safety locks. Front-loading clothes washing machines and dryers can pose a potential risk of harm to young children who may play or hide inside and become trapped. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), since 2014, there have been at least three deaths, and 3,000 injuries to children five years or age and younger related to washing machines. This bill prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale in this State a front-loading clothes washing machine or front-loading clothes dryer that is not equipped with a child safety lock. A "child safety lock" is defined under the bill to mean a device or locking mechanism of a clothes washing machine or clothes dryer that: is installed in the machine during the machine's manufacture or, in accordance with the provisions of the bill, installed on a previously sold machine that was not equipped with a child safety lock; prevents the door of the machine from being opened; cannot be removed except through the use of a key, combination, or other method of access; and meets the standards established by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. Under the bill, in addition to the liability for any injury sustained because a front-loading clothes washing machine or dryer was not equipped with a child safety lock, a person who violates the provisions of the bill is to be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for the first offense; and not more than $10,000 for the second or subsequent offense. A manufacturer of front-loading washing machines and dryers sold in the State is required under the bill to provide safety locks approved by the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs for installation in front-loading washing machines or dryers not equipped with a child safety lock to any vendor that sold the machines prior to the effective date of the bill. The manufacturer is required to coordinate with the vendor to ensure installation of the child safety locks, which shall be installed at the manufacturer's expense. A manufacturer also is required to prepare a notice warning of the risks the machines may pose to children, and a sticker to be adhered to the machines warning of the dangers of not using a child safety lock and provide the notice and sticker to any vendor that sold the manufacturer's machines not equipped with a child safety lock prior to the effective date of the bill. A vendor also is required under the bill to contact any consumer who purchased a front-loading clothes washing machine or front-loading clothes dryer not equipped with a child safety lock prior to the effective date of the bill to coordinate the installation of a child safety lock, which is to be installed at the manufacturer's expense. A vendor also is required to provide a warning notice and sticker to the consumer. Finally, the bill requires the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs to establish standards for front-loading clothes washing machine and dryer safety locks and the notice and warning stickers required under the bill, and to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| A3552 | Requires responding law enforcement officer to stay with dead body until medical examiner takes charge of body. | This bill requires a law enforcement officer who has responded to an incident involving a dead body to remain with the body until the medical examiner arrives to take charge of the body. Under current law, the State's medical examiner is required to conduct a medicolegal investigation of a person's death to determine the person's identity and cause and manner of death, and to resolve any issues or potential issues of public health and of legal concern in the following instances: - death where criminal violence appears to have taken place; - death by accident or unintentional injury; - death under suspicious or unusual circumstances; - death from causes that may constitute a threat to public health or safety; - death not caused by readily recognizable diseases, disability, or infirmity; - sudden death when the decedent was in apparent good health; - suicide; - death of a child under 18 years of age from any cause; - sudden or unexpected death of an infant or child under three years of age or a fetal death occurring without medical attendance; - death where suspicion of abuse of a child, family, or household member, or elderly or disabled person exists; - death within 24 hours of admission to a hospital or a nursing home; - death in custody, in a jail, correctional facility, psychiatric hospital, developmental center, or other public or private institutions for persons with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or brain injury; - death related to occupational illness or injury; - death due to thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation injury; - death due to toxins, poisons, medicinal or recreational drugs; - known or suspected non-natural death; - any person found dead under unexplained circumstances; - discovery of skeletal remains; - death for which investigation is in the public interest; and - other deaths as determined by the Chief State Medical Examiner. Under this bill, if a law enforcement officer responds to an incident involving a dead body and the medical examiner is required to conduct a medicolegal investigation for any of the preceding reasons, the officer is required to remain with the dead body until the medical examiner takes charge of that body. | In Committee |
| A3557 | Requires school districts to pay advanced placement examination fees for certain students and the State to reimburse school districts for the cost. | This bill requires a school district to pay the advanced placement examination fees for certain students attending public high schools, starting with the 2024-2025 school year. According to the College Board, the Department of Education currently receives federal funds to pay $45 of the $89 advanced placement examination fee for students with a household income at or below the most recent federal poverty guidelines multiplied by 1.85, who are residents of New Jersey, and qualify for a $26 per examination College Board fee reduction. If a student qualifies, then the $8 school processing fee is waived, leaving the student with a cost of $10 per examination. Under the bill, the school district will pay the $10 examination fee for those students. The household income for a family of four under the household income standard established in the bill for these students would not exceed $43,567.50 in calendar year 2024. This is the same standard established for student eligibility for free and reduced priced lunch. In the case of a student with a household income greater than 1.85 multiplied by the federal poverty guidelines, but less than 3.70 multiplied by the federal poverty guidelines, the school district will pay the entire examination fee. In the case of these students, for a household of four, the income guidelines would not exceed $87,135 in calendar year 2024. The bill further provides that the State will reimburse a school district for the cost of the advanced placement examination fees paid by the school district. The amount paid by a school district for an advanced placement examination fee may not exceed the amount that would be paid by a school for such fee on the effective date of this act. | In Committee |
| AR101 | Urges President Biden to cancel up to $50,000 per eligible borrower in federal student loan debts. | This resolution respectfully urges President Biden to support the 43 million people in the United States, which hold approximately $1.6 trillion of federal student loan debt by cancelling up to $50,000 per eligible borrower in student loan debt. This action would provide much needed assistance to the millions of Americans struggling under the burden of crushing student loan debt. Cancelling student debt would help close the racial wealth gap, provide aid to the disproportionately burdened women, minority, and low-income households, and help families and borrowers as a whole avoid default. The student debt crisis prevents a swift economic recovery from COVID-19 and further, restricts opportunity and prosperity for millions of Americans and their families. Cancelling the debt would provide consumer-driven stimulus and provide relief for those who are struggling during the pandemic and the associated recession. Student debt cancellation may result in greater home-buying rates and housing stability, expanded access to affordable financial products, higher college completion rates, higher incomes, increased geographic mobility, job creation, higher GDP, and greater small business formation. | In Committee |
| A3543 | Requires ballot scanning machines to have privacy screen, shield, or curtain; requires use of privacy screens and shields at polling places. | This bill requires ballot scanning machines to have a privacy screen, shield, or curtain and requires the use of privacy screens and shields at polling places. Currently, in Essex County, voters who vote in-person fill out a hand-marked paper ballot and insert the ballot into a ballot scanning machine to be counted. In Warren, Middlesex, Union, Gloucester, and Salem counties, voters who vote in-person vote on an electronic voting machine that electronically produces a paper ballot that the voter can verify and then cast. In the rest of the counties of this State, voters who vote in-person vote on voting machines that electronically record and cast the voter's vote. Given the different types of voting machines across various counties, it is the sponsor's belief that no matter which county a voter casts their vote the voter should not lose the privacy and secrecy of the ballot that is sacred to voting. | In Committee |
| A3548 | Establishes "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program." | This bill directs the Commissioner of Education, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, to establish a "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program." The purpose of the program is to provide an alternate education option for recent high school dropouts and students who have been identified as at-risk of dropping out of school prior to high school graduation, and to provide these students with job placement assistance. Under the program, an at-risk student may complete his high school graduation requirements through coursework at a county college. The credits earned at the county college will be applicable to both the student's high school diploma and towards a credential, certificate, or degree offered by the county college. Finally, upon a student's successful completion of the program, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development must provide the student with job placement services. The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to develop and distribute to each school district a list of risk factors that can be used to identify high school students who are at high risk of dropping out of school prior to high school graduation. The bill also directs the commissioner to provide guidance to school districts on which career, technical, and academic courses of county colleges may be applied as dual credit courses under the program to satisfy high school graduation requirements. Under the program, the board of education of a school district and the board of trustees of a county college may enter into an agreement to provide for the education of at-risk students under the program. The bill provides that a student enrolled in the "New Jersey Works Dual Enrollment Option Program," and his parent or legal guardian, cannot be held responsible for payment of tuition, student fees, or any other costs of the program. A student enrolled in the program will be included in the district's resident enrollment and the district will receive State aid for that student as provided under the State school funding law, P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.). | In Committee |
| A3544 | Requires employer to provide certain accommodations to employee who is breast feeding. | This bill would clarify protections provided in the "Law Against Discrimination" to working mothers who are breast feeding. Specifically, the bill provides that an employer is required to accommodate a lactating employee for as long as the employee desires. Additionally, the bill clarifies that lactating employees are entitled to reasonable break time paid at the employee's regular rate of compensation, job restructuring, and a modified work schedule for the purpose of milk expression. Further, the bill requires an employer to provide a suitable room or other location with privacy, free from intrusion of other employees or customers of the employer's business, if applicable, other than a restroom, for the purpose of milk expression. | In Committee |
| A3549 | Eliminates requiring certain joint officials be from adjacent municipalities. | The bill eliminates the local board of health requirement that certain joint officials be from adjacent municipalities. Specifically, under the bill, local boards of health of two or more municipalities may join in employing a health officer, one or more registered environmental health specialists, and other personnel without the municipalities being adjacent with one another. Under current law, the municipalities must be adjacent. | In Committee |
| A3550 | Appropriates $350,000 to Rutgers, the State University - New Brunswick for Center for American Women and Politics - Women Elected and Appointed Officials Database. | This bill appropriates $350,000 from the General Fund to the Department of State for the Center for American Women and Politics - Women Elected and Appointed Officials Database. P.L.2021, c.414 requires the Center for Women and American Politics (CAWP) to establish databases of elected and appointed officials in New Jersey. The CAWP, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, provides scholarly research and data about women's political participation in the United States. CAWP's Women Elected Officials Database includes full historical listings for women who have held office at the congressional, State executive, and State legislative levels nationwide. | In Committee |
| A3542 | Requires at least one drive-up ballot drop box in each county; requires certain information to be posted at ballot drop boxes and locations. | This bill requires the county board of elections in each county to establish at least one drive-up ballot drop box in the county and to post certain information at ballot drop boxes and locations. Under current law, each county board of elections is required to establish at least 10 ballot drop boxes at locations throughout the county following several criteria. Under this bill, at least one of those locations would be required to be a "drive-up ballot drop box," defined as a ballot drop box and location designed and evaluated to possess accessible features including, but not limited to, sufficient vehicle turning radius adjacent to the driver side, curb cuts, availability of handicap parking, and an unimpeded path to the ballot drop box from handicap parking. The bill requires the drive-up ballot drop box to be easy to locate and readily visible by voters with adequate lighting and a clear line of sight from the street and parking area. The bill would also require certain information to be posted at ballot drop boxes and drop box locations. Under the bill, all ballot drop boxes would be marked as an "Official Ballot Drop Box." In addition, in a uniform manner prescribed by the Secretary of State, the following information would be posted at drop boxes and drop box locations in all languages required under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and under current law for the county: the penalties for drop box tampering; a-toll free voter hotline; a statement indicating that no postage is necessary for depositing the ballot into the drop box; a statement indicating that the drop box is for mail-in ballots only for that county; and a statement informing the public of the applicable deadline for accepting ballots at the drop box. Finally, the bill directs the Secretary of State and county boards of elections to include guidelines for county boards of elections to follow to establish an electioneering boundary of 100 feet around each ballot drop box in compliance with current law. The bill requires the posting of signs and information to notify the public of the prohibited electioneering activities within the boundary of the ballot drop box. | In Committee |
| A3547 | Requires State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to include memory care training in annual long-term care training program. | This bill requires the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to include memory care training in the ombudsman's annual long-term care training program. The ombudsman is responsible for securing, preserving, and promoting the health, safety, and welfare of New Jersey's long-term care residents, through investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation; legislative and regulatory advocacy; policy work; and education and outreach. Under current law, the ombudsman is required to establish, in consultation with the Department of Health, an annual long-term care training program which, at a minimum, is to address the following subjects: the rights of residents of long-term care facilities; fostering choice and independence among residents of long-term care facilities; identifying and reporting abuse, neglect, or exploitation of residents of long-term care facilities; long-term care facility ownership; updates on State and federal guidelines, laws, and regulations that pertain to long-term care facilities; and issues, trends, and policies that impact the rights of long-term care residents. This bill expands the required list of subjects to include the needs and rights of long-term care residents who have Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and methods to deal with the specific problems encountered by such residents. This annual training program is required to be completed by the ombudsman's investigative and advocacy staff, the ombudsman's volunteer advocates, and Department of Health long-term care facility surveyors, inspectors, and complaint investigators. Subject to the availability of staff and funding, the training program is offered to residents of long-term care facilities, those residents' family members, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and long-term care facility employees. The bill further provides that, if the annual long-term care training program does not include memory care training within one year after the effective date of the bill, the ombudsman may be required to appear before one or more legislative standing reference committees to explain why the bill has not been implemented as enacted and the steps the ombudsman is taking to implement the bill. This provision will remain in effect until the training program includes the memory care component, at which time the provision will expire. | In Committee |
| A3553 | Establishes scholarship program for students at public institutions of higher education pursuing certain community service-oriented opportunities; requires Secretary of Higher Education to establish grant program; appropriates $10 million. | This bill establishes a scholarship program for students at public institutions of higher education, and a grant program for public institutions of higher education, to promote opportunities to perform community service. Under the bill, the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), in consultation with the Office of Volunteerism in the Department of State, will administer a two-year scholarship program for students at public institutions of higher education pursuing opportunities to perform community service. The program will provide undergraduate students with opportunities to serve in their communities, and address the critical shortage of community service-oriented professionals in those fields of service by:· making college more affordable for students who commit to serving in their communities;· supporting the education and career development of students pursuing a community service-oriented career in the fields of climate action, K-12 education, and food insecurity; and· increasing the workforce and retention of community service-oriented professionals in the fields of climate action, K-12 education, and food insecurity. Under the program, HESAA will award scholarships in the amount of $10,000 to each program participant. Under the bill, $9 million will be appropriated to HESAA for the purposes of awarding scholarships. The bill also requires the Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with the Office of Volunteerism, to establish a two-year Community Service Grant Program. The program will provide grants to public institutions of higher education to:· establish partnerships between the institutions and community-based service organizations that specialize in providing services in the fields of climate action, K-12 education, or food insecurity; and· provide undergraduate students with opportunities to serve in their communities, particularly in the fields of climate action, K-12 education, and food insecurity, to so they can earn scholarships. Under the bill, an application is required to include information concerning the institution's proposed program, including its plan to:· partner with specific community-based service organizations that specialize in providing services in the fields of climate action, K-12 education, or food insecurity;· promote the ideals and benefits of community-based service, and inform students of opportunities to serve in their communities while earning a scholarship for their service;· provide program participants with academic credit for their participation in the program;· ensure program participants attain real-world knowledge and experience in their field of service while serving with the partner community-based service organizations; and · provide program participants with access to training, networking, and professional development opportunities during, and upon completion of, their service. The secretary, in consultation with the office, will select 10 public institutions of higher education to participate in the program. The secretary will award a grant in the amount of $100,000 to each grant recipient. Under the bill, $1 million will be appropriated to the secretary for the purposes of this act. | In Committee |
| ACR109 | Urges Congress to pass "Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act" and fund initiatives to expand palliative care. | This resolution urges Congress to pass the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), thereby providing invaluable resources such as fellowship funding in order to expand and improve end-of-life care for all Americans. The resolution also urges the New Jersey Congressional delegation to work with this Legislature to help fund initiatives in end-of-life care, such as a carve-out from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services graduate medical education funding cap for palliative care fellowships, and State-designated graduate medical education payments targeted to State institutions looking to create palliative care fellowship programs. Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient's other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and it can be provided along with curative treatment. As the U.S. population ages and develops chronic, progressive illnesses, it is generally understood that there will be an insufficient number of palliative care specialists to serve all patients with serious illness and their families and caregivers. Traditional medical education focuses on providing physicians with the skills to diagnose and treat illness. Optimal end-of-life care requires a physician to be able to diagnose, prognosticate, establish goals of care with the patient based on the prognosis, and then provide treatment to best respect and effectuate the mutually agreed upon goals of care. As such, there is a need for physicians specializing in palliative care to effectively communicate with patients and their families on advance care planning, end-of-life care, and informed consent discussions. On June 27, 2018, the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health passed H.R.1676, the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). This legislation will authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants or contracts for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers, promote the career development of nurses and physicians in palliative care through fellowship funding and academic career awards, and promote research and outreach in the delivery of care for patient with serious or life-threatening illness. The Senate version of PCHETA, S.693, was introduced on March 22, 2017, and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and H.R.1676 was received in the Senate and referred to the same committee on July 24, 2018. Currently, there are only two one-year palliative care fellowships in New Jersey: one at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and one at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Due to the shortage of palliative care fellowship programs in New Jersey, there is a growing need and opportunity for improvement in end-of-life care. | In Committee |
| A3558 | Establishes State definition of anti-Semitism; creates a public awareness campaign; appropriates $100,000. | 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". 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 adopted by the IHRA for purposes of determining whether the alleged act was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. 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. Nothing in the bill would be construed to conflict with local, State, or federal anti-discrimination laws or regulations. This bill also appropriates $100,000 to the Office of the Attorney General for the creation of a public awareness campaign to promote bias crime reporting. Through extensive community outreach, the citizens of New Jersey will be empowered to identify and report bias crimes using the existing bias crime reporting hotline within the New Jersey Bias Crimes Reporting Unit. This appropriation represents an investment in safety and collective action against bias crimes, including acts considered anti-Semitic. | In Committee |
| A3514 | Enhances access to reproductive health care; appropriates $20 million; repeals various sections of law. | This bill implements various measures to strengthen access to reproductive health care in the State. Health Insurance. The bill provides that any State program that provides benefits for pregnancy-related care will also provide benefits for the termination of pregnancy, and that health insurance coverage will also include coverage for termination of pregnancy without a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement. Under the bill, upon request of a religious employer, a health insurer will grant an exclusion if the coverage conflicts with the religious employer's bona fide religious beliefs and practices. Other States' Civil Actions. The bill declares that a law of another state that authorizes a person to bring a civil action against a person or entity for undertaking any of the following conduct is contrary to the public policy of this State: (1) receiving or seeking an abortion; (2) performing or inducing an abortion; (3) knowingly engaging in conduct that aids or abets the performance, receipt, or inducement of an abortion; or (4) attempting or intending to engage in the conduct described above. This provision of the bill will not apply to an action founded in tort, contract, or statute under the laws of this State, or an action founded in tort, contract, or statute under the laws of another state and for which a similar claim would exist under the laws of this State, including, but not limited to, an alleged act of malpractice or negligence by a person related to the person's profession or occupation. Crime: Interference with Reproductive Health Services. The bill creates the new crime of "interference with reproductive health services." Among other provisions, a person is guilty of the crime if the person purposely or knowingly, with purpose to unlawfully restrict another's access to or receipt or provision of reproductive health services or to intimidate the person from becoming or remaining a reproductive health services patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant: (1) inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily injury; (2) obstructs any person seeking to enter into or exit from a reproductive health services facility or place of religious worship; (3) intimidates, threatens or coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any person or entity because that person or entity is a reproductive health services patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant; (4) damages, defaces, or destroys the property of a person, entity, or facility, or attempts to do so, because the person, entity, or facility is a reproductive health services patient, provider, assistant, volunteer, or facility; (5) videotapes, films, photographs, or records by electronic means, within 100 feet of the entrance to a reproductive health services facility, a patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant without that person's consent, with purpose to intimidate the person from becoming or remaining a reproductive health services patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant; or (6) discloses or distributes a videotape, film, photograph, or recording of the person with purpose to intimidate the person from becoming or remaining a reproductive health services patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant. Interference with reproductive health services is a crime of the fourth degree, but is a crime of the second degree if the victim suffers significant bodily injury or serious bodily injury. 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; a crime of the second degree, by a term of five to 10 years, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. Dispersal of Gatherings. The bill authorizes the Attorney General or any law enforcement officer to order the immediate dispersal of a gathering that substantially impedes access to or departure from an entrance or driveway to a reproductive health care facility during the business hours of the facility. Failure to comply with a dispersal order is a disorderly persons offense. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Civil Action: Interference with Reproductive Health Services. The bill also authorizes a person to bring a civil action against a person who unlawfully interferes with another person's reproductive health services. The court may award injunctive relief; compensatory damages in an amount not less than liquidated damages computed at the rate of $1,000 for each violation; punitive damages upon proof of willful or reckless disregard of the law; reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation costs; and other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate. Under the bill, the Attorney General may bring a civil action to enjoin a violation of the law, for compensatory damages, and for the assessment of a civil penalty against each person who violates the law. The civil penalty imposed will be up to, but not exceeding, $10,000 for a first violation, and $25,000 for any subsequent violation. Reproductive Health Access Fund. The bill creates the "Reproductive Health Access Fund," which will be credited with moneys from an appropriation of $20 million made pursuant to the bill, interest, and any money from any other source. The fund will be used for the following purposes, established pursuant to the bill: (1) $5 million will be appropriated for the "Abortion Care Clinical Training Program"; (2) $5 million for the "Reproductive Health Security Grant Program"; and (3) $10 million for the "Reproductive Health Care Facility Grant Program". The "Abortion Care Clinical Training Program" will provide grants to develop and sustain abortion care training programs; continuing education programs for physicians through professional associations or other clinical education programs; and establish training program requirements that are consistent with evidence-based training standards, comply with applicable State law and regulations, and focus on providing culturally congruent care and include implicit bias training. The "Reproductive Health Security Grant Program" in the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness will provide grants to eligible reproductive health care facilities which the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness determines are at a high risk of being the target of unlawful activity, including acts of violence, property damage, vandalism, and harassment. Grants provided under the program will be used to hire security personnel and target-hardening equipment. The "Reproductive Health Facility Grant Program" will be used to support establishing or renovating existing health care facilities, investments in technology to facilitate care, the recruitment and retention of staff, and other operational needs that increase abortion care. Needs Assessment. The bill requires the Department of Health to conduct a Statewide needs assessment to examine the gaps in delivery of reproductive health services in the State, including the impact that out-of-State restrictions have had on the need for reproductive health services and the provider network in the State. Medicaid Coverage. Under the bill, the Department of Human Services will ensure that expenses incurred for abortion services will be provided with no cost-sharing to persons served under the Medicaid program. Medical Malpractice Insurers. The bill bars medical malpractice insurers from taking any adverse action, including loss of coverage, sanctions, fines, penalties, or rate increases, against an insured for providing or facilitating an abortion or reproductive health care service based solely on the fact that the patient receiving the service is a resident of a state where providing or facilitating an abortion or reproductive health care service is illegal. Licensing Boards. Finally, the bill provides that a licensing board cannot refuse to admit a person to an examination and cannot suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew any certificate, registration, or license based solely on grounds that the applicant or the holder of the certificate, registration, or license provided, authorized, participated in, referred for, or assisted with any health care, medical service, or procedure related to an abortion for a person who resides in a jurisdiction where these acts are illegal, if the acts would not be a basis for these sanctions in this State. Repealers. The bill repeals the following statutes, which have either been obviated by court decisions or would be obviated by this bill: -- N.J.S.A.2A:65A-5 through N.J.S.A.2A:65A-7 (banned partial birth abortions); -- N.J.S.A.9:17A-1.1 through N.J.S.A.9:17A-1.12 (required parental notification for minors' abortions); -- N.J.S.A.26:2S-39, N.J.S.A.52:14-17.29hh, and N.J.S.A.52:14-17.46.6q (exempted religious employers from possible requirement that health insurance issued in the State include abortion coverage); and -- N.J.S.A.30:4D-6.1 (barred Medicaid payment for abortion except where necessary to save the woman's life). | In Committee |
| A513 | Provides tuition fee waiver for certain apprenticeship courses. | Provides tuition fee waiver for certain apprenticeship courses. | In Committee |
| A3512 | Requires Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare to provide medically tailored nutrition services for certain enrollees. | This bill requires the Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs to cover medically tailored nutrition services, when prescribed by a medical professional and designed by a dietician or a licensed nutritionist, in order address an enrollee's diet-related medical conditions. It is the intent of the bill's sponsor to provide enrollees with the nutritional support necessary to help prevent, manage, or treat diet-related illness or medical conditions. The bill provides Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare coverage for a minimum of 10 medically tailored meals per week for enrollees who have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal disease. Medically tailored meals are defined under the bill as being ready-to-eat or fully prepared meals and snacks that are designed by a dietician or a licensed nutritionist as part of a treatment plan to address an individual's diagnosed medical conditions, and which are intended to provide complete or near-complete nutrition. The bill also requires Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare coverage for medically tailored foods, in an amount sufficient for the preparation of 14 meals per week, for enrollees diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or obesity. The bill defines medically tailored foods as being non-prepared, perishable and nonperishable grocery items and produce, which are selected by a dietician or a licensed nutritionist as part of a treatment plan, and which are intended to provide partial or near-complete nutrition. Under the bill, the Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs are to provide subsidies for nutritious foods, in the amount of $25 per week or greater, for enrollees who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, overweight, or hypertension. The food items that enrollees may purchase using these subsidies may require further preparation before consumption. The bill additionally provides Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare coverage for medical nutrition therapy, in an amount and for a duration to be determined by the prescribing physician, for certain enrollees diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease. The bill further stipulates that all medically tailored nutrition services provided under the Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare programs be designed and managed by a dietician or a licensed nutritionist as part of a treatment plan to address an enrollee's medical condition. Studies show that dietary interventions, such as medically tailored meals, help reduce the number of hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and nursing home admissions for patients with diet-related illnesses. According to data from the Food is Medicine Coalition, a research and advocacy organization, six months of dietary interventions can reduce an individual's medical costs by 16 percent. As of February 2023, moreover, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which administers the federal Medicaid and CHIP programs, has approved Medicaid demonstration programs in Oregon, Massachusetts, and Arkansas that provide healthy food and nutrition supports for certain enrollees. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in ten adults consumes the recommended number of servings of fruit and vegetable, as included in the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Results of a study conducted by researchers at Tufts University show that the majority of children and youth between the ages of two and 19 years consume a diet that nutrition researchers would describe as being of "poor quality," while less than one percent consume a diet that researchers would consider to be of "ideal quality." A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease; conversely, a diet high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, alcohol, and processed meats is associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and early death. Researchers have found that highly processed foods, which are associated with increased caloric intake and weight gain, comprise nearly 60 percent of the average consumer's diet and account for 90 percent of added sugar consumption. It is the sponsor's belief that individuals living with particular primary and comorbid health conditions may also have specific dietary needs that must be met in order for these individuals to manage their health. | In Committee |
| A3417 | Establishes NJ Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Life Long Skills Commission in the Department of State. | This bill establishes, in the Department of State, the New Jersey Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Life Long Skills (NJSKILLS) Commission. The purpose of the commission will be to evaluate changes in labor market needs in the State and to advise State agencies of developments that are pertinent to the agencies' responsibilities. The commission will include 21 members, including the Commissioner of Education, the Secretary of Higher Education, and the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Chief Executive Officers of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Schools Development Authority or their designee, two individuals with experience in education and economic development, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and 14 members appointed by the Governor, including: 1. one representative each of a four-year public institution of higher education, a four-year independent institution of higher education, and a county college; 2. six representatives of school districts with expertise in curriculum development, including two urban, two rural, and two suburban school districts, all of which have below average graduation rates and are in municipalities with above average unemployment rates; 3. one individual with expertise in labor economics; 4. one representative from trade associations; 5. one representative from the business community; 6. one representative of the New Jersey Council of Vocational Technical Schools; and 7. one representative of a group with above average rates of unemployment and underemployment. The appointed members would each serve a term of five years, except five of the initial appointees will serve a three-year term, five will serve a four-year term, and four will serve a five-year term. The Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is to serve as the chairperson of the board. The commission would produce an annual report providing data on trends in employment and make recommendations to the appropriate State agencies on matters including: the update and review of the core curriculum content standards; occupational areas in which there are unmet training needs; the alignment of higher education course offerings and content to labor market needs. The commission would also oversee, and make recommendations in its annual report regarding, the activities of the Center for Occupational Employment Information in carrying out its responsibilities, including the compilation of information from approved training providers as required to produce a consumer report card on each qualified school or other approved training provider, and the implementation and enforcement of a process to revoke or suspend from the State Eligible Training Provider List any of the schools or providers which fail to submit the required data. | In Committee |
| AJR97 | Urges U.S. Congress to pass Equal Rights Amendment. | This resolution urges the United States Congress to pass the Equal Rights Amendment as reintroduced by Senators Bob Menendez, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Ed Markey in order to affirm this country's commitment to equal rights for women and to introduce the idea of sex equality as a fundamental principle in the United States Constitution. | In Committee |
| AJR98 | Designates fourth week in April of each year as "Every Kid Healthy Week." | This joint resolution designates the fourth week in April of each year as "Every Kid Healthy Week" in New Jersey in order to promote healthy lifestyles choices for New Jersey's children and draw attention to the risks of childhood obesity. New Jersey is no exception to the nation-wide obesity crisis. Roughly 94,000 New Jersey children between the ages of 10 and 17 are considered obese, and an estimated 82,000 high school students in the State are considered overweight. Each of these children are at risk for developing a wide variety of physical and mental illnesses, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and depression, all of which limit their ability to achieve life-long dreams and ambitions. Moreover, the increased healthcare costs associated with obesity are directly thrust upon New Jersey's taxpayers, typically in the form of Medicaid and Medicare contributions. In response, "Every Kid Healthy Week" was established as a part of a national movement to help schools and parents promote healthy lifestyle choices for their children. During this week, schools are encouraged to partner with parents and health clubs to help encourage kids to eat healthy and stay active. By inspiring today's youth to live healthy, "Every Kid Healthy Week" will benefit every child and taxpayer in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| A3428 | Provides child tax credit for taxpayers with children ages six to 11 and increases amount of credit for taxpayers with children under 12 over period of two years. | This bill would provide a child tax credit for certain taxpayers with children ages six to 11 and increase the amount of the credit over a period of two years for taxpayers with children ages 11 and under. Under current law, a resident taxpayer with New Jersey taxable income of $80,000 or less is allowed a credit against the State income tax for each child under age six. The amount of the credit is $500 per child if the taxpayer's income is $30,000 or less and is incrementally reduced with respect to levels of income in excess of $30,000. The credit is completely phased out once a taxpayer's income exceeds $80,000. In addition to those taxpayers with children under age six, the bill expands eligibility for the child tax credit to taxpayers with children ages six to 11. The bill also increases the amount of the credit over a period of two years. Taxpayers with an income under $30,000 and a child under age six would be eligible for a $750 credit for the 2023 and 2024 tax years with an incremental reduction of the credit for levels of income over $30,000 and a complete phase-out of the credit for incomes that exceed $80,000. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, the credit would increase to $1,000 for taxpayers with levels of income under $30,000 with an incremental reduction of the credit for levels of income over $30,000. The credit would continue to be completely phased out once a taxpayer exceeds $80,000 of income. Taxpayers with an income of $30,000 or less with a child ages six to 11 would be eligible for a $500 credit for the 2023 and 2024 tax years with an incremental reduction of the credit for incomes over $30,000 and a complete phase-out of the credit for incomes that exceed $80,000. For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, the credit would increase to $600 for those taxpayers with levels of income under $30,000 with an incremental reduction of the credit for levels of income over $30,000. The credit would continue to be completely phased out once the taxpayer's income exceeds $80,000. | In Committee |
| A3432 | Establishes special parking for hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles. | This bill would establish a pilot program through which electric, hybrid, and alternative fuel vehicles would be eligible to be parked in special and convenient parking spaces. Under this bill, a parking area with 100 or more parking spaces would have to include five percent designated parking spaces for hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles. These spaces would be the most accessible, after those designated for use by handicapped persons. The spaces would have to be outlined in green paint and identified with a sign displaying "Hybrid and Alternatives Parking Only" in green. The bill directs the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to issue window stickers to identify vehicles which may be parked in parking spaces designated for hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles, and outlines the standards for eligible vehicles. Drivers of vehicles parked in these spaces without a sticker would be subject to a $250 fine. The bill would be effective for 10 years, during which time the chief administrator would provide the Legislature with relevant information for its evaluation. | In Committee |
| AJR113 | Designates November of each year as "Transgender Awareness Month." | This joint resolution designates November of each year as "Transgender Awareness Month" in the State of New Jersey, and respectfully calls on the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling on public officials and citizens of this State to observe "Transgender Awareness Month" with appropriate activities and programs. Transgender individuals, who are people whose gender identity, expression, or behavior is different from those typically associated with the individual's assigned sex at birth, face considerable challenges in society, including discrimination, harassment, physical abuse, and social isolation. In the face of a sharp increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation being introduced nationwide, with numerous bills seeking to limit access to health care, housing, education, and free expression for transgender individuals and transgender youth in particular, the Legislature finds it fitting and appropriate to increase awareness and understanding of the prejudice, discrimination, and violence that transgender persons face, as well as to recognize the beauty, strength, and resilience of the transgender community and the myriad contributions transgender individuals make to the life, culture, and social fabric of the United States. | In Committee |
| AR97 | Designates first week in August as "Adult Diaper Need Awareness Week" in New Jersey. | This resolution designates the first week in August as "Adult Diaper Need Awareness Week" in the State of New Jersey in order to recognize that adult diaper need is a public health issue, raise awareness of adult diaper need, and ensure that all adults suffering from incontinence will have access to clean diapers and other incontinence products required for daily living. Twenty-five million American adults suffer from various forms of incontinence, and urinary incontinence, the loss of bladder control, is more common in older people, especially women. Persons living with chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's, disease, dementia, multiple sclerosis, or Parkinson's disease, and those who are disabled, can also experience incontinence. The only way for older Americans, the disabled, and persons living with chronic illnesses to manage and lead as normal of a life as possible is through the use products that are specifically catered to managing incontinence, most notably adult diapers. A person with a moderate amount of urine leakage may use two to four disposable diapers each day, at a cost averaging $80-$160 per month. However, if a person needs adult diapers for all their urinary needs, the cost can be between $200-$300 per month for adult briefs and other incontinence products. Diaper need is the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep an infant, a toddler, or an adult with incontinence clean, dry, and healthy. Often, people dealing with incontinence problems are among those who have the fewest resources, and adults managing incontinence who are living in poverty or who have limited incomes may not have access to adult diapers and other incontinence supplies. An inadequate supply of adult diapers or inferior incontinence products poses many health risks, including rashes and urinary tract infections, and can lead to anxiety and depression. Diapers banks are a resource for people who cannot afford to purchase needed incontinence products due to financial difficulties and, in many cases, adult diapers made available through diaper banks are free. However, the fact that federal health insurance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare have varying procedures and requirements relating to insurance coverage for incontinence products, and the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic has amplified economic hardships, adults suffering with incontinence often lack access to adult diapers and other products that are essential for daily living. Raising public awareness of adult diaper need will ensure that adults with incontinence will no longer struggle with inadequate supplies of adult diapers or inferior incontinence products and will be able to manage and lead as normal of a life as possible. | In Committee |
| AJR103 | Designated May of each year as "Foster Care Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates the month of May of each year is as "Foster Care Month" in the State of New Jersey to promote awareness of the more than 3,100 children and youth in the State's foster care system, and to celebrate the child welfare professionals who find permanent homes, facilitate connections with families, and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those children and youth. | In Committee |
| AJR105 | Designates November of each year as "New Jersey Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month." | This resolution Designates November of each year as "New Jersey Homeless Children and Youth Awareness Month." In the United States, public schools identified approximately 1,100,000 homeless children and youth during the 2020-2021 school year. An estimated 1,300,000 children younger than six years of age in 2018-2019 and approximately 4,200,000 youth and young adults in 2017 experienced homelessness. Infants experiencing homelessness are at a higher risk for certain illnesses and health conditions, and families experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience involvement in the child welfare system and difficulty with school attendance. More than one in three high school students experiencing homelessness has attempted suicide, and nearly one in four high school students experiencing homelessness has experienced dating violence. Individuals without a high school degree or general educational development certificate (GED) are three times more likely to report homelessness than their peers, making lack of education the leading risk factor for homelessness. In 2018, the high school graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness was 67.8 percent, compared to 80 percent for low-income students and 85.5 percent for all students. According to the New Jersey 2022 Point-In-Time Count, on the night of January 25th, 2022, a total of 6,631 households, including 8,754 persons, were experiencing homelessness in New Jersey. Of the 6,631 homeless households counted in New Jersey in 2022, 988 were families with at least one child under the age of 18 and one adult. A total of 1,750 persons were identified as chronically homeless, and 978 persons were unsheltered on the night of the count. Homeless youth, which is defined by the New Jersey 2022 Point-In-Time Count as individuals and families with heads of households 24 years old or younger, represented 8.9 percent of the counted homeless population, with 780 persons identified. The rate of youth homelessness is the same in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Twenty-nine percent of unaccompanied homeless youth between 13 and 25 years of age have spent time in foster care, compared to approximately six percent of all children. Homelessness among children and youth is a complex issue that often co-occurs with deep poverty, low education and employment levels, substance misuse and abuse, mental illness, lack of affordable housing, and family conflict. Awareness of child and youth homelessness must be heightened to encourage greater support for effective programs to help children and youth overcome homelessness. | In Committee |
| A3425 | Increases benefit amount under New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit program from 40 percent to 60 percent of federal benefit amount. | This bill increases the benefit amount under the New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program to 60 percent of the federal benefit amount beginning in Tax Year 2022. The program, which piggy-backs on the federal EITC program, currently provides a refundable tax credit under the New Jersey gross income tax equal to 40 percent of the federal benefit amount. The federal and State EITC programs are meant to provide tax relief to low- to moderate-income workers and families. In most cases, taxpayers must first file for the federal EITC before they can claim the State EITC. | In Committee |
| AJR102 | Designates September of each year as "Kinship Care Month" in New Jersey. | This joint resolution designates the month of September of each year as "Kinship Care Month in the State of New Jersey recognize the importance of kinship caregivers and showcase the accomplishments of children supported through kinship arrangements. | In Committee |
| AJR106 | Establishes task force on missing women and girls who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color. | This joint resolution establishes a task force on missing women and girls who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The Centers for Disease Control has reported that murder is the third-leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women. Additionally, in a 2020 report by the Women's Media Center, it was reported there are approximately 64,000-75,000 missing Black women and girls across the United States. Cases involving BIPOC women and girls often are under-reported, do not receive the required level of attention by the media or law enforcement, and are categorized improperly by law enforcement officials. The systemic racism, sexism, and suppression experienced by BIPOC women and girls leads to worse health, wealth, housing, education, and employment outcomes. Furthermore, there is no comprehensive database regarding missing and murdered BIPOC women and girls. Creation of the task force on missing BIPOC women and girls will address these inequities. The task force will be responsible for: (1) developing policy recommendations to ensure first responders are culturally competent regarding the severity and impact of missing and murdered BIPOC women and girls on the communities and families affected; (2) developing training and education materials for BIPOC communities on methods of prevention and protection and social media protocols relating to missing BIPOC women and girls, and disseminating the materials in high-impact communities within the State; (3) developing strategies and recommendations for the Office of the Attorney General to collect statistics, demographics, surveys, and oral histories; conduct data analysis; and issue guidelines to ensure de-identified data is publicly available; (4) identifying traffic hubs, highways, and resource extraction sites that lead to or facilitate the abduction of BIPOC women and girls; and (5) creating a State-wide public awareness campaign. The task force will be comprised of 15 members, as follows:· the Attorney General or the Attorney General's designee, who shall serve ex officio; · the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve ex officio; · the Commissioner of the Department of Health or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve ex officio; · the Superintendent of State Police or the superintendent's designee, who shall serve ex officio; · the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice or the director's designee, who shall serve ex officio; · two members to be appointed by the President of the Senate; · two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; · two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; · two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and · two members to be appointed by the Governor. | In Committee |
| AR98 | Declares week of September 22 through September 28, 2024 as "Diaper Need Awareness Week." | This resolution declares the week of September 22 through September 28, 2024 as "Diaper Need Awareness Week" in New Jersey. Diaper Need is defined as the condition of not having a sufficient supply of clean diapers to ensure that infants and toddlers are clean, healthy, and dry. National surveys report that one in three mothers experience Diaper Need at some time while their children are less than three years of age, and forty-eight percent of families delay changing a diaper to extend their supply. Diaper Need can adversely affect the health and welfare of infants, toddlers, and their families, and can deny children eligibility for childcare and early education programs. The resolution urges governmental agencies in this State to observe "Diaper Need Awareness Week" by organizing diaper drives, and requests the Governor to issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and the citizens of this State to observe "Diaper Need Awareness Week" with appropriate activities and programs. | In Committee |
| A1484 | Creates task force to study feasibility of paperless State government. | Creates task force to study feasibility of paperless State government. | In Committee |
| A2635 | Requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their name and telephone number on any caller identification service. | This bill prohibits a telemarketer, when making or causing to be made any telemarketing sales call, from failing to transmit or cause to be transmitted the telephone number, and, when made available by the telemarketer's telephone company, the name of the telemarketer, to any caller identification service in use by a recipient of a telemarketing sales call. The bill permits the telemarketer to substitute, for the name and telephone number used in or billed for making the call, the name of the seller on behalf of which the call is placed and the seller's customer service telephone number that is answered during regular business hours. | In Committee |
| A2958 | Requires Commissioner of Human Services to request authorization for SNAP benefits to be used to pay delivery charges for online grocery purchases. | This bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services to request that the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) permit "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," (SNAP) benefits, available through a beneficiary's SNAP electronic benefits transfer card, to pay the delivery charge for home delivery of the beneficiary's SNAP-eligible grocery purchase. Currently, the USDA does not allow the use of SNAP funds to pay the fee charged for home delivery of grocery purchases. In March 2020, the USDA opened its pilot program for online grocery purchasing to New Jersey's SNAP participants. Individuals participating in New Jersey SNAP may purchase groceries online through Amazon, and at 17 participating retailers Statewide, including major supermarket chains, membership warehouse clubs, and big-box stores. The SNAP is a nutrition assistance entitlement program for low-income households regulated by the Food and Nutrition Service within the USDA, pursuant to the "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.). At the State level, the program is administered by the county welfare agencies, under the supervision of the Division of Family Development (DFD) in the Department of Human Services. | Dead |
| A2977 | Requires certain electric public utilities to file emergency response plan with BPU. | This bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (board) to establish a set of standards for emergency preparation and restoration of service after an outage that every investor-owned electric public utility (utility) in the State must follow. The standards are intended to serve as a minimum set of best practices that every utility in the State should follow with regard to power outages. The bill establishes that a utility which fails to meet these standards shall be fined $10,000 per violation, per day. The total amount of the fine is limited to $1 million for a series of related events. The board may investigate a violation on its own initiative or upon request from the Governor, from county freeholders affected by an outage, or from a municipality affected by an outage. The bill also requires every utility to file an emergency response plan with the board. This plan would serve as an official plan of action for each utility in the event of a major power outage and must include: the identification of management staff responsible for utility operations during an emergency; an explanation of the utility's system of communication with customers during an emergency that extends beyond normal business hours and business conditions; a history of contacts with customers that document a need of essential electricity for medical reasons; designation of utility staff to communicate with local officials and relevant regulatory agencies; provisions regarding how the utility will assure the safety of its employees and contractors; procedures for deploying utility and mutual aid crews to work assignment areas; and identification of supplies and equipment anticipated to be needed by the utility during an emergency and the means of obtaining additional supplies and equipment. If a utility fails to file an emergency response plan, the board can fine the utility $1,000 per day until a plan is filed. If the board investigates a utility after an outage and finds that the utility failed to follow its emergency response plan, the board is directed to impose a fine that reflects the severity of the damage caused by failing to follow the plan. Any fines imposed by the board under this bill are to be placed in a non-lapsing account administered by the board. Monies in the account are to be distributed as grant funds to municipalities affected by power outages for maintenance costs along rights of way near utility infrastructure, such as tree trimming near power lines or removing hazards that could potentially cause a future outage. | In Committee |
| A2955 | "Patient Protection Act"; establishes requirements concerning the transfer and referral of certain patients receiving health care services. | This bill, designated as the "Patient Protection Act," requires that, prior to obtaining consent to transfer a patient to a health care facility located outside the State, the health care professional seeking to transfer the patient to an out-of-State facility is to provide the patient, in writing and in a manner that is easily understood, the following information, which is to be documented in the patient record: the patient's right to receive medical care at a health care facility of the patient's choosing; the clinical basis for the patient's proposed transfer to an out-of-State facility; the availability of clinically-appropriate services at health care facilities within the State or a determination that no such clinically-appropriate services are available in the State; in the case of a trauma-related, stroke-related, or cardiovascular-related diagnosis, a determination as to why the patient is not being transferred to a Level 1 or Level 2 trauma center, designated certified comprehensive or primary stroke center, or a licensed cardiac surgery center in the State, as appropriate; and if the health care facility is affiliated with the out-of-State facility, the nature of the relationship between the facilities. Under the bill, if a patient is unconscious or otherwise lacks the capacity to make health care decisions, the health care professional who is required to provide the information is to provide the information to the patient's designated next of kin, patient advocate, or legally authorized representative, as appropriate. If the designated next of kin, patient advocate, or legally authorized representative is unknown or is unavailable after best efforts to contact that individual, the requirement to provide the information will be deemed to be waived and the transfer of the patient to the out-of-State facility will be deemed to be authorized. The bill provides that, in the event that notice cannot be provided to the patient's health benefits plan prior to the transfer, the health care professional who is required to provide the notice is to certify that the required information was provided to the patient's designated next-of-kin, patient advocate, or legally authorized representative, or that such individual was unknown or unavailable. In addition, the health care facility will be required to notify the patient's health insurance carrier or self-funded health benefits plan sponsor of the pending transfer, and facilitate communication between the patient and the patient's carrier concerning: the network status of the health care facility located outside the State and whether the specific medical services provided by that health care facility are covered under the patient's health benefits plan; and any estimated out-of-pocket costs the patient would incur as the result of being transferred to a health care facility located outside the State. The facility will additionally be required to provide notice to the Department of Health (DOH), on a quarterly basis and in a form and manner to be determined by the DOH, of each transfer to a health care facility located outside the State and the clinical necessity or other reason for the transfer. Under the bill, a health care facility that transfers a patient to an out-of-State health care facility without an opportunity to notify the patient's health insurance carrier is to be required to certify that the patient notice requirements under the bill have been met. The bill also requires that, prior to referring a patient to an out-of-State health care professional or health care facility, a health care professional will be required to provide the patient, in writing and in a manner that is easily understood, the following information, which is to be documented in the patient record: the patient's right to receive medical care from a health care professional or facility of the patient's choosing; the clinical basis for the patient's proposed referral to an out-of-State health care professional or health care facility; the location of the out-of-State health care professional's office or the location of the out-of-State facility; whether clinically-appropriate services from an in-State health care professional or facility are available; and, if the referring health care professional is affiliated with the out-of-State health care professional or health care facility to whom the patient is to be referred, the nature of the relationship between the two professionals or the professional and the facility. In addition, the health care professional is to notify the DOH, on a quarterly basis, of each referral and the clinical necessity or other reasons for the referral. The DOH is to then forward each such notification to the Division of Consumer Affairs (Division) in the Department of Law and Public Safety. The bill mandates DOH and the Division, as applicable, to post on their respective Internet websites information, and update at least annually, the number of: patients transferred by each health care facility to an out-of-State health care facility and the services provided to those patients; the number of patients referred by in-State health care professionals to out-of-State health care professionals or health care facilities by specialty and the clinical basis for patient transfers and referrals; and the number of complaints received by DOH or the Division regarding patient transfers to out-of-State health care facilities. The bill also stipulates that, in the case of a patient in need of pediatric care, a health care facility or a health care professional providing such services would be exempt from the requirements of the bill. The bill provides that the DOH is to make available an electronic reporting system to health care professionals and health care facilities to provide the notifications required under the bill. As defined in the bill, "health benefits plan" means a benefits plan which pays or provides hospital and medical expense benefits and other health care services for covered services, and is delivered or issued for delivery in this State by or through a carrier, or an employer or third party administrator that pays hospital and medical benefits, including a benefits plan provided under the State Health Benefits Program, P.L.1961, c.49 (C.52:14-17.25 et seq.), or the School Employees' Health Benefits Program, sections 31 through 41 of P.L.2007, c.103 (C.52:14-17.46.1 through C.52:14-17.46.11). | In Committee |
| A2996 | Requires cost of living increase to be granted in each of two State fiscal years when retirement allowance or benefit is below certain amount for retiree or beneficiary in PERS, TPAF, PFRS, SPRS, and JRS; makes appropriation. | This bill would provide for a cost of living increase for certain retired public employees and their beneficiaries who are receiving monthly payments from the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, Judicial Retirement System, Public Employees' Retirement System, Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and State Police Retirement System. The increase would be provided only to those retirees and beneficiaries who are currently receiving an amount that is at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level as set for a household of one. The increase would be provided only on January 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024. The increase would be calculated in the same way that such increases were calculated when such increases were provided annually under the pension adjustment law, N.J.S.A.43:3B-1 et seq.; these annual increases were ended by law in 2011. However, the increase under this bill will be 100 percent of the change in the Consumer Price Index, instead of the 60 percent provided by the pension adjustment law. The bill requires the State to fund the cost of these increases and makes an appropriation for that purpose. | In Committee |
| A2985 | Directs State Board of Education to require that when individualized education program (IEP) team is developing individualized education program for student prone to regression, it must consider consistency of staffing. | This bill directs the State Board of Education to require that when an individualized education program (IEP) team is developing an IEP with a parent or guardian of a student who is prone to regression including, but not limited to, students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, the IEP team must consider, among other factors, the consistency of staffing when determining in-district special education placements. | In Committee |
| A2971 | Requires Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to facilitate establishment of four new recovery community centers. | This bill requires the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services to facilitate the establishment of four new recovery community centers in New Jersey. There are currently two recovery community centers providing services in New Jersey: Eva's Village Recovery Center in Passaic County and Living Proof Recovery Center in Camden County. Recovery community centers are non-clinical, peer-to-peer support centers for people in recovery from an alcohol or other substance use disorder. The centers assist clients in maintaining sobriety and reestablishing ties to the community through a variety of services which include, but are not limited to, peer-facilitated recovery support groups, recovery coaching and mentoring, telephone recovery support, family education programs, mental health wellness groups, writing groups, art therapy, music classes, social and recreational events, on-site child care, volunteer training opportunities, advocacy training, life skills training and support, computer and Internet access, general educational development test classes, and job readiness and career preparation classes. The bill permits the division, and any other entity seeking to establish or support the establishment of a new recovery community center under the bill, to seek and accept such funding and grants as may be available from any source. The assistant commissioner will be required to submit an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature detailing its efforts to establish four new recovery community centers, including any recommendations for supporting, expanding, improving, and establishing new recovery community centers. | In Committee |
| A2995 | Requires MVC to provide certain services at each MVC agency location for certain individuals. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to provide in-person vehicle and licensing services at each commission agency location for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission designated each commission agency location as either a licensing center or vehicle center and required certain services to be completed online. The commission continues to operate in this manner, which places a great burden on seniors and persons with disabilities. | In Committee |
| A2974 | Provides for fair notice and opportunity to contest, or obtain waiver of a repayment of, overpayment of homestead rebate or credit and homestead property tax reimbursement. | This bill provides for a fair system to allow recipients of overpayments of homestead rebates or credits and homestead property tax reimbursements, to contest the overpayment, or seek a waiver of the overpayment, when the overpayment is made without any fault of the recipient. The bill describes the notice that must be provided by the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury to the recipient explaining the right to contest an overpayment, and the right to request a waiver of the repayment when the recipient has not misrepresented or withheld any material fact in obtaining the reimbursement. In those circumstances, the bill also allows for a waiver of the recovery of an erroneous payment that the director must consider if the repayment would be contrary to principles of equity. The bill also provides that the recipient has the right to file a protest of a finding by the director that the overpayment must be repaid where there is a finding that the claimant misrepresented or withheld any material fact in obtaining the payments. After losing a contest concerning the overpayment in these circumstances, the bill allows a claimant to file a protest as is allowed by law currently when a State taxpayer files a protest against a State tax deficiency assessment. | In Committee |
| A2981 | Requires provision of instruction on safe user practices for certain websites and mobile applications as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. | This bill directs each school district to incorporate instruction on safe user practices for ride share applications and classified advertisement websites for students in grades 7 through 12 as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. Popular ride share applications include Lyft and Uber. Popular classified advertisement websites include Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Under the bill, the instruction must provide students with safe user practices for ride share applications including, but not limited to, instruction to: (1) pay by means other than cash; (2) place the request for the ride while inside and remain inside until the ride arrives; (3) confirm, prior to entering the vehicle, that the vehicle has been sent through the ride share application; (4) ride in the back seat; (5) share trip details with others; and (6) travel in groups whenever possible. The bill also requires that the instruction provide students with safe user practices for the in-person exchange of an item that was offered for sale or acquisition on a classified advertisement website including, but not limited to, instruction to: (1) pay by means other than cash; (2) meet at a public place and never meet in a secluded area or inside a private residence; (3) perform the transaction during daylight hours; (4) not share personal or financial information with other parties to the transaction; and (5) bring others to the meeting place whenever possible and share information with others about the time and location of an upcoming transaction. | In Committee |
| A2984 | Establishes NJ Life Sciences Training and Development Program in DOLWD. | This bill will dedicate workforce development funds for a New Jersey Life Sciences Training and Development Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The program will be designed by the department in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Secretary of Higher Education. The program will fund job training and career development programs, administered by the department, which focus on connecting life sciences employers located throughout the State with college graduates that have completed a course of study that focuses on the life sciences. The job training and career development programs will be hosted by life sciences employers at any place of business located in this State or at an institution of higher education located in this State and shall focus on specialized training that prepares college graduates for employment with a host life sciences employer upon completion of a job training and career development program. The programs funded by the bill will provide life sciences employers the ability to train workers at no cost to the employer The bill requires the department to conduct an evaluation of the program five years after approval of the first job training and career development program to determine the effectiveness of the program overall. | In Committee |
| A2976 | Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force. | This bill establishes the Behavioral Health Task Force in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS). The purpose of the board will be to review all aspects of behavioral health services in New Jersey and make recommendations for legislation or other such action as it deems appropriate with regard to improving, expanding, and facilitating the provision of behavioral health services to the citizens of this State. Behavioral health services reviewed and analyzed by the task force shall include both services for individuals with mental health concerns and substance use disorders. The board will consist of 26 members: the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, and Children and Families, or their designees, who would serve ex officio; and 23 public members, with seven members to be appointed by the Governor, and eight members each to be appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly. The members are to represent the geographic diversity of New Jersey, and the DHS will be required to provide staff support to the board. The members appointed by the Governor would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies; one person upon the recommendation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association who represents an acute care entity; one person upon the recommendation of the Society of Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of the New Jersey State Nurses Association; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association; and one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Primary Care Association. The members appointed by the Senate President would include: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians; one person representing a health insurance carrier and one person representing a Medicaid managed care organization, both upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; one psychiatrist upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one representative of an entity which is designated by the State to provide screening services; one representative of an organization which works with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities; one representative of an organization which works with individuals who have a substance use disorder; and one representative of an entity which provides early intervention support services in the State. The members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly would include: one representative of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one representative of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; one person upon the recommendation of the Advocates for Children of New Jersey; one representative of an outpatient treatment provider; one representative of an entity that provides community social services; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons; and one health care provider, upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, who specializes in treating children and adolescents. The task force is to organize and issue a report to the Legislature and the Governor 18 months after the bill's effective date. After the submission of the report, the task force will expire. The task force is permitted to solicit and receive grants and other funds that are made available for the task force's purposes from public and private entities. The task force may contract with a third party, such as the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, to meet the objectives of the task force as they are delineated in the bill. The goals of the task force include, but are not limited to, conducting a survey of the current behavioral health care system on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; identifying gaps in the current behavioral health care system for the delivery of care for children, adolescents, and adults on a county by county basis for acute, short-term, and long-term care; and making recommendations to: ensure access to quality emergency behavioral health care in a timely manner; coordinate services among providers; facilitate access to comprehensive behavioral health care and treatment; maximize the effective use of available funding; establish new programs or revise existing programs; promote enhanced communication and information exchanges; and any other matters the task force deems necessary and appropriate. | In Committee |
| A2992 | Allows gross income tax deductions totaling $300,000 over five taxable years for certain primary care physicians. | This bill provides a gross income tax deduction totaling $300,000 over five taxable years for certain primary care physicians who practice in New Jersey. The purpose of the bill is to encourage primary care physicians to continue to practice in New Jersey and for newly qualified physicians to stay in New Jersey to practice. To qualify for the deduction, a physician must be a taxpayer engaged in the practice of family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics or general obstetrics or gynecology in the State. The initial allowable deduction of $100,000 in the first taxable year is reduced by $20,000 per year in each of the four following taxable years. It is estimated that the supply of primary care physicians will continue to fall short of demand in the coming years due to the number of physicians who are nearing retirement age, a shortage of residency programs, and the recent influx of great numbers of newly insured patients brought about by the federal Affordable Care Act. This bill provides an incentive for primary care physicians to practice in the State by reducing their income tax liability. | In Committee |
| A2987 | Establishes grant program for school districts and charter schools to develop dual language immersion programs. | This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a dual language immersion program. Under the program, the commissioner will provide grants to school districts and charter schools to develop dual language immersion programs in Chinese, Spanish, French, or any other language approved by the commissioner. Under the bill, a school district or charter school may be eligible to receive funds if it uses an instructional model that provides at least 50 percent of its instruction in English and 50 percent of its instruction in Chinese, Spanish, French, or any other language approved by the commissioner. The program would have to begin in kindergarten or in grade one and would need to meet any other requirements established by the commissioner. The bill directs a school district or charter school which wants to apply to participate in the grant program to submit a proposal to the commissioner. The commissioner will select grant recipients in the northern, central, and southern regions of the State and would allocate to each selected recipient a grant in such amount as the commissioner deems necessary to support the dual language immersion program. The bill establishes the Dual Language Immersion Program Fund as a nonlapsing revolving fund in the Department of Education to finance the grant program. The fund will be credited with all moneys appropriated by the Legislature, any gifts, grants, or donations made to the fund, and any other available revenue. | In Committee |
| A2997 | Removes certain limitations on manufacturers regarding direct sale of zero emission light-duty trucks to consumers. | This bill allows a manufacturer ("franchisor," as defined in current law) to directly buy from or sell to consumers a zero emission light-duty truck at a maximum of four locations in New Jersey. In addition, the bill requires a manufacturer of zero emission light-duty trucks to own or operate at least one retail facility in New Jersey for the servicing of its vehicles. The manufacturer's direct sale locations are not required to also serve as a retail service facility. The bill amends current law to allow any zero emission light-duty truck manufacturer to directly or indirectly buy from and directly sell, offer to sell, or deal to a consumer a zero emission light-duty truck. This bill provides that zero emission light-duty trucks may be directly sold by manufacturers and preempts any rule or regulation that restricts sales exclusively to franchised dealerships. The bill defines "zero emission light-duty truck" to mean a truck that has a gross vehicle rating of 8,500 pounds or less and is certified as a zero emission vehicle pursuant to the California Air Resources Board zero emission vehicle standards for the applicable model year, but not an advanced technology partial zero emission light-duty truck, a partial emission light-duty truck, or a hybrid electric light-duty truck. | In Committee |
| A2956 | Allows county and municipal police departments to establish designated safe areas for Internet purchase transactions; establishes public awareness campaign. | This bill allows municipal and county police departments to establish designated safe areas which may be used by members of the public to conduct sales transactions for items listed on classified websites, such as craigslist. For the purpose of ensuring public safety, the bill allows municipal and county police departments to install a video camera capable of recording a clear image of the designated safe area at all times the area is made available to the public. The bill provides that local police departments and their members would not be responsible for regulating the sales transactions or be civilly liable for crimes or offenses committed by participants to the sales transactions. Under the bill, county and municipal police departments are allowed to conduct a public awareness campaign, utilizing the Internet and any other available resources, to inform the general public about designated safe areas on their department's property. The public awareness campaign may include safety tips to decrease the risk of crime when engaging in Internet sales transactions. In addition, the bill requires the Attorney General to notify chief law enforcement officers that they are permitted to establish a designated safe area on municipal and county police department property. | In Committee |
| A2989 | Indexes for inflation various thresholds and qualifications under New Jersey gross income tax. | This bill indexes for inflation various gross income thresholds and qualifications under the New Jersey gross income tax. Under the gross income tax, many provisions are structured so that the provisions apply only to those with particular amounts of income. This bill adjusts those provisions so that income levels are annually adjusted for inflation using the Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U), as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In particular, the bill adjusts for inflation: - the minimum taxable income threshold to be subject to the gross income tax, and the minimum taxable income threshold to file a gross income tax return. The minimum taxable income threshold for both is currently $10,000 for individuals who are single or married filing separately and $20,000 for married filing jointly. Those amounts will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income limitation on the three deductions allowed pursuant to the "New Jersey College Affordability Act." Each deduction is currently limited to those with gross income of $200,000 or less. That amount will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income limitation on the credit allowed pursuant to the "Wounded Warrior Caregivers Relief Act." That credit is currently limited to those with gross income not exceeding $50,000 or $100,000 if filing jointly. Those amounts will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income limitation on the credit for expenses for household and dependent care services. That credit is equal to a percentage that the taxpayer is allowed under the federal income tax, but is reduced and phased out as the taxpayer's income increases to $150,000. The phase out will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income limitations on the pension exclusion and other retirement income exclusion. Those exclusions are reduced and phased out as the taxpayer's income increases to $150,000. The phase out for each deduction will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - for those required to make estimated income tax payments, the income threshold for additional estimated payments to avoid incurring underpayment penalties. Because of the complexity of exactly estimating tax payments, an alternative amount of payment is allowed to be paid without incurring penalties for underpayment of estimated tax. If a taxpayer makes payments equal to 100 percent of the taxpayer's tax liability for the previous year, or 110 percent for taxpayers with taxable income for the preceding taxable year exceeding $75,000 or $150,000 for those filing jointly, then the taxpayer will not incur penalties for underpayment of estimated tax. The income criteria for the 110 percent payment requirement will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income limitation on the rebate allowed for those with a dependent child. That rebate is currently limited to those with gross income not exceeding $75,000 or $150,000 if filing jointly. Those amounts will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022. - the income tax brackets and tax amounts per bracket under the optional pass-through business alternative income tax. These income tax brackets and tax amounts per bracket are currently structured to approximate tax liability under the gross income tax. The income tax brackets and tax amounts per bracket will be adjusted annually for inflation beginning with tax year 2022 to conform with the changes to the gross income tax brackets and tax amounts per bracket proposed in Senate Bill No. 676 of the 2022-2023 session. | In Committee |
| A2986 | Requires school district transportation supervisor to conduct monthly school bus condition inspection of contractors' buses and check for valid school bus driver's license. | This bill requires the school district transportation supervisor to conduct a monthly school bus condition inspection on each school bus used to provide transportation services in the district pursuant to a contract with a school bus contractor. The bill would also require a monthly check to ensure that the drivers of these school buses possess a valid driver's license. The inspection and check will be conducted on school property. | In Committee |
| A2990 | Requires transfer of certain excess animal control funds to prosecutors, municipalities, police departments, and Police Training Commission for enforcement of animal cruelty laws and training humane law enforcement officers. | This bill amends current law to provide for certain excess monies collected from animal license fees and other fees imposed under animal control statutes, which are deposited in special accounts established and held by a municipality or by the State, pursuant to section 11 of P.L.1941, c.151 (C.4:15-19.11), to be transmitted, respectively, to the county prosecutor's office or to the Superintendent of State Police for the enforcement and prosecution of the State's animal cruelty laws. Current law provides that any unexpended balance remaining in these special accounts may be retained in those accounts until the end of the third fiscal year following; however, the law further provides that, at the end of the following third fiscal year, and at the end of each fiscal year thereafter, any amount then remaining in the State or municipal special account, which amount is in excess of the total amount paid into the special account during the last two fiscal years next preceding, is to be transferred, respectively, to the State's general fund or to the general fund of the municipality. The bill provides that, commencing on the bill's effective date, instead of transmitting excess funds to the State or municipal general fund: 1) any excess funds remaining in a municipality's special account are to be transmitted to the county prosecutor's office in the county where the municipality is located; and 2) any excess funds remaining in the State special account are to be transmitted to the Superintendent of State Police. The bill specifies that, of the total amount transmitted to the county prosecutor's office under the bill, 40 percent is to be retained by the county prosecutor's office and 60 percent is to be equally distributed among, and transmitted to, the various municipalities in the county. The bill further specifies that, of the total amount transmitted to the Superintendent of State Police under the bill: 40 percent is to be retained by the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety; 50 percent is to be equally distributed among, and transmitted to, the chief humane law enforcement officer of each county throughout the State, who will then be required, in turn, to equally distribute, and transmit, the amount received thereby to the chief law enforcement officer of each municipality in the county, for use by the municipal humane law enforcement officers appointed by the municipality; and 10 percent is to be transmitted to the Law Enforcement Training and Equipment Fund for use by the Police Training Commission. The bill provides that: 1) any monies that are transferred, under the bill, from the State or municipal special funds, except those monies that are transferred to the Law Enforcement Training and Equipment Fund, are to be used exclusively for the purposes of offsetting the costs of, and otherwise facilitating and supporting, the enforcement of the State's animal cruelty laws within the county, municipality, or State, as the case may be, including the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty offenses and the performance of necropsies on deceased animals; and 2) any monies that are transferred to the Law Enforcement Training and Equipment Fund are to be used by the State Police Training Commission exclusively for the purposes of offsetting the costs of, and otherwise facilitating and supporting, the training that is provided to humane law enforcement officers in the State. The bill authorizes the county prosecutor, the Superintendent of State Police, and the chief humane law enforcement officer of a county to provide for the transfer of any monies transmitted thereto to the appropriate county, municipal, or State accounts, as may be necessary to facilitate the purposes specified by the bill. | In Committee |
| A2968 | Establishes "Comprehensive Geriatric Fall Prevention Pilot Program" in DHS; appropriates $11.7 million. | This bill establishes a three-year "Comprehensive Geriatric Fall Prevention Pilot Program" in the Department of Human Services (DHS), which will be modeled on successful programs adopted in other states. Such programs have reportedly reduced falls and fall-related injuries and have significantly reduced fall-related costs to the states' Medicaid programs. Under the bill, the pilot program is to target at least 6,000 Medicaid recipients 60 years of age and older to receive proven fall-prevention services, and is to designate at least 6,000 Medicaid recipients 60 years of age and older to serve as a control group to measure the comparative effects of the pilot program. Specifically, the bill directs the Director of the Division of Aging Service in DHS to contract with a qualified organization to administer the pilot program principally to elderly Medicaid recipients, their families and caregivers, and health care professionals, to focus on reducing the risk of falls. The program is to be established in such counties as to be proportional to the number of Medicare-Medicaid dual eligible beneficiaries in the State and in such other urban areas as are deemed appropriate by the director. To the extent practicable, the pilot program is to incorporate strategies to achieve the following goals:· to increase awareness of fall risk factors and actions that can reduce falls;· to provide state-of-the-art individualized fall risk assessments;· to provide proven individualized counseling on risk mitigation strategies;· to implement strategies that are proven effective in reducing subsequent falls by elderly fall victims;· to expand proven interventions that prevent falls by elderly recipients;· to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of elderly fall victims; and· to assess the risk of falls occurring in various settings. The bill also directs the Commissioner of DHS to review the effects of falls on costs to the State Medicaid program and the potential for reducing those costs by implementing proven fall prevention services. This review is to include, but not be limited to, a review of the reimbursement policy of the State Medicaid program in order to determine if additional services should be covered or if reimbursement guidelines for fall prevention-related services should be modified. No later than three years after the effective date of this bill, the commissioner is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the pilot program, report any findings to the Legislature, and include recommendations regarding Statewide implementation of a geriatric fall prevention program. Finally, the bill appropriates $11.7 million from the General Fund to DHS for the purpose of carrying out the pilot program. This bill, however, is intended to be financially self-supporting, as reductions in the number of fall-related injuries, and resulting nursing home admissions, are anticipated to result in savings to the State Medicaid program. | In Committee |
| A2973 | Requires Commissioner of Human Services to ensure coverage of respite care services for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries when primary payer denies coverage of such services for any reason. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to ensure coverage of respite care services for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries when a primary payer denies coverage of such services for any reason. As used in the bill, "Medicaid" means the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.). Under the bill, the commissioner is required to establish such procedures as are necessary to ensure that coverage for respite care services is provided to a Medicaid beneficiary under the following circumstances: 1) the beneficiary's primary payer for health care services, whether public or private, denies coverage, for any reason, for respite care services; and 2) the beneficiary is eligible under Medicaid for coverage of respite care services. The provisions of this bill are not to be construed to alter any eligibility requirements for respite care services under Medicaid. | In Committee |
| A2966 | Increases gross income tax credit for homestead property taxes paid from $50 to $200. | The bill increases the amount of the gross income tax credit for homestead property taxes paid from $50 to $200. Currently, homeowners and tenants may deduct from their taxable income the amount they paid for property taxes or the amount of rent that constitutes property taxes. Alternatively, homeowners and tenants have the option to receive a flat rate refundable tax credit of $50 instead of the deduction. This bill increases the flat rate refundable tax credit to $200. | In Committee |
| A2988 | Establishes task force to study issues and make recommendations regarding Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf. | This bill establishes a 21-member task force to study issues and make recommendations related to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in New Jersey. The task force will study current issues concerning the school, identify areas for improvement, and make recommendations concerning the future direction of the school that will enable the school to achieve its goal of preparing students who are deaf or hard of hearing for a postsecondary education or career upon graduation. The task force will be comprised of: the Commissioner of Education; the Director of the Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs; two members appointed by the Senate President, including one student and one parent of a student who attends the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf; two members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, including one student and one parent of a student who attends the school; and 15 members appointed by the Governor. The Governor's appointees will include one representative of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority; two representatives of the New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; two representatives of the New Jersey Association of the Deaf; the current superintendent of the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf; a former superintendent of the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf; two alumni of the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf; two representatives of Leadership and Excellence in Education for the Deaf (LEED); two recognized experts in the area of deaf education, both of whom are residents of New Jersey and are deaf; and two representatives of the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf's Citizen Advisory Board. Under the bill, the duties of the task force will include, but need not be limited to:- reviewing facility conditions to identify repairs, modifications, and improvements to the school that are necessary to meet the educational and residential needs of the students;- identifying barriers, including any instructional challenges, that prevent the school from best achieving its goals, and identifying strategies to remove those barriers;- studying the demographics of the population of students who are deaf or hard of hearing in New Jersey, making projections regarding this population over the next 10 years, and generating strategies to increase enrollment at the school and better serve this population;- evaluating the current scope of programs and services provided by the school and in the State for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, and assessing what additional programs and services are needed to improve educational opportunities for these students;- evaluating the current governance structure of the school and considering what type of governance system would best address current operating issues and provide support for the long-term viability of the school;- identifying and reviewing other successful public or private schools for the deaf nationwide, and drawing ideas for improvement to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf from these models; and- developing a set of recommendations for the school regarding: an efficient and flexible system of school governance; programs and services that incorporate next generation methods of instruction and technology; state-of-the-art facilities that will best meet the needs of the students; and expanded Statewide services to meet the needs of a broader spectrum of deaf and hard of hearing children and youth, their families, and the New Jersey deaf community. The task force is required to issue a report to the Governor, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature within six months of its organization, which contains its findings and recommendations concerning the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf. | In Committee |
| A2960 | Establishes grant program in DEP to provide financial assistance to municipalities for infrastructure and other physical upgrades to certain municipally owned sanitary landfill facilities closed before June 1987; appropriates $10 million. | This bill would establish, in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), a "Municipal Landfill Upgrading and Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program." The program would provide financial assistance to pay municipal landfill upgrading and infrastructure costs - i.e., those financial costs that are incurred by a municipality in association with its implementation and ongoing maintenance and management of infrastructure improvements and other physical upgrades to a municipally owned and improperly closed sanitary landfill facility - which costs are necessary to ensure that the municipality: (1) comports with the DEP's standards and regulations concerning the proper closure, capping, and post-closure care of sanitary landfill facilities, which were initially adopted on June 1, 1987; and (2) has the capacity to effectively prevent, minimize, eliminate, or monitor pollution and other health hazards resulting from the improperly closed sanitary landfill facility. A municipality that owns an improperly closed sanitary landfill facility would be eligible to apply for a grant under the program. The bill defines an "improperly closed sanitary landfill facility" to mean a sanitary landfill facility, or a portion of a sanitary landfill facility, at which operations were terminated prior to June 1, 1987 and for which performance is not complete with respect to all activities associated with the design, installation, purchase, or construction of structures or equipment, or with respect to the implementation of other appropriate measures, as may be required by the DEP, pursuant to law, for proper facility closure, including, but not limited to, activities involving the placement or installation of earthen or vegetative cover, methane gas vents, methane gas monitors, air pollution control devices, and leachate monitoring wells or collection systems. In addition to any other information that may be required by the DEP commissioner, an application for a program grant submitted by an eligible municipality under the bill would need to include: (1) a certification stating that the sanitary landfill facility, which is the subject of the grant application, is owned by the municipality and was improperly closed prior to June 1, 1987; (2) a statement indicating the total amount of grant funding that is being sought pursuant to the bill; (3) a list of any other financial resources, including federal financial assistance, that may be available to finance the municipal landfill upgrading and infrastructure costs; and (4) a description of the specific project or projects for which grant funding is being sought. The project description is to identify: the type of infrastructure improvement or other physical upgrade being proposed; the reason why the infrastructure improvement or other physical upgrade is necessary; the environmental impacts that are expected to result from the improvement or upgrade; the total anticipated costs of the project, including the total anticipated expenses associated with the municipality's ongoing maintenance and management of completed project components; the permits and approvals that will be required for project commencement; and the anticipated dates on which the project will be commenced and completed. A grant awarded under the program may be used to finance only those municipal landfill upgrading and infrastructure costs that are directly incurred by a municipality. In any case where a federal agency is financing a portion of the municipal landfill upgrading and infrastructure costs, the total costs used in determining the amount of the grant to be awarded under the grant program would be reduced by the amount of the federal contribution. The bill requires the DEP commissioner, within 180 days after the bill's effective date, to develop a project priority system that identifies the ranking criteria and funding policies to be used by the DEP when prioritizing projects for grant awards under the program. At a minimum, the project priority system is to provide for the prioritization of those projects that will have the most significant impacts with respect to enabling the ongoing municipal prevention, reduction, elimination, or monitoring of pollution and other health hazards resulting from an improperly closed sanitary landfill facility. Each municipality receiving a grant award under the program would be required to regularly submit to the DEP, a grant fund expenditures report that describes how the awarded grant funds are being used by the municipality. The commissioner would be required to adopt rules and regulations that, among other things, specify the requisite content of these expenditure reports. The bill also requires the DEP commissioner to annually submit, to the Governor and the Legislature, a written report on the implementation and effectiveness of the grant program, which is to include, among other things, an accounting of the appropriated funds that remain available for future project grants. The bill would appropriate $10 million from the General Fund to the DEP for the purposes of financing grants under the program. | In Committee |
| A2991 | Increases distribution to municipalities from Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years; prohibits anticipation of certain revenue in municipal budget; requires additional aid be subtracted from municipal property tax levy. | This bill requires the distribution of additional State aid to municipalities under the "Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Act." Budget constraints required reductions in the amount of Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) distributed to all municipalities in Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Some municipalities also experienced reductions in their Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid (ETR Aid) distribution during that period. This supplemental funding would restore, over a two-year period, approximately $331 million in reductions to CMPTRA and ETR Aid. In Fiscal Year 2023, municipalities would receive an aid increase equal to 50 percent of the difference between the distribution of CMPTRA and ETR Aid they received in Fiscal Year 2008 and Fiscal Year 2012. The fully restored amount would be distributed beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 and in each fiscal year thereafter. The total amount of aid to be restored to each municipality would be in addition to the total amount of CMPTRA and ETR Aid distributed to each municipality in Fiscal Year 2012. This legislation also extends the existing ETR Aid "poison pill" protection to ensure that each municipality received an aid amount not less than the combined payment of CMPTRA and ETR Aid to municipalities in Fiscal Year 2012 and the additional aid distributed under the bill. This bill also amends current law to require a municipality to subtract any additional amount of ETR aid it receives, pursuant to the bill, from its adjusted tax levy when computing that amount for its next fiscal year. By deducting the additional amount of ETR Aid from the previous year's levy, municipalities would be permitted to raise a lower amount of taxes through the levy for municipal purposes. The bill prohibits a municipality from anticipating, for purposes of preparing its annual budget, the receipt of any State aid payment from the ETR aid under the provisions in the bill. The bill also requires a municipality to amend its local budget to properly reflect the total amount distributed to the municipality from the ETR aid. | In Committee |
| A2954 | Prohibits electric public utilities from charging certain customers peak rates under certain circumstances. | This bill prohibits an electric public utility (utility) from charging a non-essential business customer a peak rate for electric power or electric-related service during a major public health emergency. The utility is to provide a credit representing the reduction in the rate or charge to a non-essential business customer due to the removal of a peak rate during a major public health emergency. The credit is to represent a period of time beginning upon the declaration and throughout a major public health emergency and is to be included in a periodic bill sent to a non-essential business customer after the effective date of this bill. The bill prohibits the Board of Public Utilities from allowing a utility to include as an operating expense or otherwise recover from its ratepayers the cost of any reduced revenues incurred by the utility under the bill. The bill defines "non-essential business customer," "peak rate," and "major public health emergency." | In Committee |
| A2964 | Establishes program allowing NJ licensed drivers to self-identify as having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. | This bill establishes a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Police Awareness Program (program) that allows licensed drivers to self-identify as having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Superintendent of the Division of State Police (superintendent) is required to administer the program and is required to adopt rules and regulations, in consultation with the Department of Health and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), for the administration of the program. Under the bill, participation in the program is voluntary and allows licensed drivers to submit a certification form, designed by the superintendent, to a local police department. The form is to certify that the driver has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder by the medical professional, and is required to be signed by the driver and a medical professional capable of diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder. Upon receiving the certification form, the local police department is required to issue a decal to the driver. The driver is required to affix the decal to the driver's motor vehicle in a conspicuous place, as prescribed by the superintendent. Under the bill, whenever any law enforcement officer stops a motor vehicle displaying a decal, the officer is required to take notice that the driver of the motor vehicle has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and is required to appropriately proceed with the motor vehicle stop. The bill requires the superintendent to conspicuously publish a copy of the certification form on the division's Internet website and requires the chief law enforcement officer of any municipality to make copies of the certification form available upon request. The bill further allows a municipality to publish a copy of the form on the municipality's Internet website. The bill allows a municipality to charge a fee related to the administration of the program. Under the bill, the superintendent is required, in consultation with the MVC, to establish and maintain a database of participants in the program, and make the database accessible to each municipal police department and to the MVC. The superintendent is also required to cooperate with and assist municipal police departments and other agencies in developing training, policies, and procedures to assist law enforcement officers in approaching and interacting with drivers who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. | In Committee |
| A2975 | Upgrades crime of stalking when stalking activity is carried out or assisted by installation or use of communication or location monitoring program or device on cellular phone or wireless mobile device. | This bill upgrades the crime of stalking when the stalking activity is carried out or assisted by installation or use of a communication or location monitoring program or device on the stalking victim's cellular phone or wireless mobile device. A person commits the crime of stalking when the person "purposefully or knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his safety or the safety of a third person or suffer other emotional distress." Stalking is ordinarily graded as a crime of the fourth degree, punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Under the bill, if a person's "course of conduct" in committing the stalking is carried out or assisted by means of installation or use of any communication or location monitoring program or device on the victim's cellular phone or wireless mobile device in order to intercept or acquire any form of communication or location information, the stalking would be upgraded to a crime of the third degree. A crime of the third degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. Communication and location monitoring programs or devices are often preinstalled on cellular phones or wireless mobile devices, or are widely available for download or purchase for such phones or devices, and in some instances are necessary to properly operate or enhance phone or device operations. Recognizing the wide availability and easy access to these programs and devices, this bill intends to target their improper installation or use in the context of committing acts of stalking. | In Committee |
| A2994 | Amends and supplements State aviation appropriations and language provisions in FY 2022 annual State appropriations act. | This bill increases the capital program appropriation for the Airport Improvement Program from $4 million to $10 million, increasing the total size of the FY 2022 State transportation capital program by an additional $6 million to $2.006 billion. This bill also increases the General Fund appropriation to the Airport Safety Administration within the Department of Transportation by $185,000 from $465,000 to $650,000. Finally, the bill provides that grantees which receive grants through the Airport Improvement Program are to be granted two 12-month extensions to complete the terms of a grant if there are local, county, or State permits pending that pose an impediment to completing the grant-funded activity. The Commissioner of Transportation may also provide additional extensions beyond those 24 months if circumstances warrant and a permitting agency is the source of delay in completing the terms of the grant agreement. | In Committee |
| A2972 | Authorizes payment for services rendered in excess of 40 hours per week under agency with choice self-directed employee model within self-directed services program. | This bill authorizes the payment for services rendered in excess of 40 hours per week under the agency with choice (AWC) self-directed employee model within the self-directed services program. Specifically, the bill authorizes a fiscal intermediary contracted with the Department of Human Services to provide administrative and payroll support for individuals who receive services via the AWC self-directed employee model within the self-directed services program to pay a self-directed employee (SDE) for services provided in excess of 40 hours per week, provided that: 1) the SDE has been hired by the fiscal intermediary to provide self-directed services to the individual or individuals who received the services; 2) the services rendered are approved and authorized in each individual's individualized service plan (ISP); 3) the payment for services is aligned with the authorized service hours set within each individual's weekly budget; and 4) each individual who received services, or the individual's family or guardian, can demonstrate that the payment for services is supported by the individual's annual budget. A fiscal intermediary is required to pay a SDE for services provided in excess of 40 hours per week at the employee's regular rate and in accordance with federal and State law. Easter Seals of New Jersey currently manages the AWC self-directed employee model within the self-directed services program in the Department of Human Services. The self-directed services program provides funding to individuals with developmental disabilities who are living in their own home, in the home of a family member or guardian, or in another similar living situation, or to their fiduciaries, for the purposes of supporting the needs of the individual with a developmental disability by allowing the individual, or the individual's family or guardian, or both, to determine the nature and scope of services to be provided in lieu of the department placing the person with a developmental disability in a residential program. Under this model, Easter Seals manages the individuals' budgets, hires the SDE to provide services to the individual, is the employer of record, and pays all taxes and wages for the SDE. Currently, a SDE, under any circumstance, cannot work more than 40 hours per week for the employer of record, even if the services are provided to multiple individuals. It is the sponsor's goal to allow for overtime compensation of AWC SDEs for services provided within the scope of the recipient's ISP and budget. | In Committee |
| A2967 | Establishes Medication Management, Outreach, and Support Program in DHS; appropriates $8 million. | This bill establishes a Medication Management, Outreach, and Support Program in the Department of Human Services for persons with severe and persistent mental illness living in the community. The purpose of the program is to provide these individuals with accessible medication management services to enable them to live healthfully in the community. The program shall provide licensed freestanding and hospital-based public or private nonprofit provider organizations under contract with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the department with the resources to: --educate, counsel, and support consumers of mental health services living in the community so that early signs of problems are identified quickly and addressed; --enable physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, consumer peers, consumers, and consumers' families to work together to find a medication regimen that minimizes side effects and truly encourages good health; and --achieve continuous quality improvement goals. The bill provides that a licensed freestanding or hospital-based public or private nonprofit provider organization under contract with the division may apply to the Commissioner of Human Services for a grant to operate a medication management program. The grant shall assist in the hiring and retention of clinical staff including, but not limited to, psychiatrists, advance practice nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, and caseworkers as may be appropriate for the delivery of more intensive medication management, outreach, after-hours coverage, early intervention, crisis management, and support services as needed by consumers of mental health services living in the community who are served by the provider organization. The bill also provides that the commissioner shall seek to secure the use of such funds or other resources from private nonprofit or for-profit sources or the federal government to effectuate the purposes of the bill, as may be available. The bill appropriates $8,000,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Human to effectuate the purposes of this bill. | In Committee |
| A2961 | Permits person with certain brain injuries to voluntarily make notation on driver's license, identification card, and in MVC registry; establishes program to train law enforcement officers in interactions with persons with certain brain injuries. | The bill permits the holder of a license or identification card to voluntarily indicate on the license or identification card that the holder has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury. The designation is to be used by law enforcement officers or emergency medical professionals to identify and effectively communicate with the person. The designation is to be given a restriction code that is required to be displayed on the person's driver's license or non-driver identification in accordance with procedures prescribed by the chief administrator. The holder of a basic driver's license or non-driver identification card who makes the voluntary designation may have the designation removed at any time. The bill requires the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to establish and maintain an automated Statewide registry accessible by law enforcement officials for the purposes of identifying and effectively communicating with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury by a physician, psychologist, or any other licensed health care professional. The registry is to be capable of storing information, which is to include, but not limited to: the license plate and registration information of any motor vehicle that the person intends to regularly operate; the emergency contact information of a person who can communicate on behalf of the person; and any other information that may assist a law enforcement officer when communicating with the person. Under the bill, a person may submit information to the registry through the MVC's website, by mail, or when completing an application for a driver's license, motor vehicle registration, or non-driver identification card. The information provided to the MVC for the registry is to only be accessible to MVC employees who are designated by the chief administrator to collect and maintain the information and law enforcement officers during a motor vehicle stop or other law enforcement action. Information submitted to the MVC is not to be subject to public disclosure under the "Open Public Records Act" or the common law concerning access to public records or be discoverable as a government record by any person, entity, or governmental agency except in certain circumstances. The bill provides for certain limitations on civil liabilities and on criminal prosecution for the chief administrator and MVC employees designated by the chief administrator. The limitations on civil liabilities and on criminal prosecution are inapplicable if certain failures, as provided in the bill, resulted from a malicious purpose or a wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons or property. The bill establishes a program that is to be developed by the Superintendent of the Division of State Police, in consultation with the chief administrator and the Commissioner of Human Services, to assist and train law enforcement officers to identify and effectively communicate with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury. The program is to include, but not be limited to, training in de-escalation methods when interacting with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury, proper utilization of the registry established pursuant to this bill, and any other information, as recommended by the Commissioner of Human Services, that may be useful to law enforcement officers when interacting with a person who has been diagnosed with a traumatic or acquired brain injury. The program is to be made available annually to every county and municipal law enforcement agency in the State. | In Committee |
| A2979 | Concerns Early Intervention Support Services program in DHS and expansion of program to all counties. | This bill expands the Early Intervention Support Services (EISS) Programs, currently available in 11 counties (Atlantic, Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris, and Ocean), to provide for one program in each county in the State. An EISS program is defined in the bill as a program that provides rapid access to short term, recovery-oriented crisis intervention and crisis stabilization services to an individual 18 years of age or older with a serious mental illness and includes, but is not limited to, medication, therapy, and case management services, which are offered at an on-site location, other than a hospital, or through outreach in the community. EISS Programs are designed to provide the crisis intervention and stabilization services needed to help prevent the recurrence of a crisis and to reduce overutilization of hospital emergency departments for a behavioral health crisis. Existing programs that meet the qualifications of an EISS program as provided in the bill are to be designated by the Department of Human Services (DHS) as EISS programs. Additionally, The DHS is to coordinate with each county Early Intervention Support Services Program in the State to provide for education about the program, and accessibility to the program, to members of the public served by that county program and to those organizations or persons who may be the source of referrals to that program. The bill also requires the DHS to utilize the moneys available to it for the program to ensure that funding is available for: expanding the program to each county in the State; and the expansion of a program in existence on the effective date of this bill, based on the needs of the program. Lastly, the bill requires the DHS to collect information from each EISS Program in the State. The information would include, but not be limited to, information about the services provided by the program, the utilization of services, and the number of individuals who have been stabilized and referred to treatment in the community. The DHS is to issue annual reports, based on the information collected, which would include a review and analysis of the programs in the State and any recommendations for improvements to the program. | In Committee |
| A2969 | Requires NJT to implement education program for services provided to persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and other individuals with mobility needs. | This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to establish an education program to education and provide information and assistance on NJ Transit's reduced fare program, Access Link services, and other services available to persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and other individuals with mobility needs. The program is required to publish information about the services provided by NJ Transit, hold information sessions at least once per month throughout the State, conduct an awareness campaign on the services provided by NJ Transit, and engage in such other activity as the executive director of NJ Transit deems appropriate to further the purposes of the education program. NJ Transit is required submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature concerning the activities conducted pursuant to the education program. | In Committee |
| A2963 | Establishes Main Street Economic Growth Program to encourage business development in small, highly developed municipalities. | This bill establishes the "Main Street Economic Growth Program" for the purpose of providing financial and technical assistance to businesses located in main street areas of small municipalities. The bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish the program. The bill authorizes the governing body of each municipality that has a population under 11,000 and which is more than 70 percent developed, according to a Department of Environmental Protection data set, to designate a "Main Street area" within the municipality. This designation would set forth the municipality's policy and plan for addressing the economic conditions in the Main Street area. The bill provides for corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits for businesses located in a Main Street area within a small municipality that participates in the program based upon criteria to be determined by EDA. The bill provides for tax credits equal to 15 percent of the cost of employee compensation expenses related to meeting the employment criteria developed by EDA pursuant to the bill. Under the bill, EDA would create the "Main Street Economic Growth Assistance Fund" for the purpose of providing loans, loan guarantees, and technical assistance to area businesses located within the designated Main Street area of a participating small municipality. The bill allows EDA to establish terms governing loans, loan guarantees, tax credits, and technical assistance under the program. The bill requires EDA to issue an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on the program and to adopt rules and regulations to implement the program. | In Committee |
| A2970 | Concerns special needs trusts for persons with developmental disabilities. | The bill requires the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) in the Department of Human Services to study the feasibility of establishing a State program to enable pre-tax dollars to be used for funding special needs trusts for individuals with developmental disabilities. Under the provisions of the bill, DDD is required to consult with representatives of at least five advocacy groups representing the interests of persons with developmental disabilities or family members of persons with developmental disabilities, and is to review their recommendations about the need for special needs trusts and the information that would be useful to persons with developmental disabilities and their families, including information regarding how special needs trusts may be used to address the placement needs of persons with developmental disabilities. DDD also would be required to: electronically post informational resources regarding the potential benefits of establishing special needs trusts to provide for long-term care needs of individuals with developmental disabilities; and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature within nine months after the effective date of the bill, at which point the bill would expire. | In Committee |
| A2962 | Permits certain applicants to submit personal statement of veteran status, in lieu of determination of veteran status, prior to issuance of civil service eligible list; requires submission of determination of status prior to employment. | This bill permits, for the purpose of receiving veterans' preference in civil service hiring, a person who is in federal active service with the Armed Forces of the United States or a reserve component thereof on the eighth day prior to the issuance of an open competitive eligible list, for which that person received a passing score on an examination, to submit no later than eight days prior to the issuance of that open competitive eligible list a personal sworn statement, in lieu of the Adjutant General's determination of status as a disabled veteran or veteran, certifying that the person will meet the requirements for veterans' preference and receive the determination of status no later than three days prior to employment. Under current law, an applicant for a civil service examination must submit sufficient evidence of veteran or disabled veteran status to the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs and receive a determination of status no later than eight days prior to the issuance of a civil service eligible list for which that individual received a passing score on an examination. | In Committee |
| A2978 | Prohibits four-year public institution of higher education from charging tuition to student who is spouse or dependent child of disabled veteran. | This bill prohibits four-year public institutions of higher education from charging tuition to the spouse or dependent child of a disabled veteran. Under the bill, the spouse or dependent child of a disabled veteran is eligible to attend a four-year public institution of higher education tuition free provided that: (1) the spouse or child has been accepted to pursue a course of undergraduate study and is enrolled as an undergraduate student in good standing at that institution; (2) the spouse or child has applied for all available State student grants and scholarships and all available federal student grants and scholarships for which the spouse or child is eligible; (3) the spouse or child has applied for tuition benefits available through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for which the spouse or child is eligible under the "Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008," Pub.L.110-252 (38 U.S.C. s.3301 et seq.); and (4) available classroom space permits and tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course. The bill directs the State to reimburse each institution of higher education for the costs of waiving tuition pursuant to the bill's provisions. | In Committee |
| A2965 | Establishes educational service agencies for procuring custodial and food services in schools and ensures certain employee rights for affected employees. | Establishes educational service agencies for procuring custodial and food services in schools and ensures certain employee rights for affected employees. | In Committee |
| A2957 | Requires DHS to develop or purchase electronic health record system for use by certain agencies providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services, or the commissioner's designee, to develop or purchase, and make available free of charge, an electronic health record system to each community provider agency providing services or supports to individuals with developmental disabilities eligible for services or supports from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) in the Department of Human Services. Under the provisions of the bill, the system would, at a minimum, provide a uniform system for each community provider agency to record information about individuals with developmental disabilities served by the provider agency, including, but not limited to, the care and services provided, the dates of service or attendance, as appropriate, and the outcomes achieved as a result of the care and services provided. The system would also enable the community provider agencies to report the above information to DDD and request payment for the care and services provided. Additionally, the system would be used in connection with audits conducted of the agencies. The system is to be completed and implemented on or before January 1, 2021. With regard to funds expended by a community provider agency, prior to the effective date of the bill, to develop or purchase an electronic health record system, the bill provides that in determining the rate of payment for the provider under a fee-for-service arrangement with DDD, any funds expended prior to the effective date of the bill are to be taken into account and included as an eligible cost of the provider. These community provider agencies are to document the expenditures and provide documentation to DDD to enable these expenditures to be included as an eligible cost of the provider. | In Committee |
| A2982 | Requires CATV company to establish toll-free telephone number for customers to report and to receive updates concerning CATV service outages. | This bill requires a cable television (CATV) company to establish and maintain a toll-free telephone number that may be used by its customers to report CATV service outages, to receive updates concerning the status of CATV service outages, and to receive information concerning the resumption of CATV service, which shall include, but not be limited to, an estimated time of CATV service restoration. Under the bill, a CATV company is to publish the toll-free telephone number, with an explanation of the purpose of the toll-free telephone number, on every periodic bill sent to each customer of the cable television company and in a prominent location on the homepage of the CATV company's Internet website. | In Committee |
| A1532 | "Madalyn's Law"; requires school districts to incorporate age-appropriate instruction on toxic shock syndrome and requires installation of signage in certain women's rooms to enhance public awareness of toxic shock syndrome. | This bill requires each school district, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, to incorporate instruction on toxic shock syndrome in grades 4 through 12 as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to provide school districts with age-appropriate sample learning activities and resources designed to implement this requirement. This bill would also require the owner of a group A or M occupancy, that maintains a public restroom available for use by women, to ensure the installation and maintenance of a sign in the restroom alerting women to the warning signs, causes, and dangers of toxic shock syndrome. This requirement would only apply to restrooms that include two or more toilets. The bill would require the Department of Health to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of the bill. The bill would require the toxic shock syndrome signs to be installed in the necessary restrooms on or before the first day of the sixth month following the adoption of rules and regulations by the department. Failure to comply with the provisions of this bill would result in liability for a penalty of not more than $100 for each violation. Under the bill, "group A or M occupancy" means an Assembly Group A occupancy or a Mercantile Group M occupancy, as defined in chapter 3 of the 2015 New Jersey International Building Code. Under the bill, locations within elementary schools that do not include grades above grade 5 are excluded from the "group A or M occupancy" definition. This bill is intended to enhance public awareness of toxic shock syndrome, a potentially serious illness that can develop quickly. Anyone can contract toxic shock syndrome, but women using tampons and similar devices have a higher risk. Early symptoms may include a low fever, muscle aches, chills, fatigue, and headaches. As toxic shock syndrome progresses, symptoms may include a high fever, vomiting, rashes, redness of the eyes, lips and tongue, low blood pressure, and mental confusion. Toxic shock syndrome is generally treated with antibiotics. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Health to prepare and make available on its website informational literature concerning the signs, causes, and dangers of toxic shock syndrome. This bill is named in honor of Madalyn "Maddy" Massabni, who tragically passed away on March 30, 2017 just days after contracting Toxic Shock Syndrome. Maddy was a 2016 graduate of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School and was just beginning her academic career at Lynn University in Florida. | In Committee |
| A890 | Prohibits medical creditors from reporting medical debt to credit reporting agency. | This bill prohibits medical creditors from reporting any portion of a medical debt which is alleged to be unpaid, to any collection or credit reporting agency, bureau, or data collection facility. Under the bill, a "medical creditor" is any health care provider that provides health care services and to whom the consumer owes money for health care services, or any person who purchases a debt arising from the receipt of health care services. | In Committee |
| A2838 | Establishes guidelines for creditworthiness determinations concerning affordable housing programs. | This bill would supplement the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.), to establish guidelines for determining the creditworthiness of applicants seeking to rent affordable housing units. The critical shortage of affordable housing in New Jersey has forced many low- and moderate-income households to reside in market-rate housing they cannot afford but must occupy to avoid homelessness. These struggling families and individuals are frequently left with less money than needed to meet other basic household obligations. Late or partial payments, as well as missed payments made up in subsequent months, are often the result. These undesirable but unavoidable decisions negatively affect the households' credit reports and inevitably lead to lower-credit scores. As a result, many in the State are coping with damaged credit. Except in the specific circumstances provided in the bill, the bill would prohibit landlords from considering credit scores and other risk scores or assessments when determining the creditworthiness of a rental housing applicant who is the holder of a State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy. The bill provides that the consideration of negative credit history for such rental housing applicants would only be permitted if the tenant has, within the previous three years and while in receipt of a rental subsidy, failed on two or more occasions to pay the unsubsidized tenant share of the monthly rent in accordance with a rental agreement. Prior to making the decision to deny such an applicant, the bill would require the landlord to conduct an individualized assessment of the specific facts and circumstances surrounding the failures to pay. After a review of the circumstances, the holder of the State or federal tenant-based housing subsidy would still be deemed creditworthy if the tenant has a bona fide reason for late rental payments. Regarding other applicants for affordable rental housing who do not hold State or federal tenant-based housing subsidies, the bill would only permit the landlord to assess the applicant's creditworthiness if the landlord also conducts an individualized assessment of the applicant's income, employment, payment, and credit history. The individualized assessment would include, at a minimum, an evaluation of the following factors: employment history and wage history, especially the amount of household income in relation to the cost of living in the region; rent or mortgage and utility payment history; health history, including any health issues affecting other members of the applicant household; the need for a reasonable accommodation in the case of a household which includes a person with a disability; and the extent to which the household attempted and was able to develop a budget or payment plan that enabled it to meet most of its expenses most of the time, keeping payments of expenses as close to current as was reasonably possible, and considering the occurrence of unanticipated problems, and emergencies or other factors that significantly affected the household's ability to adhere to any such budget. Additionally, the bill would require that, for the purposes of evaluating the creditworthiness of an affordable housing applicant, there would be a rebuttable presumption that the applicant household is creditworthy if (1) the applicant household has demonstrated an ability to pay rent, as defined in the bill, (2) a member of the household has a history of regular employment or has been in receipt of another source of regular income, and (3) despite a household income that in the past was, for a period of time, below the self-sufficiency level or was otherwise inadequate to meet its basic needs, the household made a good faith effort to meet its regular rent or mortgage obligations and other household expenses, and was able to do so most of the time. An affordable housing applicant who has completed a credit counseling or debt management course certified by the Department of Community Affairs would also be presumed creditworthy, provided that the applicant household has demonstrated an ability to pay rent. The bill further directs that, if a landlord denies a rental housing application from an affordable housing applicant, approves an application with conditions that exceed reasonable conditions routinely imposed upon a prospective tenant, or takes any other adverse action, then the landlord would be required to provide a written notice of the adverse action to the applicant. The adverse action notice would disclose any screening information about the applicant accessed by the landlord, and append any screening report that the landlord accessed. The adverse action notice would include the findings as to each of the factors that are required for consideration in the individualized assessment. An adverse action notice that does not include a specific finding as to each factor or that does not consider the facts and circumstances relevant to the particular applicant would be deemed presumptively invalid and would not be considered to constitute a lawful basis upon which to take adverse action against an applicant. The bill requires the notices to be printed in both the English and Spanish languages and given to the applicants. In any county in which the Language Access Plan of the Department of Community of Affairs indicates that five percent or more of the residents' primary language is any language other than English or Spanish, all written notices in that county would also be printed in that additional language. The bill requires each landlord that denies, or takes any adverse action against, any applicant for creditworthiness reasons to submit to the Attorney General, on an annual basis, a report that contains the following information for the preceding 12-month reporting period: (1) the number of applications for housing reviewed over the preceding 12-month reporting period; (2) the number of denials of applications for housing rendered on the basis of creditworthiness reasons; (3) the number of denials to which the applicant filed a complaint in Superior Court; (4) the number of denials that were overturned or found unlawful in Superior Court; and (5) a disaggregation of the information provided based on the race of the applicant, the ethnicity of the applicant, the sex of the applicant, and whether the applicant had a disability. The bill allows a person claiming to be aggrieved pursuant to the provisions of the bill to file a complaint or action with the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or in the Superior Court of New Jersey, alleging a violation of the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.). Following the receipt of a complaint the Director of the Division on Civil Rights would be authorized by the bill to prohibit the landlord from renting out the housing unit that the claimant applied for, pending the investigation of the claim. The bill directs the Attorney General, and in consultation with the Commissioner of Community Affairs, to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the bill on or before the first day of the third month next following enactment of the bill, which would coincide with the effective date of the bill. | In Committee |
| A578 | Establishes New Jersey Commission on Health Equity. | This bill establishes, in the Department of Health, the New Jersey Commission on Health Equity. The purpose of the commission will be to: 1) employ a health equity framework to examine: the health of New Jersey residents; ways for units of State and local government to collaborate to implement policies that will positively impact the health of New Jersey residents; and the impact of certain enumerated factors on the health of New Jersey residents; 2) provide direct advice to the DOH regarding issues of racial, ethnic, cultural, or socioeconomic health disparities; 3) facilitate coordination of the expertise and experience of various State departments in developing a comprehensive health equity plan addressing the social determinants of health; and 4) set goals for health equity and prepare a plan for the State to achieve health equity in alignment with any other Statewide planning activities. The commission, using a health equity framework, will be required to: 1) examine and make recommendations regarding: health considerations that may be incorporated into the decision-making processes of government agencies and private sector stakeholders who interact with government agencies; requirements for implicit bias training for clinicians engaged in patient care and whether the State should provide the training; training for health care providers on consistent and proper collection of self-identified patient data on race, ethnicity, and language to identify disparities accurately; and requirements to comply with, and for enforcement of, National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (CLAS Standards); 2) foster collaboration between units of State and local government and develop policies to improve health and reduce health inequities; 3) identify measures for monitoring and advancing health equity in the State; 4) establish a State plan for achieving health equity in alignment with other Statewide planning activities in coordination with the State's health, human services, housing, transportation, education, environment, community development, and labor systems; and 5) make recommendations and provide advice, including direct advice to the Commissioner of Health, on implementing laws and policies to improve health and reduce health inequities. The commission will be authorized to establish advisory committees to assist the commission in the performance of its duties. Any such advisory committee may include individuals who are not members of the commission. The commission will comprise 27 members, including: 1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate and one member of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, each of whom will serve for the duration of the legislative term in which they are appointed; 2) the heads of the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Banking and Insurance, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Education, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Law and Public Safety, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Department of State, the Department of Transportation, Public Health Services in DOH, the Division of Aging Services in DHS, the Division of Disability Services in DHS, the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in DHS, the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in DHS, the New Jersey Office of Information Technology, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in the Department of Children and Families, the New Jersey State Planning Commission, the State Police, and the Office of Management and Budget in the Department of the Treasury, or their designees, who will serve ex officio; and 3) one representative of a local health department, designated by the New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials, who will serve for a term of four years and will be eligible for reappointment to the commission. The Governor will designate a chair and a vice-chair of the commission from among the membership. The chair will appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission. The commission will be required to meet at least four times each year at a location to be determined by the chair, but may meet at such additional times and places as by the commission determines to be necessary. A majority of the authorized membership will constitute a quorum for the purpose of undertaking official business. The members of the commission will serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the commission for this purpose. The DOH will provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, as well as any professional staff, as the commission requires to carry out its work. The commission will be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes. In coordination with the New Jersey Health Information Network (NJHIN), the commission will be required to establish a Health Equity Data Advisory Committee to make recommendations on data collection, needs, quality, reporting, evaluation, and visualization for the commission to carry out the purposes of the bill. The advisory committee is to include representatives from the NJHIN. Specifically, the advisory committee will define the parameters of a health equity data set to be maintained by the NJHIN, including indicators for: social and economic conditions; environmental conditions; health status; behaviors; health care; and priority health outcomes for monitoring health equity for racial and ethnic minority populations in New Jersey. The data set for which these parameters are defined are to include data from: health care facilities that report to the DOH; health benefits plans that report to the Department of Banking and Insurance; and any other data source the advisory committee determines necessary. The commission may request data consistent with the recommendations of the advisory committee. Data requested by the commission is to be provided either directly to the commission or to the commission through the NJHIN. The advisory committee may recommend that data be reported or otherwise made available to the public, in which case the commission will be authorized to publish or otherwise provide the data to the public. Data provided to the commission and data reported or otherwise made available to the public is to be provided in the aggregate and in compliance with applicable State and federal privacy laws. No later than 18 months after the effective date of the bill, and annually thereafter, the commission will be required to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the activities of the commission, including the commission's findings with regard to any changes in health equity in the State resulting from the commission's activities, and the commission's recommendations for legislation or administrative action as may be necessary to implement the commission's findings and recommendations and support the commission's activities. The bill will take effect the first day of the seventh month next following enactment. | In Committee |
| A897 | Establishes MOM Project oral health three-year pilot program in DOH; appropriates $4,150,000. | This bill establishes the MOM Project oral health three-year pilot program (program) in the Department of Health (department) and appropriates $4,150,000. Under the bill, "community oral health center" or "center" means the following in-State entities: a federally qualified health center, a dental home, or an acute care hospital licensed by the department that provides dental services to individuals who reside in a medically underserved area. "Dental home" means a licensed dental practice that administers services in manner that is accessible, culturally-sensitive, and family-centered. A "dental home" does not include a licensed dental practice if less than 75 percent of the dental practice's patients are individuals who are low income and who reside in a medically underserved area. "Eligible mother" or "mother" means a State resident who is pregnant, low-income, and not enrolled in, eligible for, or determined presumptively eligible for coverage under any Medicaid program. "Maternal and child health consortium" or "consortium" means a nonprofit organization licensed as a central service facility by the department, and incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Under the bill, the department is to administer the program in conjunction with at least one consortium. Within 90 days following the effective date of this bill, each participating consortium is to begin to provide the following program services: (1) Each consortium is to implement an outreach plan to identify eligible mothers, who reside in the area served by the consortium, and register the mothers in the program. Upon registration and in a manner that is consistent with federal and State privacy laws, the consortium is to endeavor to collect the following information from eligible mothers: whether the mother has or had access to a dental home during a current or prior pregnancy; the mother's oral hygiene routine, including the use of fluoride toothpaste; the mother's dietary habits; and the result of previous pregnancies. (2) Each consortium is to establish an oral health education program. Prior to the commencement of the oral health education program, each consortium is to require eligible mothers to complete a pre-education assessment that includes testing the mother's understanding of oral health and oral hygiene. (3) Each consortium is to provide eligible mothers a minimum of three hours of oral health education that includes the following: oral hygiene routines for mothers, infants, and children; nutritional counseling; education regarding the correlation between cariogenic disease and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and gastric changes; the impact of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol on a mother's oral health and the unborn child; recommendations and resources for routine oral health care for mothers, infants, and children; and education regarding available educational support. Oral health education program educators are to be compatible with the language and cultural needs of the eligible mothers enrolled in the oral health education program. (4) Following the eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, the consortium is to require the eligible mother to complete a post-education assessment that includes testing to assess the mother's understanding of oral health and oral hygiene routines. Under the bill, within 90 days following the effective date of this bill, a community oral health center seeking to participate in the MOM Project is to file an application with the department, in a manner to be determined by the department. The department is to require an eligible community oral health center to enter into an agreement with a consortium to implement the following: (1) Following an eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, the center is to develop a customized oral health treatment plan and nutritional recommendations for the mother, infant, and child, as applicable. (2) Following an eligible mother's completion of the oral health education program, provide the mother, infant, and child, as applicable, oral health treatment for one year. The dental care shall include the following: (a) a dental visit for cleaning, cavity risk assessment, periodontal charting, and to establish a one-year treatment plan; (b) comprehensive dental care and restorative treatment as needed; (c) a cleaning and treatment plan review approximately six months and one year following the date of the initial dental visit; (d) two dental visits for the infant or child; and (e) identification of a dental home for the child or infant before the infant receives his or her first tooth. Under the bill, within 180 days following the effective date of this bill, each consortium and health center is to compile and report relevant data to the department, as determined by the department. The department is to contract with a third-party to assist with data analysis and project evaluation activities. The department and the third-party hired are to informally convene an advisory panel to design an oral health model to be potentially included in the Medicaid program. The department is to prepare and submit a report of its findings to the Governor and to the Legislature. The bill appropriates $4,150,000 to the department to effectuate the purposes of the bill, as detailed in section 4 of the bill. | In Committee |
| A1872 | Revises reporting requirements for nursing homes concerning financial disclosures and ownership structure. | This bill revises certain reporting requirements for nursing homes. Specifically, the bill requires nursing home owners and operators, as well as applicants for a transfer of ownership of a nursing home and third party entities exercising substantial management control over the nursing home, to provide an organizational chart identifying parent corporations, wholly-owned subsidiaries, related parties, and unrelated parties that provide a service, facility, or supplies to the nursing home that are paid $200,000 or more by the nursing home. In the case of an applicant for a transfer of ownership of a nursing home, these disclosures will be based on expectations with regard to services, facilities, supplies, and payments. The bill defines "related party" to mean any organization, either directly or through contracts with a third party entity exercising substantial management control over the nursing home, providing or expected to provide a service, facility, or supplies to the nursing home or that otherwise, either directly or through contracts with a third party entity exercising substantial management control over the nursing home, does, or is expected to do, business with the nursing home: 1) in which organization an owner or principal of the nursing home, an applicant for transfer of ownership, or a third party managing entity, has an ownership or control interest of five percent or more; 2) which is an organization in which an immediate family member of the owner, principal, applicant, or third party managing entity is an owner or principal; or 3) which is an organization that is under common ownership or control with the owner, applicant, or third party entity. The bill additionally revises the financial disclosures required for nursing home owners and operators, as well as applicants for a transfer of ownership and entities to which substantial management control over the nursing home would be delegated, to require the submission of a consolidated financial statement that: 1) is reviewed or audited by a certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and 2) includes: a balance sheet detailing the assets, liabilities, and net worth that the end of the reporting entity's fiscal year; a statement of income, expenses, and operating surplus or deficit for the annual fiscal period, and a statement of ancillary utilization and patient census; a statement detailing patient revenue by payer, including, but not limited to, Medicare, NJ FamilyCare, and other payers, and revenue center; a statement of cash flows, including, but not limited to, ongoing and new capital expenditures and depreciation; and a combined financial statement that includes all entities reported in the consolidated financial report. For nursing homes that are part of a chain or group of nursing homes owned by the same parent or holding company, the parent or holding company will be permitted to submit a single consolidated financial statement for all nursing homes in New Jersey that are owned, operated, or controlled by the parent or holding company. For applicants for a transfer of ownership and entities seeking to delegate management of a nursing home, this information will be included with certain materials that current law requires be provided to the Department of Health (DOH); in the case of a transfer of ownership application, the information will be made available on the DOH's Internet website, with certain personal identifying and proprietary material excised. For current nursing home owners and operators, the following materials are to be annually posted on the nursing home's internet website, submitted to the DOH, and linked through the DOH's website: 1) the nursing home's ownership information; 2) the financial information for the nursing home, for certain parties providing services to the nursing home, and for a third party exercising substantial management control over the nursing home; and 3) the organizational chart for the nursing home and for any third party exercising substantial management control over a nursing home. Current law provides that the financial disclosures required for a transfer of ownership application vary, depending on whether the transfer involves a controlling interest in the nursing home and whether the prospective new owner has previously owned, operated, or managed a nursing home in New Jersey. The bill revises these requirements to require audited consolidated financial statements for all prospective new owners and operators who will be acquiring an interest of five percent or more in the nursing home. The bill removes an existing requirement for nursing homes to post the cost reports submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on their Internet websites. Current law allows nonprofit nursing homes to submit their Internal Revenue Service Form 990 in lieu of an owner-certified financial statement. The bill removes this language, thereby requiring nonprofit nursing homes to submit the same audited consolidated financial statements as are required of for profit nursing homes under the bill. Current law requires nursing homes to annually disclose certain ownership interests of 10 percent or more in the nursing home's mortgage, note, deed of trust, or other obligation appearing on the nursing home's books. The bill makes these disclosures applicable to ownership interests of five percent or more. The bill additionally requires nursing homes to annually provide to the DOH: 1) a disclosure of any person who owns or operates a sister company, holding company, or parent company, or who is a member of the board of trustees or the board of directors of the nursing home; 2) a disclosure of any person who has an ownership interest in a private equity pool that funds the nursing home; 3) information identifying 100 percent of the current owners of any third party entity exercising substantial management control over the nursing home, including all principals and interested parties and including 100 percent of the owners, principals, and interested parties in a third party entity identified as a principal or interested party; and 4) a copy of any lease agreements for the nursing home's use of land, buildings, facilities, or other real property. Current law establishes certain monetary penalties for nursing homes that fail to make the required disclosures. The bill grants the DOH the authority to additionally curtail new admissions at a nursing home that fails to make the required disclosures or that files false disclosures. The bill grants the Commissioner of Human Services the discretion to accept a consolidated financial statement that meets the requirements of the bill as satisfying the requirement that nursing homes report revenues and expenditures for the purposes of establishing and enforcing a direct care loss ratio, as required under current law. | In Committee |
| A925 | Allows voter registration at polling place on election day or at early voting site during early voting period. | This bill allows for voter registration at polling places on election day or at early voting sites during the early voting period. Under current law, a person must register to vote at least 21 days before the election. This bill allows a person who has not registered to vote by that deadline to register at a polling place on the day of the election or at an early voting site during the early voting period. This bill also allows a person to cast a provisional ballot if the person has registered to vote within the period of 21 days before the election if the person can affirm that the person has not previously voted in that election. If the county commissioner of registration is not able to verify the person's Motor Vehicle Commission New Jersey driver's license number or non-driver identification number, or the last four digits of the person's Social Security Number, the county commissioner of registration will notify the person by mail, e-mail, or telephone within 24 hours that they must provide valid identification no later than 48 hours prior to the final certification of the results of the election in order for their ballot to be counted. | In Committee |
| A602 | Establishes "New Jersey Reparations Task Force." | This bill establishes the "New Jersey Reparations Task Force" to study and develop reparations proposals for African-Americans in this State. The task force would consist of 11 members, comprised of four legislators and seven public members. Three members would be appointed by the Governor and eight members would be appointed by the Legislative leadership. At a minimum, four of the public members would be appointed from persons recommended by organizations concerned with the issues of civil rights, human rights, racial, social and economic justice and equality, reparations and other issues concerning the African-American community. The members of the task force will appoint a chair and a vice chair of the task force. The members of the task force would not be compensated but may be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties. This bill, among other things, requires the task force to: (1) examine the institution of slavery within the State of New Jersey; (2) examine the extent to which the State of New Jersey and the federal government prevented, opposed, or restricted efforts of former enslaved persons and their descendants who are considered United States' citizens to economically thrive upon the ending of slavery; (3) examine the lingering negative effects of slavery on living African-Americans and on society in New Jersey and the United States; (4) research methods and materials for facilitating education, community dialogue, symbolic acknowledgement, and other formal actions leading toward transformation, reparations remedies, a sense of justice, and economic justice among the descendants of enslaved African people in this State; (5) make recommendations for what remedies should be awarded, through what instrumentalities, and to whom those remedies should be awarded; and (6) address how said recommendations comport with national and international standards of remedy for wrongs and injuries caused by the State. The task force will hold at least six public meetings in different parts of the State, including Camden, Paterson, Newark, New Brunswick, Atlantic City, and Trenton. The Governor will call the first meeting of the task force to occur on or before the first day of the third month after enactment. The task force will issue an interim report of its progress to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 12 months following the initial meeting. The task force will submit its final report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 24 months following the initial meeting. The task force will expire upon issuance of its final report. | In Committee |
| A2757 | Authorizes conversion of certain office parks and retail centers to mixed-use developments. | This bill would establish a limited preemption from local zoning regulations for applications to convert certain office parks and retail centers into mixed-use developments. Office parks and retail shopping centers located within suburban parts of the State have been termed "stranded assets," in part because their reuse or redevelopment is restricted by zoning regulations which limit their development to a single land use. This bill seeks to initiate interest among property owners to develop these sites by establishing a two-year window of time within which a developer may submit an application to convert an eligible property into a mixed-use development without being constrained by outdated zoning ordinances. The bill defines "eligible property" as an office park of at least 50,000 square feet or a retail center of at least 15,000 square feet, which office park or retail center has a vacancy rate of at least 40 percent. Further, an eligible property includes only properties within Planning Areas 1 and 2, designated centers, within one mile of a transit center or central business district, and within a Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") sewer service area. An eligible property does not include properties in or adjacent to a landfill, active garbage dump, trash incinerator, power plant, oil or chemical refinery, superfund site, jail, prison, wastewater treatment facility, or large warehouse distribution facility or other heavy industrial use. The bill provides that a mixed-use development is a permitted use, which does not require a use variance, if the mixed-use development is the subject of an application for development to convert an eligible property to a mixed-use development, the application for development is submitted for approval within two years of the bill's effective date, and the application for development proposes to:· reuse the existing building or buildings without expanding their square footage, · redevelop the eligible property without expanding the square footage of the building or buildings on the eligible property, or · extend beyond the building footprint square footage provided the development enhances a combination of stormwater management, the tree canopy, and street grid connectivity. If an application for mixed-use development proposes new residential units, then the use variance-related benefits of the bill would also be conditional on at least 20 percent of the residential units constructed for owner-occupancy and 15 percent of the residential units constructed for rental occupancy being reserved as low income housing, moderate income housing, or very low income housing. The use variance-related benefits of the bill are also conditional on the application enhancing the multimodal transportation connectivity of the area through the addition or enhancement of sidewalks, bicycle lanes, or other improvements. The bill would require a planning board or other approving authority to approve an application to convert an eligible property to a mixed-use development if the board determines that the application can be granted without causing substantial detriment to the public good and without substantially impairing the intent and purpose of the zone plan and zoning ordinance, and complies with the other requirements of the bill. While freeing developers of these properties from municipal use restrictions, the bill retains local control over other aspects of the approval of an application to convert an eligible property to a mixed-use development. The bill specifically authorizes approving authorities to condition approval of an application to convert an eligible property to a mixed-use development upon complying with requirements for parking, water supply, sanitary sewer capacity, storm water management, bulk standards, and all reasonable site plan review, recreation, and design standards. However, the bill imposes one limitation on this grant of authority by providing that the height and setback limitations applicable to a converted mixed-use development will be the greatest height and least restrictive setback limitations allowed within the zoning district under municipal ordinance or variance approved by the approving authority. Finally, the bill would direct the Department of Community Affairs ("DCA") to conduct an inventory of abandoned and underutilized retail centers, office parks, and other stranded assets, and report the results to the Legislature and the public within 12 months of the enactment of this bill. The bill directs DCA to periodically update the inventory and report. | In Committee |
| A3168 | Authorizes creation of Woman Veteran license plates. | This bill authorizes the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to issue special Woman Veteran license plates. The license plate is to display the words, "Woman Veteran," along with the registration number and other markings or identification otherwise prescribed by law. An application to obtain a Woman Veteran license plate is to include satisfactory proof that the applicant is a veteran as evidenced by the applicant's DD-214 form or on a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. In addition to the required motor vehicle registration fees, there is an application fee of $50 and an annual renewal fee of $10 for the Woman Veteran license plates. After deducting the cost of producing and publicizing the plates, the additional fees collected will be deposited into the "Woman Veteran License Plate Fund" and the funds will be appropriated annually to the New Jersey Department of Military Veterans' Affairs (department) for programs to benefit female veterans, including providing shelter to homeless female veterans as grants. The Chief Administrator of the commission is required to annually certify the average cost of producing, issuing, and publicizing the availability of the specialty license plates. If the average cost per plate exceeds $50 in two consecutive fiscal years, the chief administrator may discontinue the Woman Veteran license plate program. The bill also requires that the Adjutant General of the department appoint a liaison to represent the department in all communications with the commission regarding the Woman Veteran license plates. The bill provides that State or other public funds may not be used by the commission for the initial cost to implement the Woman Veteran license plate program. The bill requires an individual or entity designated by the department to contribute non-public monies, not to exceed $25,000, to offset the initial costs to design, produce, issue, and publicize the license plates. The bill authorizes the department to receive funds from private sources to be used to offset the initial costs. The chief administrator is not required to design, produce, issue, or publicize the availability of the Woman Veteran license plates, until: (1) an individual or entity designated by the department has provided the commission with the money necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission in establishing the Woman Veteran license plate program; and (2) department, or its designee, has provided the commission with a minimum of 500 completed applications for the Woman Veteran license plates, upon the availability for purchase of those license plates. The provisions of the bill will remain inoperative until the appropriate applications and fees required to offset the initial costs incurred by the commission are provided by the department's designee. The bill expires after 12 months if sufficient applications and fees to offset the initial costs are not received. | In Committee |
| A876 | Consolidates certain affordable housing and assistance applications. | The bill directs the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to establish, and make available on the Internet website of the New Jersey Housing Resource Center or its successor, a singular online application for individuals to pre-apply to multiple affordable and senior housing units and housing developments at one time. The bill also consolidates applications for housing and housing related subsidies into one application and incorporates this application into the singular online application to pre-apply for affordable housing. Currently, there is no centralized application with this capability. Instead, individuals must keep track of their standing on multiple pre-application waitlists and fill out substantially similar applications for each subsidy they seek. Under the bill, the singular online application would serve only as a pre-application to determine initial eligibility and standing on waitlists for the available housing and would not serve as a final determination of eligibility. The application would provide an individual the ability to select specific municipalities, counties, and general regions of the State for housing they wish to pre-apply. The application would be applicable to all housing listed on the center's website, which would include, but would not be limited to: rental housing, for-sale housing, temporary housing, and priority housing. The bill also requires the consolidation of all applications for housing and housing related subsidies provided under any State or federal subsidy program into one application, which would be incorporated into the singular online application. The application consolidating housing and housing related subsidy applications would have the capability to serve as a final determination of eligibility. The consolidated application would include, but would not be limited to: (1) the Section 8: Housing Choice Voucher Program; (2) the State Rental Assistance Program; (3) Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS; (4) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing; (5) the Homeless Prevention Program; (6) the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program; (7) the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; (8) the Universal Service Fund; (9) the Weatherization Assistance Program; and (10) the Lead-Safe Home Remediation Program. | In Committee |
| A2899 | Establishes "New Jersey College Ready Students Program Act"; provides tuition-free dual enrollment opportunities at county college for certain high school students. | This bill establishes the "New Jersey College Ready Students Program Act." Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, is directed to establish a program to provide for the tuition-free enrollment of certain public high school students who enroll in dual enrollment courses at a local county college. In determining eligibility for the tuition benefit provided pursuant to the bill, the criteria will be the same as the Statewide eligibility standards regarding family need established by the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund to qualify for financial assistance from the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund. A student may receive up to 3 credits tuition-free per semester, and no more than 6 credits tuition-free in a school year in each of the 11th and 12th grades provided that: (1) the school district in which the student is enrolled has entered into a dual enrollment agreement with a county college pursuant to the provisions of State law; and (2) the student has earned a minimum grade point average to indicate college readiness, as determined by the commissioner. In order to maintain eligibility for the program, a student shall receive a grade of C or higher for all college courses completed through the program. In the event that an otherwise eligible student does not meet the minimum grade point average requirement established pursuant to this section, the student shall be eligible to complete one remedial course through the county college tuition-free per semester of eligibility. Under the bill, the State will bear the cost of tuition for students who participate in the program. The Commissioner of Education is directed to annually submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the program. | In Committee |
| AJR16 | Permits evidence of prompt reports of sexual assault or employment discrimination be admissible as hearsay exception. | This Joint Resolution amends the Rules of Evidence to permit the jury to consider a statement by a declarant as it relates to sexual assault or employment discrimination in certain cases. The resolution permits statements by the declarant relating to sexual assault or employment discrimination when: (i) the complaint was made spontaneously and voluntarily, (ii) within a reasonable amount of time after the crime had occurred, and (iii) to a person the victim ordinarily would turn to for support. The resolution permits admission of declarant's statement for the purposes of assessing the credibility of the complainant with respect to the commission of the offense; to negate the inference that the victim's initial delay or silence means the complaint was fabricated; or when relevant, and to the extent necessary, to explain the investigative process and complete the narrative of events leading to the defendant's arrest. | In Committee |
| A2330 | Establishes nurse aide workforce development program. | This bill establishes a nurse aide workforce development program. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health (commissioner), subject to available funds, is to establish a nurse aide workforce development program. The purpose of the nurse aide workforce development program is to educate the public on the benefits of becoming certified as a nurse aide in New Jersey and of the ability to take a nurse aide competency evaluation without cost. The nurse aide workforce development program is to include the following: (1) information on the benefits of becoming certified as a nurse aide in New Jersey; (2) a general summary of the requirements to become certified as a nurse aide training in New Jersey, including, but not limited to, information on the application process, curriculum, and certification requirements; (3) information on the provisions of the New Jersey Administrative Code (code) which provide that no nurse aide who is employed by, or who has received an offer of employment from, a long-term care facility on the date on which the aide begins a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program may be charged by a testing agency for any costs associated with a nurse aide competency evaluation, including any fees for textbooks or other required course materials; (4) information on the provisions of the code which provide that a person who completes a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program and is subsequently employed by or receives an offer of employment from a long-term care facility within 12 months of completing the program will be reimbursed by the facility for the costs of the compentency evaluation; (5) information on the provisions of the code which provide that no nurse aide employed by a long-term care facility is required, as a condition of employment, to pay the cost of a nurse aide training program in the event of voluntary or involuntary termination of employment; and (6) any other information deemed relevant by the commissioner. The bill provides that the commissioner is to establish a one year pilot program to reimburse a nurse aid student, upon the completion of the course, up to 25 percent of the costs incurred by a student due to enrollment nurse aide training course. Under the bill, the commissioner is to develop and disseminate the following educational materials: (1) instructions on how to become a certified nurse aide in this State; (2) information on and links to nurse aide training programs in this State; (3) the benefits of and requirements for becoming a nurse aide in New Jersey; (4) the ability of nurse aides working in long-term care facilities to take a nurse aide competency evaluation without cost; and (5) information on the application process for reimbursement of nurse aide training course costs as provided in the bill. All information that is collected and developed under the bill is to be made available on a Department of Health Internet website specifically dedicated to information related to nurse aides. | In Committee |
| A1982 | Permits students experiencing menstrual disorder to attend school remotely. | This bill permits a student enrolled in a school district to attend school through virtual or remote means while experiencing symptoms of a menstrual disorder. The student's parent or guardian will submit a written request for accommodation no later than the start of the school day the accommodation is required. Under the bill, menstrual disorders include, but are not limited to, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, menorrhea, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. A parent or guardian will provide medical documentation, as required by the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled, to prove the student meets the requirements for virtual or remote instruction related to menstrual disorders. Under the bill, a day of virtual or remote instruction will be considered the equivalent of a full day of school attendance for the purposes of meeting State and local graduation requirements or the awarding of course credit. Also under the bill, the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, will provide school districts with criteria for defining an excused absence from school related to a menstrual disorder. Menstrual disorders, and the pain and discomfort associated with them, are often cited as the reason menstruating students miss school days. Menstrual disorders are also fairly common; one in five menstruating students experience menorrhagia, and nearly 70 percent of menstruating students experience dysmenorrhea. Students who attend class while experiencing a menstrual disorder often report classroom performance or concentration being negatively affected. Additionally, nearly one third of students who menstruate report missing at least one day of school while experiencing menstruation. | In Committee |
| A1993 | Concerns collection of data relating to Haitian migrants in NJ. | This bill directs the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services to collect manage the collection of data on Haitian migrants in New Jersey, no matter their documentation status, from various sources such as federal, State, and local governments, and non-profit organizations. Haitian migrants in New Jersey have fled political unrest and financial trouble to live a safe and prosperous life in this State. Their journeys, whether they be by boat or on foot, are long and dangerous, sometimes leading to injury or death. New Jersey has the fourth largest Haitian-American population in the United States, as about 69,000 Haitian-Americans live in this State. As some of the Haitian migrants living in New Jersey are undocumented, it is difficult to know how many need assistance. Collecting data on Haitian migrants living in New Jersey, no matter their documentation status, will allow the State to help them more efficiently. This bill would take effect on the 60th day following enactment. | In Committee |
| A3351 | Requires DHS and DOH to submit federal waivers to cover menstrual products under NJ FamilyCare, SNAP, WIC and establishes State funded benefit if federal waiver is denied; appropriates $2 million for State benefit. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services and the Commissioner of Health to submit an application for a waiver or a state plan amendment to provide menstrual hygiene products among the covered benefits available for eligible recipients through the NJ FamilyCare program, the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The bill stipulates that, if the federal government denies the State's waiver application or state plan amendment, the Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, is to establish a program to provide menstrual hygiene products to eligible beneficiaries, in a quantity and through a process determined to be equitable. Under the program, the Commissioner of Human Services would establish a process through which an eligible beneficiary would certify the number of menstruators in the beneficiary's household who are minors and who qualify for the menstrual hygiene products benefit. The bill additionally requires the Commissioner of Human Services to consult and coordinate with the Commissioner of Health on the establishment of an educational and public awareness campaign to inform the public about the provisions of bill and to ensure that eligible recipients of the public assistance programs covered under the bill are aware of the new benefits made available to them, and to post the information provided through the campaign on each of the departments' Internet sites. The bill appropriates $2 million to the Department of Health for the menstrual hygiene products benefit. The provisions of the bill will take effect upon any federal determination regarding the waiver application or state plan amendment submitted by the State, and the acceptance of any federal approval by the Departments of Human Services and Health; however, the departments are authorized to take any anticipatory action in advance of the federal determination as may be necessary to implement the requirements under the bill. As defined in the bill, "menstrual hygiene products" means tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups, sanitary napkins, and other similar products designed for a person's hygiene in connection with the human menstrual cycle. | In Committee |
| A1988 | Requires school districts to maintain restrooms in good working order. | This bill requires school districts to maintain all restrooms in good working order. Under current law, each school district is required to, in part, provide suitable educational facilities for all children who reside in the district and attend the public schools, and for all children living outside of the district who are entitled or permitted to attend the schools of the district pursuant to law. This includes proper school buildings and furniture and equipment and courses of study suited to the ages and attainments of all pupils between the ages of five and 20 years. The bill would amend current law to require school districts, in providing suitable educational facilities, to ensure that all restrooms are maintained in good working order and updated or renovated as needed. Restrooms would be required to be cleaned and sanitized daily and contain the following:· properly functioning toilets and sinks free of leaks or other plumbing issues;· toilet paper holders fully stocked with toilet paper;· stall doors that are able to open, close, and lock while occupied;· properly functioning hand dryers or fully stocked paper towel dispensers;· trash bins to be emptied by maintenance staff at regular intervals; and· menstrual product disposal units to be cleaned and emptied by maintenance staff at regular intervals. | In Committee |
| A2255 | Requires boards of education to ensure that all staff are trained in care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every two years. | This bill amends current law concerning the provision of care for students with epilepsy and seizure disorders enrolled in public school to require that all staff employed by a board of education be trained in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders once every two years. Under "Paul's Law," P.L.2019, c.290, the board of education of a school district is required to coordinate the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders. Parents or guardians seeking epilepsy or seizure disorder care for a student while at school are required to annually submit to the school nurse a seizure action plan for the student and provide written authorization for the provision of epilepsy or seizure disorder care. The school nurse is then required to develop an individualized health care plan and an individualized emergency health care plan for the student and update the plans annually. In addition, boards of education are required to ensure that all staff, including staff working with school-sponsored programs outside of the regular school day, are trained in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders. However, there is currently no requirement that this training be conducted at regular intervals. This bill would require that all school staff undergo training in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every two years. | In Committee |
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1277 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S862 | Requires DOT to provide additional information in annual report on pavement condition; makes report available to public. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| SJR30 | Designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S1439 | Requires health benefits coverage for additional orthotic and prosthetic appliances under certain circumstances; requires coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances obtained through podiatrists. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S1400 | "Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act"; provides alternative process for handling partition actions filed in court concerning real property with multiple owners, at least one of whom had acquired title from relative. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| AJR62 | Designates first week of May of each year as "Children's Mental Health Awareness Week." | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3008 | Requires certain health care facilities to offer lactation counseling and consultations to persons who have given birth. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3361 | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Assembly Floor: Concur in Senate Amendments | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A1996 | Establishes requirements to evaluate certain people who are pregnant and who have given birth for preeclampsia. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3036 | "Swift Access For Emergency Response Actions Preservation Program (SAFER APP)"; authorizes Attorney General to order turn-by-turn navigation systems to reroute vehicular traffic under certain conditions. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A913 | Authorizes medical cannabis for treatment of sickle cell anemia. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3157 | Requires DMVA create Bereavement Counseling Program for family members and volunteer caregivers of certain veterans. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A2415 | Requires Silver Alert System receive same broadcast alerts as Amber Alert System. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| AJR56 | Designates May of each year as "Older Americans Month" in New Jersey. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S2332 | Allows complaint for guardianship of minor to be filed six months before minor reaches age 18 under certain circumstances; establishes certain standards for filing guardianship complaints. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | 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. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3759 | Prohibits internet sale of lottery tickets by State Lottery Commission. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S2886 | Requires pharmacies to provide certain information regarding insulin manufacturer assistance programs. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3941 | Changes classification of State Investigators in civil service. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A3981 | Subjects certain rooming and boarding houses to municipal land use regulations; requires owners and operators of cooperative sober living residences to submit certain approvals with license applications. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4178 | Authorizes State Treasurer to grant temporary deed of easement in Borough of Sea Girt in Monmouth County. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4276 | Requires DOH to use Basic Screening Survey to access oral health in children. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| AJR171 | Celebrates career of New Jersey resident John Sterling. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4331 | Establishes licensure for cosmetic retail services. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4535 | Concerns State regulation of cooperative sober living residences and boarding houses generally; appropriates $100,000. | Assembly Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4562 | Allows State, municipality, and county to implement automatic enrollment of their employees in deferred compensation plans. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4618 | Requires official inspection facility employees covered by collective bargaining agreement to be offered employment following contract renewal or award of new contract; requires collective bargaining agreement to be binding in certain cases. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4652 | Establishes offense of inciting public brawl; upgrades penalty for disorderly conduct in certain circumstances. | Assembly Floor: Table Motion | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4652 | Establishes offense of inciting public brawl; upgrades penalty for disorderly conduct in certain circumstances. | Assembly Floor: Concur Governor Recommendations | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4767 | Limits regulated perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in menstrual products. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4763 | Requires development of educational fact sheet on water safety for public and nonpublic schools; requires DOE to maintain list of locations providing swim lessons. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4753 | Requires hospitals and birthing facilities to request new parents watch water safety video prior to discharge. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4762 | Designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in NJ; encourages DOE to provide resources on water safety. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4857 | Extends anti-SLAPP protections to complainants of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4854 | Modifies method of allocating State aid for providing auxiliary and remedial services to nonpublic school students. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4899 | Limits amount of residential rental property application fee; establishes penalty. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4913 | Establishes certain State funding preferences for municipalities that enhance opportunities to develop housing. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S3787 | Requires municipal tax collectors who obtain payments in lieu of taxes under "Long Term Tax Exemption Law" to transmit county portion directly to county. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | 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. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A4986 | Codifies early language instruction program for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind children in DHS. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S3850 | Permits county boards of elections to extend distance within which electioneering is prohibited. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5017 | Exempts certain personal information collected by insurance-support organizations from certain requirements concerning notification and disclosure of personal data. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S3928 | Limits general application of certain consumer contracts. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S3961 | Requires public and certain nonpublic schools to offer no-fee option to parents for making school lunch and other payments; requires payment processing platforms used by certain schools to provide users with information on user fees. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5170 | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5211 | Establishes New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative Act. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5264 | Requires establishment of automated platform to expedite construction code approval of applications to install residential solar energy systems. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S4121 | Amends Fiscal Year 2025 annual appropriations act to assign distribution of funding for Community Security Initiatives to Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5358 | Revises New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S4162 | Limits use or disclosure of certain education records. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5378 | Modifies provisions of Cultural Arts Incentives Program; eliminates Community-Anchored Development Program. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5395 | Requires cancellation option for any subscription service and establishes certain standards pertaining to use of negative option features. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5424 | Promotes housing availability and prevents speculation by imposing fee for institutional ownership of certain unproductive residential property. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5442 | Requires BPU members to have certain experience and complete certain training. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5432 | Establishes standards for determining an unconscionable rent increase; excludes from public access landlord tenant records in certain circumstances. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5435 | Requires Division of Housing and Community Resources in DCA and applicable State agencies and nonprofits to establish a consolidated application for residential utility assistance programs. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5466 | Requires BPU to study effects of data centers on electricity costs. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5463 | Requires electric public utilities to submit annual report on voting to BPU. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5463 | Requires electric public utilities to submit annual report on voting to BPU. | Assembly Floor: Table Motion | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5545 | Authorizes soil conservation districts to have more than five supervisors. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5598 | Modifies requirements to obtain licensure in public accountancy. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5572 | Establishes quorum standards for professional licensing entities under certain circumstances. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5606 | Amends Fiscal Year 2025 annual appropriations act to clarify distribution of Meals on Wheels Program grant to Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5618 | Requires Administrative Office of the Courts to collect and publish statistical information about consumer debt lawsuits. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| A5733 | Provides for State agency reviews and increases of income thresholds for residential customers to participate in certain utility bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| AR193 | Affirms support for SNAP and program's progress in reducing hunger among vulnerable populations in New Jersey. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 05/22/2025 | Yea |
| S1277 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A3363 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A1996 | Establishes requirements to evaluate certain people who are pregnant and who have given birth for preeclampsia. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A3282 | Revises "Homelessness Prevention Program"; requires new charge for filing of eviction action. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Substitution | 05/15/2025 | 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. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A3759 | Prohibits internet sale of lottery tickets by State Lottery Commission. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A3941 | Changes classification of State Investigators in civil service. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A3981 | Subjects certain rooming and boarding houses to municipal land use regulations; requires owners and operators of cooperative sober living residences to submit certain approvals with license applications. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4178 | Authorizes State Treasurer to grant temporary deed of easement in Borough of Sea Girt in Monmouth County. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4642 | Allows certain individuals eligible for family support services to set aside unused agency-after school care service hours for use during holiday and weekend hours. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4854 | Modifies method of allocating State aid for providing auxiliary and remedial services to nonpublic school students. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4913 | Establishes certain State funding preferences for municipalities that enhance opportunities to develop housing. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| S3787 | Requires municipal tax collectors who obtain payments in lieu of taxes under "Long Term Tax Exemption Law" to transmit county portion directly to county. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4971 | Requires EDA to provide grants to certain small businesses affected by State infrastructure and construction projects. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4964 | Concerns eviction and homelessness prevention; requires new charge for filing for eviction action. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Substitution | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| S3850 | Permits county boards of elections to extend distance within which electioneering is prohibited. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5170 | Requires State to purchase certain unused tax credits issued under New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5267 | Requires BPU to procure and incentivize transmission-scale energy storage. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5264 | Requires establishment of automated platform to expedite construction code approval of applications to install residential solar energy systems. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5358 | Revises New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5356 | Permits county boards of elections to extend distance within which electioneering is prohibited. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5378 | Modifies provisions of Cultural Arts Incentives Program; eliminates Community-Anchored Development Program. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5424 | Promotes housing availability and prevents speculation by imposing fee for institutional ownership of certain unproductive residential property. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5438 | "Public Utility Fair Profit Act"; requires public utilities to take certain actions regarding excess profits and directs fines for violations to fund utility assistance programs. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5440 | Requires State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs to review, and potentially increase, income thresholds for residential customers to participate in programs. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5436 | Requires BPU to determine and consider lowest reasonable return on equity before approving electric, gas, and water public utility base rate cases. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5432 | Establishes standards for determining an unconscionable rent increase; excludes from public access landlord tenant records in certain circumstances. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5435 | Requires Division of Housing and Community Resources in DCA and applicable State agencies and nonprofits to establish a consolidated application for residential utility assistance programs. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5465 | Requires electric public utilities to apply to BPU for certificate of public convenience and necessity prior to undertaking transmission project. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5463 | Requires electric public utilities to submit annual report on voting to BPU. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5563 | Establishes "Summer Termination Program" for certain utility customers. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5606 | Amends Fiscal Year 2025 annual appropriations act to clarify distribution of Meals on Wheels Program grant to Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey. | Assembly Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5613 | Requires municipal tax collectors who obtain payments in lieu of taxes under "Long Term Tax Exemption Law" to transmit county portion directly to county. | Assembly State and Local Government Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A4763 | Requires development of educational fact sheet on water safety for public and nonpublic schools; requires DOE to maintain list of locations providing swim lessons. | Assembly Education Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| State | District | Chamber | Party | Status | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | New Jersey Assembly District 14 | Assembly | Democrat | In Office | 01/09/2024 |