Legislator
Legislator > Andrea Katz
State Assemblymember
Andrea Katz
(D) - New Jersey
New Jersey Assembly District 08
In Office - Started: 01/09/2024
contact info
Mount Holly Office
100 High St.
Suite 101
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Suite 101
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Phone: 609-850-2397
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3008 | Requires certain health care facilities to offer lactation counseling and consultations to persons who have given birth. | Requires certain health care facilities to offer lactation counseling and consultations to persons who have given birth. | Crossed Over |
| A4986 | Codifies early language instruction program for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind children in DHS. | This bill codifies the early language instruction program for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind children in the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in the Department of Human Services (division) known as the "Level the Playing Field Early Intervention Program." This program is supported by a $550,000 appropriation under the FY 2025 Appropriations Act. Under the bill, the early language instruction program is to support the language acquisition and developmental needs of deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind children aged five and younger and their families. All services delivered under this program are to be free of charge. Eligible children and their families must provide proof of the child's hearing loss, age, and State residency to receive services under the program. At a minimum, under the program, the division shall match each eligible child and eligible child's family with an American Sign Language Deaf Language Associate to provide the child and family with instruction and support services up to 25 hours a week. The division is to make available language instruction services in all applicable settings where the eligible child participates in daily activities, including childcare centers, preschool programs, summer camps, and in the child's home. Additional services provided under the program, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child and the eligible child's family, are to include: information and referral services to other State and non-State resources; case management services provided by an individual fluent in American Sign Language; assistance in locating and coordinating a qualified interpreter or real-time caption provider; resources for obtaining hearing aids and other equipment to support the needs of the eligible child; and the provision of sensitivity training to the eligible child's health care providers, education or day care providers, or other applicable supports on awareness of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing children and adults. | Crossed Over |
| 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. | 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. | Crossed Over |
| 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. | 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. | Crossed Over |
| A3361 | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Establishes limit on rent increase for certain dwelling sites for modular or industrialized buildings or manufactured homes. | Passed |
| A5714 | "New Jersey Loves New Jersey Farmers Act"; provides corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits to commercial farm operators for price loss. | This bill, which is designated as the "New Jersey Loves New Jersey Farmers Act," provides corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits to commercial farm operators in an amount equal to the price loss of New Jersey commercial farm products, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture (secretary). Under the bill, a commercial farm operator is allowed a tax credit based on the price loss of New Jersey commercial farm products sold during a tax period. As defined in the bill, "New Jersey commercial farm product" means a crop, including, but not limited to, a fruit or vegetable, harvested for human consumption from a commercial farm. A "commercial farm operator" means the taxpayer primarily responsible for the on-site day-to-day operation of a commercial farm, at which New Jersey commercial farm products are planted, managed, and harvested. The bill defines "price loss" to mean the difference between the baseline receipts and actual receipts for a New Jersey commercial farm product, provided that the amount of the actual receipts is lower than amount of the baseline receipts. Under the bill, "actual receipts" is defined to mean the sum of the actual amounts, in dollars, that a commercial farm operator received in compensation for each unit of a New Jersey commercial farm product sold during the tax period. In contract, "baseline receipts" means the sum of the total number of units of a New Jersey commercial farm product sold during the tax year, multiplied by the monthly reference price for the month in which each unit was sold. The bill defines "monthly reference price" as the average amount, in dollars, as determined by the secretary, that a commercial farm operator should fairly receive in compensation for each unit of a New Jersey commercial farm product sold during that specific month. The bill requires the secretary to accept and review applications for the certification of a commercial farm operator's price loss during a tax period. A commercial farm operator may submit an application for certification of the price loss for a single New Jersey commercial farm product or the total price loss for multiple New Jersey commercial farm products. In addition to such other information and documentation that the secretary may deem necessary, an application for the certification of price loss is required to include: (1) business records of a commercial farm operator demonstrating the actual receipts of each New Jersey commercial farm product for which the commercial farm operator seeks certification of price loss; and (2) an indication of the dates beginning and ending the tax period for which the application is made and calculation of the baseline receipts for that tax period. The secretary is also required under the bill to calculate and publish the monthly reference price for each month of a calendar year, as described in the bill, within 90 days following the final day of that month. Under the bill, any amount of any unused tax credit may be carried forward to the seven tax periods following the year for which the tax credit was issued, after which the tax credit expires. The bill requires the Director of the Division of Taxation to determine the form and manner by which a taxpayer can apply for the tax credit, coordinating with the secretary as necessary. In addition to authorizing tax credits for commercial farm operators, the bill also permits the operators to apply for a tax credit transfer certificate so that part or all of the credit awarded may be sold or assigned in the tax period during which the tax credit transfer certificate is received. The bill provides that a transferee may use the tax credit transfer certificate in the tax period for which it was issued, in the tax period in which it was issued, or in any of the next three successive tax periods. The transferee is permitted to use the credit against tax liabilities in the tax period in which it was issued or in a succeeding tax period, as authorized in the bill, without the need to amend the tax return for the tax period for which the credit was issued. The bill authorizes a transferee to carry forward an unused credit for use in any of the next five successive tax periods, and the unused credit expires thereafter. | In Committee |
| A5716 | Requires certain law enforcement officers to complete human trafficking training. | This bill requires law enforcement officers to complete certain human trafficking training. Current law requires the Police Training Commission (PTC) to develop and approve courses of study on the handling, response procedures, investigation, and prosecution of human trafficking cases. This bill provides that each law enforcement agency in the State would be required to ensure that every law enforcement officer employed by the agency who responds to and investigates domestic violence or sexual assault cases completes a PTC-approved training course on human trafficking. | In Committee |
| AJR227 | Designates May of each year as "Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month." | This resolution designates May of each year as "Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month." Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) represents multiple genetic disorders involving mutations in connective tissue that are characterized by looseness, instability, and dislocation of the joints and fragile skin that easily bruises and scars. There is currently no treatment for EDS and no known cure. Treatment for EDS focuses on managing symptoms and preventing complications through approaches like physical therapy, to improve joint stability, pain management strategies, and avoiding high-risk activities, and EDS support groups also help connect those managing life with the disease to available treatment services. Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) are connective tissue disorders that cause joint hypermobility, instability, injury, and pain. Problems such as fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and autonomic dysfunction are often seen as part of HSD. Both EDS and HSD involve joint hypermobility, chronic pain, fatigue, and sometimes autonomic or gastrointestinal symptoms. Ongoing medical research and growing awareness offer hope for improved treatments and, ultimately, a cure for EDS and HSD. In New Jersey, the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital offers specialized care for individuals seeking diagnosis or management of EDS and HSD. May is recognized as Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) Awareness Month nationally, dedicated to raising awareness and support for those affected by these conditions. Officially designating May as "Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month" in New Jersey would help increase public understanding of these heritable connective tissue disorders and promote continued research aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment. | In Committee |
| A5717 | Makes various changes to provision of preschool aid and facilities requirements; establishes Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee; requires full-day kindergarten in all school districts. | This bill is to be known as the "New Jersey Universal Preschool and Kindergarten Act." The bill modifies various statutes governing early childhood education in an effort to codify and expand on requirements that the Department of Education has previously established for providing State-funded preschool to build and sustain universal access to high-quality programs. Preschool Expansion Grants The bill requires the Department of Education (DOE) to provide annual preschool expansion grants, defined as grants expanding free access to high-quality preschool for resident three- and four-year children in in districts that do not, at the time of application for a grant, provide State-funded, high-quality, free preschool programs. Under the bill, the Department's preschool expansion grant program must include certain requirements.Preschool Education Aid The bill also revises requirements for preschool education aid. The revisions include an update to the formula for determining each district's allocation of preschool education aid to eliminate the use of District Factor Groups and specify the use of projected FTE enrollment for the upcoming year. The bill also requires districts that receive preschool education aid to meet certain criteria concerning partnerships with licensed child care providers and Head Start programs, program planning, and self-assessment. Preschool Cost-Sharing Pilot Program The bill establishes a three-year pilot program for a methodology for sharing preschool education costs between the State and participating school districts. A participating district is any district receiving preschool education aid for the first time in 2025-2026, 2026-2027, or 2027-2028 school years. Under the pilot program, for participating school districts, preschool education aid is to be calculated by multiplying the district's district aid percentage by the amount calculated under the preschool education aid formula applicable to districts that received preschool education aid in the 2024-2025 school year. District aid percentage for this purpose is to equal to the greater of the district aid percentage as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-3) or 40 percent. Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee The bill establishes in the Department of Education a Universal Preschool Implementation Steering Committee composed of representatives of various State agencies and the New Jersey Legislature. Other Early Childhood Education Provisions The bill also:· requires the DOE, Department of Children and Families, and Department of Human Services to maintain and annually update certain information regarding preschool and child care providers on their respective internet websites;· requires these departments, in consultation with stakeholders, submit a report to the Legislature on the status of preschool education in the State and the efficacy of the mixed delivery method of preschool education;· requires numerous State agencies to publish guidance on a variety of topics related to expanding access to high-quality preschool education in areas of greatest need; and· removes preschool students from the population used to determine approved area for unhoused students for purposes of the DOE's administration of school facilities projects. Finally, the bill requires each elementary-serving school district in the State to establish a full-day kindergarten program no later than the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year. Attendance at the kindergarten program shall be free. School districts not providing full-day kindergarten by the effective date of this bill may satisfy this requirement by entering a sending-receiving relationship with an adjacent school district. | In Committee |
| A5718 | Permits certain alcoholic beverage license holders to sell "Jersey Fresh" alcoholic beverages. | This bill permits the holder of a limited brewery license, farm brewery license, plenary winery license, farm winery license, cidery and meadery license, and craft distillery license to sell "Jersey Fresh" alcoholic beverages at retail to consumers for consumption on or off the licensed premises and to offer samples for sampling purposes. The bill defines "Jersey Fresh Products" to mean any alcoholic beverage licensed by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture under Jersey Fresh designation. Jersey Fresh is an advertising, promotional, and quality grading program originally launched in 1984 to help farmers inform consumers about the availability of fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey. By making alcoholic beverages produced from New Jersey farm products part of the Jersey Fresh program and permitting the sale of Jersey Fresh designated alcoholic beverages at breweries, wineries, and distilleries, the sponsor intends to benefit the State's agricultural industry by raising consumer awareness about the many high-quality alcoholic beverages produced. | In Committee |
| AJR45 | Designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." | This joint resolution designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." According to the United Nations, there are an estimated 260 million widows around the world, and nearly one in ten live in extreme poverty. In the United States, one million women become widowed each year. Seventy percent of all married women will be widowed in their lifetime. Many widows are far younger than one may guess, as the median age of a widow is 59, according to the United States Census Bureau. Widows are often unsupported by our country's social services, programs, and policies. Many widows face challenges even years after the loss of a loved one, including financial and legal difficulties, mental and physical health issues, and the loss of health insurance. It is important to draw attention to the experiences and realities of widows, including the need for increased bereavement leave, changes to Social Security regulations regarding widows, and the plight of widows in other countries. | In Committee |
| SJR30 | Designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." | This joint resolution designates June 23 of each year as "International Widows' Day." According to the United Nations, there are an estimated 260 million widows around the world, and nearly one in ten live in extreme poverty. In the United States, one million women become widowed each year. Seventy percent of all married women will be widowed in their lifetime. Many widows are far younger than one may guess, as the median age of a widow is 59, according to the United States Census Bureau. Widows are often unsupported by our country's social services, programs, and policies. Many widows face challenges even years after the loss of a loved one, including financial and legal difficulties, mental and physical health issues, and the loss of health insurance. It is important to draw attention to the experiences and realities of widows, including the need for increased bereavement leave, changes to Social Security regulations regarding widows, and the plight of widows in other countries. | Passed |
| A1841 | Expands requirements for health insurance carriers concerning prostate cancer screening and requires coverage be provided without cost sharing. | Expands requirements for health insurance carriers concerning prostate cancer screening and requires coverage be provided without cost sharing. | In Committee |
| A5685 | Directs Department of Agriculture to designate Jersey Fresh funding for New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines; appropriates $100,000. | This bill would direct the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (department) to designate Jersey Fresh funding for New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines. Jersey Fresh currently features several New-Jersey-crafted alcoholic products on their website, such as wine, beer, cider, and liquor. In the interest of the promotion of various State alcoholic products, this bill would provide for an established and designated funding source for alcohols produced in the State that are made from agricultural commodities cultivated in the State. The Jersey Fresh Program is a marketing and quality grading program used by the department to advertise and promote the availability of fruit and vegetable commodities produced in the State. This bill would expand the Jersey Fresh Program to officially include marketing for liquor, beer, and wine products generated in the State, from products cultivated in the State. The bill would require the department to implement a quality grading and rating system which are consistent with the quality grading system used by the department to measure the quality of other agricultural commodities for the Jersey Fresh Program. This bill would provide for an annual appropriation of $100,000 in each fiscal year following enactment of the bill, to facilitate the marketing and promotion of liquor, beer, and wine products under the "Jersey Fresh" program. | In Committee |
| A5693 | Ensures that certain regional school districts receive no less than total amount of State school aid provided in 2024-2025 school year. | This bill creates a new category of State school aid known as "regional stabilization aid." The aid ensures that certain regional school districts receive the greater of: 1) the amount of State school aid calculated pursuant to the current school funding law; or 2) the sum of the district's State school aid in the 2024-2025 school year, which includes equalization aid, special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, transportation aid, adjustment aid, and any Stabilized School Budget aid provided to the district pursuant to P.L.2024, c.13. A regional school district is eligible for regional stabilization aid if the district consists of more than seven constituent school districts. | In Committee |
| A5686 | Authorizes Rate Counsel to deny certain public utility rate increases. | This bill authorizes the Division of the Rate Counsel to deny a public utility's petition to increase its rates if the all-items index was greater than two percent in any of the four quarters preceding the date on which the public utility filed the petition. Under the bill, "all-items index" means the rate of inflation for all items, as determined by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in its Consumer Price Index reports. | In Committee |
| A5437 | Requires electric transmission owners to join transmission entities. | This bill prohibits a transmission owner located in the State from owning or controlling an electric transmission facility, unless the transmission owner is a member of, and transfers control of those electric transmission facilities to, one or more transmission entities that are operational and meet certain specifications outlined in the bill. A transmission owner located in the State is deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of the bill if each transmission entity of which the transmission owner is a member, meets certain specifications as provided in the bill. | In Committee |
| A5088 | Exempts sale of farm vehicles from sales and use tax for farmers. | Exempts sale of farm vehicles from sales and use tax for farmers. | In Committee |
| A5426 | Requires State domestic violence public awareness campaign to add information on coercive control; requires annual reporting on activities of campaign and expands range of languages. | Requires State domestic violence public awareness campaign to add information on coercive control; requires annual reporting on activities of campaign and expands range of languages. | Crossed Over |
| S3418 | Authorizes certain types of permanent structures, recently constructed or erected on preserved farmland, to be used, in certain cases, for purposes of holding special occasion events thereon. | Authorizes certain types of permanent structures, recently constructed or erected on preserved farmland, to be used, in certain cases, for purposes of holding special occasion events thereon. | Vetoed |
| A4984 | Requires DCF to expand services provided by NJ Statewide Student Support Services program to include eating disorder services. | Requires DCF to expand services provided by NJ Statewide Student Support Services program to include eating disorder services. | Crossed Over |
| S1067 | "Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act"; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. | ""Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act"; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. | Vetoed |
| A5459 | Extends time period in which to enroll newborn infant in health benefits coverage. | This bill extends the time period in which newly born children are covered under their parents' health benefits coverage to 90 days after birth. Current law limits the coverage of newly born children to 60 days from their birth. At the conclusion of the 60 days, the child will be without coverage, unless the parents enroll the child in a private health benefits coverage policy or in a State or federal program, such as FamilyCare. The bill will provide a longer period of time for children to be covered under their parents' health benefits coverage, which will assist new parents and ensure that children have access to adequate health care during the critical first few months of life. | Crossed Over |
| A4374 | Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act." | Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act." | In Committee |
| A5004 | Creates separate crime for items depicting sexual exploitation or abuse of children; concerns computer generated or manipulated sexually explicit images. | Creates separate crime for items depicting sexual exploitation or abuse of children; concerns computer generated or manipulated sexually explicit images. | In Committee |
| A5614 | Requires Division of Parole to establish residency restrictions for certain sex offenders. | This bill requires the Division of Parole to establish residency restrictions for certain sex offenders. The bill defines "sex offender" as a person sentenced to a special sentence of parole supervision for life for the commission of a sex offense which involves a victim under 18 years of age and who has been designated as high-risk of reoffending. Under the provisions of this bill, the Director of the Division of Parole in the State Parole Board is required to establish Statewide residency restrictions for sex offenders. The residency restrictions are required to include, but are not limited to, prohibiting the sex offender from residing within 500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or playground. The restrictions would not apply if: 1) the sex offender is serving a sentence at a jail, prison, juvenile facility, or other correctional institution or facility which is located within 500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or playground; 2) the sex offender is receiving treatment at a mental health facility located within 500 feet of the real property comprising an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or playground; 3) the sex offender established the residence prior to the bill's effective date; 4) an elementary or secondary school, child care center, or playground is built or established within 500 feet of the sex offender's existing residence; 5) the parole board, after considering a sex offender's housing options, determines that a needs based exception is required; or 6) a court that discharges the sex offender from a psychiatric facility determines that an exemption is appropriate. Finally, the bill provides that the parole officer who is assigned to supervise a sex offender is required to utilize the residency requirements established by the Division of Parole when approving the residence or change of residence of a sex offender. | In Committee |
| A5576 | Requires annual appropriation of $1.3 million to Evesham Township School District and $2.7 million to Lenape Regional High School District. | This bill requires an annual appropriation of $1.3 million to the Evesham Township School District and $2.7 million to the Lenape Regional High School District for general operational aid. | In Committee |
| A5578 | Exempts small-scale renewable energy projects from State land-use permit requirements, under certain conditions. | This bill grants any person who seeks to develop a small-scale renewable energy project the option of applying only to local units of government that have jurisdiction over the location of the small-scale renewable energy project for approval to build the project, in lieu of any other permitting requirements issued by State agencies. The bill exempts small-scale renewable energy projects from all State land-use permit requirements provided that the project shall be inspected and approved by a representative of the local government unit and by the utility that holds the applicant's interconnection agreement. Under the bill, if the person files a permit application with a State agency for the small-scale renewable energy project, the applicant is deemed to have waived its right to seek only local approval of the project. The bill requires all small-scale renewable energy projects to be built in accordance with the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217. | In Committee |
| A5577 | Requires video surveillance of MVC drop box locations. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to install and maintain continuous video surveillance at all license plate drop box locations where the commission accepts the return of license plates that are no longer in use and to ensure that the video footage is continuously recorded at each location. Surveillance cameras are to be positioned in a manner that ensures clear and comprehensive coverage of each drop box. The cameras are to be capable of capturing high-definition footage and providing visibility of all individuals who use the drop box for license plate returns. Recorded footage from the surveillance cameras is to be stored, secured, and accessible for at least 30 days from the date of recording. Footage is not to be used for any purpose other than the security of commission drop boxes and investigations into criminal activity related to the use of the drop boxes. Finally, the commission is required to ensure that appropriate signage is placed near the drop boxes informing the public that video surveillance is in operation. | In Committee |
| A5610 | Adds training concerning coercive control to domestic violence training for judges and law enforcement officers. | This bill adds training concerning coercive control to the existing domestic violence training requirements for judges, court personnel, and law enforcement officers. Under current law, N.J.S.A.2C:25-29, indicators of coercive control by an abuser include, but are not limited to: (1) isolating a person from friends, relatives, transportation, medical care, or other source of support; (2) depriving a person of basic necessities; (3) monitoring a person's movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services; (4) compelling a person by force, threat, or intimidation, including, but not limited to, threats based on actual or suspected immigration status; (5) threatening to make or making baseless reports to the police, courts, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) within the Department of Children and Families, the Board of Social Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other parties; (6) threatening to harm or kill an individual's relative or pet; and (7) threatening to deny or interfere with an individual's child custody or parenting time, other than through enforcement of a valid custody arrangement or court order. Under the bill, the Attorney General and the Administrative Director of the Courts will be required to update the domestic violence training curriculum as necessary to implement the bill. | In Committee |
| S3388 | Allows pharmacists to transfer Schedule II attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. | This bill allows pharmacists to transfer Schedule II controlled dangerous substance prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to other pharmacists. Specifically, the bill provides that a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance that is prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be transferred from a pharmacist to another pharmacist, provided the prescription transfer is in compliance with federal regulations. Federal rules recently changed to allow the transfer of Schedule II-V controlled dangerous substance prescriptions between licensed pharmacies for the initial filling on a one-time basis only, upon request from the patient. New Jersey currently allows for transfers of Schedule III-V controlled dangerous substance prescriptions; this bill would expand allowable transfers to also include Schedule II controlled dangerous substance prescriptions. The bill will allow for greater flexibility for people attempting to fill attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. The ability to easily transfer prescriptions between pharmacies is especially valuable to patients who are attempting to fill prescriptions for medicine that is less available due to a shortage. Currently, when a patient is unable to fill a prescription at a particular pharmacy, the patient must ask their health care provider to send a new prescription to a different pharmacy. The bill will allow for a more efficient transfer process, by allowing pharmacies to directly transfer attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. Allows pharmacists to transfer Schedule II attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S2594 | Appropriates $28,670,924 in 2003 and 1992 bond act monies for loans for dam restoration and repair projects and inland waters projects. | An Act appropriating $22,431,294 from the "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003," P.L.2003, c.162, and $6,239,630 from the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," P.L.1992, c.88, to provide loans for dam restoration and repair projects and inland waters projects. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4838 | Requires prescription drug coverage for serious mental illness without prior authorization or utilization management, including step therapy. | Requires prescription drug coverage for serious mental illness without prior authorization or utilization management, including step therapy. | In Committee |
| A5133 | Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for the treatment of stuttering. | Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for the treatment of stuttering. | In Committee |
| A3951 | Appropriates $28,670,924 in 2003 and 1992 bond act monies for loans for dam restoration and repair projects and inland waters projects. | Appropriates $28,670,924 in 2003 and 1992 bond act monies for loans for dam restoration and repair projects and inland waters projects. | In Committee |
| A5493 | Requires Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts losing State school aid or subject to State aid growth limit to submit budgets after enactment of FY2026 appropriations act. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts that are losing State school aid or are subject to the State aid growth limit specified in the State aid notice distributed to school districts on February 27, 2025 to submit their school budget after the enactment of the State fiscal year 2026 appropriations act. The fiscal year 2026 Governor's Budget Proposal currently recommends limiting State school aid increases to six percent over the aid received in fiscal year 2025. The commissioner is authorized under the bill to make any adjustments to the school budget calendar that are necessary to conform with the bill's provisions. The adjustments are to include a compressed schedule by which a school district can enact its budget. The bill would apply to school districts, which are proposed to receive a State school aid reduction or are subject to the proposed six percent State aid growth limit, if the amount of the reduction or the amount of the State aid eliminated due to the State aid growth limit is greater than the total amount of the district's unused tax authority permitted under current law. This unused tax authority is often referred to as "banked cap." Under current law, a school district may add to its adjusted tax levy in any one of the next three succeeding school budget years, the amount of the difference between the maximum allowable amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year and the actual amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| A941 | Makes total property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans retroactive to effective date of determination of total disability; requires State to reimburse municipalities for reimbursement of property taxes paid to veteran. | This bill provides that the total property tax exemption extended to totally disabled veterans is to be retroactive to the effective date of the determination of the veteran's total disability by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs. The bill also requires that the governing body of each municipality return all taxes collected on the veteran's property after the effective date of the determination of total disability by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, and requires the State to reimburse municipalities for the amount of such property taxes returned to a totally disabled veteran pursuant to the requirements of the bill. | In Committee |
| A4915 | Establishes reproductive health travel advisory. | This bill requires the Department of State to establish the "New Jersey Reproductive Health Travel Advisory" to inform New Jersey residents of the extent to which states within the United States restrict access to reproductive healthcare services. While many pregnancies are safe and uneventful, there is always some risk that a pregnancy will unexpectedly result in a medical emergency endangering the life or health of the patient. The effective treatment of such emergencies sometimes requires termination of the pregnancy. In the states that limit reproductive health care services, it is unclear to what extent necessary medical treatment for pregnancy-related emergencies will be permitted. There is thus a need to create an advisory that will inform New Jersey residents of the extent to which states within the United States limit reproductive health care services so that they may make informed travel decisions while pregnant. Pursuant to this bill, the travel advisory is to provide a description of each state in the United States with respect to reproductive healthcare services, including but not limited to, gestational duration bans, waiting periods, insurance coverage bans, medication restrictions, constitutional protections, reproductive health care funding, and criminal and civil liability for patients and healthcare providers. The travel advisory is required to provide the information according to the following tiered system: (1) "Blue: Exercise normal caution," which signifies that pregnant individuals have access to all forms of reproductive medical care without fear of civil or criminal prosecution; (2) "Yellow: Exercise increased caution," which signifies that pregnant individuals have restricted access to reproductive medical care that could result in civil or criminal prosecution; and (3) "Red: Reconsider travel," which signifies that pregnant individuals have extremely restricted access to reproductive medical care that could result in an adverse medical outcome, pregnant individuals being subject to civil or criminal prosecution, and individuals seeking emergency reproductive medical care not being provided life-saving care due to state law. The Department of State is to publish the travel advisory in a prominent location on its website and update the advisory for each state every time a state experiences a change in its law, rules, or regulations concerning reproductive healthcare services. | In Committee |
| A4679 | Requires certain high-traffic facilities to obtain permit from DEP and annually implement measures to reduce air pollution caused by facility. | This bill would establish a program in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to require certain high-traffic facilities to obtain a permit from the DEP and annually implement measures to reduce air pollution caused by the facility. Specifically, the bill would apply to "regulated facilities," defined by the bill as (1) a facility used for the purpose of goods distribution, whether leased or used as a proprietary facility, which has 100,000 square feet or more of business area; (2) a facility located in an overburdened community and used for the purpose of goods distribution, whether leased or used as a proprietary facility, which has 50,000 square feet or more of business area; or (3) a facility that generates 50 or more truck trips per day, including a port or any part of a port. The bill would require each owner or operator of a regulated facility to obtain, and abide by the terms of, an indirect source air pollution permit issued by the DEP. A newly constructed regulated facility would not be allowed to commence operations without first obtaining an indirect source air pollution permit issued by the DEP. The goal of the indirect source air pollution permit program would be to reduce air pollution from regulated facilities to zero by the year 2050. Each permit would require the regulated facility to implement an annual quota of air pollution mitigation measures, determined by the DEP using a points-based accounting system. Points would be awarded for measures, as enumerated in subsection a. of section 4 of the bill, including purchasing battery-electric trucks, purchasing and using battery-electric forklifts, yard trucks, or other on-site equipment and using battery-electric trucks at the regulated facility or in truck trips to or from the regulated facility. Persons who violate the bill's provisions could be liable for civil administrative penalties of between $10,000 and $20,000 per violation, and civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation. In order to monitor compliance with the bill's provisions, the bill would require the DEP to annually conduct truck counting on a representative sample of roads adjacent to regulated facilities, and to annually conduct monitoring of idling and hoteling activities at a representative sample of regulated facilities. In addition, the DEP would be required to annually conduct an inspection of at least 10 percent of the regulated facilities located in overburdened communities, and at least five percent of all other regulated facilities, using a randomized selection process. The bill would require owners or operators of regulated facilities to pay an annual permit fee, which would be set at a level sufficient to cover the DEP's administrative costs in implementing the bill's provisions. The first annual permit fee paid by a regulated facility would also include an amount sufficient to fund the cleanup and restoration of the facility and its land once the facility is no longer in commercial operation for longer than one year. The DEP would be required to provide certain public notifications under the permit program, including public notice of the submission of permit applications, renewals, or revisions, and the full permit application, the draft and final findings by the consulted agencies, and the agencies' response to comments, for each permit. Finally, the bill would require the DEP to post a list of regulated facilities, along with certain items of information enumerated in subsection c. of section 7 of the bill, on its website, and to submit an annual report on the program established by the bill to the Governor and the Legislature. | In Committee |
| A5446 | Prohibits BPU approval of electric and gas public utility rate increases resulting in total increase to average residential customer bill in excess of two percent annually. | This bill prohibits the Board of Public Utilities from approving electric or gas public utility rate increases that are projected to result in a total increase to an average residential customer bill in excess of two percent annually. | In Committee |
| AR180 | Urges DEP, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe. | This resolution urges the Department of Environmental Protection, Pinelands Commission, and Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to engage in alternative forest management practices during periods of drought when prescribed burning is unsafe. Forest lands cover 40 percent of the State and are critical to the environmental, social, and economic welfare of the State. Forest lands require proper management, conservation, and stewardship in order to remain healthy and continue to provide benefits to the State and its residents. Prescribed burning is an effective forest management tool that reduces the hazardous accumulation of forest fuels, prevents future wildfires, and reduces the intensity of wildfires. Climate change has made weather in New Jersey less predictable and has resulted in warmer, drier conditions that last into later months of the year. In 2024, New Jersey's wildfire season continued into October and November and during this time, drought conditions spread throughout the State resulting in 1,380 wildfires, burning more than 10,000 acres. Drought presents several challenges to the use of prescribed burning, such as lack of fuels, dangerous conditions, and burn bans. During times of drought where prescribed burning is determined to be unsafe, ineffective, or not possible in managing forest lands, alternate forest management practices, such as ecological thinning, are required to keep New Jersey's forests healthy and reduce the risk of wildfires within the State. | In Committee |
| A5429 | Exempts sales of reusable carryout bags from sales and use tax. | This bill provides a sales and use tax exemption for sales of reusable carryout bags. For purposes of the bill, a "reusable carryout bag" means a carryout bag that:· is made of polypropylene, PET nonwoven fabric, nylon, cloth, hemp product, or other machine washable fabric;· has stitched handles; and· is designed and manufactured for multiple reuse. | In Committee |
| AR181 | Recognizes 150th anniversary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival in Hammonton. | This resolution recognizes the 150th anniversary of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival in Hammonton, New Jersey. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival is the oldest Italian-American festival in the United States. The festival began in 1875 by Italian immigrants. It has grown over the years and now hosts approximately 75,000 visitors each year. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society was chartered in 1905 to organize the festival. Its current members continue the founders' traditions. Visitors spent more than $49 billion in New Jersey in 2023. Events such as the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival attract tourists to the State and introduce visitors to local businesses and communities. According to the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, more than 1 million people living in New Jersey are of Italian descent, and more than one-third of people living in Hammonton are of Italian descent. New Jersey embraces its rich cultural heritage as a home to immigrants who have made significant contributions to their communities. July 16, 2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the festival. In support of its cultural, historic, and recreational offerings, New Jersey recognizes the 150th anniversary of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Festival in Hammonton. | In Committee |
| A3534 | Establishes timeframe for adoption of, and requires public comment on, proposed annual economic benefits for certain solid waste facilities; authorizes residents to petition State to establish or adjust annual economic benefit. | Establishes timeframe for adoption of, and requires public comment on, proposed annual economic benefits for certain solid waste facilities; authorizes residents to petition State to establish or adjust annual economic benefit. | In Committee |
| A4051 | Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act." | Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act." | In Committee |
| 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 |
| A5093 | Requires school meal service providers to give purchasing preference to foods produced by in-State farmers and other food producers located within State borders or within 100 miles of destination school. | Requires school meal service providers to give purchasing preference to foods produced by in-State farmers and other food producers located within State borders or within 100 miles of destination school. | In Committee |
| A5391 | Requires certain candidates for teaching certifications to complete youth mental health education course or online module. | This bill stipulates that beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at a Commissioner of Education approved educator preparation program provider are to have satisfactorily completed a course or training on youth mental health education. The bill requires all commissioner-approved educator preparation programs to review and update their educator preparation programs to implement the requirements of the bill and submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval. The bill also requires the department to develop an online module on issues in youth mental health education. The module is to include practical components such as case studies and simulations. The module is also to include information on: (1) the dangers of youth mental health challenges; (2) methods to create safe haven classrooms; and (3) cultural competence and diversity considerations in youth mental health education. Additionally, the bill requires the State Board of Education to require a candidate holding a valid teaching certificate issued by another state, or a candidate that possesses a certificate of eligibility, to complete the online module on youth mental health education developed by the department within one year of the effective date of this act. Finally, the bill stipulates that a candidate that has completed a comparable mental health education course or training within the last five years preceding the effective date of the bill may request an exemption on a form and in a manner determined by the commissioner. | In Committee |
| A5410 | Establishes additional public inspection requirements for school district budgets. | This bill provides additional public inspection requirements for school district budgets. Pursuant to current law, a school district is required to provide for public inspection on its website and make available in print in a "user-friendly" format the school budget as adopted for the school year. This bill extends these requirements to the version of the budget that is: 1) initially submitted by a school district to the Commissioner of Education for approval; and 2) approved by the commissioner. Pursuant to the bill, the version of the budget that is approved by the commissioner is to be made available no later than 48 hours prior to the public hearing on the budget. In addition, the bill requires all forms of the budget to be provided upon request for public inspection. | In Committee |
| A4556 | Authorizes certain types of permanent structures, recently constructed or erected on preserved farmland, to be used, in certain cases, for purposes of holding special occasion events thereon. | Authorizes certain types of permanent structures, recently constructed or erected on preserved farmland, to be used, in certain cases, for purposes of holding special occasion events thereon. | In Committee |
| A1673 | "Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act"; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. | "Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act"; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. | In Committee |
| A4391 | Allows pharmacists to transfer Schedule II attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. | This bill allows pharmacists to transfer Schedule II controlled dangerous substance prescriptions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to other pharmacists. Specifically, the bill provides that a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance that is prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be transferred from a pharmacist to another pharmacist, provided the prescription transfer is in compliance with federal regulations. Federal rules recently changed to allow the transfer of Schedule II-V controlled dangerous substance prescriptions between licensed pharmacies for the initial filling on a one-time basis only, upon request from the patient. New Jersey currently allows for transfers of Schedule III-V controlled dangerous substance prescriptions; this bill would expand allowable transfers to also include Schedule II controlled dangerous substance prescriptions. The bill will allow for greater flexibility for people attempting to fill attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. The ability to easily transfer prescriptions between pharmacies is especially valuable to patients who are attempting to fill prescriptions for medicine that is less available due to a shortage. Currently, when a patient is unable to fill a prescription at a particular pharmacy, the patient must ask their health care provider to send a new prescription to a different pharmacy. The bill will allow for a more efficient transfer process, by allowing pharmacies to directly transfer attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder prescriptions. | 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 |
| A5344 | Establishes certain requirements for public utility rate increases. | This bill establishes certain requirements for public utility rate increases. Specifically, the bill requires a public utility that files a petition with the Board of Public Utilities (board) for a rate increase to notify the public utility's affected customers of the filing by bill insert or by publication in newspapers published and circulated in the affected service area or areas. The notice is to include, at a minimum: (1) a summary of the contents of the filing; (2) the reasoning for the filing; and (3) a statement of the filing's impact on affected customers. In addition, the bill requires a public utility that files a petition with the board for a rate increase to send a written, plain language summary of the board order with the board's final decision on the public utility's petition to the public utility's affected customers. If the board order results in an increase to the public utility's existing individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule thereof, the public utility is to send the summary to its affected customers 30 days prior to the effective date of the new rates. If the board order does not result in an increase to the public utility's existing individual rate, joint rate, toll, charge, or schedule thereof, the public utility is to send the summary to its affected customers within 14 days after the issuance of the board order. Finally, the bill amends current law to require the board to respond in writing to any questions submitted by a member of the public during a hearing held by the board or the Office of Administrative Law on a public utility's filing to significantly increase, change, or alter its rate schedule, provided that the questions pertain to the filing being considered at the hearing. Under the bill, the board is to respond to these questions no later than 14 days after the final hearing on a public utility's application to significantly increase, change, or alter its rate schedule. | In Committee |
| A5048 | Enhances protections under Law Against Discrimination for persons serving in military and military veterans. | This bill enhances certain protections under the Law Against Discrimination ("LAD"). Military Service. Currently, the LAD bars discrimination based on "liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States." The bill broadens this provision to specifically bar discrimination against persons currently serving in the military and military veterans. The bill defines this additional protected class of persons as those in active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States or National Guard, and those who have been discharged or released from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States or National Guard. Job Protection for Military Service. The bill makes it an unlawful employment practice under the LAD for employers to deny reemployment to employees who take leave for military service. This provision is in compliance with the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, 18 U.S.C. s.4301 et seq. Gender-neutral Language. Under the bill, gendered language in the LAD is changed to gender-neutral language. For example, in N.J.S.A.10:5-39, the provision in the LAD that sets out an affirmative action program for veterans, the bill replaces the phrase "soldier, sailor, marine, airman, nurse or army field clerk" with "enlisted person or officer." Unlawful Discrimination. The bill adds the term "unlawful" before "discrimination" throughout the LAD to clarify that the LAD prohibits only unlawful discrimination. The LAD does not apply to discrimination that may be lawful. For example, practices that result in a disproportionately negative impact on members of a protected class constitute unlawful discrimination only if the entity engaging in the practices cannot show that it is using the practices for a substantial, legitimate, nondiscriminatory interest or cannot show that there is a less discriminatory alternative that meets that interest. | In Committee |
| A5270 | Dedicates certain wine tax receipts to "Jersey Fresh Program Fund." | This bill dedicates a portion of the revenue collected from the alcoholic beverage excise tax on certain wine sales to the "Jersey Fresh Program Fund." Specifically, the bill requires the State Treasurer to deposit into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund an amount equal to the revenues generated under the alcohol beverage excise tax at the rate of $0.21875 per gallon of wines, vermouth, and sparkling wines sold by plenary winery and farm winery licensees, as defined under State law. This dedication equates to 25 percent of the tax currently imposed on the sales of these alcoholic beverages. In 1984, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture created the first state-sponsored agricultural branding program in the nation, "Jersey Fresh," in order to distinguish the high quality of New Jersey-produced fruits and vegetables from others in the marketplace. The State-sponsored branding program was later expanded to include "Jersey Grown" for nursery crops, "Jersey Seafood" for aquacultured and wild-caught fish and shellfish, "Jersey Equine" for equine livestock, and "Made with Jersey Fresh" for processed food made with New Jersey sourced agricultural products. The Jersey Fresh Program Fund was established by law in 2017 to enable the collection of voluntary contributions for the Jersey Fresh Program through gross income tax returns. Under current law, the Legislature is required to annually appropriate all funds deposited into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund to the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of providing support to the Jersey Fresh Program, which includes, but not be limited to, funding advertising, promotional, and quality grading program activities to inform consumers about the availability of locally grown agricultural products. This bill expands the scope of revenues that are required to be annually deposited into the Jersey Fresh Program Fund to include a portion of revenues generated from the alcoholic beverage excise tax on the sale of wines, vermouth, and sparkling wines by plenary winery and farm winery licensees. Under the bill, the Legislature would also be required to annually appropriate these monies to the Department of Agriculture for the purposes of providing support to the Jersey Fresh Program. | In Committee |
| A1682 | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | Requires State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards pertaining to labor movement; requires school districts to provide instruction on labor movement. | Crossed Over |
| AR166 | Urges Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City. | This resolution urges the Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City in 2025 and every year thereafter. The Miss America Pageant began in Atlantic City as the Inter-City Beauty Contest in 1921. Over time, as the pageant grew in size and reputation, it became the Miss America Pageant. The Miss America Pageant came to involve contestants from across the country, and one of the first winners was Bette Cooper, who was from New Jersey. Since 1945, the Miss America Pageant has given out more than $150 million in scholarships, making it the world's largest scholarship program for women. In 1989, the pageant adopted the concept of a platform, inviting contestants to champion and raise awareness for various social causes. Every Miss America since 1989 has spent the year following her victory promoting noble and worthwhile causes around the country. Despite hosting the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City for the majority of its history, the pageant moved to Orlando, Florida in 2024. In light of the long and successful history of the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, the Miss America Organization is urged to return in 2025 and all future years the pageant is held. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A5121 | Appropriates $49.5 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and Green Acres Program administrative costs. | An Act appropriating $49.5 million from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax revenues for the acquisition of lands by the State for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects, and certain administrative expenses. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A5219 | Requires Department of Agriculture to publish information on highway safety for motorists passing farm equipment on public highways; includes safely sharing roadway with farm equipment in driver education courses and certain informational brochures. | This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (department), in consultation with the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety (director) and the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (chief administrator), to create, publish, and update on the department's Internet website and any official department social media accounts informational materials about motorists approaching farm equipment on public highways. The informational materials are to include, but are not to be limited to, a video informing motorists of the risks of attempting to pass farm equipment on public highways. The department is also required to place additional emphasis on highway safety involving farm equipment during National Farm Safety and Health Week, which is the third week of September of each year. This bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the director and the chief administrator, to issue a report to the Governor and to the Legislature that includes, at a minimum: an assessment of the safety risks of motorists attempting to pass farm equipment on public highways; a list of potential remedies for the State to pursue to mitigate or eliminate the safety risks identified; and an estimate of the funding required to implement the remedies identified. Lastly, this bill amends current law to include safely sharing the roadway with farm equipment in curriculum guidelines for classroom driver education courses and informational brochures provided to the parents and guardians of beginning drivers under the age of 18. | In Committee |
| A5000 | Requires Medicaid coverage for fertility preservation services in cases of iatrogenic infertility caused by medically necessary treatments. | Requires Medicaid coverage for fertility preservation services in cases of iatrogenic infertility caused by medically necessary treatments. | In Committee |
| S715 | Requires AG to establish rape kit tracking system. | An Act concerning sexual assault forensic evidence kits and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4194 | Prohibits cooperative from receiving public works contract when cooperative-approved vendor fails to pay prevailing wage; concerns cooperative purchasing agreements with other states; and permits contracting units to award certain indefinite contracts. | Prohibits cooperative from receiving public works contract when cooperative-approved vendor fails to pay prevailing wage; concerns cooperative purchasing agreements with other states; and permits contracting units to award certain indefinite contracts. | In Committee |
| A5175 | Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members. | This bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for annual pension, ordinary disability pension, or accidental disability pension retirement benefits for certain members of the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS). Provisions contained in P.L.2011, c.78 (C.43:3C-16 et al.), signed into law on June 28, 2011, had suspended the automatic annual adjustment for current and future retirees and beneficiaries of PFRS and other State-administered retirement systems until those systems reach a target funded ratio. Decades of underfunding those systems by the State had placed the systems in precarious financial conditions. Although this bill does not reinstate COLAs for other retirees, it serves as the first step in reinstating COLAs for all retirees of the State-administered retirement systems. Through the prioritization of PFRS, the State will begin this process with retired first responders, police and firefighters, to provide them greater financial security and stability at a time when inflation has significantly eroded the value of their retirement benefit payments, which are already based on the lower salaries of years ago. To that end, the bill includes restrictions intended to limit costs and focus on segments among PFRS retirees expected to be most in need of an immediate benefit. Under the bill, members of PFRS will receive automatic COLAs for annual pension, ordinary disability pension, and accidental disability pension benefits if the member has been retired and receiving retirement benefits for a minimum of ten years. Longer-term retirees generally will have lower pension benefits and be less able to obtain employment to offset the erosion of their benefits. Members of PFRS who are hired more than 30 days following the effective date of this act will not be considered eligible to receive these automatic COLAs. Additionally, members who are enrolled in deferred retirement will not be considered eligible for these automatic COLAs, nor will members who retired with 20 or more years of service but less than 25 years of service. The COLAs will only apply to future pension benefit payments. The bill does not provide for retroactive COLAs. The adjustment in eligible members' pension benefits will be calculated based on an amount up to $75,000 of a retiree's benefit for the first year following the enactment of this bill. Eligible members receiving up to $75,000 of pension benefits will receive a COLA tied to the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This will ensure that greater initial benefits will be provided to those likely to be most in need. The adjustment in eligible member's pension benefits will be limited to one percent if the member receives more than $75,000 in benefits for the first year following the enactment of the bill. After the first calendar year following the enactment of the bill, the $75,000 threshold will be adjusted annually according to the CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, except that the adjustment will be calculated at a rate not to exceed three percent. The bill also grants the cost-of-living adjustment to the monthly pension or survivorship benefit of a surviving spouse, child, or beneficiary that is provided by PFRS. Under the bill, if the Board of Trustees of PFRS fails to comply with the provisions of this bill within six months following the effective date, then the State Treasurer will be responsible for implementing the cost-of-living adjustments. The bill requires the Legislature to appropriate monies from the General Fund as necessary to effectuate the cost-of-living adjustments established under the bill that are sufficient to cover both State and local expenses, and to reimburse each PFRS local employer for the full cost incurred. The bill further provides that this appropriation will take precedence over any additional funding added to the annual State budget by the Legislature through non-emergency supplemental appropriations, resolutions or other changes to the Governor's budget message. | In Committee |
| A4664 | Prohibits social media platforms from promoting certain practices or features of eating disorders to child users. | Prohibits social media platforms from promoting certain practices or features of eating disorders to child users. | Crossed Over |
| A4475 | Establishes standards for court-ordered counseling for domestic violence offenders. | This bill establishes standards for court-ordered counseling for domestic violence offenders. Under current law, the court may order a defendant charged with a crime or offense involving domestic violence who has been released pending trial, or as part of a final restraining order issued by the court in a domestic violence matter, to receive professional domestic violence counseling from either a private source or a source appointed by the court. If ordered to participate in this counseling, the defendant would be required to provide the court with documentation of attendance. Under the bill, any domestic violence counseling program in which a defendant participates based on a court order issued in a domestic violence matter would be required to facilitate defender accountability and include the following components: (1) risk assessments that identify dynamics of domestic violence and escalating risk factors, and include information provided by the courts; (2) information and education concerning the tactics of power and control and the understanding of domestic violence as a domination and control issue; (3) a protocol to demonstrate the defendant's attendance in programming, and additional reporting as requested by the court to support a prompt and effective review by the court for noncompliance; and (4) regular reviews of the program and compliance by the New Jersey Department of Children and Families for Batterers' Intervention Programs funded by the Department of Children and Families. This bill implements Recommendation #28 of the June 2023 report of the Reconvened Joint Committee on Criminal Justice. | Crossed Over |
| ACR138 | Honors 40th anniversary of Jersey Fresh program. | This concurrent resolution honors the 40th anniversary of the Jersey Fresh program. The agricultural industry is critical to ensuring New Jersey residents have access to healthy food and plays a key role in the State's economy by helping to keep property taxes low, increase property values, and garner State revenue. In 1984, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture established the Jersey Fresh program, the first in the nation state-sponsored agricultural commodity marketing and quality grading program, to promote the State's agricultural industry. The Jersey Fresh program helps support family owned farms across New Jersey through its marketing campaigns that inform shoppers of what produce is in season and encourage consumers to shop local. The Jersey Fresh program's distinct label placed on locally harvested produce assists consumers easily differentiate fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey from other produce in the marketplace. The Jersey Fresh program encourages consumers to purchase locally grown produce through its quality and freshness guarantees. Specifically, the Jersey Fresh quality grading program requires Jersey Fresh produce to meet U.S. No. 1 Fresh for Processing grade or better. With this added quality assurance, the Jersey Fresh label guarantees that its produce was freshly harvested in New Jersey, has been inspected, and meets high quality standards. The Jersey Fresh program has demonstrated success in increasing New Jersey consumers' awareness of, and willingness to purchase, locally harvested produce. Consumer recognition of Jersey Fresh products has extended beyond the State to the mid-Atlantic and New England markets and, in 2020, was on par with that of other major national brands. Today, the Jersey Fresh program is recognized as a national model for other state-sponsored agricultural branding programs. The Jersey Fresh program's innovative marketing strategies have contributed to the program's longevity and popularity. New Jersey produces over 100 types of fruits and vegetables and is nationally ranked in the top 10 producers of blueberries, peaches, bell peppers, squash, tomatoes, and cranberries. The Jersey Fresh program has expanded across the State and is available to New Jersey residents in every county, including at over 2,000 On-Farm Markets run by local New Jersey farmers, community farmers markets, major retail stores, wineries, breweries, and distilleries. The Jersey Fresh program's popularity and demonstrated success has also inspired related programs modeled after the Jersey Fresh program, including the Made with Jersey Fresh program, which identifies processed food made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients; the Jersey Grown program, which advertises New Jersey grown plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers; the Jersey Raised program, which markets livestock raised in New Jersey; and the Jersey Seafood program, which promotes aquacultured and wild-caught fish and seafood products harvested off of New Jersey's coast. | Crossed Over |
| A4229 | Requires NJEDA to establish loan program to assist beginning farmers in financing capital purchases. | Requires NJEDA to establish loan program to assist beginning farmers in financing capital purchases. | Crossed Over |
| A4434 | Requires DHS and DOH to study disordered eating; establishes "Disordered Eating Prevention Research Grant Pilot Program." | Requires DHS and DOH to study disordered eating; establishes "Disordered Eating Prevention Research Grant Pilot Program." | Crossed Over |
| A908 | Requires AG to establish rape kit tracking system. | This bill requires the Attorney General to establish a sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kit, commonly referred to as a rape kit, tracking system. Under the bill, the Attorney General is to issue guidelines or a directive establishing the system. The bill defines a "sexual assault forensic evidence kit tracking system" as an Internet-based system that allows a person, including a victim; a State, county, or municipal law enforcement officer; an employee of a healthcare facility or laboratory, as deemed appropriate by the Attorney General; and any other person, as deemed appropriate by the Attorney General, to track a sexual assault forensic evidence kit through the chain of custody from the time of collection at a healthcare facility to the transfer to a local law enforcement agency, submission to a laboratory, and final disposition. | In Committee |
| A5186 | Makes various changes to school funding and budgeting laws; eliminates use of census-based funding for special education aid; establishes reimbursement program for school district fuel costs. | This bill makes various changes to State school aid and budgeting laws, including special education categorical aid, establishes a State school aid reduction cap, and provides for the reimbursement of school district fuel costs. Under the bill, the Department of Education would be required to provide school districts with a preliminary notice of State school aid amounts no later than the first week of January. Under current law, the first notice of State school aid is required to be sent to school districts no later than two days following the delivery of the Governor's budget address. The bill also increases the amount of undesignated general fund balance that a school district is permitted to maintain. Under current law, a district, other than a county vocational district, is required to appropriate any funds in excess of two percent of the budgeted general fund for the prebudget year or $250,000, whichever is greater, for the subsequent year's budget. The bill would increase this limit to six percent of the first $100 million and in excess of three percent of the amount which exceeds $100 million. The bill does not modify current law governing the allowable undesignated general fund balances of county vocational school districts. The bill also changes how special education aid to school districts is calculated. Under the provisions of the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008," the State provides special education aid to school districts using the census-based funding method. Under this method, districts receive funding for special education based on the assumption that a fixed percent of the total student population requires special education services, rather than using the actual number of special education students in a school district to determine the amount of State aid the district receives. The bill eliminates the use of the census-based methodology, and calculates State aid for special education based on the actual number of special education students included in the district's resident enrollment. Additionally, the bill establishes certain municipal overburden protections to prevent a school district from receiving a reduction in State aid. Pursuant to the bill, a school district would not be subject to a reduction in State school aid if the district is located in a municipality in which the equalized total tax rate is at least 10 percent greater than the Statewide average equalized total tax rate for the most recently available calendar year and the district is spending below adequacy. Similarly, the bill provides that a regional school district would not be subject to a reduction in State school aid if the average of the equalized total tax rates for each constituent district or municipality of the regional school district is at least 10 percent greater than the Statewide average equalized total tax rate for the most recent available calendar year and the regional school district is spending below adequacy. The bill also establishes a State school aid reduction cap to ensure that the amount of State school aid provided to a school district is not to be decreased by more than two percent of the amount of State school aid received by the district in the prebudget year. Additionally, the bill provides that a school district may apply to the Commissioner of Education to receive stabilization aid, in addition to any other State school aid, if the school district experiences a reduction in State school aid compared to the prior school year or otherwise confronts a structural budgetary imbalance. To receive stabilization aid, a school district is required to submit an application to the commissioner, in a manner and form to be prescribed by the commissioner, including a written plan explaining how the district intends to fund operations in future school years in which the district does not receive stabilization aid or similar supplemental State school aid. Finally, the bill provides that the State is to reimburse school districts for actual fuel costs incurred to provide student transportation services. A district seeking reimbursement is to submit to the Department of Education a written invoice, along with any other documentation or verification of costs as the department may require, no later than the submission deadline determined by the department. The department is required to make the reimbursement available to the district within 30 days of the submission deadline. The funds to support the reimbursement program are to be appropriated by the Legislature from the Property Tax Relief Fund. | In Committee |
| S2788 | Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes. | Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes. | Vetoed |
| AR173 | Urges federal government to investigate unidentified drones operating in NJ airspace. | This resolution affirms support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the program's progress in reducing hunger among vulnerable populations in New Jersey. The resolution urges the United States Congress to reject the proposed federal cuts to SNAP. On May 14, 2025, to achieve a minimum $1.5 trillion cut from the federal budget over a ten year period, the House Agriculture Committee voted in favor of a bill that would reduce up to $300 billion in food aid funding, largely aimed at SNAP. In New Jersey, SNAP is a critical resource for residents, with nearly 850,000 individuals, or nine percent of the total population, relying on the program's benefits to feed their families. A significant number of the households that participate in SNAP include some of the State's most vulnerable members: the elderly, disabled, veterans, and children. The New Jersey General Assembly supports State and federal collaboration to identify programmatic efficiencies within SNAP; however, budgetary cost savings implemented at the expense of striping income-limited children, seniors, and families of safety net food and nutrition services is unconscionable. The General Assembly urges Congress to reject these drastic proposed federal funding reductions, or any subsequent proposals, and to maintain SNAP as an accessible resource for those in need of food assistance. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4128 | Prohibits operation of drone over school under certain circumstances. | This bill prohibits the operation of an unmanned aircraft system, commonly referred to as a drone, over a school under certain circumstances. Specifically, under the provisions of this bill, a person commits a disorderly persons offense if the person knowingly operates a drone below 250 feet over the building or grounds of any school for the purpose of conducting surveillance or gathering information without the prior written authorization of the superintendent or chief school administrator. In addition, under the bill, a person commits a disorderly persons offense if the person knowingly operates a drone below 250 feet over the building or grounds of any school and the unmanned aircraft system remains above or hovers above the building or grounds of the school without the prior written authorization of the superintendent or chief school administrator. Further, a person commits a disorderly persons offense if the person uses the building or grounds of a school as a takeoff or landing area for a drone. A disorderly person offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. The bill defines, "school" as a public or nonpublic elementary or secondary school within this State offering education in grades kindergarten through 12, or any combination of grades, at which a child may legally fulfill compulsory school attendance requirements. Finally, the bill provides that the bill's provisions do not prohibit the authorized use, in compliance with applicable federal rules and regulations, of a drone by a public employee, or a public entity, or by a first responder in the performance of official duties. | In Committee |
| A4465 | Concerns assessment of farmland for property tax purposes. | This bill would revise the "Farmland Assessment Act of 1964" to clarify that the mere cessation of agricultural or horticultural activity on land that is valued, assessed, and taxed as farmland under that law, will not subject the land to roll-back taxes unless an active conversion of the land to a non-agricultural or non-horticultural use takes place. "Roll-back taxes" are the additional taxes assessed on a property that is no longer dedicated to agricultural or horticultural use. The amount of roll-back taxes assessed on a property are the difference between the property taxes paid on the property as assessed for agricultural or horticultural use and the taxes that would have otherwise been due if the property had been taxed as other land within the taxing district. These taxes are assessed for the tax year in which agricultural or horticultural use was discontinued and the two tax years preceding. The provisions of this bill conform the "Farmland Assessment Law of 1964" to a1981 New Jersey Tax Court decision in Jackson Twp. V. Paolin, 181 N.J. Super. 293, where the Court found it "difficult to imagine that the intent of any rollback provision was to impose an extra tax burden on a landowner who simply grew old or became disabled and no longer could actively devote his property to agriculture." | In Committee |
| A5087 | Establishes New Jersey Tuition Reimbursement Program for Special Education Teachers. | This bill establishes in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority the New Jersey Tuition Reimbursement Program for Special Education Teachers. The program is to provide reimbursement to program participants for a portion of the eligible tuition expenses incurred by the participant. Under the bill, a program participant is to enter into a contract with the authority for a specified four-year period of service in which the participant agrees to teach students classified with a disability in a public school in the State following the participant's completion of a master's degree in special education or receipt of the teacher of students with disabilities endorsement to the instructional certificate. The agreement is to specify the program participant's dates of required service and the total amount of reimbursement of eligible tuition expenses to be received by the participant in return for service. The bill directs the executive director of the authority to determine the maximum annual amount of tuition reimbursement that may be provided to a program participant. The total tuition reimbursement amount for a program participant may not exceed 100 percent of the participant's eligible tuition expenses. The bill requires an applicant to: · be a resident of New Jersey;· hold a valid instructional certificate issued by the State Board of Examiners; · be enrolled in, or plan to enroll in, a master's degree program in special education or graduate-level coursework that leads to New Jersey Department of Education certification as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities within an elementary or secondary school setting; and· agree to be employed as a special education teacher at a public school in New Jersey for four full school years in return for the tuition reimbursement provided under the program. Under the bill, a program participant, as a condition of participation, is required to adhere to performance standards established by the authority. | In Committee |
| AJR207 | Urges Congress to call constitutional convention to consider reproductive health care rights. | This joint resolution urges the United States Congress to call a Constitutional convention. Such a convention would consider amending the constitution to provide for reproductive health rights for all Americans, including the right to access contraception, to terminate a pregnancy, and to carry a pregnancy to term. A constitutional amendment proposed by Congress through a constitutional convention, and ratified by three-fourths of the states, will ensure that all individuals, regardless of where they live, have access to essential reproductive health services. | In Committee |
| A5089 | Prohibits homestead property tax rebates and credits and ANCHOR property tax benefits from being paid to property owners who move out of State. | This bill would prohibit a person from receiving a homestead rebate or credit, or a property tax benefit under the ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program, during any calendar year in which the person is not a resident of the State. Currently, the property tax benefits authorized under the "Homestead Property Tax Credit Act" are issued through the ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program. Under this program, property tax rebates are issued to eligible claimants based on property taxes paid in a previous calendar year. To receive an ANCHOR property tax rebate, a person is only required to be a State resident during the calendar year for which the rebate is issued, provided that the person also meets all other eligibility requirements. This bill requires the recipient of a ANCHOR property tax rebate to be a State resident during the calendar year in which the rebate is paid, as well as the calendar year for which the rebate is issued. This requirement would apply to any homestead rebate or credit authorized under the "Homestead Property Tax Credit Act," including benefits issued under the ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Program. | In Committee |
| A4672 | Changes certain Mobility and Transportation Innovation Pilot Program requirements; appropriates $20 million. | This bill amends current law that established the Mobility and Transportation Innovation Pilot Program (program) to expand the program's ability to award grants to local government units and transit agencies to fund public transportation projects throughout the State. Under current law, the program is only authorized to award grants to local government units and transit agencies to fund transportation projects within Mercer County. The bill also establishes additional criteria for the Commissioner of Transportation (commissioner) to consider when approving applications for the program. Specifically, the commissioner is required to consider the degree to which the proposed transportation projects: (1) improve transit system performance; (2) remove barriers to mobility, especially for travelers with disabilities and those without a personal vehicle; (3) improve mobility in disadvantaged communities, such as low-income areas and areas lacking existing public transportation; (4) accelerate deployment of advanced transit technologies, including shared-use mobility services; (5) deliver economic benefits through enhanced mobility; (6) improve safety by reducing roadway collisions; and (7) improve environmental sustainability, particularly by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The bill provides that in order to qualify for a program grant, the transportation project is required to: (1) enable persons without a smartphone or credit card to access transportation services made available through the project and (2) include wheelchair-accessible vehicles and an accessible mobile application as accessibility features that accommodate the mobility needs of persons with disabilities. Finally, the bill appropriates $20 million from the General Fund to the Department of Transportation to support the program, which is in addition to $2 million that was appropriated to the program when the program was first established. | In Committee |
| A4626 | Requires construction project applicants to disclose project financing. | Requires construction project applicants to disclose project financing. | In Committee |
| A2444 | Requires DOH to study racial aspects of ovarian cancer. | Requires DOH to study racial aspects of ovarian cancer. | Crossed Over |
| A5052 | Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for screening, prevention, and treatment services of behavioral health issues affecting children. | This bill requires health insurers (health, hospital and medical service corporations, commercial individual and group health insurers, health maintenance organizations, health benefits plans issued pursuant to the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage and Small Employer Health Benefits Programs, the State Health Benefits Program, and the School Employees' Health Benefits Program) and the State Medicaid program to provide benefits to any covered person for medical expenses incurred relating to screening, prevention, and treatment of behavioral health issues in children. Carriers and the State Medicaid program are required to accept and reimburse claims for screening, prevention, and treatment using an at-risk diagnosis. As used in the bill, an "at-risk diagnosis" is a diagnosis made after consideration of factors influencing behavioral health and child development, such as family circumstances or life challenges, that does not lead to a formal mental health diagnosis and instead, promotes preventive care. Allowing providers to bill for an "at-risk diagnosis" authorizes providers to use an alternative code, including a Social Determinants of Health Z-code, to the codes of the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood when billing for services, without a formal mental health diagnosis for children who are 18 years of age or younger. | 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 |
| S912 | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | An Act concerning postpartum care, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4124 | Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract. | Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| A5020 | Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. | This bill provides for a supplemental appropriation of $3,000,000 from the General Fund to provide individual employee awards to the many essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers who provided emergency frontline workplace service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Independent Review of New Jersey's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic completed on March 7, 2024 noted that one of the strengths of New Jersey State Government's response was that staff across government departments and agencies went above and beyond what they were expected or paid to do. Many state employees put their lives on hold to ensure that the important work of their department or agency continued amidst the uncertainty, additional workload, and safety challenges posed by the pandemic. Many frontline agency workers also reported experiencing significant trauma due to the panic and urgency of the response and the demands associated with their jobs. Personal losses and increased workloads caused many State workers to endure prolonged exhaustion and pandemic fatigue. Workers were overwhelmed by the sudden and dramatic increase in their responsibilities, which agencies had to process while being understaffed. Across departments and agencies, state employees demonstrated resilience and flexibility. Many state agencies worked closely with their respective unions to ensure their staff were well placed to continue their work during the pandemic. Agencies that had pre-existing relationships with union leaders were able to have proactive discussions and continuous dialogue in the early stages of the pandemic, enabling rapid decision making concerning workplace attendance by staff deemed essential for the health and safety of human life. The many frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers ensured the continued operation and maintenance of the many crucial State facilities, which provide essential services to their clients and patients who could not survive a termination of services during the pandemic. This appropriation will ensure that the many thousands of these State employees receive additional compensation in the form of individual bonuses for their essential work during the most dangerous of times. | In Committee |
| A4706 | Revises statutes implementing certain property tax relief programs pursuant to recommendations promulgated by Stay NJ Task Force. | An Act concerning the Stay NJ property tax benefit program and amending and supplementing various parts of the statutory law. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4569 | Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes. | Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes. | 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 |
| A1611 | Establishes central registry for background checks of youth serving organization employees and volunteers. | This bill creates the "Youth Serving Organization Central Registry," or "central registry," which would serve as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information obtained as a result of conducting criminal history record background checks of prospective or current employees or volunteers of youth serving organizations. Currently, the Department of Law and Public Safety acts as a clearinghouse for initiating the collection and dissemination of information obtained as a result of conducting criminal history record background checks pursuant to P.L.1999, c.432 (C.15A:3A-1 et seq.). Under this law, a nonprofit youth serving organization may request, through the department, that the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) in the Division of State Police conduct a criminal history record background check on a prospective or current employee or volunteer of an organization. A person may be disqualified from employment or volunteer positions for certain crimes or offenses: involving danger to a person (such as injuries, assault, kidnapping, sexual assault, or robbery); against the family, children or certain persons (e.g., bigamy); involving theft; or, in certain circumstances, involving controlled dangerous substances. The bill maintains these disqualifiers and requires the Attorney General to adopt regulations concerning uniform disqualification criteria. The central registry is to be established within the department. In order to participate in the central registry, a youth serving organization is required to register with the department and pay the required registration fee. The bill amends current law to provide that the central registry is to request, through the department, that the SBI conduct a criminal history record background check on each prospective and current employee or volunteer of a participating organization. For the purpose of conducting the background check, the division would examine its own files and arrange for a similar examination by federal authorities. The division is to conduct a criminal history record background check only after receiving written consent of a prospective or current employee or volunteer. The prospective or current employee or volunteer would bear the costs associated with conducting criminal history background checks. As is the case under current law, the fee for a criminal history record background check would not exceed the actual cost of conducting that check. Additionally, each current employee or volunteer of a participating organization would have a criminal history record background check conducted at least once every two years. The central registry would retain records indicating the qualification status of each employee or volunteer. Any participating organization could check the status of an employee or a volunteer and inquire about their status by telephone or through a secure website maintained by the department. The division would be required to inform a participating organization whether the person's initial or subsequent criminal history record background check reveals a conviction of a disqualifying crime or offense. The central registry status records would then be updated to reflect the disqualifying crime or offense on the record of any prospective or current employee or volunteer. Finally, the bill revises the definition of a "youth serving organization" to mean a sports team, league, athletic association, or any other corporation, association or other organization, excluding public and nonpublic schools, which provides recreational, educational, cultural, charitable, social or other activities or services for persons under 18 years of age. An organization would not need to be nonprofit to be eligible to participate. | In Committee |
| A4891 | Establishes Office of Farm Ombudsman in Department of Agriculture; appropriates $250,000. | This bill would establish the Office of the Farm Ombudsman in the Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the Office of the Farm Ombudsman would be to: (1) serve as a resource to provide information and support to farmers and prospective farmers regarding local, State, and federal laws and rules and regulations; (2) provide advice and assistance on the process of obtaining and renewing permits of any kind; (3) provide information, support, and assistance to farmers during declared federal or State states of emergency; (4) provide assistance, information, and advice to farmers and prospective farmers on plant and animal diseases and pests, land acquisition and expansion of farming operations, business planning, and climate issues; and (5) provide information, support, and assistance to farmers in grant application processes related to farming and farming operations. In addition, the Farm Ombudsman would: (1) serve as a source of information and assistance for farmers and prospective farmers to navigate local, State, and federal laws and regulations governing agriculture and business; (2) provide information and support to farmers and prospective farmers in navigating the process of obtaining and renewing permits related to farming and farming operations; (3) provide assistance and support to farmers and prospective farmers facing issues in the agriculture and business sectors; (4) gather information from farmers and prospective farmers on impediments to farming and land acquisition for farming; (5) identify patterns of complaints that emerge regarding agriculture, business, and permitting processes; (6) assist the department in developing and disseminating information to acquaint and educate farmers and prospective farmers about the services offered by the office; and (7) serve as a resource for agriculture and business-related information and referrals to other available programs and services for farmers and prospective farmers. The office would be required to make an annual report to the department that includes a summary of the services the ombudsman provided during the year, and any specific recommendations deemed necessary by the ombudsman on changes to existing laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives that concern farming and farming operations that will enhance their efficiency or effectiveness or that will promote the expansion of farming and farm operations. This bill would appropriate $250,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture in order to implement the Office of the Farm Ombudsman. | In Committee |
| A1400 | Requires water supplier to notify affected municipalities, school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools of violations of drinking water quality standards. | This bill would require the owner or operator of a public water system to immediately notify, by telephone and electronic mail, the governing body of a municipality and the chief administrator of every school district, charter school, and nonpublic school located within the municipality whenever the public water system violates any drinking water quality standard for drinking water supplied by the public water system within the municipality. The notification would provide the name of any contaminant that exceeds a drinking water quality standard, the maximum contaminant level or the action level, as appropriate, for the contaminant, the level of the contaminant found on each date, the dates when the tests were performed, the location of each sample tested and the location of each sample tested that exceeds a maximum contaminant level or action level. The bill also requires the owner or operator of the public water system to provide information on suggested remedies that a customer may take to address the violation. | Crossed Over |
| A2607 | Authorizes taxicabs, limousines, and transportation network companies to provide paratransit services for two-year period. | An Act concerning paratransit services. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A2180 | Permits certain persons to operate Type S school buses. | An Act concerning school transportation, amending P.L.2015, c.268 (C.18A:39-20.1). | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AJR112 | Designates calendar week that includes September 10th of each year as "Suicide Prevention Week" in NJ. | Designates calendar week that includes September 10th of each year as "Suicide Prevention Week" in NJ. | 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 |
| AR164 | Recognizes and celebrates Bruce Springsteen's 75th birthday. | This Assembly Resolution recognizes and celebrates Bruce Springsteen's 75th birthday. Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey and raised in Freehold, New Jersey by his working class family. Beginning in the late sixties and early seventies, Bruce Springsteen began his music career by touring with bands based in New Jersey, including The Castiles and Steel Mill, which eventually led him to several members of the now famous E Street Band. In 1972, Bruce Springsteen was signed to a record deal with Columbia Records and released the critically-acclaimed "Greetings from Asbury Park," launching his recording career as a musician. Throughout his career, Bruce Springsteen has established himself as a proud New Jersey native and as one of the greatest musicians of all time, selling over 120 million albums, winning 20 Grammys, and earning inductions in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Bruce Springsteen has also continuously pursued philanthropic endeavors, such as performing at numerous charitable concerts, contributing millions of dollars to humanitarian causes, and encouraging his audiences to give back, including bringing canned goods to his concerts to later be donated at local food banks. At the age of 75, Bruce Springsteen and his legacy continues to inspire musicians and fans worldwide, especially those who reside in his home state of New Jersey. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3887 | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | In Committee |
| A4837 | Requires prescriptions for certain patients to include patients' weight. | This bill provides that any prescription or order for medication issued by an authorized prescriber for a patient, who is 18 years of age or younger, is to include the patient's weight expressed in kilograms on the prescription or order. | In Committee |
| A4836 | Requires written notification of advanced placement courses to parents of students with disability; prohibits exclusion from advanced placement courses on basis of disability. | This bill requires a school district to annually provide written notification of the availability of advanced placement courses offered by the school district to the parent or guardian of a student with disabilities. The bill requires the written notification to include: (1) the name of the course; (2) a description of the course material; and (3) information on any prerequisite requirements needed to enroll in the course. The bill also prohibits a school district from excluding a student with a disability from participating in an advanced placement course on the basis of the student's disability. | In Committee |
| A4527 | Concerns keyless locking mechanisms and burglar's tools. | This bill expands the definition of "burglar's tool" to include that which may be considered an "engine, machine, tool or implement." Under the bill, an engine, machine, tool, implement, or program manufactured or possessed in violation of N.J.S.2C:5-5 includes such which may provide access to a premises through a keyless locking mechanism. Under the bill, it is a crime of the fourth degree if the person manufactured such instrument or implements or published such plans or instructions for tools which may provide access to a premises through a keyless locking mechanism. If the person merely possesses an instrument in violation of the statute, then it is a disorderly persons offense. A fourth degree crime is punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. | Crossed Over |
| A4191 | Protects access to assisted reproductive technology. | This bill provides every woman in this State the fundamental right to choose whether to use assisted reproductive technology (ART). Under current law, the State provides the fundamental right to choose or refuse contraception or sterilization, or to choose whether to carry a pregnancy, to give birth, or to terminate a pregnancy. Under the bill, the fundamental rights related to reproductive health choice in the State are expanded to include the use of ART. ART includes, but is not limited to, in vitro fertilization (IVF). This legislation is in response to the Alabama Supreme Court ruling in LePage v. Mobile Infirmary Clinic, P.C. (Docket No. SC-2022-0515, SC-2022-0579), decided in February 2024. In LePage, 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. New Jersey has long been a State that supports, and provides protections for, the reproductive freedom of its citizens, including the right to make the choice of whether to start or expand a family through IVF. | 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 |
| A1844 | Requires 60 day notice concerning tuition rate changes by licensed child care centers. | Requires 60 day notice concerning tuition rate changes by licensed child care centers. | 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 |
| A4680 | Requires schools to universally provide free meals to all students, regardless of whether students are federally eligible for free or reduced price meals. | This bill would require school districts and nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, and public and nonpublic schools offering school breakfasts under the federal School Breakfast Program, to respectively provide school lunches or school breakfasts, or both, to all enrolled students, free of charge, regardless of whether each such student is determined to be federally eligible for free or reduced price school meals. Under existing federal law, a student is federally eligible to receive free or reduced price school lunch under the National School Lunch Program, or free or reduced price school breakfast under the federal School Breakfast Program, only if the student is determined to be categorically eligible for such benefits (i.e., is determined to be a homeless child, a migrant child, a runaway child, a foster child, or a Head Start Child, or is a participant in certain public benefits programs) or can demonstrate either that the student lives in a low-income household - i.e., a household having an annual income of not more than 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). Pursuant to the recently enacted "Working Class Families' Anti-Hunger Act," P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-3.2 et al.), as amended by P.L.2023, c.336 (C.18A:33-14.2 et al.), New Jersey has additionally provided for free school meals, subsidized by the State, to be provided to public school and non-public school students from "middle-income families" - i.e., families having an income of up to 224 percent of the FPL). This bill would provide for the further expansion of the existing State law, in this area, in order to expressly require all school districts and public or nonpublic schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program to provide school lunch or breakfast, or both, as appropriate, to all enrolled students, free of charge, regardless of each such students categorical eligibility or income-eligibility for federally subsidized school meals. Any student who is neither categorically nor income-eligible to receive free school meals subsidized by the federal government would, under the bill's provisions, still be deemed to be statutorily eligible for free school meals fully subsidized by the State. All students who are deemed to be categorically eligible, income-eligible, or statutorily eligible for subsidized school meals, under the bill's expanded eligibility provisions, would be eligible to continue receiving such school meals, free of charge, through a summer meals program, and, if enrolled at a public school, through an emergency meals distribution program that is activated during a period of public school closure resulting from COVID-19. The bill would revise the existing law to require schools to request that a student's parent or guardian complete a household income data collection form for the limited purposes specified in the bill. This data collection form would serve the same purposes as the current subsidized school meals application that is used to certify students as eligible for free or reduced price school meals; however, parents and guardians would be encouraged, and no longer required, to submit such forms in order for the student to receive free school meals, as provided by the bill. Any parent or guardian declining to provide such income-related data would be required to submit a signed acknowledgement card confirming that declination. Consistent with State-level reimbursement requirements previously established, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2019, c.445 (C.18A:33-21.1) and the Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act, this bill would require the State to provide funding, to each school or school district participating in the National School Lunch Program or federal School Breakfast Program, as may be necessary to reimburse the costs associated with the provision, by such school or district, of subsidized school meals to students who are federally ineligible for free or reduced price school meals. The bill would repeal various sections of existing law, pertaining to school lunch programs, school breakfast programs, and summer meals programs, which are contrary to the bill's universal free meal provisions. Some of the sections being repealed would be replaced by new sections of the bill. The sections being repealed, and the provisions replacing those repealed sections, are as follows: (1) Section 1 of P.L.2006, c.14 (C.18A:33-3.1). This section pertains to prepayment for school lunches. Because students will no longer be required to pay for school lunches under the bill, this section is being repealed. (2) Section 2 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-5). This section exempts, from school lunch requirements, any school in which less than five percent of enrolled students meet federal eligibility requirements for receipt of free meals. Because the bill requires all schools to provide free school lunches, this section is being repealed; however, the exemption previously provided thereby is being restated in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4), as amended by section 2 of the bill. (3) Section 3 of P.L.2003, c.4 (C.18A:33-11). This section requires a school district to publicize the availability of the federal School Breakfast Program, to ensure that students eligible for free or reduced price breakfasts are not treated differently than other students, and to encourage students who are not eligible for free or reduced price breakfasts to, nonetheless, participate in the federal School Breakfast Program. Because the bill provides that income-eligibility may not be considered when providing free meals to students, this section is being repealed, and its publicity provisions are being moved to, and restated in, other provisions of the bill. (5) Section 1 of P.L.2015, c.15 (C.18A:33-21). This section provides procedures to be implemented by a school district, and establishes certain prohibitions on discriminatory treatment, when a student's school breakfast or school lunch bill is in arrears. Because students will not be required to pay for school lunch or breakfast under the bill's provisions and the determination of school meal arrearages will, therefore, not be relevant to whether a student receives school meals under the bill, this section is being repealed. (6) Section 1 of P.L.2020, c.29 (C.18A:33-21a). This section established a short title (the "Hunger-Free Students' Bill of Rights Act"), which was to be used in citing to section 1 of P.L.2015, c.15 (C.18A:33-21) and sections 3 and 4 of P.L.2020, c.29 (C.18A:33-21b and C.18A:33-21c). However, section 3 of P.L.2020, c.29 (C.18A:33-21b) was previously repealed by P.L.2023, c.336 (C.18A:33-14.2 et al.), and section 1 of P.L.2015, c.15 (C.18A:33-21) is being repealed by this bill. In addition, because the only remaining provision of law cited in this section - i.e., section 4 of P.L.2020, c.29 (C.18A:33-21c) - contains only a single sentence related to the receipt of school meals by homeless students (and does not a more detailed provision establishing a "bill of rights" for all students), it no longer seems necessary or appropriate to attach a short title to this sole remaining provision of law, particularly when the existing short title does not reflect the purpose of that remaining provision. As a result, this short title section is being repealed. | In Committee |
| A4736 | Amends public school laws on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to apply to certain acts against teachers and staff members; revises definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" in "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act." | This bill extends the public school law on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to apply to certain acts of fraudulent impersonation or false depiction by means of artificial intelligence or deepfake technology. The bill also extends the law to apply to acts of harassment, intimidation, or bullying against teachers and staff members. Current law requires each school district to adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying. The definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" includes gestures and written, verbal or physical acts, and electronic communications. This bill clarifies that any act or communication, including electronic communication that uses deceptive audio or visual media may not be used to harass, intimidate, or bully a student, teacher, or staff member. Under the bill, "deceptive audio or visual media" means any video recording, motion picture film, sound recording, electronic image, photograph, any technological representation of speech or conduct substantially derivative thereof, or any forgery or facsimile of a document or writing, that appears to a reasonable person to realistically depict any speech, conduct, or writing of a person who did not in fact engage in the speech, conduct, or writing, and the production of which was substantially dependent upon technical means, rather than the ability of another person to physically or verbally impersonate the person. | In Committee |
| A4716 | Requires State colleges to close on Election Day. | This bill requires State colleges to close on Election Day. Under the provisions of the bill, a State college is required to observe the date of a general election in this State as a holiday on its academic calendar and no academic classes are to be held on that date. The provisions of the bill are to take effect in the first full academic year next following the date of enactment. | In Committee |
| S2644 | Requires DOE to establish working group on student literacy; mandates universal literacy screenings for kindergarten through grade three students; requires professional development for certain school district employees. | An Act concerning student literacy and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S3384 | Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2025. | An Act appropriating moneys to the Department of Environmental Protection for the purpose of making zero-interest loans or principal-forgiveness loans to project sponsors to finance a portion of the costs of environmental infrastructure projects. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A2027 | Establishes One-Year State Work First New Jersey Menstrual Hygiene Benefit Pilot Program and State Work First New Jersey Diaper Benefit Pilot Program; appropriates $2.5 million to DHS. | An Act concerning a monthly State benefit for menstrual hygiene products and diaper products under the Work First New Jersey Program, supplementing P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55), and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| AR148 | Condemns action of Republican members of United States Congress in failing to support passage of SB3612; affirms New Jersey Legislature's commitment to protecting reproductive freedom and full access to reproductive health care. | This resolution condemns the action of the Republican members of the United States Congress in failing to support the passage of SB3612, federal legislation supportive of the use of in vitro technology and the rights of individuals in relation to the use of assisted reproductive technology. 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. Tammy Duckworth, a Democratic Senator from Illinois who utilized IVF to conceive her two children, introduced Senate Bill 3612 (SB3612), part of a four-bill package of legislation known as the "Right to IVF Act," in order to protect the rights of individuals to seek reproductive assistance, such as IVF, and the physicians who provide these services, without the fear of prosecution. . SB3612, known as the "Access to Family Building Act," would bar the limitation of access to assisted reproductive technology, such as IVF, and grants the individual rights to (1) access assisted reproductive technology, (2) continue or complete ongoing assisted reproductive technology treatment or procedure, and (3) retain all rights regarding the use or disposition of genetic materials. Senator Duckworth urged her Republican colleagues to join the Democrats' efforts to protect access to IVF by unanimously passing this legislation. The Republicans failed to support the measure and the vote to pass the measure failed. Instead of supporting the passage of SB3612, Republican senators proposed an alternative measure, the "IVF Protection Act," which would discourage, but nonetheless allow, states to enact burdensome treatment restrictions. Following the failure to support the passage of SB3612, Senate Republicans issued a statement of support for the use of IVF technology. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4303 | Requires DOE to establish working group on student literacy; mandates universal literacy screenings for kindergarten through grade three students; requires professional development for certain school district employees. | Requires DOE to establish working group on student literacy; mandates universal literacy screenings for kindergarten through grade three students; requires professional development for certain school district employees. | In Committee |
| A4426 | Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2025. | This bill appropriates certain federal and State moneys to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the purpose of implementing the State Fiscal Year 2025 New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program (NJEIFP). The bill would appropriate these funds for the purpose of making loans to local governments and privately-owned water companies (project sponsors) for a portion of the costs of water infrastructure projects. A companion bill, Assembly Bill No. 4425 of this session, would authorize the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB) to execute loans using the funds appropriated to the DEP by this bill to finance a portion of the costs of the clean water and drinking water projects enumerated by the bill. The bill would authorize the DEP to use the moneys appropriated by the bill to fund the following projects: (1) in subsection a. of section 2 of the bill, a list of six projects to improve water discharge and treatment systems that had previously received a loan and require supplemental loans, representing $77.3 million in estimated total loan amounts; (2) in subsection b. of section 2 of the bill, a list of two projects to improve drinking water systems that had previously received a loan and require supplemental loans, representing $26.5 million in estimated total loan amounts; (3) in paragraph (1) of subsection a. of section 3 of the bill, the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Clean Water Project Eligibility List," a list of 156 projects to improve water discharge and treatment systems, representing $1.9 billion in estimated total loan amounts; (4) in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 3 of the bill, a list of four projects in the Pinelands area that are receiving funding under the "Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Bond Act of 1985," P.L.1985, c.302, to improve water discharge and treatment systems, representing $15.3 million in estimated total loan amounts; and (5) in subsection b. of section 3 of the bill, the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2025 Drinking Water Project Eligibility List," a list of 72 projects to improve drinking water systems, representing $714.9 million in estimated total loan amounts. The bill would also appropriate the unexpended balances from various funds to the DEP, and allow the DEP to transfer moneys between various State funds, for the purpose of funding the NJEIFP and providing the State match for federal funding provided under the federal laws, including the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, as detailed in subsection a. of section 1 of the bill. In addition, the bill would appropriate to the DEP funds deposited in the "Clean Water State Revolving Fund" and the "Drinking Water State Revolving Fund" pursuant to the federal "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act," Pub. L. 117-58. The bill would authorize loans to certain project sponsors to include zero interest or principal forgiveness, subject to certain funding limits and restrictions detailed in subsections b. through e. of section 1 of the bill. Projects designated for zero interest or principal forgiveness loans include projects that reduce or eliminate discharges from combined sewer overflow outfalls, water quality restoration projects, water and energy efficiency projects, and emerging contaminant projects. The bill would establish certain requirements on loans to project sponsors made by the DEP pursuant to the bill, as enumerated in section 4 of the bill. The bill would also establish additional restrictions, described in section 5 of the bill, for "Sandy financing loans," which are those loans that utilize federal funding provided pursuant to the federal "Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013," Pub.L. 113-2. Under the bill, the project lists and the DEP's authorization to utilize the funds appropriated by the bill would expire on July 1, 2025. The bill would also authorize the NJIB to utilize repayments of loans made using moneys from various State funds, enumerated in subsections a. and b. of section 10 of the bill, to recoup trust bond repayments and administrative fees that have not been paid by project sponsors instead of redepositing the money into the funds. However, the bill would also require the NJIB to make a compensatory deposit into certain State funds, enumerated in subsection c. of section 10 of the bill, when the NJIB receives the deficient payments or fees from the project sponsor. Finally, the bill would appropriate to the NJIB, from repayments of loans, interest payments, certain federal funds, and any earnings received from the investment of those funds, as enumerated in sections 12 and 13 of the bill, such amounts as the chairperson or secretary of the NJIB certifies are necessary and appropriate for deposit into one or more reserve funds established by the NJIB. | In Committee |
| A1669 | Removes obstacles to teacher certification for certain teachers; repeals law establishing alternative certificate of eligibility. | An Act concerning teacher certification, supplementing chapter 26 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and repealing P.L.2023, c.180. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| 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 |
| A4633 | Allows expectant mothers in third trimester to receive temporary parking privileges. | This bill permits expectant mothers during their third trimester of pregnancy to be eligible to receive a temporary parking placard, authorizing the expectant mother to park overtime at metered parking spots or to use special parking places established for use by persons with disabilities in any municipality of this State. Under the bill, the chief of police in each municipality is required to issue a temporary placard of not more than three months' duration to any expectant mother who is a resident of New Jersey during her third trimester of pregnancy, as certified by certain medical and healthcare professionals. Each temporary placard is valid for a period of three months and is required to display, in a clearly visible manner, the date on which the temporary placard will become invalid. The temporary placard is required to be granted upon proof to the chief of police in each municipality of written certification by certain certified medical and healthcare professionals that the expectant mother has entered into the third trimester of pregnancy. This certification is required to be provided on a standard form to be developed by the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in consultation with local chiefs of police. The temporary placard is required to be displayed on the motor vehicle used by the expectant mother during her third trimester of pregnancy, and the fee for the issuance of a temporary placard is $4. | In Committee |
| A4643 | Creates penalty for child endangerment via use of social media. | This bill provides that a person may be guilty of child endangerment through the use of social media. Under the bill, a person is guilty of child endangerment when that person knowingly acts in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child less than 18 years of age or directs or authorizes a child to engage in an occupation involving a substantial risk of danger to the child's life or health. The bill provides that violators would be subject to current child endangerment penalties, making this offense a second degree crime if the actor has a legal duty of care to the child or has assumed responsibility of the child. For all other persons, it is a crime of the third degree. The penalty for a second degree crime is five to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000, or both. The penalty for a third degree crime is a term of three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. As recently reported in the New York Times, convicted sex offenders and pedophilic predators are consuming prurient content posted to social media sites by parents seeking materialistic gain through the receipt of cash payments, products and endorsements. The subjects of these posts are children, the majority of whom are too young to have a social media account. With this bill, it is the sponsor's intent to provide law enforcement another tool to hold accountable opportunists responsible for exploiting children and exposing them to harm. | In Committee |
| A4537 | Requires public institution of higher education to adopt withdrawal policy permitting refund for certain extenuating circumstances. | This bill requires each public institution of higher education to adopt a policy that permits a student to withdraw for an extenuating circumstance and receive a refund. Under the bill, the policy is required to: (1) define "extenuating circumstance," which is to include: illness; injury; hospitalization; and mental health and wellness; (2) include a provision to refund tuition and fees paid by the student for the semester in which the student withdraws if the extenuating circumstances inhibit the student's ability to acquire an education at the institution; (3) establish criteria to determine whether a student's ability to acquire an education has been inhibited by an extenuating circumstance; (4) include a provision that any student who withdraws in compliance with the policy and who has paid amounts for room, board, or fees is entitled to a refund of the portion of those charges attributable to the time period during which the facilities or services were not used by the student; and (5) explain that any refund payable to a student who is a financial aid recipient or State aid recipient is subject to the applicable State and federal laws and regulations regarding refunds. | 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 |
| A4437 | Appropriates $54.6 million for additional round of funding through Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore State school aid reductions in 2024-2025 school year. | This bill provides a $54.6 million appropriation to restore 55 percent of State school aid reductions proposed for the 2024-2025 school year. This is the amount of State school aid reductions that remains after consideration of funding that is provided through P.L.2024, c.13. P.L.2024, c.13 establishes a Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program, which provides aid grants to eligible school districts equal to 45 percent of the amount of the school districts' State school aid reductions as calculated for the 2024-2025 school year. This bill provides an additional round of funding through the Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore the remaining 55 percent of proposed State school aid reductions. | In Committee |
| A4435 | Updates certain crimes to include nonconsensual pornographic deepfake threats and disclosure. | This bill concerns criminal invasion of privacy and criminal coercion. Under current law, an actor commits a crime of the third degree if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he photographs, films, videotapes, records, or otherwise reproduces in any manner, an image of another person whose intimate parts are exposed, or who is engaged in an act of sexual penetration or sexual contact, without that person's consent and under circumstances in which a reasonable person would not expect to be observed. The nonconsensual disclosure of the image, film, videotape, recording, or reproduction is also a crime of the third degree. A crime of the third degree is punishable by imprisonment for three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. This bill amends current law to include nonconsensual pornographic deepfake images . Under the bill, a deepfake is an image, a video, or an audio recording of speech or conduct that appears to a reasonable person to realistically depict the speech or conduct of a person, who did not in fact engage in the speech or conduct, that has been created using advanced computer technology in a way that makes the image, video, or audio recording look authentic. Further, pursuant to this bill, an actor commits a crime of the fourth degree if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, or with reckless disregard of any license or privilege to do so, he discloses any nonconsensual pornographic deepfake image based upon another person's image. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by imprisonment for up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Under current law, an actor commits criminal coercion if, with purpose unlawfully to restrict another's freedom of action to engage or refrain from engaging in conduct, he threatens to perform any act which would not in itself substantially benefit the actor but which is calculated to substantially harm another person with respect to his health, safety, business, calling, career, financial condition, reputation or personal relationships. This bill amends current law to make clear that this prohibition includes the making of any threat to disclose a nonconsensual pornographic deepfake image based upon another person's image. | In Committee |
| S2082 | Establishes New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force; clarifies collection of student growth data. | An Act establishing the "New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force," and amending and supplementing P.L.2012, c.26. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A3854 | Regulates use of automated employment decision tools in employment decisions to minimize discrimination in employment. | Regulates use of automated employment decision tools in employment decisions to minimize discrimination in employment. | In Committee |
| A4387 | Allows students to use portion of opportunity grant awards under Educational Opportunity Fund program during summer session. | This bill provides that a student may elect to use a portion of an opportunity grant funded through the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), during the summer session following the academic year for courses that fulfill graduation requirements or award credits in the student's academic major. The student would be responsible for notifying the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education of the intent to use a portion of the award during the summer. The Secretary of Higher Education would adjust the amount of the student's award that will be disbursed during the academic year, and notify the student that using a portion of the grant during the summer session will reduce the amount of the award that will be disbursed during the academic year. The secretary would also be required to annually report the number of students who did and did not use a portion of a grant award to enroll in courses during the summer, and the number and percent of these students who graduated within 100 percent and 150 percent of average completion time. This bill implements a recommendation of the College Affordability Study Commission which released its final report in September 2016. | In Committee |
| AR139 | Expresses sincere appreciation to staff of New Jersey General Assembly. | This resolution expresses sincere appreciation to the staff of the New Jersey General Assembly. Each legislative session, the General Assembly of New Jersey elects officers and administrative personnel to serve the vital functions of the General Assembly. These staff members play a pivotal role in the smooth functioning of the legislative process in this State, and their experience and diverse backgrounds contribute greatly to the effectiveness of the General Assembly's operations. Despite any challenges faced during each legislative session, the General Assembly staff uphold exemplary standards of professionalism and expertise within the constitutionally mandated timeframes. It is essential to recognize the Chief Clerk and all members of the General Assembly staff for their unwavering dedication and service to the State of New Jersey. Therefore, the General Assembly wishes to express its heartfelt appreciation to the Chief Clerk and all members of the General Assembly staff for their outstanding dedication, cooperation, and excellent work. | In Committee |
| A4030 | Regulates use of automated tools in hiring decisions to minimize discrimination in employment. | This bill regulates the use of automated employment decision tools during the hiring process to minimize employment discrimination that may result from the use of the tools. Under the bill, "automated employment decision tool" means any system the function of which is governed by statistical theory, or systems the parameters of which are defined by systems, including inferential methodologies, linear regression, neural networks, decision trees, random forests, and other learning algorithms, which automatically filters candidates or prospective candidates for hire or for any term, condition or privilege of employment in a way that establishes a preferred candidate or candidates. The bill prohibits the sale of automated employment decision tools in the State unless: (1) The tool is the subject of a bias audit conducted in the past year prior to selling the tool or offering the tool for sale; (2) The sale of the tool includes, at no additional cost, an annual bias audit service that provides the results of the audit to the purchaser; and (3) The tool is sold or offered for sale with a notice stating that the tool is subject to the provisions of the bill. In addition, the bill provides that any person who uses an automated employment decision tool to screen a candidate for an employment decision is required to notify each candidate of the following within 30 days of the use of the tool: (1) That an automated employment decision tool, which is subject to an audit for bias, was used in connection with the candidate's application for employment; and (2) The tool assessed the job qualifications or characteristics of the candidate. The bill provides for civil penalties to be collected for violations of its provisions. The bill is intended to affirm certain rights of candidates for employment under the circumstances specified in the bill, and will not be construed to reduce, limit, or curtail any rights of any candidate provided by law, or to limit the authority of the State or its agencies to investigate and enforce rights relating to bias and discrimination in employment, or to promulgate rules and regulations relating to bias and discrimination in employment. | In Committee |
| A4059 | Requires Commissioner of Education to permit certain school districts losing State school aid to submit budgets after enactment of FY 2025 appropriations act. | An Act concerning budget submissions for certain school districts. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A4161 | Establishes Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore certain portions of State school aid reductions; permits certain school districts to exceed tax levy growth limitation in 2024-2025 school year; appropriates $44.7 million. | An Act concerning school district finances and making an appropriation. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| A1446 | Revises "Athletic Training Licensure Act." | This bill revises the "Athletic Training Licensure Act," P.L.1984, c.203 (C.45:9-37.35 et seq.). The bill updates the definition of "athletic training" to include the treatment of an individual for injury prevention and health management; the evaluation and assessment of an individual for an injury or illness, or both; and the rehabilitation and reconditioning of an individual's injury or illness, or both. The bill also clarifies that nothing in the bill is to be construed as authorizing the interpretation of data for the purpose of diagnosing disease, organic condition or the practice of various licensed health care professions, including the practice of medicine and surgery, chiropractic, podiatry, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or prosthetics, by a person who is not licensed to practice such profession. The bill's revisions include various amendments to delete references to "athlete," thereby acknowledging the fact that athletic trainers provide services to persons generally, rather than athletes specifically. The bill requires athletic trainers to display, or carry on the athletic trainer's person if displaying is not possible, a practicing license at any place the athletic trainer renders services. The bill also modifies the curriculum requirements for the board to approve to include, among other items, a degree in professional athletic training from a postsecondary educational institution that meets the academic standards of the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Additionally, references to the Board of Certification, Inc. are incorporated into current law, including to replace references to the National Athletic Trainers' Association Board of Certification, Inc. The bill also repeals a section of the act that prohibits an athletic trainer from practicing, or from being employed by any individual or entity to do, physical therapy procedures for reimbursement unless the athletic trainer is licensed pursuant to the "Physical Therapist Licensing Act of 1983." | In Committee |
| A3980 | Requires DHS to establish system to ensure distribution of funds for certain support services for General Assistance beneficiaries ceases upon beneficiary's exit from support service. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to establish a process to ensure that any funding distributed by the Division of Family Development or a county welfare agency to a provider of substance use disorder treatment or housing for support services rendered to a beneficiary of General Assistance cash benefits ceases on the date in which the beneficiary is discharged from the provider or is otherwise no longer receiving services from the provider. Under the bill, the commissioner is authorized to: contact a provider or a beneficiary to determine the date on which services ceased to be provided to the beneficiary and on which funding for services provided by the division or a county welfare agency are to discontinue; and require a provider to repay the division or a county welfare agency for any funding received by the provider for a beneficiary that was discharged from the provider or was otherwise no longer receiving services from the provider. | In Committee |
| A3873 | Allows certain public high school student-athletes to substitute study hall for physical education during their athletic seasons. | Allows certain public high school student-athletes to substitute study hall for physical education during their athletic seasons. | In Committee |
| A4265 | Authorizes provision of monetary awards to whistleblowers who report State tax law violations committed by employers in construction industry. | This bill requires the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury to provide monetary awards to whistleblowers who report tax law violations committed by employers in the construction industry. The bill defines "employer in the construction industry" as an employer engaging in any activity related to the erection, construction, alteration, demolition, repair or maintenance of buildings, structures, bridges, highways, roadways, dams, tunnels, sewers, underground buildings or structures, pipelines or ducts and all other construction projects or facilities. Under the bill, if the director proceeds with an administrative or judicial action against an employer in the construction industry and determines that the action is based on specific and credible information brought to the director by an individual, the director is required to provide that individual an award of at least 15 percent, but not more than 30 percent, of the proceeds collected as a result of the action or from any settlement in response to that action; provided, however, if the director determines an action is based principally on an individual's disclosure of an allegation resulting from a judicial or administrative hearing, from a governmental report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, any award provided by the director to that individual may not exceed 10 percent of the proceeds. The bill requires the director to determine the amount of an award based upon the extent to which any information submitted by an individual contributed to the outcome of an action or related settlement. If the director determines that the claim for an award pursuant to the bill is brought by an individual who planned and initiated the actions that led to the violation resulting in the administrative or judicial action in which that individual is a party, the bill permits the director to reduce the amount of the award. In addition, if such an individual is convicted of criminal conduct arising from the individual's role in the violation, then the director is not permitted to provide an award to that individual. The following individuals are also ineligible to receive an award under the bill: (1) an individual who obtained information through the individual's official duties as an employee of the Department of the Treasury; and (2) an individual who filed a claim for an award based on information obtained from an ineligible individual for the purpose of avoiding the rejection of the claim that would have resulted if the claim was filed by the ineligible individual. The bill provides that any complaint with respect to an award provided, reduced, or revoked pursuant to the bill is to be filed within 30 days after the date of the provision, reduction, or revocation of that award. Finally, the bill protects any employee, as defined by the bill, from retaliatory action under the provisions of the "Conscientious Employee Protection Act," P.L.1986, c.105 (C.34:19-1 et seq.). | In Committee |
| A4279 | Reallocates $5 million in certain FY 2024 appropriations to provide funding for Burlington County - Animal Shelter. | This bill amends and supplements the FY 2024 appropriations act. Specifically, the bill reallocates $5 million from a $10 million appropriation to the Department of Health for Nemours Children's Health to the Department of Community Affairs for the Burlington County Animal Shelter. | In Committee |
| A4263 | Requires Cannabis Regulatory Commission to monitor prices and to establish price cap on prices, under certain conditions, regarding medical cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and clinical registrants. | This bill requires the Cannabis Regulatory Commission to adopt certain regulations regarding medicinal cannabis prices. First, the commission is to monitor the prices of all medical cannabis, medical cannabis products, and related supplies and paraphernalia sold or dispensed by medical cannabis cultivators, medical cannabis manufacturers, medical cannabis dispensaries, and clinical registrants. Additionally, the commission is to establish a process by which it would implement a six-month price cap on any medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer, medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant, if the commission determined that the prices of such an entity are unreasonable and inconsistent with the actual costs incurred by the medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer, medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant in connection with cultivating, acquiring and selling, transferring, or dispensing the medical cannabis or medical cannabis product and related supplies and paraphernalia. Under this process, the commission is permitted to amend the price cap over the six-month period and to implement as many price caps on a medical cannabis cultivator, medical cannabis manufacturer, medical cannabis dispensary, or clinical registrant as determined necessary, with no price cap to exceed a six-month period. | In Committee |
| A4224 | "Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act"; requires institutions of higher education to implement mental health programs and services. | This bill the "Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act," requires institutions of higher education to implement certain mental health programs and services. Under the bill, an institution of higher education is required to implement a mental health awareness program which must include, at a minimum: (1) the development and implementation of an annual student orientation session designed to raise awareness about mental health conditions; (2) the assessment of courses and seminars available to students through their regular academic experience and the implementation of mental health curricula if opportunities for integration exist; (3) the creation and prominent display on the institution's website or mobile application of information dedicated specifically to the mental health resources available to students on campus and in the surrounding community; (4) the distribution of messages related to mental health resources that encourage help-seeking behavior through the on-line learning platform of the institution at least once per term and during periods of high stress in the academic year; and (5) the implementation of an on-line screening tool to raise awareness and establish a mechanism to link or refer students to services. The bill requires an institution of higher education to establish and implement a student peer support program. The program will utilize student peers to support students living with mental health conditions on campus. Peer support programs may be housed within resident assistance programs, counseling centers, or wellness centers on campus. A peer support program will utilize best practices for peer support including, but not limited to: (1) utilizing the tenets of the recovery model for mental health developed by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; (2) adequate planning and preparation, including standardizing guidance and practices, identifying needs of the target population, and aligning program goals to meet those needs; (3) clearly articulating policies, specifically concerning role boundaries and confidentiality; (4) systematic screening with defined selection criteria for peer supporters including, but not limited to, communication skills, leadership ability, character, previous experience or training, and ability to serve as a positive role model; (5) identifying benefits from peer status including, but not limited to, experiential learning, social support, leadership, and improved self-confidence; (6) continuing education for peer supporters to support each other and improve peer support skills; and (7) flexibility in availability by offering services through drop-in immediate support and the ability to book appointments. The bill also requires each institution to form strategic partnerships with local mental health service providers to improve overall campus mental health wellness and augment on-campus capacity. The partnerships will include linkage agreements with off-campus mental health service providers that establish a foundation for referrals for students when a student's mental health needs cannot be met on campus due to capacity concerns or preference of the student. The partnerships will include: (1) avenues for on-campus and off-campus mental health service providers to increase visibility to students via marketing and outreach; (2) opportunities to engage the student body through student outreach initiatives including, but not limited to, mindfulness workshops or campus-wide wellness fairs; and (3) opportunities to support mental health awareness and training. Under the bill, the Secretary of Higher Education will develop a Technical Assistance Center. The center's responsibilities will include: (1) developing standardized policies for medical leave related to mental health conditions for students, which may be adopted by an institution of higher education; (2) providing tailored support to the institutions in reviewing policies related to students living with mental health conditions and their academic standing; (3) establishing initial standards for policies and procedures of the expert panel; (4) disseminating best practices concerning peer support programs, including widely-accepted selection criteria for individuals serving in a peer support role; and (5) developing Statewide standards and best practices for partnerships between local mental health agencies and institutions of higher education. | In Committee |
| AR129 | Urges Congress to enact "Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act." | This resolution urges Congress to enact the "Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act", which is pending before the House of Representatives as H.R. 3106. H.R. 3106 makes it a crime to intentionally disclose, or threaten to disclose, a digital depiction that has been altered using digital manipulation of an individual engaging in sexually explicit conduct and creates a right of private action for victims to seek relief. Congress is respectfully urged to enact H.R. 3106, in order to prevent the emotional, psychological and reputational harm that can result from the production or distribution of digital forgeries of intimate digital depictions of identifiable individuals. | In Committee |
| A4225 | Requires emergency departments to provide certain information to parents of children experiencing a mental health crisis. | This bill requires each emergency department of a general hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) to provide each parent or guardian of a child, who presents to the emergency department experiencing a mental health crisis, with information about care management organizations, which information will include, but not limited to, contact information for nearby local care management organizations. The bill defines a "care management organization" to mean a county-based, nonprofit organization that provides face-to-face care management for youth with complex needs and their families. | In Committee |
| A2320 | Requires Department of Agriculture to take various actions to publicize and promote community supported agriculture in New Jersey. | This bill would require the Department of Agriculture (DOA) to take certain actions to publicize and promote community supported agriculture in the State. "Community supported agriculture" is a method of on-the-farm direct sales and marketing in which the retail sale, to a consumer, of a share of the agricultural output of a commercial farm is effectuated through a paid subscription service. "Community supported agriculture program" or "CSA program" is defined by the bill to mean a farm product retail sales and marketing program in which participating consumers agree to pay a seasonal or annual subscription fee to a farm in exchange for the consumers' regular and ongoing receipt of weekly shares of the farm's seasonal agricultural output. The bill would provide, in particular, that within 180 days after the bill's effective date, the Secretary of Agriculture is to develop and implement a publicity and marketing program to promote community supported agriculture in the State. As part of the program, the department would be required to: (1) establish and regularly update, on its Internet website, a webpage that is dedicated to community supported agriculture, which webpage, at a minimum, is to include a searchable list of all CSA programs in the State and the farms participating therein, and provide hyperlinks, or use another simple methodology, to enable members of the public to subscribe to CSA programs in their local area; (2) use all available means, including, but not limited to, print media, television, radio, road and other signage, the Internet, and social media to advertise and publicize: the availability of, and the benefits of participating in, community supported agriculture in the State; the names and locations of farms that participate in CSA programs; and the availability of the community supported agriculture webpage, established pursuant to the bill; and (3) develop, print, and distribute distinct promotional and marketing labels that may be used by farmers to identify agricultural products that are being marketed and sold through community supported agriculture. Nothing in the bill would prohibit the operator of a farm, after first consulting with the DOA, from creating the farm's own promotional labels and using those labels to identify agricultural products that are being marketed and sold by the farm through community supported agriculture. The bill would also require the DOA, acting in cooperation with the Department of Education and in coordination with farmers, public, private, and charter schools and their food services, the New Jersey Farm to School Network or its successor entity, and other interested and relevant organizations and groups, as determined by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education to be appropriate, to establish and annually observe a week of promotional events to be known as "Community Supported Agriculture Week." "Community Supported Agriculture Week" would be intended to highlight and promote the value and importance of community supported agriculture, both as a means by which farming operations can better ensure their ongoing productivity, success, and financial stability, and as a means by which individuals, families, and businesses in the State can obtain fresh, seasonal, and easily accessible farm-to-table foods, throughout the year, while developing closer, more supportive, and reciprocal relationships with local farmers and becoming more invested in, and aware of the factors affecting, the seasonal and long-term success, stability, and viability of farming operations. The week would be celebrated on an annual basis, throughout the State, during the last full week in February, and would be observed through the holding of relevant promotional events. The bill would further require the DOA, through the State's existing "Farm to School Program," to encourage schools in the State to obtain fresh, locally grown or produced agricultural products for school meals by subscribing to, and becoming participants in, a community supported agriculture program, and to work in cooperation with the Department of Education to ensure that school curriculum addresses the value and importance of community supported agriculture, both to farmers and to the community as a whole, and the ways in which students and their families can become active participants in community supported agriculture. In addition, the bill would require the State's existing "Farm to School" website to: (1) provide opportunities for the execution of community supported agriculture subscription agreements between and among farmers, distributors, and schools or school districts; (2) facilitate the development and refinement of promotional events in association with "Community Supported Agriculture Week"; and (3) include a copy of any community supported agriculture subscription agreement that has been entered into and successfully implemented by any school or school district in the State. The bill would also require the existing State website that serves as a clearinghouse for farmers, and that currently provides a list of schools, school districts, and food banks that have a need for produce or dairy products, to additionally provide a list of schools, school districts, and food banks that are interested in participating as subscribers in a community supported agriculture program. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to solicit and receive funds, either as direct contributions, or from the sale of labels or the right to use labels authorized by the DOA, or from any other source, for the purposes of advertising and promoting the value and importance of community supported agriculture in the State, as provided by the bill. This authority would be supplemental to the secretary's existing authority to solicit and receive funds for the purpose of advertising and promoting the sale of NJ farm products and the "Jersey Fresh" program. Any monies received for the purposes of the bill are to be deposited in the State's existing "New Jersey Farm Products Publicity Fund." The bill would clarify that, in addition to the existing purposes for which monies in the "New Jersey Farm Products Publicity Fund" may be used, such monies may be used to publicize the value and importance of community supported agriculture; to cover the expenses of printing and distributing labels used in identifying products being marketed and sold through community supported agriculture; and to cover any other expenses that are incident to the implementation of this bill. | Crossed Over |
| 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 |
| A4172 | Concerns discrimination based on membership in a labor organization. | This bill extends protection under the Law Against Discrimination (LAD) to members of a labor organization. The LAD, P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et. seq.), provides protections for those who are members of a protected class, including protection against discrimination in employment, public accommodations, housing, land use, lending, and association membership. Under current law, a member of a protected class includes an employee who has one or more characteristics, including race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, age, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, sex, gender identity or expression, disability or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait of any individual, or liability for service in the armed forces. This bill provides that members of a labor organization also are members of a protected class who are entitled protection under the LAD. In addition, the bill revises the definition of "labor organization" to include any organization of any kind, including a labor union or any agency or employee representation committee or plan, in which public or private employees participate and which exists and is constituted for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, or of dealing with public or private employers concerning grievances, terms or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| A3413 | Establishes New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force; clarifies collection of student growth data. | Establishes New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force; clarifies collection of student growth data. | In Committee |
| A4003 | Establishes School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force. | This bill establishes the School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to study, evaluate, and assess the provision of State school aid pursuant to the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008" (SFRA). The task force will consist of seven members, including: the Commissioner of Education or a designee; and six public members, each of whom shall have educational experience and expertise in education and municipal finance and school budgeting. Two of the members will be appointed by the Senate President, two members will be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Minority Leaders of the Senate and General Assembly will each appoint one member. Under the bill, the duty of the task force is to study the effectiveness of, and provide recommendations on potentially improving, various aspects of the SFRA including, but not limited to:? the manner in which school district adequacy budgets and local shares are calculated;? the current methodology of measuring and weighting at-risk students and students with limited English proficiency and the impact on the educational outcomes of those students; ? the weights applied to students in different grade levels, as well as those applied to students enrolled in county vocational school districts; ? the current methodology used to calculate the geographic cost adjustment;? the formula's use of the census-based funding methodology for determining the amount of State aid a school district receives to educate its special education population and the effects of potentially employing different methodologies; ? the provision of extraordinary special education aid and the cost thresholds used as the bases for reimbursement of extraordinary special education costs; ? the methodologies used to calculate security categorical aid and transportation aid; and ? the impact that the reallocation of State school aid pursuant to P.L.2018, c.67, commonly referred to as "S2," had on school districts' finances. The bill requires that the task force will issue a final report detailing its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and to the Legislature, no later than one year after the organization of the task force. The report will be posted in a prominent location on the Internet website of the Department of Education. | In Committee |
| A4014 | Permits DEP officers to use drones. | This bill permits law enforcement and conservation officers of the Department of Environmental Protection to use unmanned aircraft systems, commonly referred to as drones, in the execution of their duties. Currently, a law enforcement or conservation officer is not restricted from using a drone in carrying out their duties with respect to the prevention of lawful taking of wildlife, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1993, c.11(C.23:7A-2). This bill expands that freedom to their other duties, such as enforcing trespassing and park disturbance concerns. | In Committee |
| A3990 | Requires MVC to provide customers with certain documents in-person, same day. | This bill requires the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to provide all customers who have an in-person appointment to receive certain documents at any commission agency location within the State with the option to receive the new or renewed document on the same day as the appointment and prior to leaving the the commission agency location, provided that the customer has completed the proper application and provided any necessary payment. Upon request from the applicant, the commission is required to issue the following documents on the same day as the appointment: (1) a standard basic driver's license; (2) a standard motorcycle license; (3) a standard special learner's permit; (4) a standard examination permit; (5) a standard probationary driver's license; (6) a standard non-driver identification card; (7) a REAL ID basic driver's license; (8) a REAL ID motorcycle license; (9) a REAL ID probationary driver's license; (10) a REAL ID identification card; (11) a commercial driver license; and (12) a motor vehicle registration certificate. The bill also requires the commission to ensure that one or more cameras and license printers are available at each commission agency location for the same-day issuance of the documents. | In Committee |
| A4028 | Provides certain resources to county prosecutors for enforcement of law regarding failure to pay wages; makes appropriation. | This bill requires the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), for purposes of supporting the enforcement of the provisions of State wage and hour laws, to provide funds and training to each county prosecutor's office for the investigation and prosecution of the abovementioned laws and worker exploitation. The bill requires the county prosecutor of each county to establish and assign an assistant prosecutor to the investigation and prosecution of violations of the State wage and hour laws. The bill makes an appropriation from the General Fund to the DOLWD, not to exceed $2,000,000, for purposes of effectuating the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| A3885 | Imposes additional annual registration fee for electric vehicles; reduces rate of highway fuel taxes; authorizes DOT to conduct alternative revenue feasibility study. | This bill would ensure greater tax fairness between the owners of gas powered vehicles and electric vehicles. Namely, the bill would establish an additional annual registration fee for electric vehicles, provide for a reduction in the State tax on highway fuels under both the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts (PPGR) Tax and the Motor Fuels Tax, and require the Department of Transportation to study and make recommendations concerning the dedication of alternative sources of revenue to the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). Additional Annual Registration Fee for Electric Vehicles The bill first requires the Chief Administrator (chief administrator) of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to impose and collect an additional annual registration fee for each passenger and commercial electric vehicle in the State. Under the bill, the amount of the additional annual registration fee would be $300 for each passenger electric vehicle and $450 for each commercial electric vehicle during the fiscal years beginning on and after July 1, 2025. Notably, the bill requires all revenues derived from these additional registration fees to be collected by the chief administrator and remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit into the TTF. Reduction of Highway Fuel Taxes Next, the bill would enact a 33 percent reduction in the taxes imposed on highway fuels under both the Motor Fuel Tax and the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax (PPGRT), collectively referred to as the "gas tax," beginning with State Fiscal Year 2025. The bill would also permanently extend the procedure by which the rate of tax imposed on highway fuels under the PPGRT is calculated. Currently, the Motor Fuel Tax is fixed at 10.5 cents for gasoline and 13.5 cents for diesel fuel, and the PPGR tax is set at 31.8 cents for gasoline and 35.8 cents for diesel fuel. The Motor Fuel Tax on gasoline would be lowered from 10.5 cents to 7 cents per gallon, and the motor fuel tax on diesel would be lowered from 13.5 cents to 9 cents per gallon. The motor fuel tax on liquefied petroleum gas would likewise be lowered from 5.25 cents per gallon to 3.5 cents given that the tax rate for these products are set at one-half of the tax imposed on gasoline. Under current law, the tax rate imposed on highway fuels under the PPGRT is annually adjusted by the State Treasurer to ensure that the State realizes a statutorily prescribed revenue target. All revenues collected are deposited into the TTF to support transportation infrastructure projects and debt service on transportation bonds. This annual adjustment mechanism is currently set to expire at the conclusion of State Fiscal Year 2026. This bill would permanently extend this annual adjustment mechanism. The bill also reduces the rate of tax imposed on highway fuels under the PPGRT by lowering the statutorily prescribed revenue target, also referred to as the "highway fuel cap amount," by 33 percent. The highway fuel cap amount is based on State Fiscal Year 2016 sum of: (1) the taxes collected on the 12.48 percent and four cent tax rates for highway fuels taxes, (2) the amount derived from taxing the gallonage of highway fuel subject to the four cent motor fuel tax, and (3) the amount that would have been derived from taxing the gallonage of highway fuel subject to the motor fuel tax at a rate of 23 cents per gallon. To ensure adequate funding for the TTF, the bill would require the State to annually appropriate from the General Fund such amounts as are necessary from the revenues collected under the "Sales and Use Tax Act," P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.) into the TTF to support all debt service obligations of the Transportation Trust Fund Authority's (TTFA) for the current year. Alternative Revenue Feasibility Study Finally, the bill requires the Department of Transportation (department), in consultation with the TTFA and the Office of Revenue and Economic Analysis in the Department of the Treasury, to study and make recommendations and a repot concerning the dedication of alternative sources of revenue to the TTF. These revenues may be necessary to offset future revenue reductions from the Motor Fuels Tax (MFT) and the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax (PPGRT) due to the decreased consumption of gasoline, diesel, and other highway fuels. The purpose of this study will be to identify one or more sources of revenue, other than the Motor Fuels Tax and the Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax, that may be relied upon to fund the TTF in future years. At a minimum, the report would be required to: (1) analyze the feasibility of dedicating alternative sources of revenue to the TTF; and (2) make recommendations for the dedication of alternative sources of revenue, other than the MFT and the PPGRT, to the TTF. No later than August 31, 2026, the department is required to submit the report to the Governor and the Legislature as well as publish an electronic copy of the report on the department's official Internet website. | 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 |
| A3914 | Permits agriculture-related events on preserved farmland. | This bill provides that a person may hold an agriculture-related event on preserved farmland if the owner of the land first obtains a permit from the county agriculture development board to hold such an event. The bill defines "agriculture-related event" as a festival or other event taking place once or a few times in a year on a specific day or specific consecutive days featuring an activity or group of activities highlighting an agricultural or horticultural practice or product implemented or grown on a farm. These events may include, but are not limited to, hay bale races, flower shows, pumpkin tossing and "punkin chunkin" festivals, tractor pulls, and similar activities. The bill also provides that the county agriculture development board may issue an agriculture-related event permit to the owner of preserved farmland in the county if: 1) no more than four permits are issued for the farm per year; and 2) the event only temporarily disturbs the use of the land for agricultural or horticultural purposes, and does not interfere with the use of the land for those purposes after the event has concluded. The bill specifies that holding an agriculture-related event for which a permit has been issued shall not be considered a violation of any agricultural deed restriction for farmland preservation on the land if the person holding the event complies with the terms and conditions of the permit as it was issued. | 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 |
| 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 |
| A3851 | Requires evidence-based early reading instruction be implemented in public schools. | This bill requires the implementation of evidence-based early reading instruction in the public schools. Specifically, the bill requires:· the Commissioner of Education to develop an evidence-based early literacy plan for students in preschool through grade three;· candidates for teaching certification to meet additional testing and course requirements on evidence-based early reading instruction;· the State Board of Education to revise its New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts and professional development requirements for teachers to ensure the use of evidence-based early reading instruction; and· school districts to provide evidence-based early reading instruction to students enrolled in preschool through grade three. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education is required, within one year of the bill's effective date, to develop a scientific, evidence-based early literacy plan for students in preschool through grade three. The plan is to include evidence-based early reading instruction that follows a scope and sequence that is direct, systematic, responsive, and that develops early literacy through emphasis on: (1) phonics, including decoding and encoding and instruction in writing; (2) phonemic awareness and phonological awareness; (3) fluency, including oral language development; (4) vocabulary; and (5) comprehension, including building background knowledge.The plan cannot include instructional methods based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as "MSV." The bill requires that the early literacy plan include recommendations to the State Board of Education on any necessary revisions or additions to the professional development requirement established by the State board for public school teaching staff members. The plan is to be posted to the Department of Education's website. The bill further provides that, upon receipt and consideration of the early literacy plan, the State Board of Education is to revise the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts to ensure the use of evidence-based early reading instruction as the primary pedagogy used by the public schools to develop early student literacy. The bill requires each school district, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill's effective date, to provide evidence-based early reading instruction to students enrolled in preschool through grade three consistent with the recommendations of the early literacy plan developed by the Commissioner of Education and the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in English Language Arts revised by the State Board of Education. Additionally, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill's effective date, the bill prohibits school districts from using instructional methods or content that promote the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual, commonly referred to as "MSV." The bill also provides that, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill's effective date, all candidates for teaching certification who have completed an educator preparation program at a commissioner-approved educator preparation program provider are to have satisfactorily earned a minimum of six academic credits in coursework on evidence-based early reading instruction. To meet this goal, the bill requires all commissioner-approved educator preparation program providers to review and update their educator preparation programs, as needed, and to submit the revisions to the Department of Education for approval. The program provider is to provide to the department copies of any syllabi developed for a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction. Additionally, beginning in the second full school year beginning after the bill's effective date, any person seeking certification through the alternate route is required to, within one year of being employed, satisfactorily complete a course or training on evidence-based early reading instruction. Courses or training on evidence-based early reading instruction are not to include instructional methods based upon the balanced literacy theory or the three-cueing model of reading instruction based on "MSV." Finally, the bill requires a candidate for the preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate to pass a certification exam in evidence-based early reading instruction. The Commissioner of Education is to develop the exam. Also, the holder of a current preschool through grade three endorsement to the instructional certificate issued prior to the bill's effective date is to demonstrate proficiency in evidence-based early reading instruction in a manner, and on a schedule, to be determined by the commissioner. | 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 |
| A3658 | Requires State to reimburse school districts for costs of transporting homeless students. | Under current law, a homeless student's district of residence is responsible for paying for any costs of transporting the student to and from school. This bill provides that the State will reimburse the school district for these costs. | In Committee |
| A3664 | Requires boards of education to post on website information summarizing payroll, total accounts payable, and weekly accounts payable. | This bill requires each board of education to post for public inspection on its website a summary of its payroll, total accounts payable, and weekly accounts payable. The bill also requires each board to post a summary document that outlines in a user-friendly manner the board's major categories of expenditures and identifies the vendors selected through competitive bidding or competitive contracting to provide goods and services. Under the bill, the information must be posted in a prominent and easily accessible location and in a format approved by the Commissioner of Education. | In Committee |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| A3455 | Permits municipalities to publish legal notices in certain newspapers. | This bill permits municipalities to publish legal notices in certain qualified newspapers. Under the bill, a municipality, municipal agency, or any municipal officer or employee may satisfy legal notice publication requirements by publishing the legal notice in a qualified newspaper. The bill provides that a "qualified newspaper" means a newspaper that is published at least weekly, as specified in the bill, with at least 25 percent of the newspaper's words in English, is generally available to the public in the municipality, and contains information of interest to the public in the municipality. | In Committee |
| AJR79 | Designates September 22nd of each year as "Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day." | This joint resolution designates September 22nd of each year as "Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day" in New Jersey. By having an annual observance, we elevate the public health challenge of the increased suicide rates of veterans and active duty military personnel into the public consciousness and raise our continued awareness to this challenge. This continued awareness facilitates discussion about Veteran/Military suicide, thereby taking away the societal stigma associated with mental health treatment. By normalizing the subject of mental health among Veterans and Active Military, we will allow them to receive necessary treatment without fear of judgment while simultaneously showing that we care as a State and nation, about preventing living Veterans and Active Military from dying by suicide. The joint resolution calls on the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling on the people of this State to mark this day with appropriate activities and programs. Individuals who have served in the United States military made significant sacrifices to defend the United States and its people. Members of the military are often deployed to remote locations far from family and friends and may not have regular contact with their loved ones. During their deployments these individuals can miss important milestones including the birth of a child, family birthdays, or the funeral of a loved one. Members of the military engaged in combat operations face added stresses including situations where they may witness the death of their fellow service members and living in constant fear of their own injury or death. These stress factors contribute to a sharp increase in the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress among service members and United States military and veterans. Since 2010 more than 65,000 veterans and active military have died by suicide, more than the total number of American combat deaths from the Vietnam War and the post-9/11 conflicts combined. The New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs, and various nonprofit entities provide resources to veterans and active military who are at risk of suicide including telephone hotlines and mental health workshops. Increasing public awareness about the increased risk of suicide amongst veterans and military can help inform veterans, their families, and the public about the resources available to these veterans and military and help eliminate the stigma associated with mental health treatments. Designating September 22nd of each year as "Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day" will raise our continued awareness to this critical threat to the health and safety of individuals who have sacrificed so much for their fellow Americans in service of our beloved country. This annual observance originated with Kevin W. Hertell, a U.S. Air Force Veteran who lost his cousin to suicide in 2016, Senior Airman Robert McRae Dean, U.S. Air Force. Mr. Hertell established this observance to recognize and forever remember the life and death of Senior Airman Robert McRae Dean and all other Veterans and Active Military members who have died by suicide. | In Committee |
| A1158 | Provides representation of Burlington County on SJTA. | This bill includes Burlington County as a member county of the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA). The bill also changes the composition of the Board of Commissioners of the SJTA by adding new members to the Board. The SJTA currently includes Atlantic, Cape May, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties within its transportation development and planning scope as member counties. | In Committee |
| A2747 | Removes plenary retail distribution license limit for certain stores. | This bill increases the number of plenary retail distribution licenses that a person may obtain for use in connection with certain retail food stores and liquor stores. Under current law, a person or corporate entity is prohibited from holding more than two retail licenses to sell alcoholic beverages. The bill provides that immediately following the bill's effective date the holder of a plenary retail distribution license would not be subject to the two-license limitation when those retail licenses are used in connection with a retail food store located within an urban food desert. An urban food desert is defined in current law as a municipality, or physically contiguous urban area in the State, in which residents have limited access to nutritious foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, through supermarkets, grocery stores, and farmers' markets. In addition, the bill provides that two years following the bill's effective date, a person may own or have an interest in a maximum of four retail licenses provided that two of those licenses are used in a qualifying retail food store or liquor store located throughout the State. Six years following the effective date of the bill, a person may hold not more than a total of six retail licenses provided that four of those licenses are used in a qualifying retail food store or liquor store located throughout the State. Under the bill, a qualifying retail food store is a retail store at which the sale of groceries and other food stuffs is the primary and principal business and constitutes at least 65 percent of the store's total annual sales. A qualifying liquor store is a store at which at least 90 percent of the store's annual sales are alcoholic beverages. Individuals who acquire more than two licenses under the provisions of the bill are required to pay a license transfer fee on each additional license that they acquire. The transfer fee is set at 10 percent of the amount the entity paid for the license and is payable to the municipality in which the licensed premises is situated. This transfer fee would not apply to the holder of a plenary retail distribution license used in connection with a retail food store located in an urban food desert. This bill would not increase the number of licenses that a municipality may issue based on population but, rather, increases the number of retail license that one person may hold. | In Committee |
| A3009 | Requires 45 day notice concerning tuition rate changes by licensed child care centers. | This bill requires child care centers licenses pursuant to P.L.1983, c.492 (C.30:5B-1 et seq.) to prepare and make available a notice of any change in the tuition rate charged by the center, 45 days prior to the change, to every parent or legal guardian of a child attending the center. The notice would be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested or by receipted first class mail addressed to the parent or legal guardian at the last known address identified in the center's records, or would be delivered in person to the parent or legal guardian by a staff member of the center. The center would also be required to post the notice on its internet website or by other electronic means, and to display the notice in a prominent location within the center. | In Committee |
| A3010 | Requires installation of diaper changing station in certain public restrooms; appropriates $500,000. | This bill would require baby diaper changing stations in any newly constructed men or women's public restroom maintained on any publicly-accessible floor of a group A or M occupancy within the State. It would also require any group A or M occupancy to install changing stations during renovations to existing restrooms, costing $5,000 or more. The bill would further require the owner or operator of a group A or M occupancy to post signage to direct visitors to baby diaper changing station-equipped restrooms, when newly-constructed or renovated. Additionally, the bill would require public buildings, that contain group A or M occupancies, to install baby diaper changing tables in each accessible floor of each group A or M occupancy on or before the first day of the 37th month following enactment. If, however, the public building is a K-12 school, the bill would only require one changing table accessible to men and women per campus within the 37-month deadline. A county, municipality, or board of education would be permitted to apply to the Department of Community Affairs for a reimbursement of the expense of installation. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the general fund to address this expense. Failure to comply with the provisions of this bill would result in liability for a penalty of not more than $500 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. More specifically, the terms encompass the following: (1) assembly group A occupancies, subject to applicable spatial and occupant limits, including but not limited to theaters, banquet halls and restaurants, amusement arcades, art galleries, bowling allies, community halls, courtrooms, dance halls, libraries, places of religious worship, waiting areas in transportation terminals, bleachers and grandstands, and arenas and stadiums; and (2) a mercantile group M occupancy, including but not limited to a department store, drug store, market, motor-fuel dispensing facility, retail or wholesale store, or sales room. Under the bill, casinos, nightclubs, taverns and bars are excluded from the "group A or M occupancy" definition, because small children are rarely present at those types of establishments. This bill will ensure that parents of small children have greater access to changing tables in public restrooms. As the typical structure of families within this State evolves, men are becoming more involved in the care of young children. According to a recent government study, about 90 percent of fathers who live with their children report that they bathe, diaper, or dress their children everyday or several days a week. The study further noted that fathers are more involved in their children's lives than in previous generations. No current State law requires group A or M occupancies to equip public restrooms with changing stations, and the ones that do so voluntarily tend to only offer the accommodation in women's restrooms. This bill will correct that imbalance and provide greater access to changing stations for both men and women. | In Committee |
| A1169 | Establishes task force to examine public school programs and services designed to address student mental health. | This bill establishes the Task Force on Student Mental Health. Under the bill, the task force will consist of 16 members including: the Commissioner of Education; the Director of the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services; one public member appointed by the President of the Senate and one public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one public member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and 10 members appointed by the Governor, including: a school board member, a school principal, a school administrator, an elementary school teacher, a high school teacher, a school counselor, a school social worker, and a school psychologist, all of whom are currently employed in public schools in the State; and two parents of students enrolled in a public school. The task force will study and make recommendations regarding the following:· the identification of public school students who experience depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or disorder;· the evaluation and expansion of counseling programs and services available to students experiencing mental health difficulties, and other programs designed to address issues related to student mental health; · the relationship of student mental health to school safety and security; · the amount of funding that may be necessary for public schools to employ the appropriate staff and to establish new programs or expand existing programs necessary to address student mental health; and· an examination of other states which have implemented programs that have successfully addressed depression, anxiety, stress, or other psychological or emotional tension, trauma, or disorder among public school students and reduced the number of students experiencing such difficulties. The bill directs the task force to issue a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than one year after its organizational meeting. The task force will expire 30 days after the submission of the final report. | In Committee |
| A1168 | Requires State Board of Education to include instruction on mental health first aid training as part of professional development requirement for public school teachers. | This bill directs the State Board of Education to require each public school teacher to complete eight hours of instruction in mental health first aid training within the first year of employment and to obtain recertification in mental health first aid training every three years thereafter. The training would include, but not be limited to, information on: how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health illnesses and substance use disorders; the risk factors and warning signs for mental health illnesses and substance use disorders; interventions and strategies on how to assist an individual in both crisis and non-crisis situations; and overviews of mental health illnesses that may present in children and adolescents, including depression and mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychosis, and substance use disorders. To stay updated on the latest information regarding mental health and substance use disorders, it is recommended that recertification in mental health first aid training be completed every three years. | In Committee |
| A1139 | Establishes "Property Tax Study Commission" to examine New Jersey's property tax structure and develop recommendations for reducing residential property tax burden. | This bill establishes a 15-member "Property Tax Study Commission" in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury. The commission is charged with examining the property tax system in New Jersey and identifying ways in which the system can be improved in order to reduce the property tax burden on New Jersey residents. The commission may examine the functions, duties, and operations of local government, review current laws regarding the imposition, assessment, and collection of property taxes. The commission may also examine current property tax exemptions and deductions and other benefits that reduce or offset a taxpayer's property tax liability. The bill directs the commission to recommend amendments to the New Jersey Constitution and revisions to the statutes, which recommendations would eliminate current eliminate inequities in the current system of property taxation, ensure greater uniformity in the application of property taxes, reduce property taxes as an overall share of public revenue, provide alternatives which lessen the dependence of local government on property taxes, and provide alternative means, including possible increases in other taxes, of funding local government services. The commission membership includes the Commissioner of Community Affairs, Commissioner of Education, State Treasurer, one member of the Governor's staff (appointed by the Governor), four members of the Legislature (the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and General Assembly), and seven public members (four appointed by the Legislative leadership and three appointed by the Governor). The bill directs the Governor to appoint one public member from the northern, central, and southern regions of the State. The bill requires the commission to issue an interim report no later than nine months following its organization and a final report no later than 12 months following its organization. The bill also directs the commission to meet at least once per year for five years following the issuance of its final report to receive updates regarding the implementation of the recommendations in its final report and such other recommendations as it may provide from time to time. The bill requires the commission to issue an annual report. The bill directs all reports to be issued to the Governor and the Legislature and to be available to the public through the Department of the Treasury's Internet website. The bill provides that the commission would expire on the 60th day following the date of the public hearing held in the fifth year following the issuance of its final report. | In Committee |
| A2105 | Makes FY2023 supplemental appropriation of $17 million to DEP for grants for certain lake management activities. | This bill makes a one-time supplemental appropriation of $17 million for Fiscal Year 2023 to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from the General Fund. The bill directs the DEP to establish a program to use these funds for grants to assist qualified entities to pay certain costs associated with the management and maintenance of lakes for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill requires the DEP to develop criteria for the evaluation and ranking of applications to provide priority to projects submitted by qualified entities responsible for a lake with public access; and projects to improve water quality and increase recreational access and use of lakes, including projects to control nutrient levels in lakes in order to prevent future harmful algal blooms. The bill provides that a grant issued pursuant to the bill may be used for stormwater and nonpoint source pollution management activities, if the DEP determines that those activities would directly enhance, improve, or protect the use of a lake for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill defines "qualified entity" to mean: the Greenwood Lake Commission; the Lake Hopatcong Commission; a local government unit; an entity established pursuant to law or an entity established pursuant to ordinance by the municipalities surrounding a publicly-accessible lake for the management of the lake, including, but not limited to, the Deal Lake Commission or the Lake Topanemus Park Commission; or a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. s.501 (c)(3) and whose mission is the management or maintenance of a publicly-accessible lake. | In Committee |
| ACR58 | Proposes constitutional amendment to increase amount of veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years. | If approved by the voters of the State, this proposed constitutional amendment would increase the amount of the veterans' property tax deduction from the current $250 to $2,500. The increase would occur over four years. Veterans who are honorably discharged from active service in a branch of the United States Armed Forces qualify for the deduction. A qualified veteran's surviving spouse would receive the deduction after the qualified veteran dies. The amendment would increase the amount of the deduction to $1,000 in tax year 2024, $1,500 in tax year 2025, $2,000 in tax year 2026, and $2,500 in tax year 2027, and every tax year thereafter. The voters of the State last approved an increase in the amount of the deduction in 1999, from $50 to $250, over four years. The amount of the deduction has been $250 since 2003. | In Committee |
| A944 | Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses. | This bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs), including restrictions that limit the ability of APNs to prescribe medications and administer anesthesia, and establishes new requirements for APNs to prescribe medications. The bill expressly provides that, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, an APN with greater than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice will be authorized to practice without a joint protocol with a collaborating provider. With regard to prescribing medications, the bill requires the use of New Jersey Prescription Blanks and satisfying continuing professional education requirements related to pharmacology and prescribing controlled substances. An APN with fewer than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be permitted to prescribe medication only if a formal joint protocol with a physician or experienced advanced practice nurse is in place. The bill revises the requirements for APNs to authorize patients for medical cannabis and to issue written instructions for medical cannabis, to provide that the APN will only be required to meet the requirements set forth under the "Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act," P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-1 et al.). Those requirements include: possessing active State and federal registrations to prescribe controlled dangerous substances; being the health care practitioner responsible for the ongoing treatment of a patient's qualifying medical condition; and complying with various other requirements for issuing written instructions for medical cannabis. The bill further provides that every APN who is an APN-Anesthesia and who has completed 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be authorized to practice as an APN-Anesthesia to the full scope of practice for APNs-Anesthesia, without any requirement for supervision by a licensed physician and without any requirement that the APN-Anesthesia enter into joint protocols with a licensed physician. The bill provides that any State law or regulation that requires the signature or similar endorsement of a physician will be deemed to require the same of an APN, to the extent consistent with an APN's scope of practice. The bill revises and repeals certain sections of law that are obviated by the changes made under the bill. | In Committee |
| A2096 | Provides CBT tax credit for retrofit of existing warehouses with solar-ready zone once solar panels are installed. | The bill would incentivize the retrofitting of existing warehouses with solar-ready zones by providing a tax credit against the corporation business tax to compensate a taxpayer who retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone. The tax credit would be available once the taxpayer installs solar panels on the warehouse. The bill defines "warehouse" as a building, room, structure, or facility of at least 100,000 square feet used primarily for the storage of goods intended for sale. The bill defines "solar-ready zone" as a section of a roof or building overhang designated and reserved for the future installation of a solar photovoltaic or solar thermal system, which is at least 40 percent of the roof area calculated as the horizontally projected areas minus the area covered by skylights, occupied roof decks, vegetative roof areas, and mandatory access or set back areas required by the State Uniform Construction Code, or as otherwise provided in the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, Appendix CA, and any successor model code, concerning solar-ready zones. The amount of the tax credit provided by the bill may not exceed the lesser of: (1) fifty percent of the cost incurred to retrofit an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone, or (2) $250,000. A taxpayer may claim the credit authorized under the bill for the cost of retrofitting an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone for up to eight existing warehouses owned or operated by the same taxpayer in a single privilege period. The bill would require a taxpayer that retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone to demonstrate to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury (director) that solar panels have been installed on the warehouse prior to receiving the tax credit provided in the bill. Requiring the installation of solar panels on the solar-ready zones of warehouses, prior to receiving the tax credit, would ensure an environmental benefit attributable to the credit. The bill would also limit the cumulative total of tax credits awarded pursuant to the bill to $25 million. The director would be required to certify taxpayers as eligible to receive the tax credit provided in the bill. A taxpayer that retrofits an existing warehouse with a solar-ready zone would be eligible to receive the tax credit provided in this section if: (1) the warehouse meets the size criteria required pursuant to the bill; (2) the warehouse has been retrofitted with a solar-ready zone; and (3) solar panels have been installed on the warehouse's solar-ready zone. The director may require the submission of any information the director deems necessary to award a tax credit pursuant to the bill. Finally, the bill would require the director, in consultation with the Department of Community Affairs, to adopt rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the bill's provisions. | In Committee |
| A1590 | Requires continued coverage of prescription drugs for certain medical conditions. | This bill requires health insurance carriers to provide continued coverage of prescription drugs for covered persons diagnosed with a complex or chronic medical condition or a rare disease during a coverage appeal based on medical necessity. The bill defines "complex or chronic medical condition" as a physical, behavioral, or developmental condition that does not have a known cure or that can be severely debilitating or fatal if left untreated or undertreated. "Rare disease" is defined as any disease or condition that affects less than 200,000 persons in the United States. The bill requires hospital, medical and health service corporations, commercial insurers, health maintenance organizations, health benefits plans issued pursuant to the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage and Small Employer Health Benefits Programs, prepaid prescription service organizations, and plans provided by the State Health Benefits Commission and the School Employees' Health Benefits Commission to continue to provide coverage for a drug for a covered person with a complex or chronic medical condition or a rare disease, if the drug was previously covered by the policy or contract, while an appeal is at any stage of the appeals process in situations in which a covered person appeals a denial of coverage for the drug based on medical necessity, except under certain circumstances. With respect to a drug for a covered person with a complex or chronic medical condition or a rare disease in situations in which a covered person appeals a denial of coverage for the drug based on medical necessity, while the appeal is in any stage of the appeals process, the bill provides the provisions of the policy or contract shall not apply so as to: (1) set forth limitations on maximum coverage of prescription drug benefits; (2) subject the covered person to increased out-of-pocket costs; or (3) move a drug for a covered person to a more restrictive tier, if the policy or contract uses a formulary with tiers. The bill further provides that a policy or contract may only deny coverage during the appeals process for a drug for a covered person with a complex or chronic medical condition or a rare disease if: (1) the prescribing provider has discontinued prescription of the drug for the covered person; (2) the United States Food and Drug Administration has issued a notice, guidance, warning, announcement, or any other statement about the drug which calls into question the clinical safety of the drug; or (3) the manufacturer of the drug has notified the United States Food and Drug Administration of any manufacturing discontinuance or potential discontinuance as required by 21 U.S.C.s.356c. | In Committee |
| A1606 | Transfers administration of programs for certain individuals with developmental disabilities from DHS to DCF. | This bill would transfer the responsibility for providing services to individuals aged 21-29 with developmental disabilities from the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) in the Department of Human Services to the Children's System of Care (CSOC) in the Department of Children and Families. Current law provides for individuals with developmental disabilities who are eligible to receive functional services to receive services through the CSOC until age 21, at which time they transition to receiving services from DDD. The bill would delay the transition until age 30. | In Committee |
| A1583 | Encourages local unit sharing of services; makes appropriations. | Under current law, the Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission (LUARCC) examines the consolidation of municipalities, the merger of autonomous agencies into their parent municipal or county government, and the sharing of services between municipalities or between municipalities and other public entities. The bill would clarify LUARCC's powers to recommend specific consolidations and mergers under current law. The bill would also clarify and enhance LUARCC's powers to facilitate shared service agreements by authorizing LUARCC to recommend or to order the execution of specific shared service agreements. The provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, would not apply to an employee affected by a shared services agreement ordered or recommended by LUARCC. The bill would require LUARCC to include in every consolidation proposal and every shared services proposal an estimate of the savings that will result from implementation of the proposed consolidation or sharing of services. The bill allows local units to contest LUARCC's estimate of savings by appeal to the Commissioner of Community Affairs. Current law provides for public hearings when municipal consolidations are being considered. The bill provides that when a LUARCC recommends a municipal consolidation, the commission must be present at one or more of those public hearings. The bill also requires LUARCC to hold at least two public hearings whenever the commission recommends or orders a sharing of services. Under the bill, as under current law, LUARCC-recommended consolidation or shared service proposals would become effective upon adoption by a majority of the voters of each affected municipality. If the voters of a municipality do not approve a shared services proposal or if a municipality or other entity identified in a proposed shared services agreement does not enter into and implement the proposed shared services agreement within 14 months following the effective date of the proposal, the State would annually reduce that municipality's State aid by the amount of savings that was estimated by LUARCC. With regard to a LUARCC-ordered sharing of services, if a municipality or other entity identified in a shared services order does not implement the order within 14 months of its effective date, the State would annually reduce the total amount of aid it provides to that municipality or entity by the amount of savings that was estimated by LUARCC. Furthermore, the bill provides that under these circumstances the State may take other steps it deems necessary to enforce the order, including withholding all State aid allocated to that municipality or entity until it complies with the order. Additionally, the bill clarifies the Legislature's intention that LUARCC have sufficient resources to fulfill its statutory obligations by empowering LUARCC to request specific resources from the State and localities and to contract for necessary services. The bill would appropriate funds to LUARCC to cover the costs of operations and to fund extraordinary expenses of local units needed to implement a LUARCC-proposed consolidation plan or shared service agreement. The bill also provides that when local units enter into, renew, or extend shared service agreements or joint meetings pursuant to the "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act," P.L.2007, c.63 (C.40A:65-1 et seq.) or any other law providing for the sharing of services, the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, would not apply to employees affected by the shared service agreement or joint contract. | In Committee |
| A1602 | Allows gross income tax credit for portion of certain child care expenses. | This bill allows taxpayers a gross income tax credit for a portion of child care expenses of children enrolled at a licensed child care center. The credit amount varies depending on the Grow NJ Kids rating of the child care center. If the center has a three star rating, the credit allowed is equal to 15 percent of expenses paid to the center; if the center has a four star rating, the credit allowed is equal to 17.5 percent of expenses; if the center has a five star rating, the credit allowed is equal to 20 percent of expenses. Grow NJ Kids is a State-sponsored initiative that provides a rating and improvement system designed to assess child care and education programs. A taxpayer may claim a credit for each child less than six years old that is enrolled at a licensed child care center. The child is considered less than six years old if the child is less than six years old at any point during the calendar year. For taxpayers with less than $25,000 of gross income, the credit is refundable. Effectively, if the taxpayer has no tax liability to use the whole or part of the credit against, the taxpayer would receive the remaining credit amount from the State in cash. For taxpayers with higher income, any remaining credit may be carried forward to the next taxable year, but may not be carried forward beyond that. The credit allowed by this bill cannot be claimed in the same year as New Jersey's child and dependent care credit. That credit, first allowed for taxable year 2018, is equal to a percentage of the federal income tax credit that the taxpayer is allowed for child and dependent care. | In Committee |
| A1594 | Allows law enforcement agencies to provide juvenile-family crisis information to principal of juvenile's school for planning programs relevant to juvenile's educational and social development. | This bill would allow a law enforcement agency, on a confidential basis, to provide information regarding a juvenile involved in a juvenile-family crisis to the principal of the school where the juvenile is enrolled for use by the principal and such members of the staff as the principal deems appropriate for the purpose of planning programs relevant to the juvenile's educational and social development. A record of the information provided by the law enforcement agency is not permitted to be maintained except as authorized by regulation of the State Board of Education. Any information provided by the law enforcement agency under the provisions of this bill is not permitted to be used to impose school discipline. | 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 |
| A5768 | Requires BPU to revise community solar program targets. | Requires BPU to revise community solar program targets. | Introduced |
| 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 | Abstain |
| 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 | Abstain |
| 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 |
| A5088 | Exempts sale of farm vehicles from sales and use tax for farmers. | Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5241 | Prohibits approving authority from approving construction of certain warehouses on lot of land within 1,000 feet of historic district. | Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5545 | Authorizes soil conservation districts to have more than five supervisors. | Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| A5572 | Establishes quorum standards for professional licensing entities under certain circumstances. | Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/15/2025 | Yea |
| S862 | Requires DOT to provide additional information in annual report on pavement condition; makes report available to public. | Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A1423 | Requires MVC to conduct unscheduled surprise inspections of certain school buses. | Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A2596 | Requires DOT to provide additional information in annual report on pavement condition; makes report available to public. | Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A4118 | Establishes Statewide targets to reduce disposal of organic waste in landfills; requires DEP to adopt regulations to achieve targets. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | 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 Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5009 | "Packaging and Paper Product Stewardship Act." | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Substitution | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5195 | Requires manufacturer of certain firefighting equipment containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances to provide written notice to purchaser; prohibits sale, manufacture, and distribution of certain firefighting equipment containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Substitution | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5223 | Requires manufacturer of firefighting personal protective equipment containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances to provide written notice to purchaser. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Substitution | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5265 | Authorizes enforcement of landscape irrigation law by local enforcing agency and increases penalties. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| S4126 | Prohibits certain uses of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5534 | Requires business that violates State environmental laws to forfeit economic development subsidies under certain circumstances. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5533 | Establishes requirements for receipt and purchase of scrap metals containing propulsion batteries. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5535 | Requires certain facilities that store or process automotive shredder residue to obtain DEP permit; defines "hazardous waste" to include automotive shredder residue. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported with Amendments | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5584 | Prohibits certain uses of perchloroethylene and trichloroethylene. | Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5612 | Concerns parking violations that obstruct NJT bus operations and bicycle lanes in certain circumstances. | Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| A5623 | Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for transportation infrastructure projects for FY2026; makes appropriation. | Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee: Reported Favorably | 05/08/2025 | Yea |
| S1548 | Requires school districts to adopt policies concerning student use of sunscreen and sun-protective clothing at school and school-sponsored functions. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| S2236 | Exempts nursing mothers from jury duty. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| S1320 | Requires certain information be included in certain contracts with licensed public adjusters. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A3340 | Clarifies which health care professional may provide documentation to school district of need for home instruction due to student's health condition. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A3025 | Exempts poll workers wages from affecting unemployment compensation. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| AJR67 | Designates last week of April of each year as "Reentry Week." | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1211 | Upgrades criminal penalties for use or possession of payment card scanning device; requires merchant to take reasonable safety measures to prevent scanning of payment card. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A3283 | Directs certain unclaimed electric, gas, and water public utility deposits in Unclaimed Utility Deposits Trust Fund and societal charge revenues to be paid to Statewide nonprofit public utility assistance organizations meeting certain eligibility criteria. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1973 | Establishes requirements to evaluate certain people who are pregnant and who have given birth for endometriosis. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1715 | Requires public institution of higher education to invite Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey on institution's campus. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1700 | Requires DOH to establish public awareness campaign and develop policies and procedures to promote recognition and treatment of perinatal anxiety. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1825 | Establishes certain guidelines for SHBP, SEHBP, and Medicaid concerning step therapy protocols. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A2115 | Requires public transportation employees and certain motorbus operators to complete training course on handling and responding to suspected human trafficking; requires inclusion of certain content in certain courses. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| A1389 | Requires seizure of ammunition and certain firearm components in response to domestic violence restraining order or conviction. | Assembly Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/24/2025 | Yea |
| Committee | Position | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detail | New Jersey General Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee | 6 | |
| Detail | New Jersey General Assembly Environment, Natural Resources and Solid Waste Committee | 6 | |
| Detail | New Jersey General Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee | 9 |
| State | District | Chamber | Party | Status | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | New Jersey Assembly District 08 | Assembly | Democrat | In Office | 01/09/2024 |