Legislator
Legislator > Andrew Zwicker
State Senator
Andrew Zwicker
(D) - New Jersey
New Jersey Senate District 16
In Office - Started: 01/11/2022
contact info
Monmouth Junction Office
1 Deer Park Drive
Suite D-1
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
Suite D-1
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852
Phone: 732-823-1684
Fax: 732-823-1658
| Bill | Bill Name | Summary | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| S3123 | Expands permitted investments of school district and local unit funds. | This bill would expand the types of securities within which a school district or a local unit of government may invest its funds. Under the bill, a school district or a local unit whose financial investment officials have completed the training programs set forth in the bill may invest their funds in:· Negotiable certificates of deposit or other evidences of deposit, with a remaining maturity of three years or less, issued by a nationally or State-chartered bank, a federal or State savings and loan association, or a State-licensed branch of a foreign bank; · Corporate debt obligations, denominated in U.S. dollars, with a remaining maturity of five years or less; · Bills of exchange or time drafts drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank, otherwise known as bankers' acceptances, if the bankers' acceptances do not exceed 180 days' maturity and the accepting bank is rated in the top short-term category by at least two nationally recognized statistical ratings organizations; or· Commercial paper issued by business entities organized in accordance with federal or State law, with a maturity not to exceed 270 days, if the issuing business entity is rated in the top short-term category by at least two nationally recognized statistical ratings organizations. In order to purchase these types of securities, the treasurer, the chief financial officer, the school business administrator, or other person responsible for the investment of local unit or school district funds, is required to:· attend at least one independent training session, approved by the Division of Local Government Services, for the purpose of advising persons responsible for the investment of local unit or school district funds, and containing at least four hours of instruction relating to the person's responsibilities under the bill for investing local unit or school district funds; and· attend an investment training session not less than once in a two-year period, and receive not less than four hours of instruction relating to permitted investments, under the bill, from an independent source, approved by the Division of Local Government Services, to advise the person in the investment policy of the local unit or school district. | In Committee |
| S3017 | Requires social media companies to establish toll-free telephone number for NJ account holders to report fraudulent account actions. | This bill requires a social media company to provide a 24-hour toll-free telephone number by which an account holder may contact a live customer service representative of the social media company for the purpose of reporting fraudulent activity, including, but not limited to, unauthorized access to a social media account. A social media company is also required to publish the toll-free telephone number and an explanation of the purpose of the toll-free telephone number on any email notifications of account security sent to a New Jersey account holder and in a prominent location on the social media platform's homepage or help page. It is an unlawful practice and a violation of the consumer fraud act for a social media company to fail to comply with any provision of this bill. An unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act is punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, a violation can result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured party. Currently, many account holders face difficulty receiving assistance with reporting fraudulent activities on their social media accounts. This bill is intended to provide account holders with a means by which to report fraudulent activity to a live customer service representative. | In Committee |
| S3016 | Prohibits certain substances in sale, distribution, and manufacture of commercial foods. | This bill adds four substances to the general prohibition on adulterated commercial food. It is unlawful for any entity in this State to distribute, sell, manufacture for sale or distribution, or possess with intent to sell or distribute, any adulterated food. It is the sponsor's understanding that the State Sanitary Code provides the enforcement and penalties for this act to be carried out by the Department of Health. Each violation of the State Sanitary Code constitutes a separate offense and is punishable by a penalty of not less than $50 and not more than $1,000. This bill adds brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 to the conditions that deem food adulterated. Each of these chemicals is prohibited from use in processed food for sale in the European Union based on scientific studies demonstrating their risk for significant public health harm, particularly to children. | In Committee |
| SR92 | Condemns actions of Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin for events leading up to death of Alexei Navalny. | This resolution condemns the actions of the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin for the events leading up to the death of Alexei Navalny. Navalny was an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin and an opposition leader who organized massive pro-democracy, anti-corruption protests. Navalny was convicted and received suspended sentences twice on criminal charges, which led Russian election officials to bar Navalny from running against Vladimir Putin in the 2018 presidential election. In August 2020, Navalny was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent and medically evacuated to Germany for treatment. Upon his return to Russia in 2021, he was immediately arrested due to accusations that he violated his parole conditions. After his arrest, he received multiple prison sentences. The time Navalny spent in prison was reportedly inhumane for reasons such as solitary confinement, extreme cold, unsanitary conditions, and harsh beatings. Navalny was pronounced dead on February 16, 2024, at the age of 47, while imprisoned at the IK-3 penal colony, and many people were detained and arrested for attending his funeral as well as various memorials across Russia. The Senate of the State of New Jersey joins the rest of the world in condemning the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin's relentless targeting of Alexei Navalny to silence his message of resistance against corruption, which ultimately resulted in his death. | In Committee |
| S3072 | Provides additional State school aid to certain school districts; appropriates $105,886,559. | This bill provides that a school district that is subject to a reduction in total State school aid for the 2024-2025 school year will receive Supplemental Stabilization Aid. The aid provided under the bill would ensure that the district's total State school aid in the 2024-2025 school year is equal to the amount of total State school aid received in the 2023-2024 school year. The bill defines total State school aid to include: equalization aid, special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, transportation aid, adjustment aid, educational adequacy aid, school choice aid, and military impact aid. To receive the aid provided under the bill, a school district is required to submit to the Commissioner of Education, in a manner and form to be prescribed by the commissioner, 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. A county vocational school district that receives vocational expansion stabilization aid in the 2024-2025 school year is not eligible to receive Supplemental Stabilization Aid under the bill. The bill appropriates a sum from the Property Tax Relief Fund to the Department of Education and provides a list of school districts eligible to receive additional aid under the bill, as well as the amount of additional aid to be provided to each district. A total of 140 districts are eligible under the bill to receive a share of approximately $105.9 million in additional aid. | In Committee |
| S3081 | Establishes Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program to restore certain portions of State school aid reductions for certain school districts; appropriates $71.4 million. | This bill establishes in the Department of Education a Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to provide aid grants to eligible school districts of up to two-thirds of the amount of the districts' State school aid reductions for the 2024-2025 school year. A school district would be eligible to apply for an aid grant under the program if the district is subject to a State school aid reduction in the 2024-2025 school year. In order to receive an aid grant under the program, an eligible district is required to apply to the commissioner and meet certain conditions related to raising its local tax levy. As a condition of the receipt of an aid grant, an eligible district is to fully exhaust: 1) all tax authority that is available to the school district pursuant to current law that establishes a two percent tax levy growth limitation and certain allowable adjustments above the two percent cap; and 2) the total amount of the district's "banked cap." Under current law, a school district may add to its adjusted tax levy in any one of the next three succeeding budget years, the amount of the difference between the maximum allowable amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year and the actual amount to be raised by taxation for the current school budget year. In addition, an eligible district receiving aid under the bill is to not reduce the total number of school district employees compared to the prior school year, unless the commissioner approves reductions that are being made due to an anticipated decline in enrollment in the 2024-2025 school year compared to the prior year. Under the bill, an otherwise eligible school district is not eligible for an aid grant in the event that the district's full exhaustion of current law tax authority results in the raising of additional funds that are greater than the amount of the school district's State school aid reduction. The bill appropriates $71.4 million to fund the Stabilized School Budget Aid Grant Program. An eligible school district that is awarded an aid grant may implement increases to its general fund tax levy up to one-third of the amount of the districts' State school aid reductions, in the event that there is a difference that remains after the district's receipt of aid under the bill. The bill provides, however, that no school district receiving an aid grant under the bill can raise a general fund tax levy that is greater than 9.9 percent of the prebudget year adjusted tax levy, unless the full exhaustion of tax authority required under the bill is otherwise greater than 9.9 percent of the prior year tax levy. | In Committee |
| SR85 | Recognizes loneliness as public health crisis. | This resolution recognizes loneliness as a public health crisis. The United States Surgeon General declared a loneliness epidemic on May 3, 2023 due to an increase in the number of people experiencing loneliness and the adverse health effects that those individuals are prone to experience. Loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives and to experience premature death. While the epidemic of loneliness and isolation is widespread and has profound consequences for our individual and collective health and well-being, there is an available solution to the problem: social connection. Social connection is beneficial for individual health, improving the resilience of our communities, and decreasing the feeling of loneliness. With more than one in five adults and more than one in three young adults living with a mental illness in the United States, addressing loneliness and isolation is critical in order to fully address the mental health crisis in New Jersey. It is fitting to recognize the loneliness epidemic and its effects on the health of New Jerseyans throughout the State in effort to proactively take necessary action in curtailing its adverse public health outcomes. | In Committee |
| S2964 | Creates standards for independent bias auditing of automated employment decision tools. | This bill provides standards for the use of an independent bias audit if an employer elects to use an automated employment decision tool (AEDT) for an employment decision. The bill does not require an employer to use an AEDT in making an employment decision, but it does require that an employer utilize an independent bias auditing system of its AEDT if the employer elects to use an AEDT. The bill defines "automated employment decision tool," or "AEDT" to mean 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 filter 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 defines "bias audit" to mean an impartial evaluation, including but not limited to testing, of an automated employment decision tool to assess its predicted compliance with the provisions of the "Law Against Discrimination," and any other applicable law relating to discrimination in employment. The bill requires employers to post the result of bias audits on employer websites, and it requires employers to provide notice to employment candidates or applicants of the use of an AEDT in employment decisions. This bill is modeled after regulations in the New York City Administrative Code addressing the use of AEDTs and bias auditing of those systems. | In Committee |
| S2435 | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | Crossed Over |
| S2865 | Establishes "The Voter Convenience Act" to allow voters to vote at any polling place in their municipality on election day. | Establishes "The Voter Convenience Act" to allow voters to vote at any polling place in their municipality on election day. | In Committee |
| S721 | Exempts sales of investment metal bullion and certain investment coins from sales and use tax. | Exempts sales of investment metal bullion and investment coins from sales and use tax. | Crossed Over |
| S349 | Concerns motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances. | This bill concerns motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances. Under current law, the operator of a motor vehicle is required to take certain actions when approaching a pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or any other lawful personal conveyance on the roadways of this State. Additionally, current law does not define "personal conveyance." Under this bill, "personal conveyance" includes, but is not limited to, a low-speed electric bicycle, a low-speed electric scooter, a manual wheelchair, a motorized wheelchair or a similar mobility assisting device used by persons with physical disabilities or by persons whose ambulatory mobility has been impaired by age or illness, an electric personal assistive mobility device, a motorized scooter, a skateboard, a motorized skateboard, roller skates, or any other device used by a person for transportation. In addition, this bill makes clarifying changes to the current definition of "pedestrian." Under the bill, "pedestrian" includes, but is not limited to, a pedestrian as defined under current law or any other person who is upon the roadway and outside of a motor vehicle for work, emergency response, or recreation. | Passed |
| S1277 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable and senior citizen housing. | Establishes centralized directory for affordable and senior citizen housing. | Crossed Over |
| S1636 | Changes MVC voter registration procedures. | Changes MVC voter registration procedures. | In Committee |
| S1644 | Authorizes State Treasurer to sell as surplus certain real property and improvements in Township of Hillsborough in Somerset County. | Authorizes State Treasurer to sell as surplus certain real property and improvements in Township of Hillsborough in Somerset County. | Passed |
| S2352 | Establishes "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey." | This bill establishes the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey" and is modeled after the "John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York." Under the bill, all statutes, rules, and regulations, in this State including all local laws or ordinances related to the elective franchise must be construed liberally in favor of: (1) protecting the right of voters to have their ballot cast and counted; (2) ensuring that eligible voters are not impaired in registering to vote; and (3) ensuring voters of race, color, and language-minority groups have equitable access to fully participate in the electoral process in registering to vote and voting. The bill prohibits the authority to prescribe or maintain voting or elections policies and practices to be so exercised as to unnecessarily deny or abridge the right to vote. The bill also prohibits a county board of elections or political subdivision from using a method of election that has the effect of impairing the ability of members of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or influence the outcome of elections, as a result of vote dilution. The bill requires any policy and practice that burdens the right to vote must be narrowly tailored to promote a compelling policy justification that must be supported by substantial evidence. The bill provides factors for determining if a violation of the bill has occurred, including if a voter's right to vote has been violated or if the voter has experienced vote dilution. Under the bill, if a violation of the provision of the bill occurs, the bill provides a remedy process, including for apportionment and redistricting maps. The bill provides that after a New Jersey Voting Rights Act notification letter is mailed from a prospective plaintiff to a political subdivision the political submission may pass a New Jersey Voting Rights Act resolution reaffirming: (1) the political subdivision's intention to enact and implement a remedy for a potential violation of the bill; (2) specific steps the political subdivision will undertake to facilitate approval and implementation of such a remedy; and (3) a schedule for enacting and implementing such a remedy. The bill provides that if the governing body of a political subdivision lacks the authority under this act or applicable State law or local laws to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, or fails to enact or implement a remedy identified in the resolution, within 90 days after the passage of the resolution, or if the political subdivision is a covered entity as defined by the bill, the governing body of the political subdivision must coordinate with the Division on Civil Rights in the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety to resolve the violation, including reaffirming that any proposal is unlikely to violate the United States Constitution, New Jersey Constitution, or any federal or State law, would not diminish the ability of protected class members to participate in the political process and to elect their preferred candidates to office; and is feasible to implement. Under the bill, the Attorney General and the Division on Civil Rights are provided with certain preclearance powers. The bill provides that if certain political subdivisions that have been the subject to court order or government enforcement action based on violations of the bill; the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended; the 15th amendment to the United States Constitution, or a voting-related violation of the 14th amendment to the United States Constitution, may be subject to preclearance, which is the process of obtaining prior approval from the Division on Civil Rights or a court of this State for any changes related to election procedures in that political subdivision. The bill provides assistance to language-minority groups. Under the bill, a county board of elections or a political subdivision that administers elections must provide language-related assistance in voting and elections to a language-minority group in a political subdivision if, based on data from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, or data of comparable quality collected by a public office, that: (1) more than two percent, but in no instance fewer than 300 individuals, of the citizens of voting age of a political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient; or (2) more than 4,000 of the citizens of voting age of such political subdivision are members of a single language-minority group and are limited English proficient. The bill further provides that a county board of elections or political subdivision required to provide language assistance to a particular language-minority group pursuant to this section must provide voting materials in the covered language of an equal quality of the corresponding English language materials, including registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or other materials or information relating to the electoral process, including ballots. Under the bill, any aggrieved persons or organization whose membership includes aggrieved persons or members of a protected class, organization whose mission, in whole or in part, is to ensure voting access and such mission would be hindered by a violation of this bill, or the Attorney General may file an action pursuant to the bill in court. The bill provides that any action or investigation to enforce any provision of this bill, the Attorney General would have the authority to take proof and determine relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in accordance with the civil and criminal laws of this State. The bill also contains a severability provision. If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, or other portion of the bill is for any reason held or declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or preempted by federal law, or the applicability of that portion to any person or facility is held invalid, the remainder of the bill would not thereby be deemed to be unconstitutional, preempted, or invalid. The purpose of this bill is to: (1) encourage participation in the elective franchise by all eligible voters to the maximum extent; (2) ensure that eligible voters who are members of racial, ethnic, and language minority groups have an equal opportunity to participate in the political processes of this State and exercise the elective franchise; (3) improve the quality and availability of demographic and election data; and (4) protect eligible voters against intimidation and deceptive practices. This bill would take effect on the first day of the 18th month next following the date of enactment, except that the Attorney General may take any anticipatory action in advance thereof. | Dead |
| 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 and appropriates funds. | "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 and appropriates funds. | In Committee |
| SCR43 | Proposes constitutional amendment to make State trustee of public natural resources and guarantee to the people other environmental rights. | Proposes constitutional amendment to make State trustee of public natural resources and guarantee to the people other environmental rights. | In Committee |
| S198 | Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in, and requires divestment from, 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies. | This bill, would prohibit the Director of the Division of Investment (director) from investing any assets of the State retirement funds in any of the top 200 companies that hold the largest carbon content fossil fuel reserves. Under the bill, divestment from coal companies would be required to be completed within two years, and from all other fossil fuel companies within one year. The director would be authorized to cease divestment or reinvest in previously divested companies if the director demonstrates that, as a direct result of the divestment, the State retirement funds have or will become equal to or less than 99.5 percent of their hypothetical value had no divestment occurred. Finally, the bill would require the State Investment Council and the director to report on the divestment efforts required by the bill within 120 days of the bill's effective date, and annually thereafter. | In Committee |
| SCR58 | Urges New Jersey State Park Service to establish visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park. | This concurrent resolution urges the New Jersey State Park Service to establish a visitor's center at Princeton Battlefield State Park. Princeton Battlefield State Park preserves a critically important piece of American and New Jersey history. Important leaders in the early history of the United States of America, including General George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Charles Willson Peale, and Dr. Benjamin Rush, were present at the Princeton Battlefield. It was also the hallowed ground where several important military leaders gave their lives, notably, General Hugh Mercer of Virginia, Colonel John Haslet of Delaware and Captain William Shippin of Pennsylvania, the first United States Marine to fall in land combat. The Battle of Princeton ended ten long days of battle between the Continental Army, the hired Germanic auxiliary troops, and the British military forces, beginning with the famous Christmas Day crossing of the Delaware River by General George Washington and his Continental Army. Victory for the Continental Army at the Battle of Princeton was a major turning point in the war for America's independence. Preserving the Princeton Battlefield is crucial. The site memorializes the sacrifice of those who defended the United States in its first war, and is a tribute to those who still defend the nation almost 250 years later. The battlefield's status as a State Park is not enough. Establishing a visitor's center will highlight its importance in New Jersey and in American history by providing a permanent place in which visitors can learn about the Battle of Princeton and the American Revolutionary War. Without a visitor's center to welcome and educate the public, the physical site of the Princeton Battlefield is at risk and its story could become lost. Private donations would help the State Park Service in developing the best possible visitor's center. | In Committee |
| S1625 | Requires annual report on New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program to include information on borrower delinquency and administrative wage garnishments. | Requires annual report on New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program to include information on borrower delinquency and administrative wage garnishments. | In Committee |
| S2862 | Requires BPU to develop program to promote certain energy businesses in the State. | This bill would require the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to develop and implement a program to promote women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ)-owned energy businesses in the State. The bill would authorize the program to include public information campaigns, marketing, advertising, the provision of incentives, or other means and methods determined appropriate by the BPU. The bill would establish certain target percentages for the energy procured by businesses and public entities that utilize third-party energy suppliers, as enumerated in subsection b. of section 1 of the bill. These target percentages would culminate, in the fourth energy year after the program is established and thereafter, with the goal that 25 percent of the energy procured by businesses and public entities that utilize third-party energy suppliers be procured from a women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, or LGBTQ-owned energy business. The bill would establish certain requirements for determining which businesses qualify for the program, and would direct the BPU to develop an application process for businesses that seek to participate in the program. Finally, the bill would require the BPU and electric and gas public utilities in the State to post a list of approved energy businesses on their websites, and it would require the BPU to track the success of the program in meeting the targets established by the bill and post updates on its website. | In Committee |
| S2863 | Establishes one-time tax credits for certain organic farmers. | This bill would provide one-time corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to certain State-certified organic farmers who are required in 2022 to obtain certification for organic agricultural products from an accredited certifying agent outside of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. In a notice dated January 11, 2022, the department informed currently certified organic farmers within the State that department certification for organic agricultural products would be surrendered effective May 30, 2022 and that the department would no longer certify or inspect organic operations. Organic farmers that are certified with the department would be required to, within 60 of days of the date of the department's notice, apply to another Accredited Certification Agency for an organic certification. For the privilege period and taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, but before January 1, 2023, a qualified taxpayer who meets the requirements of the bill would be allowed a credit against the corporation business tax or gross income tax in an amount equal to the difference between: the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from an accredited certifying agent certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from the department certification for organic agricultural products pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) for that same period. To qualify for a credit, a taxpayer would have to apply for a certification from the Department of Agriculture that certifies: the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from an accredited certifying agent certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from the department certification for organic agricultural products pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and the amount of the tax credit to which the qualified taxpayer is entitled. The application would include such information as the department determines relevant. When filing a tax return that includes a claim for a credit pursuant to this bill, the taxpayer would have to include a copy of the certification issued by the department. Under the bill, if a qualified taxpayer incurs fees to obtain from the department or other accredited certifying agent annual certification for organic agricultural products, the department is required to calculate the tax credit by: (1) prorating the fees incurred by the taxpayer to reflect the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and (2) subtracting (a) the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain certification from the department for that period from (b) the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain certification from an accredited certifying agent during that period. Under the bill, a "qualified taxpayer" means any person or entity: who produces and sells organic agricultural products in adherence to applicable federal standards for such products; who was certified by the department pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) on January 11, 2022; who paid fees to the department in connection with certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; who was certified by an accredited certifying agent during the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022, and who paid fees to the accredited certifying agent in connection with that certification; and whose fees for certification by an accredited certifying agent during the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022 exceeded the qualified taxpayer's fees for certification by the department during that same period. The bill defines "accredited certifying agent" as a person or entity that operates as an accredited certifying agent under the National Organic Program. | In Committee |
| S2861 | Permits court to order counseling for children in households with domestic violence in appropriate cases; establishes presumption of award of custody to domestic violence victim in appropriate cases. | This bill permits the court to order counseling for a child in a proceeding involving domestic violence. The bill also permits the court to order legal and physical custody of a minor child to the plaintiff in certain circumstances involving domestic violence. A court may order counseling in appropriate cases, including when a child witnesses or experiences domestic violence while residing in the household with the abuser and the victim. Additionally, the bill permits the court to order the abusive party, to pay for the domestic violence counseling provided to the child. A defendant ordered to pay for domestic violence counseling is required to show proof of payment of the services to the court. The bill permits the court to order a defendant to provide reimbursement for costs incurred in providing counseling for a child. The court may enter this order upon evaluating and determining the defendant's ability to pay for such services. The defendant may be required to pay the victim directly, reimburse the Victims of Crime Compensation Office for compensation paid to the victim from the Victims of Crime Compensation Office, or reimburse any party that may have compensated the victim. The bill also establishes that, upon the issuance of a final restraining order, there is a presumption that legal and physical custody be awarded to the non-abusive parent. Nothing in the bill precludes the non-custodial parent from making an application to the court to modify custody after an award of custody to the non-abusive parent. In any subsequent child support proceeding following the entry of a final restraining order, the victim is not required to be in the same room as the person found by the court to have committed domestic violence. | In Committee |
| S2784 | "Chiara's Law"; prohibits euthanizing animals in shelters or pounds except for health or safety reasons. | This bill prohibits euthanizing animals in shelters or pounds for any reason other than health or safety reasons, and requires any necessary euthanizing to be done in a humane manner consistent with current law. The bill also provides that any Department of Health requirements concerning an animal suspected of being rabid would supersede the provisions limiting euthanasia for impounded animals established in the bill. | In Committee |
| S2785 | Establishes crime of doxxing. | This bill establishes the crime of doxxing. Under the bill, doxxing occurs if a person, with the purpose to subject another person to violence, stalking, physical restraining, mental anguish, or to cause a person to fear for their own safety or that of another, knowingly discloses personal identifying information without the person's consent. A crime is committed under the bill when the disclosure: (1) creates a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or physical harm to the person or a close relation of the person; (2) creates a substantial risk that the person or a close relation of the person is subjected to stalking; or (3) inflicts mental anguish upon the person or a close relation of the person and places the person or close relation in reasonable fear of physical harm. Under the bill, "close relation" is defined as a spouse; domestic partner; partner in a civil union couple; former spouse, former domestic partner; former partner in a civil union; parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, stepsibling, child, stepchild, or grandchild, whether related by blood or by law; any person who is a present household member, or who was, within the prior six months, a household member; or any person with a significant personal or professional relationship. The crime of doxxing does not occur if the disclosure was made: (1) in good faith to inform any member of the public of conduct by the person that the actor reasonably believed to be unlawful; (2) in good faith to inform law enforcement of conduct committed by the person that the actor reasonably believed to constitute a crime; or (3) while cooperating in an official investigation or prosecution of a violation of N.J.S.A.2C:33-4.1, cyber harassment. The bill also establishes a rebuttable presumption that the actor did not act with the purpose established under the bill if the personal identifying information of another person was disclosed for the primary purpose of: (a) publishing, disseminating, or reporting in good faith conduct by an elected public official or law enforcement officer acting in their official capacity that the actor reasonably believe to be unlawful or an abuse of authority; or (b) engaging in lawful and constitutionally protected activity as it pertains to speech, assembly, press, or petition. Doxxing is a crime of the fourth degree unless the disclosure results in any serious bodily injury, physical harm, or stalking, at which time it becomes a crime of the third degree. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by up to 18 months imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $15,000, or both. | In Committee |
| S2434 | Provides tax levy cap adjustment for certain school districts experiencing reductions in State school aid. | This bill provides a tax levy cap adjustment for certain school districts that are experiencing State school aid reductions. Under current law, a school district is generally prohibited from increasing its property tax levy by more than two percent compared to the previous school year. This limited increase is often referred to as a "tax levy growth limitation" or a "property tax cap." However, State law authorizes certain allowable adjustments to the general two percent limitation, thereby permitting a district to account for certain increases in items such as enrollment, health care costs, and certain normal and accrued liability pension contributions. This bill would provide for an allowable adjustment to the tax levy growth limitation for a school district that experiences a reduction in State school aid in the 2023-2024 school year or the 2024-2025 school year pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2018, c.67, which is commonly referred to as "S2." The amount of the allowable adjustment equals the difference between the amount of State aid received by the school district in the previous school year and the amount of State aid received by the school district in the 2023-2024 school year or the 2024-2025 school year. The bill would provide for another allowable adjustment for a school district that is experiencing a reduction in State school aid and is spending below adequacy in any school year after the 2024-2025 school year. Under current law, a school district is considered to be spending below adequacy if its prebudget year spending (defined as the sum from the prior school year of equalization aid, special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, and the school district's tax levy) is below its projected adequacy spending (defined as the sum for the school year in which the budget will be implemented of its adequacy budget, special education categorical aid, and security categorical aid). For these districts, the allowable adjustment to the tax levy would be the amount necessary for the district to be spending at adequacy. Finally, the bill prohibits any school district that increases its tax levy using the allowable adjustments established by the bill from reducing its teacher workforce or decreasing appropriations for instruction or support services. However, a district may reduce either its total number of teachers or the total amount of general fund appropriations for instruction or support services if the Commissioner of Education approves the applicable reductions in the district's proposed budget. | In Committee |
| S2421 | "Freedom to Read Act"; establishes requirements for library material in public school libraries and public libraries; protects school library media specialists and librarians from harassment. | This bill, entitled the "Freedom to Read Act," establishes requirements for library material in public school libraries and public libraries and establishes protections for school library media specialists and librarians against harassment. Under the bill, boards of education and governing boards of public libraries are required to adopt policies on the curation of library material within school libraries and public libraries. "Library material" is defined under the bill to mean any material including, but not limited to, nonfiction and fiction books; magazines; reference books; supplementary titles; multimedia and digital material; software and instructional material and other material not required as part of classroom instruction, belonging to, on loan to, or otherwise in the custody of a school library or public library. To assist boards of education in establishing a policy on the library material within school libraries, the Commissioner of Education is to create a model policy in consultation with the State Librarian and the New Jersey Association of School Librarians. The bill also requires the State Librarian to establish a model policy, in consultation with the New Jersey Library Association, for use and adoption by public libraries. The bill further requires boards of education and governing boards of public libraries to adopt policies creating a procedure regarding requests for removal of library material from a school library or public library. These policies are to establish a mechanism to challenge a library material, create a review committee, and require a written statement of reasons on the final determination of the library material. The State Librarian is to establish a model policy, in consultation with the New Jersey Library Association, for use and adoption by public libraries. The bill also requires boards of education and governing boards of public libraries to include diverse and inclusive material within their respective libraries. Students are to be able to reserve, check out, or access any age- and grade-appropriate library material, including diverse and inclusive materials. Similarly, residents are to be able to reserve, check out, or access any library material, including diverse and inclusive materials. The bill defines "diverse and inclusive material" to mean any material that reflects any protected class as enumerated in the "Law Against Discrimination," (LAD); material produced by an author notwithstanding the author's membership in a protected class as enumerated in the LAD; and material that contains the author's points of view concerning contemporary problems and issues, whether international, national or local; but excludes content that is inappropriate for grades and age groups served by the school library. The LAD bars discrimination on the basis of a person's race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation, marital status, liability for service in the Armed Forces, disability, or nationality. Further, this bill provides that a school library media specialist, teaching staff member, librarian, or any other staff member of a public library that engages in activities required under the bill is to be immune from criminal and civil liability. These individuals are also to have a civil cause of action for any relevant tort against any person who harasses the school library media specialist, teaching staff member, librarian, or any other staff member of a public library for complying with the provisions of the bill. "Harassment" or "harasses" is defined in the bill as a singular act that is severe or pervasive, or a series of acts over any period of time directed at a specific person that serves no legitimate purpose and would cause, or has caused, a reasonable person to suffer emotional distress. "Emotional distress" is defined as significant mental suffering or distress. Additionally, the bill creates an affirmative defense for a prosecution for obscenity for school library media specialists, teaching staff members, librarians, or any staff member of a public library that are complying with the provisions of this bill. Finally, this bill expands the scope of the LAD, to incorporate protection against discriminatory acts against a school library media specialist, teaching staff member, librarian, or any staff member of a public library based upon their refusal to remove library material except as permitted under the bill. It is the sponsor's intent that the Legislature protect the freedom of New Jersey's residents to read, for school libraries and public libraries to acquire and maintain materials without external limitations, to recognize that school library media specialists and librarians are trained to curate and develop collections, and to protect school library media specialists and librarians from unnecessary and unwarranted harassment and defamation for performance of their duties. | In Committee |
| S1443 | Establishes mortgage payment relief and foreclosure protection for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. | Establishes mortgage payment relief and foreclosure protection for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. | In Committee |
| S765 | Revises law prohibiting feeding of black bear. | This bill would amend the law concerning the feeding of black bear. Under current law, the prohibition on the feeding of black bear does not apply in the case of an unintentional feeding of a black bear. "Unintentional feeding" is defined in the law as using or placing any material for a purpose other than to attract or entice black bears but which results in the attraction or enticement of a black bear, and includes the use of bait for deer in accordance with section 1 of P.L.1997, c.424 (C.23:4-24.4) and the State Fish and Game Code. This bill clarifies that the prohibition applies to any food and includes the placement of food. The bill deletes the exemption for, and the definition of, "unintentional feeding," and replaces it with a specific list of activities or actions that are not considered to be the feeding of black bear. The bill provides that the following activities would not be subject to the prohibition in the bill: (1) any person licensed pursuant to law to possess wildlife; (2) any crop, agricultural product, or animal feed on the premises of any person engaged in agricultural or horticultural activities; (3) a birdfeeder maintained between the dates of April 1 and November 30, provided that certain conditions are met; (4) the placement of food at a shelter or pound licensed by the Department of Health or a municipally approved managed cat colony, provided that any uneaten food is removed every night; (5) the feeding of companion animals, provided that any uneaten food is removed every night; and (6) any action by federal, State, or local authorities that requires feeding, baiting, or luring of wildlife for management or scientific purpose. The bill would also amend the current law concerning the use of civil penalties recovered for violations. Under current law, any penalties are to be paid to the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Under this bill, any penalties collected would be remitted to the municipality in which the violation occurred. | In Committee |
| S1431 | Establishes foreclosure protection and mortgage relief for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. | This bill would establish foreclosure protection and mortgage relief for certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Hurricane Ida initially approached the Gulf Coast as a category 4 hurricane, and caused severe damage to a large area of the south and northeast regions of the country. In New Jersey, thousands of families have been displaced and unable to return to their homes as a result of this storm. This bill would offer certain homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida temporary protections against foreclosure, and would require mortgage servicers to provide a temporary pause in the mortgage payment obligations of the storm-impacted homeowners. The bill defines a "storm-impacted homeowner" as a homeowner who, as of August 31, 2021, occupied a residential property as the homeowner's primary residence, and who obtained federal disaster assistance for disaster-related needs as a result of damage sustained to the home due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida. The bill directs a mortgage servicer to grant a mortgage forbearance to a storm-impacted homeowner if the homeowner submits a written request prior to the first day of the sixth month following the enactment of the bill, affirming that the homeowner:· suffered a negative financial impact resulting from damage to the homeowner's primary residence due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida, and obtained federal disaster assistance as a result;· has a gross household income for 2022, that does not exceed 150 percent of the most recent area median income by zip code; and · does not possess bank accounts that collectively contain more than six months' reserves of the homeowner's gross household income for 2021, although the mortgage servicer may require the homeowner to provide a cash asset certification to demonstrate compliance with this provision. Upon receipt of a written request or verbal authorization for a mortgage forbearance from a storm-impacted homeowner, the bill would require a mortgage servicer to provide to the homeowner with a mortgage forbearance and confirmation of this action in writing. The minimum initial mortgage forbearance period of a storm-impacted homeowner would be one year. If requested, the bill requires the mortgage servicer to provide a subsequent forbearance period of at minimum 180 days, for a total of at minimum 545 days. Fees, penalties, or interest, including attorney's fees beyond the amounts scheduled and calculated as if the storm-impacted homeowner made all contractual payments on time and in full under the terms of the mortgage contract, would not be assessed or accrue during or as a result of a mortgage forbearance. A forbearance would not impact property tax and insurance obligations. A mortgage servicer that grants a forbearance pursuant to the bill would be required to encourage owners to seek out certified housing counseling and provide confirmation of the approval of the forbearance, information concerning the process for forbearance, and information on how to request a subsequent forbearance. The bill prohibits a mortgage servicer from furnishing negative mortgage payment information to a debt collector or credit reporting agency related to mortgage payments subject to a mortgage forbearance under the bill. In response to a complaint to the Attorney General from an impacted homeowner, the Attorney General may bring an action alleging a mortgage servicer has violated this prohibition. Under the bill, the repayment period of any mortgage subject to the forbearance would be extended by the number of months the forbearance is in effect. The payments not made during the months of the forbearance would instead be due on a monthly basis during the period constituting an extension of the mortgage, unless the property owner chooses to make these payments earlier. A storm-impacted homeowner denied a forbearance under the bill by a mortgage servicer licensed by the Department of Banking and Insurance ("DOBI"), and not a State- or nationally-chartered financial institution, may file a complaint with DOBI. DOBI would be required to investigate the complaint and, if appropriate, would order the mortgage servicer to grant a forbearance to the impacted homeowner. To the extent required by the Administrative Director of the Courts and DOBI, the bill would require a mortgage servicer to provide information on the provision of forbearances to those entities. Under the bill, a storm-impacted homeowner who is the subject of a foreclosure proceeding would be awarded, by the court and upon application by the property owner, a stay in the foreclosure proceedings if the conditions necessary to obtain a mortgage forbearance are satisfied. An application to the court by a storm-impacted homeowner would be required to be made prior to the first day of the sixth month following the effective date of the bill, unless the courts in their discretion permit application submission for a longer period. The award of a stay pursuant to the bill would conclude upon the earlier of:· the conclusion of one year following the initial award of a stay of foreclosure proceedings; or · July 1, 2024. The bill would take effect immediately, and apply retroactively to mortgage payments missed subsequent to September 1, 2021. | Dead |
| S1602 | Prohibits discrimination on basis of height or weight under "Law Against Discrimination." | This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of height or weight under the "Law Against Discrimination" (LAD). Studies have documented that individuals are discriminated against for their height or weight. Under current State law, this discrimination is permissible. This bill is modeled after the civil rights law in Michigan, which prohibits discrimination in employment, education, housing, public accommodations, and public service on the basis of height or weight, among other reasons for discrimination. The bill provides exceptions for employment and public accommodation for bone fide occupational qualifications and safety reasons, respectively. | Crossed Over |
| S1395 | Concerns development of accessory dwelling units. | The bill concerns the development of accessory dwelling units. Under this bill, an accessory dwelling unit would be permitted on a lot that contains a single-family dwelling. The bill provides for the exclusion of dwellings within a common interest community that are not single-family detached dwellings from being permitted to have accessory dwelling units. The bill provides a municipal zoning ordinance may require a principal dwelling unit with an accessory dwelling unit to be subject to the same dimensional controls and other controls as are required for the same principal dwelling unit without the accessory dwelling unit, as long as such restrictions do not prohibit the construction of accessory dwelling units, as specified in the bill. Under this bill a municipal zoning ordinance would be prohibited from requiring: (1) a passageway between an accessory dwelling unit and a principal dwelling unit; (2) an exterior door for an accessory dwelling; (3) any parking space minimums or dedications for an accessory dwelling unit; (4) a familial, marital, or employment relationship between occupants of a principal dwelling unit and an accessory dwelling unit; (5) a minimum age requirement for occupants of an accessory dwelling unit; (6) a separate billing of utilities otherwise connected to, or used by, the principal dwelling unit; or (7) periodic renewals for permits for accessory dwelling units. The bill provides, however, that an accessory dwelling unit is not exempt from: (1) applicable building code requirements; (2) restrictions on the use of an accessory dwelling unit for short-term rentals or vacation stays; or (3) sewerage system related requirements where a private sewerage system is being used, provided that approval for an accessory dwelling unit shall not be unreasonably withheld. The bill requires that a municipal agency not condition the approval of an accessory dwelling unit on the correction of a nonconforming use, structure or lot, or require the installation of fire sprinklers in an accessory dwelling unit if sprinklers are not required for the principal dwelling unit located on the same developable site. Under the bill, an accessory dwelling unit would not be considered a new residential use for the purpose of calculating or imposing connection fees or capacity charges for a purveyor of water and sewer service, unless the accessory dwelling unit is constructed together with a new single-family dwelling unit on the same lot, or requires the installation of a new or separate utility connection directly to the accessory dwelling unit. The bill provides that a municipality may amend its land use regulations to comply with the provisions of "Municipal Land Use Law," P.L.1975, c.291 (C.40:55D-1 et seq.), prior to January 1, 2023. On and after January 1, 2023, any provision of a municipality's land use regulations that are inconsistent with the provisions of the bill or other regulation would be null and void and a municipal agency would approve or deny applications for the development of accessory dwelling units in accordance with the requirements for regulations set forth under the bill. Under the bill, a municipality is prohibited from imposing additional standards related to the regulation of accessory dwelling units, except as provided for in the bill. Under the bill the governing body of a municipality, by a two-thirds vote of the full authorized membership, may opt out of the allowance of accessory dwelling units, provided the governing body: (1) convenes a public hearing; (2) states upon its record the reasons for opting out; and (3) not later than 15 days after such decision has been rendered, notifies the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) that the municipality has elected to opt out of the requirements and publishes notice of such decision in the official newspaper of the municipality, if there be one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. The bill also prohibits a zoning ordinance from: (1) establishing for any dwelling unit a minimum floor area that is greater than the minimum floor area set pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," and any regulations adopted thereafter; and (2) requiring more than one parking space for each studio or one-bedroom dwelling unit, or more than two parking spaces for each dwelling unit with two or more bedrooms, unless the municipality opts out. The governing body of a municipality, by a two-thirds vote of the full authorized membership, may opt out regarding limitations on parking spaces for dwelling units, provided the governing body: (1) convenes a public hearing; (2) states upon its record the reasons for opting out; and (3) not later than 15 days after such decision has been rendered, notifies DCA that the municipality has elected to opt out of the requirements and publishes notice of such decision in the official newspaper of the municipality, if there be one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. However, the bill provides that a governing body of a municipality cannot opt out of certain provisions of the bill regarding the allowance of accessory dwelling units if the accessory dwelling unit is age-restricted, as specified in the bill. The bill would also amend the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.), to require a municipality's master plan housing element to contain a consideration of lands and existing structures that are appropriate for the development of accessory dwelling units that can provide low- and moderate-income housing, and to provide that accessory dwelling units built or permitted after January 1 of the year next following enactment of the bill would only be credited towards a municipality's fair share affordable housing obligation as the equivalent of a studio apartment, which is affordable to a one person household. The bill defines an "accessory dwelling unit" as a second dwelling unit that: 1) is attached or detached, or located within or appurtenant to a permitted principal dwelling unit or single family dwelling; 2) is located on the same lot as a permitted principal dwelling unit; 3) contains 1,200 square feet of net floor space or less; and 4) has facilities and provisions for independent living, including space for sleeping, food preparation and sanitation. | Dead |
| S1579 | Provides tax credits for hiring certain military spouses. | This bill provides tax credits, to be awarded by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, for the hiring of certain military spouses. Under the bill, an employer may claim a tax credit for hiring an employee who is a nonresident of this State and is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been transferred to this State in the course of the member's service, is legally domiciled in this State, or has moved to this State on a permanent change-of-station basis. The final amount of the tax credit provided to an employer for hiring a nonresident military spouse employee is to equal: (1) for a nonresident military spouse employee who works for an employer for at least 120 hours but less than 400 hours in a taxable year or privilege period, 15 percent of the wages provided by the employer to the nonresident military spouse employee; or (2) for a nonresident military spouse employee who works for an employer for at least 400 hours in a taxable year or privilege period, 25 percent of the wages provided by the employer to the military spouse employee. The bill limits the final amount of a tax credit for hiring a nonresident military spouse employee to $2,400 in a tax year. | In Committee |
| S1392 | Establishes Office of Clean Energy Equity in BPU; directs establishment of certain clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs for overburdened communities; makes change to community solar program. | Establishes Office of Clean Energy Equity in BPU; directs establishment of certain clean energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage programs for overburdened communities; makes change to community solar program. | In Committee |
| S2471 | Establishes program for electronic monitoring of certain offenders; appropriates $50 million. | This bill establishes a program of electronic monitoring of certain offenders with victim notification. The bill would apply to certain defendants charged with or convicted of any of the following: sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault; human trafficking; kidnapping; a crime involving domestic violence; or a crime of contempt of a domestic violence order. Electronic monitoring would be ordered only with the victim's informed consent. Court hearing. The bill provides that the court, in making the determination whether to place the defendant on electronic monitoring, would hold a hearing to consider the defendant's potential dangerousness to the victim and the likelihood that the defendant's participation in electronic monitoring would deter the defendant from injuring the victim. The court would consider a number of factors including, but not limited to, the gravity and seriousness of harm that the defendant inflicted on the victim in the commission of the act, and any previous history of committing domestic violence or crimes. In considering these factors, the court would use a risk assessment instrument approved by the Administrative Director of the Courts that would be objective, standardized, and developed based on analysis of empirical data and risk factors relevant to the risk of whether the defendant will commit a future act of violence. At the hearing, the court would consider the gravity and seriousness of harm that the defendant inflicted on the victim; the defendant's previous history of domestic violence, if any; the defendant's history of other criminal acts, if any; whether the defendant has access to a weapon, has threatened suicide or homicide, has a history of mental illness or has been civilly committed; and whether the defendant has a history of alcohol abuse or substance abuse. In considering these factors, the court would use a risk assessment instrument approved by the Administrative Director of the Courts. The instrument would be objective, standardized, and developed based on analysis of empirical data and risk factors relevant to the risk of whether the defendant will commit a future act of violence against a victim of domestic violence. Standards for monitoring device and tracking system. The bill requires that any electronic monitoring device and tracking system worn or utilized by a defendant be in compliance with "Offender Tracking Systems NIJ Standard 1004.00," issued by the National Institute of Justice in July 2016, and any successor standards adopted by the National Institute of Justice. The NIJ Standard encompasses protocols for performance, safety, software requirements, and testing of electronic monitoring devices. The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the United States Department of Justice. Fees. Under the bill, a defendant ordered by the court to be placed on electronic monitoring would be ordered to pay an initial monitoring fee of $250 and a monitoring fee of $50 per day. The court may also order the defendant to pay costs and expenses of victim notification. The court may waive payment of a portion of the fees, costs, and expenses based on the defendant's ability to pay, and may waive all such fees, costs, and expenses in cases of extreme financial hardship. Civil penalties. The bill also provides for the following civil penalties: (1) any person found by the court in a final domestic violence hearing to have committed an act of domestic violence would be required to pay a civil penalty of $200, which may be waived by the court in cases of extreme financial hardship; (2) any person convicted of a crime involving domestic violence, or convicted of contempt of a domestic violence order, would be required to pay a civil penalty of $250, unless the person was previously or subsequently assessed the $250 monitoring fee; and (3) any person convicted of sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking, or kidnapping would be required to pay a civil penalty of $250, unless the person was previously or subsequently assessed the $250 monitoring fee. Fund. All monitoring fees and civil penalties would be forwarded to the "Electronic Monitoring and Crime Victim Notification Fund" established under the bill. This fund would be a dedicated, non-lapsing fund within the General Fund administered by the Attorney General. The fund would be the depository of the costs and expenses imposed on the defendant and any other monies that may be available to the fund through appropriation by the Legislature or any public or private source. All moneys deposited in the fund would be used to defray the costs of the monitoring program. Counseling for defendant. The bill provides that the court would order every defendant placed on electronic monitoring to receive appropriate counseling. Tampering with electronic monitoring device. The bill would make it a crime of the third degree to tamper with, remove, or vandalize an electronic monitoring device. A crime of the third degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of three to five years or a fine of up to $15,000 or both. Information provided to victim. The bill requires the victim to be given the following information before providing informed consent: (1) information concerning the victim's right to refuse to participate in electronic monitoring and the process for requesting the court to terminate the victim's participation after it has been ordered; (2) the manner in which the electronic monitoring technology functions and the risks and limitations of that technology, the operational procedures of the device and the applicable instructions regarding the device, and the extent to which the system will track and record the victim's location and movements; (3) the boundaries imposed on the defendant during the electronic monitoring; (4) the sanctions that the court may impose on the defendant for violating a court order; (5) the procedure that the victim is to follow if the defendant violates an order or if the electronic monitoring equipment fails; (6) identification of support services available to assist the victim in developing a safety plan; (7) identification of community services available to assist the victim in obtaining shelter, counseling, child care, legal representation and other assistance; and (8) the non-confidential nature of the victim's communications with the court concerning electronic monitoring and the restrictions to be imposed upon the defendant's movements. Monitoring and tracking system. Under the bill, any electronic monitoring device and tracking system would be operated by an entity under contract with the State. The monitoring and tracking system would: (a) operate 24 hours a day; and (b) provide notification to the defendant and the victim when the defendant is within the following specified distances from the victim: (i) three miles; (ii) one mile, in which case law enforcement is also notified; and (iii) one-half of a mile. Supplier immunity; exception for manufacturing defects. The bill further provides that no supplier of a product, system, or service used for electronic monitoring with victim notification in the Statewide program would be liable, directly or indirectly, for damages arising from any injury or death associated with the use of the product, system or service unless, and only to the extent that, such action is based on a claim that the injury or death was proximately caused by a manufacturing defect in the product or system. Public advertising not required. The bill also amends the "Local Public Contracts Law," P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.), to provide that services and equipment necessary for the implementation of the Statewide program could be negotiated and awarded by a governing body without public advertising for bids and bidding, and be awarded by resolution of the governing body. Appropriation. The bill appropriates $50 million from the General Fund to the "Electronic Monitoring and Crime Victim Notification Fund" established by the bill. Report to Governor and Legislature. The bill provides that not later than one year following the implementation of the Statewide program, and annually thereafter for a total of four years, the Attorney General is to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature containing an evaluation of the Statewide program. Procedures to report noncompliance by defendant. In addition, the bill requires the Attorney General, in consultation with the Administrative Office of the Courts, to develop procedures to determine, investigate, and report on a 24-hour-per-day basis a defendant's noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the electronic monitoring program. All reports of noncompliance would be investigated by a law enforcement officer within a reasonable period of time. Effective date. This bill would take effect on the 90th day after enactment, except the Attorney General, Administrative Office of the Courts, Division of Probation Services, and the State Parole Board, and any other entities that the Attorney General deems necessary, may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance as would be necessary for the implementation of the bill. | In Committee |
| SCR81 | Proposes constitutional amendment to increase amount of veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years. | If approved by the voters of the State, this proposed constitutional amendment would increase the amount of the veterans' property tax deduction from the current $250 to $2,500. The increase would occur over four years. Veterans who are honorably discharged from active service in a branch of the United States Armed Forces qualify for the deduction. A qualified veteran's surviving spouse would receive the deduction after the qualified veteran dies. The amendment would increase the amount of the deduction to $1,000 in tax year 2025, $1,500 in tax year 2026, $2,000 in tax year 2027, and $2,500 in tax year 2028, and every tax year thereafter. The voters of the State last approved an increase in the amount of the deduction in 1999, from $50 to $250, over four years. The amount of the deduction has been $250 since 2003. | In Committee |
| S1633 | Prohibits public libraries and public schools from banning or restricting access to certain books; permits withholding of State Aid for non-compliance. | This bill prohibits public libraries and public school libraries from banning or restricting access to certain books and permits the withholding of State Aid for non-compliance. This bill prohibits a governing body of any free public library, joint free public library, free county library, and free regional library from banning or restricting access to books or other resource materials because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Additionally, this bill requires the governing body of these public libraries to either adopt: 1) the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, which provides that books and materials "should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation;" or 2) a policy prohibiting the banning or restricting access to a book or resource because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Under the "state library aid law," the Department of the Treasury can withhold State Library aid from any municipality, county, or area library if the public library fails to comply with certain laws and regulations. This bill amends current law to permit the withholding of State Library aid if a public library fails to follow the provisions of this act. Similarly, this bill prohibits a board of education of a school district from banning or restricting access to books or other resource materials in a school library. Under the bill, a board of education is similarly required to adopt the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights or a policy prohibiting the banning or restricting access to books or resources. The bill permits the Commissioner of Education to withhold State aid to any board of education that does not follow the provisions of this act. The bill's provisions should not be construed to require a free public library or board of education to purchase, or otherwise acquire, a book or resource for inclusion in its collection. | Dead |
| S1493 | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | In Committee |
| S2376 | Requires boards of education to ensure that all staff are trained in care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every two years. | This bill amends current law concerning the provision of care for students with epilepsy and seizure disorders enrolled in public school to require that all staff employed by a board of education be trained in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders once every two years. Under "Paul's Law," P.L.2019, c.290, the board of education of a school district is required to coordinate the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders. Parents or guardians seeking epilepsy or seizure disorder care for a student while at school are required to annually submit to the school nurse a seizure action plan for the student and provide written authorization for the provision of epilepsy or seizure disorder care. The school nurse is then required to develop an individualized health care plan and an individualized emergency health care plan for the student and update the plans annually. In addition, boards of education are required to ensure that all staff, including staff working with school-sponsored programs outside of the regular school day, are trained in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders. However, there is currently no requirement that this training be conducted at regular intervals. This bill would require that all school staff undergo training in the care of students with epilepsy and seizure disorders every two years. | In Committee |
| S1645 | Establishes one-time tax credits for certain organic farmers. | This bill would provide one-time corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to certain State-certified organic farmers who are required in 2022 to obtain certification for organic agricultural products from an accredited certifying agent outside of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. In a notice dated January 11, 2022, the department informed currently certified organic farmers within the State that department certification for organic agricultural products would be surrendered effective May 30, 2022 and that the department would no longer certify or inspect organic operations. Organic farmers that are certified with the department would be required to, within 60 of days of the date of the department's notice, apply to another Accredited Certification Agency for an organic certification. For the privilege period and taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, but before January 1, 2023, a qualified taxpayer who meets the requirements of the bill would be allowed a credit against the corporation business tax or gross income tax in an amount equal to the difference between: the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from an accredited certifying agent certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from the department certification for organic agricultural products pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) for that same period. To qualify for a credit, a taxpayer would have to apply for a certification from the Department of Agriculture that certifies: the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from an accredited certifying agent certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain from the department certification for organic agricultural products pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and the amount of the tax credit to which the qualified taxpayer is entitled. The application would include such information as the department determines relevant. When filing a tax return that includes a claim for a credit pursuant to this bill, the taxpayer would have to include a copy of the certification issued by the department. Under the bill, if a qualified taxpayer incurs fees to obtain from the department or other accredited certifying agent annual certification for organic agricultural products, the department is required to calculate the tax credit by: (1) prorating the fees incurred by the taxpayer to reflect the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; and (2) subtracting (a) the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain certification from the department for that period from (b) the fees incurred by the qualified taxpayer to obtain certification from an accredited certifying agent during that period. Under the bill, a "qualified taxpayer" means any person or entity: who produces and sells organic agricultural products in adherence to applicable federal standards for such products; who was certified by the department pursuant to P.L.2003, c.176 (C.4:10-79) on January 11, 2022; who paid fees to the department in connection with certification for organic agricultural products for the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022; who was certified by an accredited certifying agent during the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022, and who paid fees to the accredited certifying agent in connection with that certification; and whose fees for certification by an accredited certifying agent during the period beginning on May 30, 2022 and ending on December 31, 2022 exceeded the qualified taxpayer's fees for certification by the department during that same period. The bill defines "accredited certifying agent" as a person or entity that operates as an accredited certifying agent under the National Organic Program. | Dead |
| S1603 | Establishes fringe benefit rate for State colleges and universities. | This bill directs the Division of Budget and Accounting, also known as the Office of Management and Budget, in the Department of the Treasury to establish a fringe benefit rate for public institutions of higher education that reflects the actual cost of employee fringe benefits. The separate fringe rate is to first apply in FY 2025. Currently, the fringe benefit rate used is not specific to employees at the State's public institutions of higher education, but to State employees in general. Many State employees are enrolled in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), while many of the employees employed by State public colleges and universities are enrolled in the less costly Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP) or are not enrolled in a retirement plan. This results in a difference between the actual cost of benefits and the amount paid to the State. | In Committee |
| S1297 | Requires MVC to create mobile driver's licenses and identification cards. | This bill requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (commission) to create and issue a mobile driver's license and mobile identification card to an individual who requests such electronic documentation. Under the bill, a mobile driver's license includes a basic driver's license, motorcycle license, and probationary driver's license that is accessible on a mobile electronic communication device and includes all information found on a printed, hard-copy version. The commission may charge and collect a reasonable fee for the issuance of a mobile driver's license and mobile identification card. When issuing a mobile driver's license and mobile identification card, the commission is required to prevent and detect the alteration, duplication, counterfeiting, photographing, forging, or other modification of the mobile driver's license and mobile identification card. The commission is also required to include features in the license and card to ensure the security and integrity of these documents. Under the bill, the commission is to allow a person with a mobile driver's license or a mobile identification card, or a person applying for such documentation, to update the person's motor vehicle record. The changes are to immediately become part of the person's official motor vehicle record and are to take precedence over information provided on the person's printed, hard-copy driver's license and identification card. The bill provides that a person may possess a mobile driver's license when driving a motor vehicle in this State and may exhibit a mobile driver's license when requested by a police officer or judge. | In Committee |
| S2299 | Increases FY2024 appropriation from General Fund to DCF for the Center for Great Expectations by $1.5 million from $500,000 to $2.0 million. | This bill increases the FY2024 appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Children and Families for the Center for Great Expectations by $1.5 million, from $500,000 to $2.0 million. The Center for Great Expectations is located in Somerset and provides safe housing and supportive services to over 1,000 women, men, and children annually, from both within and outside Somerset. Many of these individuals are homeless or economically marginalized, pregnant or parenting, or living with mental health or substance use disorders. Importantly, the organization administers the State's only residential program for adolescents with mental health disorders, who are pregnant or parenting. The additional State funds will be used to support the Center's adolescent residential program, the adult residential program for pregnant and at-risk women, and the outpatient substance abuse and mental health programs. All of these programs face a funding shortfall in the current fiscal year, which will be completely mitigated with the help of this additional State funding. | In Committee |
| S1606 | Requires State blanks, forms, documents, and applications to incorporate new standards for collection of information about sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. | This bill requires all blanks, forms, documents, and applications furnished to the public for official business by a State department, commission, committee, council, or agency to be modernized to incorporate new standards for the collection of information about an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Specifically, the bill requires that information about an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation be collected in all situations where other demographic data is collected, such as data concerning race and ethnicity. As with the collection of other demographic information, it will be optional for an individual to provide information about the individual's sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Any blank, form, document, or application requesting information about an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation is to be clearly marked in a manner that informs the individual that providing the information is optional, and that services will not be withheld in the case that the individual chooses not to provide the information. The authority to grant or refuse the disclosure of information about an individual's sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation remains with the individual, or with the individual's parent or guardian, if the individual is a minor under the age of 18, and no third party actor, including, but not limited to, a health care provider or a State employee or partner, will have the ability to grant or refuse the disclosure of such information. The bill requires that any questions relating to sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation be posed in a manner that: 1) is sensitive to the individual, and that does not infringe upon or threaten the individual's mental and physical well-being; 2) allows for non-binary designations; and 3) is consistent with relevant best practices, as recognized by Garden State Equality and other relevant organizations that engage in advocacy on behalf of the State's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ+) communities. The bill further provides that, in cases where the State is required by a federal agency or other federal initiative to collect and report information related to a person's sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation, the State department, commission, committee, council, or agency responsible for collecting and reporting that information will be required to include, within its program rules, documentation verifying the applicable federal requirements before it will be authorized to include any questions related to sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation on the forms, blanks, documents, or applications that it uses to comply with those federal requirements. Most, if not all, State blanks, forms, documents, and applications currently use outmoded means of collecting information about sex and gender. Specifically, they often conflate the meanings of sex and gender, do not collect information concerning sexual orientation and gender identity, and do not allow individuals who exist outside of the historical male/female binary system to accurately document their gender identity. This is inconsistent with recent changes made to New Jersey birth certificates, which now allow for documentation of gender identity outside of a historical male/female binary system. It is the sponsor's belief that, by requiring all State forms and other documents to reflect a more modernized methodology for the collection of information on sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, the State will better serve New Jersey's sexual and gender minorities by gathering information critical to targeting government programs and public policy to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. | In Committee |
| SCR12 | Amends State Constitution to prohibit slavery or involuntary servitude. | This constitutional amendment prohibits slavery or involuntary servitude in the State of New Jersey, including as punishment for a crime. Involuntary servitude is the coerced service of one individual for the benefit of another. Currently, the State Constitution does not include any language concerning slavery or involuntary servitude. The 1776 and 1844 versions of the Constitution also did not include any mention of slavery or involuntary servitude. This amendment adds language to Article I expressly prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude. The amendment also directly prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. Prisoners in New Jersey are required to engage in labor, for a minimal pay, while they are incarcerated. The State should not have the power to compel individuals to labor against their will. This amendment ensures that no prisoner in this State would be involuntarily forced into labor, even if the labor performed by the prisoner would be compensated. However, this amendment would not take away voluntary opportunities to work for individuals who have been convicted of a crime. The State recognizes that work can assist in an individual's rehabilitation, improve practical and interpersonal skills that may be useful upon their reintegration with society, and contribute to healthier and safer penal environments. | In Committee |
| S1584 | Increases transparency and accountability for NJT and independence of NJT board members; establishes Office of Customer Advocate; requires greater detail for capital program. | This bill provides for changes to the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) enabling statues to increase transparency and accountability and the independence of NJ Transit board members. Election of the vice chairperson The bill provides that the vice chairperson of the NJ Transit board of directors is to be elected from among the public voting members of the board. The vice chairperson is to serve for a two year term. The bill prohibits an ex officio member from serving as the vice-chairperson of the board. The bill also prohibits designees of ex officio members from presiding over any board meeting.Public Meetings The bill requires that board agendas be provided to the public seven calendar days prior to the meeting and that the board is not to allow more than 60 calendar days to elapse without holding a public board meeting. The bill authorizes any board member to request, through the office of the chair, that a topic of item be included for discussion or board action at a future board meeting. Board Hiring This bill requires that the board of directors directly hire the Executive Director, Director of the Office of Customer Advocate, and Auditor General. It also requires board approval of hiring by the Executive Director for certain positions including all positions at the level of Senior Vice President and Chief. Board and Committee Transparency and Accountability The bill subjects major planning documents to review and approval by the board of directors. The board is also required to review and approve any substantial curtailment or elimination of paratransit service. The bill requires the board to take an active role in developing corporate bylaws and to adopt new bylaws within 180 days of the effective date of the bill to ensure consistency with statutory law governing NJ Transit. The board is required to ensure that the bylaws are available to the public and published on NJ Transit's website. Under the bill, NJ Transit personnel are required to make audit documents in their final form available to the members of the board in a centralized database. If NJ Transit has not yet established a centralized database for these documents, the bill requires that the documents be made available to a board member upon request. The bill requires NJ Transit senior management to collaborate with the administration committee on the development of any major fiscal item. NJ Transit is prohibited from taking certain action concerning a major fiscal item until the major fiscal item has been presented to the administration committee. If the members of the administration committee find that the major fiscal item should not advance or needs to be modified, the full board may, at a subsequent board meeting, require NJ Transit to take action. The bill provides that the Auditor General and internal audit department of NJ Transit are to report directly to the audit committee and the board of directors and are to be independent of the supervision of the Executive Director, unless specifically authorized by the audit committee or the board. The bill clarifies that each committee of the board is to serve as an apparatus for members of the committee to obtain information and to engage in policy discussions within the purview of the committee. Upon request of a committee member, NJ Transit personnel is required to provide information to the committee at a time and in a form and manner determined by the committee. The bill permits the establishment of any ad hoc or temporary committee to address a specific issue of interest to the board or the public. Each committee, standing or temporary, is to submit a committee report to the board for each committee meeting, which is to include the written summary of the substance of any discussions and any action taken at the committee meeting. The bill states that the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate, or the director's designee, may attend any committee meeting to provide pertinent information or commentary to the committee. The chairperson of each passenger advisory committee is authorized to provide pertinent information to any committee but is not privileged to committee discussion. The bill also clarifies that the board and each member of the board remain authorized and obligated to exercise the functions and responsibilities of each committee and emphasizes that each board member is required to apply independent judgment while fulfilling the board member's duties. Customer Advocate This bill repeals a provision of law that requires NJ Transit to employ a customer advocate and, instead, establishes the Office of Customer Advocate (Customer Advocate) to: provide information and independent analysis to the NJ Transit board of directors on the impact that board and NJ Transit actions are having, or are expected to have, on NJ Transit's customers; provide genuine customer input and feedback to the board of directors, including relaying the needs and concerns of customers to the board of directors; and represent the best interest of NJ Transit's customers as determined by the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate. The Customer Advocate is allocated within the Department of Transportation but is independent of any supervision or control by the department, provided, however, that the director of the office is to be supervised by NJ Transit's board of directors. The Customer Advocate is authorized to conduct investigations, initiate studies, conduct research, present comments and testimony before the board of directors, legislative committees, and other governmental bodies, and prepare and issue reports. The Customer Advocate is required to arrange for meetings with NJ Transit passengers, on at least a monthly basis, for the purpose of: relaying the concerns and needs of passengers to the board of directors and the executive management team of NJ Transit; and providing information to passengers on major board or NJ Transit actions of which the director has knowledge. In addition to monthly meetings, the director of the office may undertake any other action that the director deems to be in furtherance of the Customer Advocate's purposes. The Customer Advocate also has the authority to represent the public interest regarding proposed fare increases, proposed substantial curtailments of service, proposed expansion of service, and any other action or omission of NJ Transit that the Customer Advocate determines has an impact on NJ Transit's customers. The Customer Advocate is required to issue an annual report detailing the office's activities for the prior year. The bill reduces the number of persons appointed by the Governor to each passenger advisory committee from six to five and instead authorizes the Director of the Office of Customer Advocate to appoint one person to each passenger advisory committee. The bill also directs the passenger advisory committees to provide advice, input, and guidance to the Office of Customer Advocate. Capital Program Public Hearing and Reporting The bill requires NJ Transit to hold at least two public hearings concerning the contents of the annual capital program before it adopts and implements the program. The bill also requires NJ Transit to hold at least two public hearings per year on its strategic plan, capital program priorities, and vision for NJ Transit's future. The bill provides requirements for the public hearings. This bill amends the requirements for the annual transportation capital program report that is annually submitted to the Legislature as part of the annual budget process. This report is a recommendation provided by the Department of Transportation and NJ Transit for how the State should appropriate the State's capital program appropriations from the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund. The bill requires that the reporting of capital projects in the report be more specific by narrowing the scope of what is to be reported as a project down to the level of each contract of $100,000 or more, or a group of contracts totaling more than $100,000 that are for related work at a single site. The bill also requires the projects to be reported in a manner that conveys the scope and scale of work to be completed over the course of the fiscal year. These requirements are directed specifically at the reporting for NJ Transit which has traditionally reported capital requests in broad categories that obscure the specific capital work to be completed. The bill also provides that the capital program is to be reported in a document format as is currently the case, and to also require the reporting of capital program information in a sortable spreadsheet format. | In Committee |
| S58 | Authorizes proportional property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability and proclaims that the State shall reimburse municipalities for cost of exemptions. | The bill grants a property tax exemption to honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability in proportion to their disability percentage rating. The exemption is only granted to those with a disability percentage rating of at least 30 percent, and the exemption is capped at $10,000. Those with a 100 percent disability percentage rating would still be allowed a 100 percent property tax exemption without a cap, as is the case under current law. In addition, the bill grants those honorably discharged veterans having less than a 100 percent service-connected disability, but who are unemployable, a 100 percent property tax exemption, which matches the current 100 percent property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a 100 percent disability percentage rating. As under current law, the bill allows the 100 percent property tax exemption to extend to the surviving spouse of a veteran. However, the newly allowed property tax exemption for a veteran with a less than 100 percent property tax exemption would not extend to the surviving spouse. The bill also eliminates all references to medical conditions so that any service-connected disability, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs, will make a veteran eligible for the property tax exemption. Finally, the bill proclaims that the State shall annually reimburse taxing districts, including for administrative costs, for the property tax exemptions granted to disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. The bill includes reporting provisions so proper reimbursement can be made. | In Committee |
| S289 | Designates and preserves Caven Point Peninsula in Liberty State Park as natural habitat. | This bill would designate as natural habitat and preserve the 21.5 acre Caven Point Peninsula. Caven Point Peninsula is an estuarine ecosystem for plants and animals, critical bird breeding habitat, and urban environmental education resource. The peninsula is located in Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, Hudson County, and stretches into the Upper New York Bay. | In Committee |
| S265 | Requires owners of certain multiple dwellings of three or more floors to provide priority status to senior citizens and disables residents moving to lower floors. | This bill requires the owner of a multiple dwelling consisting of three or more floors to provide priority treatment, for the purposes of moving to a unit on a lower floor with the same number of bedrooms, to senior citizens and persons with disabilities that hinder or limit mobility. Buildings held in a cooperative form of ownership are exempt from the requirements of the bill. Qualifying residents will be given the right of first refusal over outside applicants seeking to move into the multiple dwelling and over other non-qualifying residents who are seeking to move to a lower floor. The requirements of the bill are not to displace any existing affordability requirements, targeting requirements, and income restrictions in place for the multiple dwelling. This bill also requires the owner of a multiple dwelling to post a sign that contains information regarding the priority status granted to qualifying residents seeking to move into a unit on a lower floor. | In Committee |
| S1614 | Requires at least one drive-up ballot drop box in each county; requires certain information to be posted at ballot drop boxes and locations. | This bill requires the county board of elections in each county to establish at least one drive-up ballot drop box in the county and to post certain information at ballot drop boxes and locations. Under current law, each county board of elections is required to establish at least 10 ballot drop boxes at locations throughout the county following several criteria. Under this bill, at least one of those locations would be required to be a "drive-up ballot drop box," defined as a ballot drop box and location designed and evaluated to possess accessible features including, but not limited to, sufficient vehicle turning radius adjacent to the driver side, curb cuts, availability of handicap parking, and an unimpeded path to the ballot drop box from handicap parking. The bill requires the drive-up ballot drop box to be easy to locate and readily visible by voters with adequate lighting and a clear line of sight from the street and parking area. The bill would also require certain information to be posted at ballot drop boxes and drop box locations. Under the bill, all ballot drop boxes would be marked as an "Official Ballot Drop Box." In addition, in a uniform manner prescribed by the Secretary of State, the following information would be posted at drop boxes and drop box locations in all languages required under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and under current law for the county: the penalties for drop box tampering; a-toll free voter hotline; a statement indicating that no postage is necessary for depositing the ballot into the drop box; a statement indicating that the drop box is for mail-in ballots only for that county; and a statement informing the public of the applicable deadline for accepting ballots at the drop box. Finally, the bill directs the Secretary of State and county boards of elections to include guidelines for county boards of elections to follow to establish an electioneering boundary of 100 feet around each ballot drop box in compliance with current law. The bill requires the posting of signs and information to notify the public of the prohibited electioneering activities within the boundary of the ballot drop box. | In Committee |
| S1632 | Adjusts bid threshold amounts for certain public research universities; permits certain contracts for school districts, municipalities, and counties to be awarded by qualified purchasing agent. | This bill adjusts the public bidding threshold amounts for certain public research universities, school districts, municipalities, and counties. The bill increases the public bidding threshold for contracts through which workers employed in the performance of the contract are not subject to the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act" to $100,000 for Rowan University, Montclair State University, Kean University, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The bill reflects the changes made to the "State College Contracts Law" by P.L.2021, c.417 and makes the same changes for the public research universities in the State. Under current law, these public research universities are prohibited from entering into contracts that exceed the threshold unless the university publicly advertises for bids and awards the contract to the entity whose bid would be most advantageous for the university. The public bidding threshold was originally $17,700 for NJIT, $30,700 for Rowan University, and $33,000 for Montclair State University and Kean University. Pursuant to the statutes governing each university, the threshold is adjusted every two years by the Governor, in consultation with the Department of Treasury, in direct proportion to the rise or fall of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers in the New York City and Philadelphia areas, as reported by the United States Department of Labor. This bill increases the public bidding thresholds for all four public research universities for any contract through which workers employed in the performance of the contract are not subject to the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act" to $100,000. The bidding threshold for contracts through which workers employed in the performance of the contract are subject to the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act" are unaffected by the bill for Rowan University, Montclair State University and Kean University, and is amended to $29,100 for NJIT to match the most recent threshold determined by the Governor in July 2021. Under the bill, the thresholds will continue to be adjusted by the Governor every two years, in accordance with the Consumer Price Index. The bill also increases the public bidding threshold for contracts executed under the Public School Contracts Law. Current law permits a board of education to authorize a purchasing agent to award a contract that does not exceed a statutorily authorized amount, currently set at $32,000, through solicitation of competitive quotations rather than public bidding. The bill stipulates that a contract having an anticipated value in excess of $17,500, but below the applicable bidding threshold, is not required to be awarded by a board of education and may be awarded by a purchasing agent that holds a qualified purchasing agent certificate. Additionally, current law stipulates that if the purchasing agent possesses a qualified purchasing agent certificate, the board may establish that the bid threshold be up to a statutorily authorized amount, currently set at $44,000. The bill increases this bid threshold when a purchasing agent holds a qualified purchasing agent certificate to $25,000 or the amount determined by the governor pursuant to the bill. Under current law, the Governor is required to adjust the thresholds every five years in direct proportion to the rise or fall of the index rate. The bill also increases the public bidding threshold for contracts executed under the Local Public Contracts Law. Current law permits a contracting unit, as defined under the Local Public Contracts Law, to authorize a purchasing agent to award a contract that does not exceed $17,500 through solicitation of competitive quotations rather than public bidding. The bill stipulates that a contract having an anticipated value in excess of $17,500, but below the applicable bidding threshold, is not required to be awarded by the governing body of the contracting unit and may be awarded by the purchasing agent. Under current law, a purchasing agent under the Local Public Contracts Law is required to hold a qualified purchasing agent certificate. Additionally, current law stipulates that if a governing body of a contracting unit has designated a purchasing agent, the contracting unit may establish that the bid threshold be up to a statutorily authorized amount, currently set at $44,000. The bill increases this bid threshold to $60,000 or an amount determined by the Governor pursuant to the bill. Under current law, the Governor is required to adjust the threshold every five years in direct proportion to the rise or fall of the index rate. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1593 | The "New Jersey Town Center Microgrid Pilot Program Act." | This bill would establish the "New Jersey Town Center Microgrid Pilot Program Act," for the purpose of facilitating implementation of a program currently before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU). The BPU initiated the Town Center Distributed Energy Resources (TCDER) Microgrid program after Superstorm Sandy in order to help New Jersey become more energy resilient, particularly with respect to critical facilities. A TCDER Microgrid is a cluster of critical facilities within a municipal boundary, which facilities may operate as shelter for the public during and after an emergency event or provide services that are essential to function during and after an emergency situation. A microgrid connects critical facilities with distributed energy resources, which can operate when the main electric grid suffers a power outage. During 2018, the BPUs "Phase I" TCDER Microgrid Feasibility Study Incentive Program funded thirteen Feasibility Studies. During 2019, BPU informed twelve Feasibility Study applicants that their studies met program requirements and that they were eligible to apply for the "Phase II" TCDER Microgrid incentive program (one Feasibility Study applicant withdrew from the program). The BPU limited eligibility to apply for the Phase II TCDER Microgrid Incentive Program to those applicants who met the Feasibility Study program requirements. The Phase II TCDER Microgrid Incentive Program provides funding, on a competitive basis, for the design of a TCDER Microgrid, in order to help move projects towards the development and construction phase. Phase II TCDER Microgrid Incentive Program guidelines require applicants to certify that projects are legally permissible, i.e., that they conform to existing law, code, and standing Board Orders. This bill establishes a framework to enable program participants that are unable to move their projects forward due to legal or statutory impediments to do so consistent with this process. Those program participants, defined as "pilot agencies" in the bill, are Atlantic City, Camden County and its utilities authority, Galloway Township, Highland Park Borough, Hoboken City, Hudson County, Middletown Township, Montclair Township, Neptune Township, Paterson City, Trenton City (together with the State Department of Treasury), and Woodbridge Township. Under the bill, a pilot agency may enter into a project agreement, concerning the development of a TCDER Microgrid, and a power purchase agreement, concerning the procurement of electrical power supply for critical facilities. A pilot agency and a developer may enter into a power purchase agreement, for a term not to exceed 20 years, subject to the review and approval of the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) and the BPU. The DLGS would have power to review and approve financial matters and risks associated with a proposed power purchase agreement. The BPU would have power to: review and approve electrical supply and distribution matters for a proposed power purchase agreement; provide guidance concerning offtaker rates and fees that are necessary for a proposed power purchase agreement; and adopt specifically authorized microgrid tariffs affecting the electrical distribution company in order to facilitate the development of a TCDER Microgrid project. The bill sets forth a procurement process, outside of the "Local Public Contracts Law," for a pilot agency to solicit a developer, with whom it would enter into a project agreement and a power purchase agreement. After completing a request for proposals process, the bill authorizes a pilot agency to select a prospective developer, by resolution, and to enter into negotiations for a power purchase agreement with the selected developer. A pilot agency that intends to enter into a project agreement and a power purchase agreement with a developer must conduct a public hearing on the proposed agreements. Within 30 days after the public hearing, the pilot agency would submit: · an application for review of the proposed project agreement and for review and approval of the proposed power purchase agreement to the DLGS;· an application for review of the proposed project agreement and for review and approval of the proposed power purchase agreement and proposed microgrid tariff to the BPU; and · a copy of each application to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for the department's review and comment. A pilot agency must submit initial applications within three years of the effective date of this bill. The bill directs BPU and DLGS to specify application forms and processes for a pilot agency to seek approvals under the bill. The DLGS would assist pilot agencies in developing procurement processes and requests for proposals. The BPU would assist pilot agencies in evaluating provisions of proposed power purchase agreements and tariffs. The bill would allow a pilot agency to submit to the DLGS a request for a waiver of specific provisions of law that are within the division's jurisdiction. The division may grant a request for a waiver and may adopt alternative provisions upon a finding of public need for the project and general consistency with the applicable provisions of law, if the division determines that enforcing the requirements sought to be waived: is not necessary to protect the overall public interest and may compromise viability of the proposed TCDER microgrid project. The bill would empower the BPU and the DLGS to each take actions not specifically authorized under the bill which the board or division deems reasonable, prudent, and necessary to accomplish the bill's purposes if those actions are consistent with the bill's purposes and address issues not specifically covered by the bill. For this purpose, the bill specifies that the purposes of the bill are to encourage energy efficiency, reliability, resiliency, sound technical development and operation, while ensuring fiscal integrity of each pilot agency and its power purchase or related agreements with a TCDER microgrid developer. The bill directs the DLGS, the BPU, and the DEP to coordinate their reviews, insofar as practicable, and to engage in discussions with each other and the pilot agency to address any concerns. Within 60 days of receipt of an application, the board and the division must each either approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve the application. The board and the division shall disapprove an application unless it was initially submitted for review within three years of the effective date of this act. If the board or division does not approve, disapprove, or conditionally approve an application within 60 days of receipt, the application would be deemed approved, unless the public agency has agreed to an extension of the review period or the application was not submitted within three years of the effective date of this act. If the board or division conditionally approve an application, the board or division must provide the pilot agency suggested language for a required revision to the proposed agreement or tariff, in writing, inclusion of which would enable the board or division to approve the proposed agreement or tariff. If the board or division determines that the required revision is substantial, the pilot agency must hold a public hearing on the revision. The bill provides that a substantial revision would be a change that materially changes the terms and conditions of the proposed agreement or tariff. If the board or division determines that the required revision is not substantial, the pilot agency must submit the proposed revision to the board and the division for approval and to the department for review. The board and the division would approve the proposed revision, if it is found to be consistent with the conditions set forth in the conditional approval, or disapprove the application with a written explanation as to why the revision is not consistent with the conditions set forth in the conditional approval. The bill sets forth criteria that the BPU and the DLGS would apply when determining whether to approve a proposed power purchase agreement and tariff. The bill directs BPU in consultation with the DLGS and the DEP, to prepare a report describing implementation of the bill, and submit the report to the Governor and to the Legislature within four years of the bill's effective date. | In Committee |
| S1622 | Allows ranked-choice voting options for municipal and school board elections under certain circumstances. | This bill, the "Municipal and School Board Voting Options Act," allows municipalities and school boards in this State to adopt ranked choice voting for conducting their local elections under certain circumstances. Under the bill, "ranked-choice voting" means a method of voting in which each voter gets one vote, where voters rank multiple candidates in order of their preference, the ballots are counted in rounds, and the votes are counted and transferred to candidates according to the preferences marked on each ballot. Under the bill, for conducting and counting ranked-choice voting elections, the instant runoff method would be used for single winner races like mayor elected at-large or council or school board member elected from wards or districts, and the single transferable vote method would be used for multiple-winner races. The bill defines the terms necessary for implementing these two ranked-choice voting methods and the manner of counting the votes and declaring elected candidates. The bill provides that all municipal governing bodies and all school boards in this State would be permitted to adopt ranked-choice voting by adopting an ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, to be submitted to the voters for approval through a referendum on the ballot. The bill also allows the voters to place a direct petition on the ballot to adopt ranked choice voting, using the petition process currently established under current law for "Faulkner Act" municipalities. The direct petition would be submitted to the municipal clerk or clerks, as the case may be, and would be required to be signed by the legal voters equal in number to at least 10 percent of the total votes cast in the municipality or municipalities, as the case may be, at the last election at which members of the General Assembly were elected. The petition would include the proposed public question and a clear and concise interpretative statement explaining ranked-choice voting. If approved by the voters of the municipality or school district, all elections for the offices of mayor or a member of a municipal governing body, or a member of an elected school board, as appropriate, other than any primary election, would be conducted using ranked-choice voting. Finally, the bill directs the Division of Elections in the Department of State to adopt the rules and regulations necessary to effectuate its provisions and provide guidelines and technical rules to assist local election officials in implementing and counting a ranked choice voting election. | In Committee |
| S1468 | Provides that public school used as polling place shall not be open for classes on day of election. | This bill would prohibit boards of education from holding classes whenever a public school is used as a polling place on the day of an election. The board is permitted to use the day for in-service training or professional development for the teaching staff members employed by the school district. The purpose of this bill would be to ensure the safety of students at a time when an increased number of individuals from the general public will be entering school grounds. | In Committee |
| S1588 | 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 |
| S1301 | Concerns discriminatory appraisals of property on basis of race, creed, color, national origin, or certain other characteristics. | This bill concerns discriminatory appraisals of property on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, or certain other characteristics. Under the bill, named the "Fair Appraisals Act," holders of an appraisal license, certificate, or appraisal management company registration, will be subject to fines or have their licenses, certificates, or registrations suspended or revoked, if the holder is found to have discriminated in the appraisal of real estate on the basis of the actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, affectional or sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, or other characteristic listed pursuant to New Jersey's "Law Against Discrimination" of the property buyer, property owner, agents of the property buyer or owner, or present owners or occupants of the properties within the neighborhood of the property subject to appraisal. Any appraisal of real estate found to be discriminatory shall be void and of no effect and the holder of the license, certificate, or registration shall be required to make restitution of the cost of the discriminatory appraisal. If the State Real Estate Appraiser Board suspends a holder of a license, certification or registration, then the board is required to notify the holder of the board's rationale in writing. The board must also provide opportunity for a hearing to be held in accordance with the State's Administrative Procedure Act. Additionally, prior to the initiation of a property appraisal, a holder of a license, certification or registration is to provide a property owner or agent of the property owner with a document, given free of charge and in a form and manner prescribed by the State Real Estate Appraiser Board, informing the property owner of the opportunity to report, through the Division on Civil Rights within the Department of Law and Public Safety Internet website or telephone number, any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal by the holder of a license, certificate, or registration pursuant to the provisions of the bill. When receiving a report of an alleged discriminatory appraisal, the Division on Civil Rights shall ascertain the basis for the allegation and solicit from the complainant relevant demographic information, including but not limited to, the identity of the complainant within the characteristics listed under the bill. The complainant may provide the demographic information solicited by the division on a voluntary basis. Information concerning the prohibition of discriminatory appraisals of property, including the statutory basis for the prohibition, is to be published on the Division of Consumer Affairs website. The bill requires a licensed real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or salesperson to provide, upon first interaction with a property owner or agent of the property owner, a free document informing the property owner of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal. The bill requires a property owner to provide, during a private sale of real estate and upon first interaction with a property buyer or agent of the property buyer, a free document informing the property buyer of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal. The bill requires a licensed mortgage broker, real estate broker, broker-salesperson, or other mortgage salesperson to, within three days of receiving a mortgage loan application, provide a mortgage loan applicant with a document informing the applicant of the opportunity to report any suspicion of a discriminatory appraisal to the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety. | In Committee |
| S1612 | Requires study of ocean energy potential; directs BPU to establish wave and tidal energy generation goals and take other action to establish NJ as nationwide leader in ocean energy. | This bill would require a study of the ocean's energy potential in the State, and it would further provide for the State's clean energy plans and goals to be updated to incorporate new goals related to the generation of wave and tidal energy, which are both forms of clean energy that are derived from untapped and inexhaustible ocean resources. Specifically, the bill would require the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), within 30 days after the bill's effective date, to commence a comprehensive, collaborative study to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of using wave and tidal energy as forms of clean energy in the State. The BPU and DEP would be required, in conducting the study, to: (1) evaluate various factors related to the increased use of wave and tidal energy in the State; and (2) authorize individuals and entities to engage in pilot wave and tidal energy projects in the State. Not more than three months after the bill's effective date, the President of the BPU and the DEP Commissioner would be required to cooperatively prepare and submit a written report, to the Governor and the Legislature, identifying the findings from the wave and tidal energy study, and providing recommendations for legislative, executive, and other actions that can be taken to facilitate, encourage, and promote the development and increased use of wave and tidal energy technologies, infrastructure, and facilities in the State. Among other things, the report would be required to include a strategic plan for the deployment of wave and tidal energy technologies, infrastructure, and facilities in the State, which strategic plan is to identify, at a minimum, specific wave energy generation goals, tidal energy generation goals, or both, in megawatts (MW), that the State should endeavor to meet by 2030, 2040, and 2050, in order to ensure the timely and effective deployment of wave and tidal energy technologies and the sufficient incorporation of wave and tidal energy into the State's energy portfolio. The bill would require the Energy Master Plan Committee, in its adoption of the first update of the State's Energy Master Plan following the bill's effective date, to incorporate, into the Energy Master Plan, information regarding the wave and tidal energy strategic plan developed under the bill, and, to the extent practicable, the wave and tidal energy generation goals recommended by the strategic plan. The bill would require the BPU to solicit and approve applications for, and to take appropriate action to facilitate, the initiation of pilot wave and tidal energy projects in the State as part of the wave and tidal energy study conducted under the bill, with data from the pilot projects to be included in the study, as well as in the report that is prepared pursuant to the bill. The bill would further require the BPU, acting in accordance with the recommendations set forth in the report, to solicit and approve applications for, and to take other appropriate action to facilitate, through the use of renewable energy credits or other financial or non-financial incentives, the continuation of pilot projects commenced under the study, as well as the initiation of new wave and tidal energy projects that will result in a positive net economic and environmental benefit to the State. The BPU would further be required to take certain other affirmative agency actions to facilitate the development of the wave and tidal energy sectors in this State. The BPU would be required to coordinate with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the U.S. Department of the Interior to facilitate the leasing or permitting of offshore areas, under federal jurisdiction, for wave or tidal energy projects, and it would be required to coordinate with the DEP to facilitate the leasing or permitting of coastal or onshore areas, under State jurisdiction, for such purposes. | In Committee |
| S1582 | Eliminates requirement under veterans' gross income tax exemption that taxpayer serve in active duty status or federal active duty status to qualify for exemption. | This bill eliminates the requirement that a veteran taxpayer serve in active duty status or federal active duty status in order to qualify for the $6,000 veterans' gross income tax exemption. Under current law, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a reserve component thereof, who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances, is required to have served in active duty status in order to qualify for the veterans' gross income tax exemption, pursuant to N.J.S.A.54A:3-1(b)(7). Likewise, a member of the National Guard of New Jersey, who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances, is required to have served in federal active duty status in order to qualify for the same. This tax credit may be claimed by the veteran taxpayer for each tax year in which the veteran so qualifies. This bill changes the law to remove the respective active duty requirements. Accordingly, pursuant to the bill, a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States, a reserve component thereof, or a member of the National Guard of New Jersey, who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances, may claim the veterans' gross income tax exemption, irrespective of whether he or she served in active duty or federal active duty status. | In Committee |
| S1621 | Permits legislative agents and organizations to receive funds assessed on tuition bills as waivable fees. | This bill would permit the governing body of a public institution of higher education to allow funds generated from student tuition bills to be distributed to legislative agents or organizations which attempt to influence legislation as waivable fees. Under current law, the governing body of a public institution of higher education is prohibited from allowing funds for legislative agents or organizations which attempt to influence legislation to be assessed on student tuition bills. However, optional fees may be assessed for nonpartisan organizations that employ legislative agents or attempt to influence legislation provided that such a fee has been authorized by a majority vote in a student referendum. An optional fee is an amount payable on a student tuition bill, appearing as a separately assessed item, but not a mandatory charge or a waivable fee. Optional fees that appear on student tuition bills are currently required to be accompanied by a statement as to the nature of the item along with an explanation that the item is not a charge required to be paid by the student, the student may add the charge to the total amount due, and that the item has appeared on the bill at the request of the student body and does not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the governing body of the public institution of higher education. This bill would amend current law to eliminate the optional fee authorizations process and allow funds for legislative agents and organizations that attempt to influence legislation to be assessed on tuition bills as waivable fees. These fees would appear on student tuition bills without prior student referendum but students would have the option to have the fee waived. For purposes of this bill, a waivable fee means any amount payable on a student tuition bill, appearing as a separately assessed item, but not a mandatory charge. The bill requires a waivable fee to be accompanied by a statement as to the nature of the item, that the item is not a charge required to be paid by the student, the process for waiving the fee, and that the presence of the fee does not necessarily reflect the endorsement of the governing body of the public institution of higher education. | In Committee |
| S1562 | Eliminates high school graduation proficiency test. | This bill eliminates the high school graduation proficiency test, which is required under current law to be taken in the 11th grade. It is the belief of the sponsor that graduation exit testing does not accurately represent student learning or career and college readiness. Studies have shown numerous flaws with standardized testing, including variation in student performance based on external circumstances, strong racial and socioeconomic biases, and inconsistency with material taught in class. The purpose of using standardized tests as graduation requirements is often to assess college readiness, however studies have shown that other metrics, such as grade point average, can predict the likelihood of graduation from college up to five times better than standardized test scores. In recent years, many states have eliminated graduation exit testing for these reasons, and currently only 11 states still maintain a testing requirement for high school graduation. The bill prohibits the State Board of Education from including in the standards for graduation from high school a requirement that students achieve satisfactory performance on the Statewide graduation proficiency test. The bill also amends current law to remove various references to the graduation proficiency test, including: the requirement that a Statewide proficiency test be included in the State or district standards for graduation from high school; the requirement that an out-of-school youth or adult age 18 or older pass the graduation proficiency test before being granted a State endorsed diploma; the requirement that school district report cards include information regarding the results of the graduation proficiency test; and the requirement that renaissance school projects be evaluated based on students' performance on the graduation proficiency test. The bill clarifies that a student participating in the State Seal of Biliteracy program would not be required to take a State graduation proficiency test as a condition of graduation from high school. Finally, the bill repeals the section of law that requires the State to administer a graduation proficiency test to all 11th grade students and certain 12th grade students, and repeals the section of law that requires the Commissioner of Education to consult with educators, parents, students, business and community representatives, and members of minority groups while developing the graduation proficiency test. The bill also repeals sections of law requiring the commissioner and the Joint Committee on the Public Schools to review and report on performance on the graduation proficiency test. | In Committee |
| S1496 | Permits use of instant run-off voting in balloting for certain local elective public offices. | This bill permits the governing body of a municipality governed by the provisions of the "Uniform Nonpartisan Elections Law," N.J.S.A.40:45-5 et seq., to allow the use of instant run-off voting in elections at which a candidate is to be elected to a local elective public office filled by one individual. Instant run-off voting is a system of voting which allows each voter to vote for the voter's preferred candidate as well as specific alternative choices from among the other candidates appearing on the ballot for that office in order of preference. In the event that no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast for candidates for that office, the candidate receiving the fewest votes will be eliminated and the second choice votes for that candidate counted, with the process continuing until one candidate is a majority winner. The Secretary of State would be responsible for promulgating rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the bill's purposes. Instant run-off voting would not be implemented until the Secretary of State determines that voting equipment and ballots have been updated to accommodate this process. | In Committee |
| SCR54 | Condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred. | This resolution condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts to justify anti-Jewish hatred. Throughout the last decade, there has been clear evidence of increasing incidents and expressions of anti-Semitism throughout the world. More recently, in a 2018 report, the Anti-Defamation League noted that in 2018 there were 1,879 anti-Semitic incidents against Jews and Jewish institutions, which included the deadliest attack on Jewish persons in American history on October 27, 2018 at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where 11 worshippers were killed. In 2018, a report showed New Jersey ranked third in the nation in anti-Semitic incidents with 200 anti-Semitic incidents reported. In 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported an increase in hate crimes against Jews or Jewish institutions and found that attacks against Jews or Jewish institutions made up 60.3 percent of all religious-based hate crimes. There is an urgent need to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities, and synagogues, schools, cemeteries, and other institutions. Anti-Semitism is the centuries-old bigotry and form of racism faced by Jewish people simply because they are Jews. Anti-Semitism is a challenge to the basic principles of tolerance, pluralism, and democracy and the shared values that bind Americans together. The First Amendment to the Constitution established the United States as a country committed to the principles of tolerance and religious freedom, and the Fourteenth Amendment established equal protection of the laws as the heart of justice in the United States. Adherence to these principles is vital to the progress of the American people and the diverse communities and religious groups of the State of New Jersey. The New Jersey Legislature unequivocally condemns all forms of anti-Semitism and rejects attempts in this State, the United States, and throughout the world to justify anti-Jewish hatred. In 2021, anti-Semitic incidents were the highest in the past 10 years, reaching an all-time high of 2,717 incidents in the United States. In New Jersey, anti-Semitic incidents in 2021 were the second highest in the nation for the third straight year, and comprised 14 percent of the total number of incidents in the United States. There were 370 anti-Semitic incidents in New Jersey in 2021, representing an increase from 345 in 2019 and 295 in 2020. Of these incidents in New Jersey, 123 took place in public areas, 82 took place in non-Jewish K-12 schools, 44 took place at Jewish institutions, 40 occurred at private residences, 35 took place at business establishments, and 29 took place online. The 44 incidents that took place at Jewish institutions in New Jersey in 2021 occurred across 13 different counties, represented a significant 76 percent increase compared to the 25 such incidents recorded in 2020, and included 39 incidents of harassment, four incidents of vandalism, and one incident of assault. Incidents related to Israel or Zionism in New Jersey increased by 35 percent in 2021, reaching a total of 27 incidents. The Anti-Defamation League recorded the highest number of anti-Semitic incidents of 2021 during the month of May, which directly coincided with the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. There were 56 incidents documented in New Jersey in May 2021, which is 86 percent higher than the State's average monthly total of 30 incidents. In New Jersey's schools, there were 82 anti-Semitic incidents in 2021, representing a 110 percent increase relative to 2020, of which 40 were incidents of harassment and 42 were incidents of vandalism. In New Jersey's institutions of higher education, there were 16 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2021, which represents a 45 percent increase relative to the 11 incidents recorded in 2020. | In Committee |
| S1616 | Provides tuition benefits at public institutions of higher education to New Jersey residents who are members of reserve component of Armed Forces of United States. | This bill provides tuition benefits at public institutions of higher education in this State to New Jersey residents who are members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States and to certain children and surviving spouses of those members. Under current law, a member of the New Jersey National Guard is permitted to attend regularly-scheduled courses at a public institution of higher education and receive up to 16 credits per semester tuition-free. The law also provides a tuition benefit to a child or surviving spouse of a member of the National Guard who was or is killed in the performance of his or her duties, if available classroom space permits and the tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course. This bill amends current law to extend these tuition benefits to a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States who is a resident of New Jersey, and to a child or surviving spouse of such a member of the reserves who was or is killed in the performance of his or her duties. The bill requires the child or surviving spouse to be a resident of New Jersey for the tuition benefits to apply. For purposes of the bill, the reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States include the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Reserve, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment and is first applicable to the academic year following enactment. | In Committee |
| S1640 | Requires NJT to establish guidelines for on-demand micro transit pilot programs operating within State. | This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT), in consultation with the Commissioner of Transportation, to establish and issue guidelines for the operation of any on-demand micro transit pilot programs operating within the State. These guidelines would include recommendations to: incentivize the employment of union labor; ensure the affordability of on-demand micro transit services; and specify the classifications of motor vehicles that may be used for each pilot program, which vehicles may not be limited to those for which a driver is required to obtain a commercial drivers license. Additionally, the bill requires the NJT on-demand micro transit program to increase the range of services that the program will offer. Currently, the program will serve areas of Bergen and Monmouth counties, and this bill would require the next wave of program expansion to prioritize additional services in Bergen, Mercer, and Middlesex counties. Under the bill, "on-demand micro transit" is defined as publicly available, technology-enabled, shared transportation provided by means of a motor vehicle to individuals selecting a pick-up and drop-off location by telephone or through a mobile application, and which transportation is provided at a time selected by the individual or as soon as possible after the individual selects pick-up and drop-off locations for such transportation. | In Committee |
| S2201 | Revises requirements for cash assistance benefits under Work First New Jersey program. | This bill revises various requirements for cash assistance benefits under the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) program. The bill provides that an individual who is otherwise eligible for general assistance benefits under WFNJ will not be deemed ineligible for public assistance solely on the grounds that the individual is enrolled in an institution of higher education. The bill allows recipients engaging in alternative work experience to engage in unpaid work and training with either a for-profit or nonprofit employer; current law only allows placement with nonprofit or charitable employer. An assignment to a for-profit employer may not exceed six months, and will be conditioned on the assignment likely leading to full-time employment with the employer. The bill limits the amount of time a recipient may be assigned to alternative work experience with any employer to no more than six months in a 12-month period. The bill similarly limits the amount of time a recipient may be assigned to community work experience to no more than six months in a 12-month period. The bill removes outdated language in the definition of "dependent child" that required a child in school or vocational training to reasonably be expected to complete the school or training. The bill provides that the full amount of child support provided to the assistance unit for which federal reimbursement is waived is to pass through to the unit. Child support that passes through to the unit will not count as income. The bill also excludes federal income tax refunds, State income tax refunds, homestead rebates, and other sources of income that the Commissioner of Human Services excludes from the definition of income by regulation. In addition to revising the definition of income, the bill also provides that the definition of resources is not to include: 1) funds in an individual retirement account established under State or federal law, or interest or dividend earnings from such an account, for any recipient who has not reached full retirement age; and 2) any retirement accounts excluded from consideration as a resource in the Supplemental Nutrition Program in the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. Furthermore, if an applicant or recipient meets the resource eligibility standards to qualify for benefits under the State Medicaid program or the NJ FamilyCare program, the applicant or recipient will be deemed to meet the resource eligibility standards to qualify for benefits under the Work First New Jersey program. The bill expands the earned income disregard for the purposes of the program. Current law provides that, for recipients employed 20 or more hours a week, and certain recipients with a disability who are unable to work more than 20 hours per week, 100 percent of earned income is disregarded for the first month in which it would be counted as earned income; the disregard drops to 75 percent for the next six consecutive months after that, and to 50 percent for each consecutive month of employment after that. In the case of recipients working less than 20 hours per month, the disregard is 100 percent for the first full month of employment and 50 percent for each continuous month of employment after that. The bill revises the earned income disregard to allow a 100 percent disregard for the first two full months of employment in which the earned income would be counted. This income disregard applies to all employment, regardless of the number of hours worked. The disregard would then drop to 75 percent for six cumulative months of employment, and to 50 percent for each month of employment thereafter. If a recipient loses employment then becomes reemployed, the two months of 100 percent income disregard and the six months of 75 percent income may be reapplied no more than once every 12-months; otherwise, the 50 percent income disregard will apply. The bill revises the requirements to provide additional supportive services to program recipients. Current law provides that assistance may be provided as a last resort when no other source of support is available. The bill would revise this standard to allow for the provision of additional services in appropriate circumstances, as determined by the commissioner. Currently, additional assistance is limited to child care services, transportation assistance, an allowance for work-related expenses, and extended Medicaid eligibility. The bill provides that recipients receiving parenting support services are to be provided with educational materials, referrals, and other support to identify, access, and enroll in quality child care services for their dependent children. The bill requires that, when a recipient has reached 24 months of benefits, welfare agencies are to offer additional case management and supportive services to the recipient, based on an assessment of the barriers to the recipient securing employment. The bill establishes a new joint reporting requirement for the Commissioner of Human Services and the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development concerning various aspects of the program. The Commissioner of Human Services will be required to make changes to the program based on the data gathered in order to improve the performance of the program. The bill revises the eligibility criteria for aliens, which currently makes various distinctions on who is eligible based on the individual's date of entry into the United States, country of origin, length of time in the United States, whether the individual is a veteran, whether the individual is a victim of domestic violence, and whether the individual has satisfied certain work requirements, among other factors. The bill replaces the term "aliens" with "eligible immigrants," and provides that the term applies to all immigrants who otherwise meet program requirements and are lawfully present in the United States. The term will include individuals who are "qualified aliens" or "lawfully present" for the purposes of federal law, individuals granted relief from federal immigration laws under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and any other non-citizen or non-national of the United States who is otherwise authorized to live in the United States. The bill provides that, in determining standards of income and resources under WFNJ, the Commissioner of Human Services will be prohibited from reducing benefit levels. The bill adds language clarifying that, when determining whether good cause exists to excuse noncompliance with program requirements, good cause is to be considered broadly in consideration of the recipient's health, safety, family needs, financial considerations, and other factors as determined by the commissioner. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that an applicant will not be deemed ineligible for benefits on the grounds that the applicant's eligibility is the result of a cessation of employment, unless the applicant intentionally and voluntarily leaves employment, without good cause, within 30 days prior to the date of application for benefits, for the sole purpose of qualifying for WFNJ benefits. Under current law, an applicant is ineligible for benefits when the applicant's eligibility is the result of a voluntary cessation of employment without good cause within 90 days prior to the date of application for benefits. The bill also clarifies that the period of time an applicant is to be deemed ineligible for benefits due to a voluntary assignment or transfer of income or resources within one year prior to the time of application for benefits is not to exceed the value of the income or resource divided by the monthly standard of need, or 12 months, whichever value is less. Income and resources received by a recipient may not be used to prospectively disqualify a recipient from assistance and are to be considered only in the month received and at the time of any new application, except in the case of a voluntary assignment or transfer of income or resources. The bill also clarifies that the agreement a recipient must sign stating that repayment of benefits will be made, in the event of receipt of income or resources, includes the receipt of General Assistance repayment subject to a Supplemental Security Income Interim Assistance Reimbursement Agreement, but excludes repayment from unemployment benefits and other government benefits. The bill revises language setting forth the general purposes and goals of the WFNJ program to provide that the purpose of the program is to provide recipients with the opportunities, training, and work skills needed to help elevate them out of poverty. The bill removes certain language concerning how the program interacts with young parents and how the system can be disruptive to the family structure, as well as language stating that the program is consistent with federal law by including a time limit on benefits, work requirements, enhanced measures to determine paternity, enhanced child support collection, sanctions for noncompliance with program requirements, incentives for teenage parents to complete school, and restrictions on eligibility for aliens. The bill additionally removes language providing that WFNJ benefits will only be available when other forms of support and maintenance are unavailable. The bill expands the work requirements under the program to promote the use of educational, training, work-study, internship, and other opportunities that will lead to the recipient's removal from, and sustainable avoidance of, poverty. Recipients will be permitted to forgo work opportunities for good cause or for other opportunities that will better enable the recipient to emerge from, and sustainably avoid, poverty. The bill requires that good cause be considered broadly in consideration of the recipient's health, safety, family needs, financial considerations, and other factors determined by the commissioner. The bill removes a requirement that recipients continuously and actively seek employment. The bill reduces the hourly requirement for work activity from 40 hours per week to 30 hours per week, and provides that the maximum aggregate requirement is 20 hours per week for assistance units with a child under six years of age. Current law provides for a deferral from the work activity requirement for parents and relatives caring for a child under 12 weeks of age; the bill extends this deferral to apply to parents and relatives caring for a child under one year of age. The bill adds a provision to existing law, concerning the sanctions that may be imposed for noncompliance with program requirements, to specify that any sanctions imposed are to be applied only to the pro-rata share of an adult recipient who is noncompliant, and will not apply to any other adult or child members of the assistance unit who are compliant with program requirements, which members will continue to be eligible for their full pro-rata share of cash assistance benefits. If the cases of all the adult members of the assistance unit are closed for noncompliance, the dependent child members will still receive their pro-rata share of assistance benefits as a dependent child-only unit. The bill removes provisions in existing law that outline a schedule of sanctions, beyond the reduction of the pro-rata share of the noncompliant adult for one month. Under the bill, if the adult fails to come into compliance by the end of the sanction month, the adult's pro-rata share will continue to be suspended until the adult demonstrates an intent to comply. The bill also increases the age at which a dependent child's failure to comply with school attendance requirements or requirements for other work activity participation, without good cause, would result in a sanction. Under current law, this provision applies until age 16; as revised by the bill, this provision applies until age 19. Further, the bill provides for a specific reduction of 50 percent in the dependent child's pro-rata share of cash assistance benefits for one month for such noncompliance. Under current law, a household receiving emergency assistance benefits is to continue to receive benefits for one month immediately following the case closure. The bill expands this to also include cash assistance cases that are suspended. The bill removes provisions of existing law that allow funding for a WFNJ-funded appropriate living arrangement to continue for one month immediately following a case closure, if the recipient is less than 18 years of age and is in the living arrangement because the recipient is unable to live with a parent, guardian, or other adult relative. The bill removes provisions of existing law that render an entire assistance unit ineligible for cash assistance benefits for a period of two months if an adult recipient in the unit voluntarily quits a job without good cause. Under the bill, a sanctioned assistance unit or recipient that returns to compliance within 60 days is to be provided the balance of any benefit amounts withheld or reduced during the period in which the assistance unit or recipient was out of compliance, in addition to any amounts to which the assistance unit or recipient is otherwise eligible. Further, a sanctioned assistance unit or recipient that returns to compliance more than 60 days after the sanction date is to be provided the balance of any benefit amounts withheld or reduced during the period after which the assistance unit or recipient demonstrated an intent to comply, in addition to any amounts to which the assistance unit or recipient is otherwise eligible. Ordinarily, recipients are allowed a lifetime total of 60 months of benefits. The bill provides that, in the event any adult in an assistance unit loses eligibility on the grounds that the individual reached the 60-month cap, that loss of eligibility will not affect the eligibility of any other recipient in the assistance unit, including, but not limited to, a minor child who is receiving assistance. Current law provides for certain exceptions to this 60-month limit. The bill revises the exceptions involving employment to provide that they will apply to any form of employment, not just full-time employment. The bill expands the existing exceptions to include any parent of a minor child who was in compliance with program requirements for the six months of enrollment immediately preceding the date the recipient reached the 60-month limit. Current law provides for an extension to the 60-month benefit limit, including up to 12 additional months of benefits, in certain cases. The bill expands this to allow an extension for a recipient who is the parent of a dependent child who is a member of the recipient's household, which recipient has remained in compliance with the requirements of the program for, at a minimum, the six months of enrollment immediately preceding the date the recipient reaches the 60-month time limit. The bill also provides that, following this 12-month extension, a recipient may receive an additional 12 months of assistance under the same circumstances or if the recipient meets certain other criteria, as determined by the commissioner, demonstrating that the extension is necessary for the recipient to protect the health, safety, or well-being of the recipient's family, including, but not limited to, preserving family unity. Under the bill, any benefit received for months during which a State of Emergency or Public Health Emergency exists are not to be considered for purposes of any time limit provisions. The bill provides for a schedule of increases in WFNJ benefit levels. For the period commencing July 1, 2022 and continuing through July 1, 2026, the benefit level in effect as of the effective date of the bill is to be annually increased by any increase in the consumer price index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) as calculated by the federal government for the 12 months prior to the March 31 preceding that July 1, plus an additional amount equal to 20 percent of the difference between the benefit level in effect as of the effective date of the bill and 50 percent of the federal poverty level in effect as of the effective date of the bill. Commencing July 1, 2027, the benefit level is to be annually increased by any amount as is necessary to make the benefit level equivalent to at least 50 percent of the federal poverty level in effect on that July 1. Commencing July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Human Services is to assess the real cost of living and actual deprivation as reflected in the standard of need established pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1997, c.13 (C.44:10-42), and other cost of self-sufficiency measures. The assessment is to be transmitted to the Legislature by the commissioner for consideration when deciding on appropriations to fund cash assistance benefits to recipients. The bill provides that organizations that receive State or local economic incentives will be required to partner with local community organizations to provide work activity opportunities and other appropriate services to WFNJ recipients, including training, work-study opportunities, internships, and job retention and advancement services. The bill repeals section 3 of P.L.1997, c.14 (C.44:10-46), which concerned benefits for recipients in the State less than 12 months, and which was invalidated by court ruling and currently has no force or effect. The bill will take effect 120 days after the date of enactment. | In Committee |
| SCR24 | Proposes constitutional amendment to increase amount of annual veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $1,250. | 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 $1,250, beginning in 2024. The voters of the State last approved an increase in the amount of the deduction in 1999, from $50 to $250, to be increased by $50 each year over a period of four years. The amount of the deduction has been $250 since 2003. | In Committee |
| S1055 | Establishes advertisement grant program for NJ emerging businesses. | This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority) to establish a "New Jersey Emerging Business Advertising Grant Program" to provide funds to New Jersey emerging businesses to support advertising and marketing expenses. The bill defines "New Jersey emerging business" to mean a company with fewer than 225 employees, of whom at least 75 percent are filling a position in New Jersey that is doing business, employing or owning capital or property, or maintaining an office in this State. To qualify for the grant program, the business must be a New Jersey emerging business. The authority would also be permitted to establish any other eligibility requirements that it deems appropriate. Additionally, the authority would determine the amounts of each grant awarded under the program. The bill also requires grant recipients to submit an audited financial statement to the authority to demonstrate compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant program on a yearly basis until all monies from the fund have been expended. If a recipient improperly uses the grant, the authority would be required to convert the grant to a loan. | In Committee |
| S1635 | Provides for regulation of funeral arranging. | This bill amends current law by authorizing the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey to license funeral arrangers. Unlike practitioners of mortuary science, who conduct both funeral directing and embalming, funeral arrangers will not be allowed to embalm but will be proficient in all aspects of funeral directing. The education, including continuing education, and examination requirements of the law are modified to allow for this new category of licensure. The bill does not change the current requirements for a person to be licensed as a practitioner of mortuary science. That class of licensure is still required to be proficient in both funeral directing and embalming. The funeral directing industry is regulated, in large part, by the nearly-70 year old "Mortuary Science Act," (P.L.1952, c.340). Prior to the enactment of the 1952 law, the industry was regulated pursuant to P.L.1927, c.156 (repealed effectively in 1952). Under the 1927 law, the licensing board was directed to issue three separate licenses: one for embalming, one for funeral directing, and a third for both embalming and funeral directing. The 1952 law consolidated the three licenses into one, issuing thereafter a license for a practitioner of mortuary science, who must be proficient in both embalming and funeral directing. For religious, cultural, environmental, and other personal and philosophical reasons, individuals often choose cremation or burial without embalming as an alternative to burial with embalming. Over the last several decades, the percentage of funeral services not requiring embalming has increased. This bill, by allowing funeral services not involving embalming to be provided by persons licensed by the board who are not embalmers, would facilitate the response by the funeral services' industry to New Jersey's diverse population and to societal changes. As defined in the bill, "funeral arranging" means funeral directing, which includes (1) holding one's self out as being engaged in or conducting the preparation (other than embalming) for burial or disposal and the direction or supervision of burial or disposal of dead human bodies; (2) maintaining, using or operating a mortuary; (3) in connection with one's name or mortuary using the words "mortician" or "funeral director" or "undertaker" or any other words or title of like import or signification; or (4) engaging in or making funeral arrangements. The bill incorporates the regulation of funeral arranging into provisions of current law addressing licensure requirements and the overall oversight of the profession by the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey. | In Committee |
| S189 | Establishes "Scientific Conference Grant Program"; appropriates $250,000. | This bill establishes in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (office) the "Scientific Conference Grant Program" (program). The bill also appropriates $250,000 from the General Fund to the office to fund the program. Under the bill, the program will award grants to public institutions of higher education that host scientific conferences and seminars in the State. Grants awarded through the program are to be used to defray the costs, either in whole or in part, associated with hosting a scientific conference or seminar and may be applied towards the costs of event spaces and speakers, including speaker fees, honoraria, travel, and lodging. Grants cannot be used to defray food costs or other vendor costs not related to the reservation or use of the event space. Under the bill, a public institution of higher education may apply to the Secretary of Higher Education (secretary) for a grant. The application is required to include a description and preliminary agenda for the conference or seminar, the names and credentials of all invited speakers, and any relevant information pertaining to the costs of hosting the conference or seminar. The grants will be awarded in amounts determined by the secretary | In Committee |
| S2249 | Prohibits juror disqualification based on gender identity or sexual orientation; codifies procedures when discriminatory use of peremptory challenges is alleged. | This bill would make it unlawful to disqualify a person from jury service based on the person's gender identity or affectional or sexual orientation. Under R.S.10:1-8, it is unlawful to disqualify a citizen for service as a grand or petit juror based on race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sex if the citizen possesses all other qualifications prescribed by law. Any officer or other person responsible for the selection or summoning of jurors who excludes or fails to summon any citizen on such basis is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $5,000. This bill would add gender identity or affectional or sexual orientation to the enumerated grounds set out in the statute. P.L.1978, c.95, the "New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice," abolished the term "misdemeanor." This bill would update the statute to be consistent with the Code's classification scheme. Under this scheme, a "misdemeanor" under these circumstances would be treated as a crime of the fourth degree. (See N.J.S.2C:1-4, 2C:1-5, and 2C:43-1). This bill amends R.S.10:1-8 accordingly, making a violation of the statute a crime of the fourth degree. A crime of the fourth degree is generally punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months or a fine up to $10,000, or both. The bill deletes the reference in R.S.10:1-8 to a maximum fine of $5,000 for a violation of this offense. This would make the statute consistent with the maximum fine of $10,000 that is generally imposed under the Code for a crime of the fourth degree. R.S.10:1-8 provides that no citizen possessing all other qualifications prescribed by law shall be disqualified for jury service on account of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, or sex. This bill would add gender identity and affectional or sexual orientation to this list of grounds enumerated in the statute. This bill would add a new section 2 to the bill amending N.J.S.2B:23-10, concerning prospective jurors, to provide that a party shall not use a peremptory challenge to remove a prospective juror on the basis of an assumption that the prospective juror is biased merely because of a characteristic set forth in R.S.10:1-8 or any other constitutionally impermissible grounds. Peremptory challenges, which are authorized by N.J.S.2B:23-10 and N.J.S.2B:23-13 and by R.1:8-3 of the court rules, allow a party to dismiss a prospective juror before trial without stating a reason for the dismissal. The bill also adds a new section 3 concerning peremptory challenges. This new section is modeled on standards set out in "Principles for Juries & Jury Trials," promulgated by the American Bar Association in 2005. Section 3 provides that it shall be presumed that each party is utilizing peremptory challenges validly, without basing those challenges on constitutionally impermissible reasons. Under section 3 of the bill, a party objecting to the challenge of a prospective juror on the grounds that the challenge has been exercised on a constitutionally impermissible basis, establishes a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination: (1) by showing that the challenge was exercised against a member of a constitutionally cognizable group, and (2) by demonstrating that this fact, and any other relevant circumstances, raise an inference that the party challenged the prospective juror because of the juror's membership in that group. When a prima facie case of discrimination is established, the burden shifts to the party making the challenge to show a nondiscriminatory basis for the challenge. The bill provides that the court shall evaluate the credibility of the proffered reasons. If the court finds that the reasons stated are constitutionally permissible and are supported by the record, the court shall permit the challenge. If the court finds that the reasons for the challenge are constitutionally impermissible, the court shall deny the challenge and, after consultation with counsel, determine whether further remedy is appropriate. The court shall state the reasons, including whatever factual findings are appropriate, for sustaining or overruling the objection on the record. The bill sets out specific procedures that would go into effect if there is an allegation that a party is using peremptory challenges in a discriminatory manner. Under the bill, a party objecting to the peremptory challenge of a prospective juror may establish a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination: (1) by showing that the challenge was exercised in violation of subsection c. of N.J.S.2B:23-10, and (2) by producing evidence sufficient to permit the trial judge to draw an inference of discriminatory purpose. The bill provides that when a prima facie case of purposeful discrimination is established, the burden shifts to the party who used the peremptory challenge to show that the exclusion was, in the discretion of the court, the product of an acceptable situation-specific basis and a reasoned, neutral purpose. The court would weigh the basis for the objection to the use of the peremptory challenge against the credibility of the proffered reasons for the prospective juror's exclusion. The court would determine whether the explanations provided for the use of the peremptory challenge are a pretext or have a reasoned, neutral purpose. If the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the reasons stated for the use of the peremptory challenge are the product of an acceptable situation-specific basis and have a reasoned, neutral purpose supported by the record, the court would permit the use of the peremptory challenge. Otherwise, the court would deny the peremptory challenge and proceed as provided in the amendments. The court would state the basis for its ruling on the record. The bill further provides that, in addition to any other sanctions as may be provided by the Rules of Court, if the court denies the exclusion of a prospective juror by the use of peremptory challenge on the basis of purposeful discrimination, the court may employ one or more of the following remedies to assure a fair and impartial trial to all parties, redress the constitutionally impermissible behavior, and expedite proceedings: (1) after consultation with counsel for each party, reseat the wrongfully excused juror; (2) order the forfeiture of the peremptory challenge that was improperly used; (3) dismiss the jury panel and start jury selection anew; or (4) order the forfeiture of one peremptory challenge of the party who sought to use a peremptory challenge for purposeful discrimination or order the addition of one peremptory challenge for the other party. The bill also eliminates the criminalization in current law in R.S.10:1-8 for disqualifying a juror on discriminatory grounds. In the view of the sponsor, criminal prosecutions for this violation are unlikely. Under the bill, a person who violates the statute would not be guilty of a crime but would be subject to a civil penalty of $5,000, to be collected under the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). The bill also adds a requirement that a violation of the statute would occur only if the person acts purposely or knowingly. | In Committee |
| S1607 | Requires NJT to provide on-demand transit service in certain areas. | This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) to establish and operate an on-demand transit system as an affordable public transit option for individuals traveling in the same general direction within: (1) a transit desert; (2) 10 miles of a bus, rail, or light rail station or terminal; (3) a county of the first class; and (4) city of the first class. The bill authorizes NJ Transit to contract with a third party to provide and operate an on-demand transit system. Under the bill, NJ Transit is required to operate, or cause to be operated, motor vehicles with a seating capacity of at least 10 individuals, including the driver, to provide on-demand transit service. NJ Transit is to use electric motor vehicles and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles when feasible. NJ Transit is required to discount fares charged for on-demand transit service for certain individuals and to fund on-demand transit service from federal monies made accessible from the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," to the extent permitted by federal law. "On-demand transit" is defined to mean publicly available transportation provided by means of a motor vehicle to individuals selecting a pick-up and drop-off location by telephone or through a mobile application and is provided as soon as possible after an individual selects pick-up and drop-off locations for such transportation. | Dead |
| S1615 | Establishes Nuclear Energy Apprenticeship, Training, and Employment Resources Pilot Program in DOLWD; appropriates $1 million. | This bill would create a five-year Nuclear Energy Apprenticeship, Training, and Employment Resources ("Nuclear Energy") Pilot Program in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to provide grants to support funding for newly-established adult apprenticeship programs in the nuclear energy infrastructure, nuclear energy utilities, and other nuclear energy-related sectors, including radioactive waste workers and those sectors focusing on underserved and underrepresented communities. Any organizational sponsor of an apprenticeship program, including a business, labor organization, college or university, workforce training provider, non-profit organization, public utility, local government entity or authority, or trade organization, would be eligible to receive a grant, provided that they have secured an industry partner or a monetary or in-kind funding contribution. Under the bill, the program is required to coordinate with the Center for Workforce Innovation in Construction established by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development as part of the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative. The DOLWD will be required to begin accepting grant applications not more than six months after the effective date of this bill, and initial grant awards are to be issued no later than one year after the bill's effective date. The DOLWD would be required to rank eligible applicants for grants based upon each applicant's potential to: (1) reach a broad audience through its recruitment and outreach efforts; (2) significantly increase enrollment in, and the completion of, the apprenticeship program, including among members of underserved and underrepresented communities; and (3) fill existing needs for skilled workers in the market. One year after the bill's effective date, and each year thereafter for the duration of the pilot grant program, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development would be required to submit to the Governor and the Legislature a report that evaluates the results of the Nuclear Energy Pilot Program and its effectiveness. The bill would create a special, non-lapsing fund in the Department of the Treasury, which would be known as the "Nuclear Energy Fund," and which would be used to collect and invest moneys for the purposes of the bill. The bill would also direct the Department of the Treasury to solicit grants and donations to the fund from interested public or private sources. The bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the Nuclear Energy Fund to effectuate the purposes of this bill. | In Committee |
| S1958 | Eliminates fee for filing certified copy of name change order. | Under current law, a $50 fee is charged for filing a certified copy of an order for change of name. Many New Jersey residents seek a change of name each year for reasons including marriage and divorce. This bill eliminates the fee for filing a certified copy of a name change order in this State. | In Committee |
| S1035 | Increases qualified research expenses tax credit for corporation business taxpayers engaged in targeted industries; increases basic research payment tax credit; allows research tax credit to be refundable. | This bill makes several changes to the research tax credit provided under the corporation business tax, including increasing the qualified research expenses credit for taxpayers engaged in targeted industries, increasing the basic research payments tax credit for all taxpayers, and allowing the total credit to be refundable. Under current law, a corporation business taxpayer may receive a research tax credit in an amount equal to (1) 10 percent of the excess of qualified research expenses for the privilege period over the base amount; and (2) 10 percent of the basic research payments for the privilege period. This bill increases the qualified research expenses tax credit from 10 percent to 15 percent for taxpayers who are primarily engaged in business in one or more targeted industries. For the purpose of calculating the qualified research expenses tax credit, the base amount is determined based on a fixed percentage of the taxpayer's average annual gross receipts. Qualified research expenses are also defined to include the sum of in-house research expenses and contract research expenses that are paid or incurred during the privilege period. Under the bill, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority would be responsible for periodically identifying a list of targeted industries. However, the bill requires the initial list of targeted industries to include advanced transportation and logistics, manufacturing, aviation, autonomous vehicle and zero-emission vehicle research or development, clean energy, life sciences, hemp processing, information and high technology, finance and insurance, professional services, film and digital media, non-retail food and beverage businesses including food innovation, and other innovative industries that disrupt current technologies or business models. Additionally, the bill increases the basic research payments tax credit from 10 percent to 15 percent for all taxpayers. State regulations define basic research payments to include cash payments provided by a corporation to qualified organizations (e.g., institutions of higher education, certain scientific research organizations, and certain scientific tax-exempt organization) for the performance of basic research. Under state regulations, the credit is calculated based on the provisions of section 41 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. s.41), as in effect on June 30, 1992. The bill also allows the research tax credit to be refundable for privilege periods beginning on or after the date of enactment. Under current law, the research tax credit cannot be refunded, and taxpayers are permitted to carry forward the unused portion of the credit for seven privilege periods. Under the bill, a taxpayer may instead elect to receive the unused portion of the credit as a tax refund, or carry forward the unused credit. When a tax credit is refundable, the State is required to provide the taxpayer with a cash payment in the amount of the unused credit, which represents an overpayment of tax. | In Committee |
| S1594 | Establishes Veterans State Government Fellowship program. | This bill creates the Veterans State Government Fellowship program within the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey. The purpose of the program is to foster and encourage education and training in the executive and legislative processes for veterans who have an interest in law, public policy, and politics. The program will be administered by the Eagleton Institute. Eight veterans will be selected to serve as fellows. The fellows will be selected by the director of the program. Each veteran fellow will be paid a stipend and will work for the Legislature in either the Senate Majority Office, Senate Minority Office, General Assembly Majority Office, or General Assembly Minority Office, or for a participating State department or agency. An annual appropriation of $600,000 will be made to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for the purposes of this bill. | In Committee |
| S1039 | Establishes and codifies certain privileges for limited and restricted brewery license holders. | This bill grants certain privileges to the holders of limited and restricted brewery licenses. In addition, privileges currently held by limited brewery licensees are clarified and codified by the provisions of the bill. Under current law, the holder of a limited brewery license is entitled to brew and distribute beer to retailers and manufacturers, but is limited in the amount of beer that he or she may brew in one year. The holder of a restricted brewery license is entitled to brew beer and operate a restaurant provided the licensee also holds a Class C consumption license generally issued to bars and restaurants. Under the bill, the holder of a limited brewery license would be entitled to serve customers tableside utilizing servers or wait staff employed by the holder of this license. The limited brewery license holder also would be entitled to serve malt alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption in outdoor spaces that are a part of an approved outdoor space utilizing a permanent or portable tap system located in the approved outdoor space. Pourers and servers employed by the restricted brewery are to be certified by an industry-recognized server training program. The bill also removes from current law the requirement that limited breweries provide a tour. Under current law, limited breweries are authorized to sell their product at retail to consumers on the licensed premises for on-site consumption, but only in connection with a tour of the brewery or distillery. Under this bill, consumers would not be required to take a tour of the brewery to purchase beverages for on-site consumption. The bill also allows the limited brewery license holder to offer for sale or make the gratuitous offering of de minimis food items such as, but not limited to, packaged crackers, chips, nuts, and similar snacks to consumers. The license holder would be entitled to sell non-alcoholic beverages regardless of whether the non-alcoholic beverages are manufactured on the license premises. Under the bill, the license holder would be entitled to coordinate with a food vendor for the provision of food on the licensed premises and provide menus to consumers for the sale of food. The bill also clarifies that limited breweries are entitled to offer for sale suitable gift items and novelty wearing apparel identified with the name of the licensed limited brewery. This bill also allows limited breweries to hold an unlimited number of on-premises special events for which the license holder may advertise and charge a cover fee. A license holder would not be required to obtain a permit or provide electronic notification to the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) prior to holding on-premises special events or private parties. In addition, the bill allows limited breweries to hold an unlimited number of off-premises special events by obtaining a permit from the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. An off-premises special event permit may be issued for an event that is held for up to three consecutive days. The licensee would be entitled to coordinate with food vendors for the provision of food at off-premises events. If an off-premises special event is held on a publicly-owned or controlled property, the holder of the limited brewery license would be required to obtain the consent of the political subdivision that owns or controls the property or the chief law enforcement officer of the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the property. Under the bill, a limited brewery also would be entitled to hold an unlimited number of private parties per year to occur on the licensed premise including, but not limited to, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, civic and political functions, professional and trade association events, or class reunions and alumni events. The host of a private party, subject to the brewery's consent, may provide wine or malt alcoholic beverages purchased off the licensed premises to be served at the private party. A private party host may hire the employee of a limited brewery to pour the alcoholic beverages served at the party. The limited brewery would not be required to obtain a permit or provide electronic notification to the division of a private event. The bill also allows organizations operating for civic, religious, educational, charitable, fraternal, social, or recreational purposes, and not for private gain, to obtain a social affair permit to hold an event on the licensed premises of a limited brewery. Under the bill, the holder of a limited brewery license would be entitled to host not more than 25 social affair events on a limited brewery premises. The social affair permit holder may, at the brewery's consent, sell and serve wine and malt alcoholic beverages manufactured off the licensed premises for on-premises consumption only, provided the wine and malt alcoholic beverages. A host of a social affair permitted event may hire the employees or agents of a limited brewery licensee to pour the alcoholic beverages served at the event. The bill allows limited breweries to sell their products for consumption off the licensed premises during a social affair permitted event. Finally, the bill increases annual production limits placed on restricted breweries from 10,000 barrels to 300,000 barrels of 31 gallons capacity per year. In addition, restricted breweries would be entitled to sell their products directly to a retailer, rather than through a wholesaler. The bill further allows restricted breweries to maintain a warehouse. This bill is in response, in part, to a recent special ruling issued by the Director of ABC to limit the number of special events and private parties held by limited breweries. It is the sponsor's intent to foster and encourage New Jersey's flourishing craft beer industry and its contribution to the local economy by granting additional privileges and codifying existing privileges for both limited and restricted breweries. | In Committee |
| S1243 | Directs Secretary of State to contract with qualified vendor to develop national marketing campaign promoting State's innovation economy; appropriates $1,000,000. | This bill requires the Secretary of State to enter into a contract or agreement with a qualified vendor to develop and undertake a national marketing campaign to promote the State's assets as an innovation economy, to attract people, businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors in other states, and to both promote and increase the State's high-technology and high-skilled workforce. The bill requires the qualified vendor to be a private nonprofit organization qualified for exemption from federal taxation pursuant to 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3) and that supports business relocation to, and entrepreneurship in, the State. The marketing campaign would include, but would not be limited to, the following elements: (1) a branding strategy to publicize the State's assets and to strengthen the State's innovation economy brand; (2) promotion of the State's employment opportunities in the high-technology and high-skilled sectors of the economy, the well-paying wages in those sectors, as well as the infrastructural, workforce, investment, and other assets that make it ideal for people, businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors to locate and grow their business in New Jersey; (3) targeted marketing to specific populations, including out-of-state businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, recent college and graduate school graduates, young professionals, and other persons interested in starting a high-technology business or bringing a research idea to commercialization; (4) promotion of the quality careers in manufacturing, a critical part of the innovation economy; and (5) any other element the Secretary of State deems appropriate. The marketing campaign would incorporate radio, television, print, and internet media platforms. The bill appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of State the sum of $1,000,000 and such sums as the State Treasurer and the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury deem necessary to effectuate its provisions. | In Committee |
| S1630 | Requires DMVA to provide mortgage loan counseling under certain circumstances. | This bill requires the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) to provide counseling and assistance to applicants for a mortgage loan for a property in New Jersey that is to be guaranteed by the federal "Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944," commonly known as the G.I. Bill. Under the bill, loan counseling and assistance is required to include a review of the terms and restrictions of the loan, information determined by the NJHMFA to be appropriate for a veteran seeking a housing loan under the G.I. Bill, and any other information that may be required under federal law, rule, or regulation. This bill requires residential mortgage lenders in New Jersey to provide a separate disclosure form with each application stating that a veteran seeking a housing loan under the G.I. Bill has been offered loan counseling services pursuant to the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| S249 | Requires BPU to establish beneficial building electrification program and requires electric public utilities to prepare and implement building electrification plans. | This bill would direct the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to establish a beneficial building electrification program, and would require electric public utilities to prepare and implement beneficial building electrification plans. As used in the bill, "beneficial electrification" means a change in end-use equipment from a nonelectric type to an efficient electric type for any building end use, including water heating, space heating, industrial process, or transportation, provided that the change: reduces cost from a societal perspective; reduces greenhouse gas emission, or promotes the increased use of the electric grid in off-peak hours. The bill directs the BPU to adopt, no later than one year after the bill becomes law, rules and regulations establishing a beneficial building electrification program. As part of the program, the BPU would develop greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for beneficial building electrification programs implemented by each electric public utility in the State and require electric public utilities to prepare and implement beneficial building electrification plans. The BPU would: (1) establish beneficial electrification program targets expressed in the amount of on-site greenhouse gas emission reductions; (2) establish program design elements and minimum filing requirements to achieve the goals of the energy master plan; (3) establish a cost recovery and performance incentive mechanism for programs established under the bill; (4) determine whether the electric public utilities or the board would be responsible for the implementation of building electrification programs for new construction; and (5) develop and provide direct incentives for the installation of electric heat pumps. The bill would require each electric public utility to prepare a multi-year beneficial electrification plan to achieve the targets established by the BPU. To be approved by the BPU, an electricity public utility plan would be required to meet or exceed on-site greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set by the board and be cost effective from a societal perspective utilizing a cost-effectiveness test that includes consideration of the environmental benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and methane emissions. Under the bill, a beneficial building electrification plan may meet the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set pursuant to the bill through the following: (1) conversion of fossil fuel-based space and water heating systems, including natural gas and propane systems as well as other unregulated fuels, to systems that employ high-efficiency electric heat pumps; (2) replacement of fossil fuel based appliances with high-efficiency electric appliances such as induction cooking ranges and heat-pump clothes dryers; (3) conversion of fossil fuel-based industrial equipment or processes to energy-efficient electric-powered equipment or processes; or (4) market transformation programs aimed at educating and training contractors to use appliances, equipment, and systems that are high-efficiency. | In Committee |
| S1585 | Establishes ranked-choice voting procedure for elections for Governor, State Senate, State General Assembly, United States Senate and House of Representatives, and presidential primaries and general elections for electors for United States President and Vice-President. | This bill establishes a ranked-choice voting procedure for primary and general elections to elect candidates to the offices of Governor, New Jersey Senate, New Jersey General Assembly, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives, and for presidential primary elections and general elections for electors of candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States. Ranked-choice voting is an election method in which voters rank candidates in order of their preference, the ballots are counted in rounds, and the votes or fractions of votes are distributed to candidates according to the preferences marked on each ballot. The bill requires the ballot to be designed to allow voters to assign a ranking order to each qualified candidate on the ballot for such offices, including write-in candidates. In the event that the voting equipment cannot feasibly accommodate a ballot containing a number of rankings equal to the number of qualified candidates, the ballot is permitted to be designed to allow a voter to rank the maximum number allowed by the voting equipment, but not less than six candidates. Under the bill, single-winner elections to the offices of Governor, New Jersey Senate, United States Senate, and United States House of Representatives, and presidential primaries and general elections for electors of candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States, would be tabulated in rounds. Each ballot counts as one vote for the highest-ranked candidate on that ballot. If a candidate reaches the election threshold of 50 percent of the votes plus one, that candidate is elected and the tabulation is complete. If two or fewer continuing candidates remain, the candidate with the fewest number of votes is defeated, the candidate with the greatest number of votes is elected, and the tabulation is complete. However, if more than two continuing candidates remain, the continuing candidate with the fewest number of votes is defeated, and a new round of counting begins until a candidate reaches the election threshold. For multi-winner elections to the office of member of the New Jersey General Assembly, which include two members elected from each election district, the bill establishes a tabulation procedure that involves the transfer of vote fractions. Under the bill, if in the initial tabulation the number of continuing candidates is less than or equal to two (which is the number of offices to be filled for the New Jersey General Assembly in the legislative district), then all continuing candidates are elected and the tabulation is complete. If not, a series of tabulation rounds would proceed sequentially until candidates are elected by reaching the election threshold of 33 percent of the votes plus one. If the sum of the number of elected candidates and the number of continuing candidates is equal to three (the sum of one and the number of offices to be elected), then the candidate with the fewest votes is defeated, all other continuing candidates are elected, and the tabulation is complete. However, if at least one continuing candidate has more votes than the election threshold, then each such candidate is elected, and each ballot counting for an elected candidate is assigned a "transfer value" so that the candidate's surplus votes (beyond the election threshold) are distributed to the next ranked continuing candidate on those ballots. If, after these steps, no candidate is elected, then the continuing candidate with the fewest votes is defeated, and a new round of counting begins until the positions are filled as the remaining candidates reach the election threshold. The bill directs the Secretary of State to issue guidelines and promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the ranked-choice voting procedures established by the bill. The bill would take effect immediately, but would remain inoperative until the January 1st following 12 months after the Secretary of State officially certifies that all voting machines used in this State have the capability to support ranked-choice voting. However, the bill's provisions concerning elections to the office of Governor would be implemented if the voters approve an amendment to the State Constitution authorizing ranked-choice for that office. | In Committee |
| S1619 | Permits county board of elections to open certain ballot drop boxes for fire district elections. | Under current law, whenever a municipal, school, or special election is held, a board of elections must open the following ballot drop boxes: (1) the ballot drop box located geographically closest to the municipal government building in which the main office of the municipal clerk is located; and (2) the ballot drop box located at the board of elections or county office, if one is placed at that location. Under current law, fire district elections are not included. This bill would expand current law and include fire district elections. Under the bill, a board of elections would be permitted to open the following ballot drop boxes during the conduct of a fire district election: (1) the ballot drop box located geographically closest to the municipal government building in which the main office of the municipal clerk is located; and (2) the ballot drop box located at the board of elections or county office, if one is placed at that location. The bill also provides that whenever a fire district election is held, the board of elections would retrieve the mail-in ballots deposited in the ballot drop boxes, at a minimum, once per week. | In Committee |
| S1643 | Makes $250,000 supplemental appropriation to New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders for pediatric clinical services at Tourette Syndrome Clinic of Rutgers University. | This FY 2024 supplemental appropriation provides $250,000 to the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS) to support diagnostic assessments and counseling services for children at the Tourette Syndrome Clinic of Rutgers University, New Brunswick. The clinic, established jointly by the NJCTS and the Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP), provides psychological assessments, social-emotional skills groups, and individual and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults with Tourette Syndrome. The clinic offers sliding scale rates for services delivered to individuals and families with demonstrated financial need. According to a 2022 data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every 50 children between the ages of five and 14 years have a persistent tic disorder, including Tourette Syndrome. | In Committee |
| S1687 | Requires emergency medical technicians and firefighters to receive training concerning electric vehicle fires. | This bill requires emergency medical technicians and firefighters within the State to be trained on the risks associated with electric vehicles and in the safe and effective management of electric vehicle fires. Under this bill, the Division of Fire Safety, in consultation with the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, will adopt a training course for firefighters. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Human Services, the New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute, and the New Jersey State First Aid Council, will adopt a training course for emergency medical technicians. For the last 20 years, there has been increased interest in and use of electric vehicles. While the risk of an electric vehicle fire is low, managing an electric vehicle fire requires specialized training since a lithium-ion battery can burn hotter and for a longer period of time than a gasoline engine. | In Committee |
| S1583 | Removes certain property rights of State agencies in certain instances. | This bill amends provisions in the "New Jersey Conflicts of Interest" statutes (N.J.S.A.52:13D-12 et seq.) that allow a State officer or employee, or a special State officer or employee, to enter into a contract with a State agency for the development of scientific or technological discoveries or innovations if the State agency has a property right in the discovery or innovation. This bill removes the condition that the State agency has a property right in the discovery or innovation. It will allow for the use of this provision for contracts in which State agencies does not have a property right. | In Committee |
| S1394 | Increases, from 18 percent to 30 percent, amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes for purposes of deduction from gross income for property tax payments. | This bill amends the "Property Tax Deduction Act," (N.J.S.A.54A:3A-15 et seq.) to provide additional income tax relief for tenants by increasing, from 18 percent to 30 percent, the amount of rent defined as "rent constituting property taxes". Under the "Property Tax Deduction Act," a taxpayer is entitled to a deduction of up to $15,000 from gross income for property taxes, or the rental equivalent thereof paid by tenants, due and paid for that calendar year on a taxpayer's homestead. For tenants, the amount of the deduction is based on the amount of "rent constituting property taxes". Current law sets the amount of rent constituting property taxes at 18 percent of the rent paid by the taxpayer for the occupancy, during the taxable year, of a unit of residential real property which the taxpayer occupies a principal residence. This bill increases the amount rent constituting property taxes from 18 percent of rent paid to 30 percent of rent paid. Increasing the cap on the amount of rental payments defined as rent constituting property taxes would allow eligible gross income taxpayers to deduct a higher amount of rent from their gross income, thereby lowering in the amount of gross income subject to taxation and reducing a tenant's tax burden. | In Committee |
| S1595 | Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in, and requires divestment from, companies involved in production or maintenance of nuclear weapons. | This bill prohibits the Director of the Division of Investment from investing any assets of the State retirement funds in any company involved in the production or maintenance of nuclear weapons. The bill requires divestment from these companies to be completed generally within two years. Under the bill, the State Investment Council and the director are required to identify all companies subject to divestment, and the director is required to report annually on the progress of divestment. | In Committee |
| S740 | Revises elements of offense of agricultural trespass, expands number and type of activities constituting agricultural trespass, and expands definition of "lands" susceptible to agricultural trespass. | This bill would revise the law pertaining to the offense of agricultural trespass. Current law provides that a person commits the crime of agricultural trespass if the person either: (1) knowingly or recklessly operates a motorized vehicle or rides horseback upon the lands of another without obtaining and possessing the written permission of the owner, occupant, lessee, or licensee of the lands; or (2) knowingly or recklessly damages or injures any tangible property, including any fence, building, feedstocks, crops, trees, or domestic animals, located on the lands of another. Current law also provides for the imposition of a civil penalty in cases where a person knowingly or recklessly engages in these activities. This bill would eliminate the law's provisions requiring knowledge or recklessness to be established as an element of the offense of agricultural trespass, and it would additionally expand the types of activities that will be deemed to constitute such offense. Specifically, under the bill's provisions, a person would be deemed to have committed the crime of agricultural trespass, and would additionally be subject to a civil penalty for agricultural trespass, if the person: (1) encroaches upon the lands of another by entering or remaining on such lands, whether on foot, while riding horseback, while using a motorized or non-motorized vehicle, while operating motorized or non-motorized equipment, or otherwise, without obtaining and being in possession of the written permission of the owner, occupant, lessee, or licensee of the lands; or (2) damages or injures any tangible property, including, any fence, building, equipment, feedstock, crop, tree, or domestic animal, which is located on the lands of another. The bill would further clarify that nothing in the law will relieve the owners of agricultural or horticultural lands from the obligation to post conspicuous notice prohibiting trespass on the waters, or on the banks along or around any waters, which are listed for stocking with fish in the current State Fish and Game Code, adopted pursuant to section 32 of P.L.1948, c.448 (C.13:1B-30), before a trespass violation may be found to have occurred on such banks or in or on such waters. Under the bill's provisions, and consistent with existing law, any person who trespasses upon the agricultural or horticultural lands of another would be subject to a civil penalty of at least $100, and any person who operates a motorized vehicle, operates motorized equipment, or rides horseback upon the lands of another without obtaining and being in possession of the written permission of the owner, occupant, lessee, or licensee thereof, or who damages or injures any tangible property located on the lands of another, including, but not limited to, any fence, building, equipment, feedstock, crop, tree, or domestic animal, would be subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and the payment of attorneys' fees, which penalties would be in addition to any other fines, penalties, or restitution that may be imposed pursuant to the law. Finally, the bill would amend the existing statutory definitions of "lands" that are subject to agricultural trespass, in order to clarify those definitions, facilitate ease of reading, and expand the definitions to include the following types of land: (1) appurtenant woodland, which is contiguous to, a part of, or beneficial to, another tract of land to which the woodland is supportive and subordinate, which other tract of land has at least five acres devoted to agricultural or horticultural uses including the production, for sale, of Christmas trees, but excluding the production, for sale, of other trees or forest products; and (2) land that is appurtenant to the above-described appurtenant woodland or to any other types of lands already susceptible to agricultural trespass under the applicable statutory definitions, provided that such appurtenant land is used for the maintenance or storage of agricultural equipment. | In Committee |
| S1356 | Allows limited brewery license holder to engage in certain activities; establishes farm brewery and winery-brewery license. | This bill amends current law to authorize certain activities in which a holder of a limited brewery license is permitted to engage. Specifically, this bill authorizes the holder of a limited brewery license to engage in activities which include, but are not limited to including: (1) an unlimited number of on-premises special events, for which the license holder may sell tickets without requiring the license holder to obtain a permit or provide electronic notification to the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), and (2) up to 18 off-premises special events per year pursuant to a permit issued by the director of the ABC for each event. If an event is to be held on a publicly-owned or controlled property, the licensee would be required to obtain consent from the political subdivision that owns or controls the property or the chief law enforcement officer of the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over the property. Under the bill, a license holder also is permitted to deliver its product to a consumer's home; sell soda and coffee, whether or not manufactured by the license holder; coordinate with a food vendor to provide food on the licensed premises; and provide menus to consumers. In addition, the bill eliminates the requirement that the license holder provide a tour to a consumer prior to serving alcoholic beverages for consumption on the licensed premises. The bill further provides that pourers and servers employed by the licensed brewery are not required to be certified by an industry-recognized server training program. The bill defines "on-premises special event" to mean an event that is open to the public and held on the licensed premises or the sidewalk, parking lot, or other area owned by the license holder that is adjacent to or adjoining the licensed premises and includes, but is not limited to: private parties such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, civic and political functions, professional and trade association events, class reunion and alumni events; trivia and quiz games; paint and sip; craftmaking; pop up shops; DJs, live music, and open mic; televised or streamed sporting events; educational events and seminars; movies and theatrical events; animal adoption, to the extent permitted by local ordinance; and yoga and other exercise classes. "Off-premises special events" are defined as special events that take place at a location other than on the licensed premises or the sidewalk, parking lot, or other area owned by the license holder that is adjacent to or adjoining the licensed premises and include, but are not limited to: beer, music, and arts festivals; civic events; foot races, mud races, bike races and other athletic events; limited brewery anniversary celebrations; and holiday celebrations. The bill also establishes a winery-brewery sublicense that would permit wineries to produce malt alcoholic beverages for retail sale to consumers for consumption off the licensed premises and establishes a farm brewery license that would permit the licensee to produce malt alcoholic beverages for retail sale to consumers for consumption off the licensed premises. A farm brewery would operate in much the same manner as a farm winery, using locally grown farm products in brewing malt beverages which would be sold at the farm. A licensee would be required to be actively engaged in farming on or adjacent to the brewery site and to be actively cultivating hops or other products used in the production of the malt alcoholic beverages. A farm brewery licensee would be permitted to brew up to 2,000 barrels of malt alcoholic beverages per year for retail sale for consumption off the premises and to offer samples. A graduated license based on volume would range in cost from $100 to $300 annually. A single individual or entity would be permitted to hold only one farm brewery license. The winery-brewery sublicense established by the bill would be available to plenary and farm winery licensees, provided they are actively engaged in farming on or adjacent to the winery premises and are growing and cultivating hops or another product used in the production of the malt alcoholic beverages. Under the provisions of the bill, the holder of a winery-brewery sublicense would be permitted to brew up to 3,000 barrels of malt beverages per year and to sell this product at retail for off premises consumption and to offer samples. The bill does not authorize a licensee to sell any malt alcoholic beverages to wholesalers and retailers. The annual fee for this sublicense would be $750. A winery-brewery licensee would be permitted to hold only one sublicense under the bill. | In Committee |
| S1617 | Establishes project-based learning pilot program in DOE. | This bill directs the Commissioner of Education to establish a three-year project-based learning pilot program. The purpose of the program will be to introduce students in grades nine through 12 to project-based learning through project-based course offerings. As defined in the bill, project-based learning means a teaching method that offers students the opportunity for active engagement through the design, development, and implementation of real-world projects. Under the bill, a school district with students in grades nine through 12 that wants to participate in the pilot program will submit an application to the commissioner. The application will include: a description of the school district's proposal for creating and implementing a project-based learning course; the estimated number of students who will be eligible to participate in the course; and any other information as prescribed by the commissioner. Also under the bill, the commissioner will select up to six school districts for participation in the pilot program. The commissioner will select two districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State, and will seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature. The report will contain information on the implementation of the pilot program, as well as the commissioner's recommendation on the advisability of continuing or expanding the program. | In Committee |
| 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. | This bill, titled the "Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act," would provide an alternative process for handling partition actions filed in court concerning real property with multiple owners, at least one of whom had acquired title to the property from a relative. The bill is based on the 2010 uniform act of the same name drafted and approved by the Uniform Law Commission (formerly known, and sometimes still referred to, as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws). Currently, any real property held by multiple owners as tenants in common (cotenants) may be subject to a partition action filed in Superior Court, which may result in (1) a partition in kind, which is the physical division of the property proportionate to individual owners' interests, or (2) partition by sale, for which individual owners are then compensated out of the total purchase price proportionate to their interests. See N.J.S.2A:56-1 et seq. This bill would preempt some parts of the existing partition law in order to create new requirements for the process intended to more greatly protect the interests of cotenant property owners who may object to another owner's action seeking to partition any property which meets the following characteristics and is referred to in the bill as "heirs property": - there is no agreement in a record binding all the cotenants which governs the partition of the property; - one or more of the cotenants acquired title from a relative, whether living or deceased; and - any one of the following applies: 20 percent or more of the interests are held by cotenants who are relatives; 20 percent or more of the interests are held by an individual who acquired title from a relative, whether living or deceased; or 20 percent or more of the cotenants are relatives. When a partition action is filed pursuant to the partition law, N.J.S.2A:56-1 et seq., the court would make a determination, based on information contained in the pleadings or any other information provided to the court pursuant to the Rules of Court, whether the subject property is "heirs property." If so determined, the property would be partitioned in accordance with the process set forth in the bill. The court is to appoint a special master to generally oversee the process and, when appropriate to carry out a partition in kind (the physical division of property), and may, when appropriate, appoint a commissioner or commissioners pursuant R.4:63-1 of the Rules of Court "to ascertain and report in writing the metes and bounds of each [cotenant's] share." Any such appointed commissioner would be required to be disinterested, impartial, and not a party to or participant in the partition action. The bill also provides that if the court determines that the property may be heirs property, the court would order the plaintiff to post, and maintain while the action is pending, a conspicuous notice on the property that is the subject of the action in accordance with the Rules of Court. That notice would state information about the partition action and the common designation by which the property is known, and the court could also require the party to include the party's name and the known defendants (other cotenants). An appointed special master would direct a disinterested real estate appraiser licensed in the State to make a determination of the property's fair market value, assuming sole ownership of the fee simple estate, unless the cotenants have agreed to the property's value or to another valuation method, in which case the special master could accept that value or the value produced by the agreed upon method. If an appraisal was conducted, the completed appraisal would be distributed to the parties in the action and filed with the special master. Within 30 days after the appraisal is filed, any party could file an objection with the special master. Thereafter, following notice of a hearing, the special master could conduct an appraisal hearing to determine the fair market value of the property, during which the special master could consider evidence offered by any party in addition to the real estate appraisal on file. If any cotenant requests a partition by sale, after the determination of the property's value, a notice would be sent within 45 days by the party who filed the partition action to all parties and the special master indicating that any cotenant, except a cotenant that requested partition by sale, could buy all of the interests of the one or more cotenants requesting the sale. Within 30 days thereafter, any eligible cotenant or cotenants could then elect to buy all of those interests by giving notice of such to the parties and the special master. The purchase price for each of the interests of a cotenant requesting the partition by sale would be the determined value of the entire parcel of property multiplied by the cotenant's fractional ownership of the entire parcel. At the conclusion of the buyout notice period, the bill provides for the following: (1) If only one cotenant elected to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale, the cotenant would notify all the parties and the special master in writing; (2) If more than one cotenant elected to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale, the special master would allocate the right to buy those interests among the electing cotenants based on each electing cotenant's existing fractional ownership of the entire parcel divided by the total existing fractional ownership of all cotenants electing to buy, and send written notice to all the parties of that fact and of the price to be paid by each electing cotenant; and (3) If no cotenant elected to buy all the interests of the cotenants that requested partition by sale, the special master with notice to the parties would report in writing to the court, and the court would resolve the matter by ordering a partition in kind or partition by sale. In situations when one or more cotenants elected to buy the available interests, each such cotenant would be required to pay their apportioned price within 30 days with notice to the special master. Upon timely payment by all purchasing cotenants, the special master would issue an order reallocating the interests amongst the remaining cotenants and the money held by the Superior Court Trust Fund would be disbursed, in accordance with procedures set forth in the Rules of Court, to the one or more cotenants who have been bought-out. If no one made timely payments, the special master would report this to the court, which in turn would resolve the matter by ordering a partition in kind or partition by sale. If only some made timely payments, those paying cotenants could file a motion with the special master to determine the outstanding interests and their purchase price, and one or more such cotenants could thereafter pay, based upon a new special master order, for the recalculated remaining interests within 30 days following issuance of the order. After this new 30-day period, if there remained any interests for sale that are not purchased, the court would resolve the matter by ordering a partition in kind or partition by sale. Thus, whenever at the conclusion of the one or more buyout periods described above there remain any unpurchased interest from a cotenant that requested the partition by sale, or any cotenant remains that has requested a partition in kind, the special master would report to the court a recommendation to proceed with a partition in kind. The court would order the partitioning of the property into physically distinct and separately titled parcels, unless the court found that such partitioning would result in great prejudice to the cotenants as a group; the determination of "great prejudice" would be based on such factors as whether the property could be divided practicably amongst cotenants, whether doing so could decrease the aggregate values of the resulting parcels versus selling the property as a whole, and any cotenant's sentimental attachment to the property, including attachment arising because of any ancestral, unique, or special value to the cotenant. In a case in which a partition in kind would result in great prejudice, the court would order a partition by sale, unless no cotenant requested such action, resulting in the dismissal of the case and no further partitioning of the property. Any partition by sale would be an open-market sale unless the court finds that a sale by sealed bids or an auction would be more economically advantageous and in the best interest of the cotenants as a group. Any open-market sale would proceed under a licensed real estate broker, either agreed to by the parties or, absent agreement, appointed by the court. The real estate broker would be provided a reasonable commission on the sale as determined by the court. The broker would offer the property for sale in a commercially reasonable manner at a price no lower than the previously determined value of the property, and on the terms and conditions established by the court. The broker, after receiving an offer to purchase the property, would file a report with the court containing information about the purchase price, name of each buyer, terms of the proposed sale, including the terms of any financing, any amounts to be paid to lienholders, and other material facts relevant to the sale. Thereafter, the purchase could be completed in accordance with applicable State law and payments distributed based upon the former cotenants various interests in the property. This bill would take effect on the 30th day following enactment, and apply to any partition actions filed on or after that date. | In Committee |
| S1596 | Authorizes creation of Juneteenth commemorative license plates. | This bill authorizes the creation of Juneteenth commemorative license plates by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). The license plates are to cost $50 for the initial application and $10 annually thereafter for renewal, in addition to other registration fees. Monies collected from the license plate program are to be deposited in a special fund called the "Juneteenth License Plate Fund." The monies deposited in the fund are to be appropriated annually to the New Jersey Historical Commission and are to be used by the New Jersey Historical Commission to commemorate and celebrate Juneteenth. The bill provides that public funds are not to be used for the initial costs of establishing the Juneteenth license plate program. Prior to deposit in the Juneteenth License Plate Fund, monies from the license plate program are to be provided to the MVC to offset the costs of implementing the license plate program. In addition, prior to designing, producing, issuing, or publicizing the availability of Juneteenth license plates, or making any necessary programming changes, the following requirements are required to be met: (1) an individual or entity designated by the New Jersey Historical Commission must provide the MVC with the non-public monies necessary to offset the initial costs incurred by the MVC in establishing the Juneteenth license plate program; and (2) a liaison appointed by the New Jersey Historical Commission pursuant to the bill is required to provide the MVC with not less than 500 completed applications for Juneteenth license plates. Juneteenth is a State and federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans and is often observed as a celebration of African-American culture. Originating in Galveston, Texas, it has been celebrated annually on June 19 in various parts of the United States since 1865. | In Committee |
| S1688 | Prohibits certain non-disclosure and non-disparagement provisions in employment contracts. | This bill bars provisions in employment contracts that waive certain rights or remedies. Specifically, the bill clarifies that the current law on non-disclosure provisions also prohibits certain non-disparagement provisions in employment contracts. The bill also removes a provision of current that provides that the prohibition on non-disclosure agreements does not apply to the terms of any collective bargaining agreement between an employer and the collective bargaining representative of the employees. | In Committee |
| S1639 | Requires surety to take certain actions after assuming responsibility for completion of transportation project. | This bill requires a surety to take certain actions after assuming responsibility for the completion of a transportation project. Specifically, the bill provides that when a surety assumes responsibility for the completion of a transportation project, the surety would be required to: (1) enter into a contract with a contractor for the completion of the transportation project within 60 calendar days; and (2) require the contractor to begin, or otherwise resume, construction of the transportation project within 60 calendar days of the execution of the contract. The bill would also apply to any surety that is responsible for the completion of a transportation project on the date of enactment of the bill, except that: (1) if the surety has not entered into a contract with a contractor for the completion of the transportation project on or before the date of enactment, the surety would be required to enter into such contract within 60 calendar days of the bill's enactment and require the contractor to begin, or otherwise resume, construction of the transportation project within 60 calendar days of the execution of the contract; (2) if the surety has entered into a contract with a contractor for the completion of the transportation project, but the contractor has not begun, or otherwise resumed, construction of the transportation project on the date of enactment, the surety would be required to require the contractor to begin, or otherwise resume, construction of the transportation project within 60 days of the bill's enactment; and (3) the requirements of the bill would not apply if the surety has entered into a contract, and the contractor has begun, or otherwise resumed, construction of the transportation project on or before the bill's enactment. A surety that violates the bill's provisions is subject to a penalty of not less than $10,000 for each day a surety is not in compliance. | In Committee |
| S1049 | Directs DEP to adopt regulations concerning identification and testing of microplastics in drinking water. | This bill requires the Drinking Water Quality Institute (DWQI) to study the issue of microplastics in drinking water. It also requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to adopt regulations related to the sampling and testing for the presence of microplastics in drinking water by public water systems. The bill directs the DWQI to recommend a definition of microplastics in drinking water within two years after the bill's effective date. The bill also directs the DEP, within three years after the effective date, to adopt a standard methodology to be used in the testing of drinking water for microplastics, to formulate requirements for testing and reporting the concentration of microplastics in drinking water by public water systems, and to accredit qualified laboratories in New Jersey to analyze microplastics. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S773 | Allows DOE to postpone New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum in certain circumstances. | This bill allows the Commissioner of Education to postpone the comprehensive review under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) for one school year for any school district in which a school or schools of the district have been damaged, destroyed, or lost as a result of a disaster or a hazardous weather event. Also under the bill, a board of education seeking to postpone the NJQSAC due to damage to a school building as a result of a disaster or hazardous weather event will pass a resolution directing the superintendent to request the postponement. Upon receipt of the request, the Commissioner of Education will have 15 business days to grant or deny the request. The NJQSAC is the State's monitoring and district self-evaluation system for public school districts. The goal of the NJQSAC is to ensure that all school districts are operating at a high level of performance. | In Committee |
| S1601 | Requires DEP to consider potential impacts to natural resources when classifying dams according to hazard potential. | This bill would amend the "Safe Dam Act," P.L.1981, c.249 (C.58:4-8.1 et seq.) to require that any classification system for the hazard potential of dams adopted by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) take into potential loss of life, property damage, and impacts to natural resources. Under current law, the DEP has adopted a classification system, which classifies dams as either: (1) Class I - loss of life or extensive property damage is probable upon dam failure; (2) Class 2 - likely significant damage to property and project operation upon dam failure, but loss of human life is not envisioned; (3) Class 3 - dam failure would cause loss of the dam itself but little or no additional damage to other property; or (4) Class 4 - for small dams that pose a negligible hazard potential. The bill would require the DEP to consider potential damage to natural resources when classifying dams, in addition to potential loss of human life and destruction of property. | In Committee |
| S999 | "Manufacturing in Higher Education Act"; requires various State entities to promote manufacturing career pathways for students and provides assistance to manufacturing industry. | This bill requires various State entities to promote manufacturing career pathways for students and provides assistance to the manufacturing industry. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Secretary of Higher Education, Commissioner of Education, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, and representatives of the business community, will promote and support the implementation of the manufacturing career pathway offered through the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities Initiative operated by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce Development to provide students interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing with the instruction and skills necessary to gain employment in the manufacturing or advanced manufacturing sectors. The manufacturing career pathway will include traditional and advanced manufacturing processes and methods of production including, but not limited to, the machinery, technology, tools, and equipment used in a wide range of manufacturing industries. The bill establishes a "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Program," to be administered by a three-person commission which will include the Secretary of Higher Education, a representative of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, and a representative of the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. The commission will annually award $10 million to New Jersey institutions of higher education, proprietary institutions, and county vocational school districts for the purpose of establishing or expanding programs in the manufacturing fields, and marketing and promoting current programs in the manufacturing fields. Under the bill, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, will designate an existing or newly hired employee of the Business Action Center in the Department of State to act as a liaison between the State and manufacturing businesses located in this State. The duties of the liaison will be to assist manufacturing businesses by:· advertising manufacturing businesses' products or services nationally and internationally through the Business Action Center; · establishing a business referral service where manufacturing businesses may be referred to other State, federal, or private business resource organizations; and· identifying and promoting opportunities throughout the State for postsecondary pathway programs to actively reskill and upskill the current workforce to better meet the needs of manufacturing fields. The Secretary of State is to work with State departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and authorities to direct resources, create incentives, and provide technological, financial, and workforce development opportunities for manufacturing businesses. The bill also establishes in the New Jersey State Employment and Training Commission, the New Jersey Advanced Manufacturing Council. The council will consist of 11 members who are individuals with experience in the fields of labor, education, or workforce development or training. The bill directs the council to:· convene and enable industry-led, private-public partnerships focused on engaging New Jersey institutions of higher education in manufacturing innovation;· design and implement an advanced manufacturing initiative to facilitate collaboration and information sharing across State departments and agencies;· assist private companies to enhance technological transfer in New Jersey manufacturing industries to help companies overcome technical obstacles to scaling up production of new technologies; and· submit an annual report to the Governor, to the Legislature, and to the State Employment and Training Commission, of its assessments and recommendations to enhance State policy related to the advanced manufacturing industry in New Jersey. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1605 | Modifies private landowner consent requirements for certain local deer management plans. | This bill would require a community based deer management plan, adopted by a county board of agriculture, a county governing body, a municipal governing body, or the owner or operator of an airport, to document the written consent of any owner of private property where persons, facilities, or equipment for an alternative deer control method will be placed, stationed, or stored, if access to the private property is necessary to implement the plan. The bill would further provide that such a deer management plan would not be required to document the written consent of owners of private property where deer could potentially disperse after being shot or darted. Current law, section 2 of P.L.2000, c.46 (C.23:4-42.4), requires a community based deer management plan, adopted by a county board of agriculture, a county governing body, a municipal governing body, or the owner or operator of an airport, to document the written consent of each affected landowner for access to that person's land if access to private property is necessary to implement the plan. However, current law does not provide a definition of "affected landowner." This bill would add a definition of "affected landowner" to section 2 of P.L.2000, c.46 (C.23:4-42.4). | In Committee |
| S916 | Requires Director of Division of Developmental Disabilities to align rates for self-directed employees with maximum service provider rates. | This bill requires the Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities (division) in the Department of Human Services to ensure that there is parity between service provider and self-directed employee rates, regarding approved services funded by the division and provided to eligible individuals. Under the bill: "self-directed employee" means a person who is recruited and offered employment directly by an individual who is eligible to receive services funded by the division, or the individual's authorized representative, to perform approved services, for which the self-directed employee is qualified; and "service provider" means an entity or individual who enters into a contract with the division to provide approved services to individuals who are eligible to receive services funded by the division. The director's efforts are to include, at a minimum, setting the rates contracted between the division and a service provider as the maximum self-directed employee rates, provided that the rates are for the same service, duration of time, and level of care. Currently, under the self-direction service model, the individual, or the individual's authorized representative, offering employment to the self-directed employee determines the employee's hourly rate, within a "reasonable and customary" framework. The individual's service budget must be able to support this rate. The comparable service provider rates are specific by amount and are generally much higher. For example, the hourly base rate for high acuity community based supports provided by a service provider is approximately $51.00, while the hourly rate for the same service provided by a self-directed employee is "reasonable and customary." The current threshold for "reasonable and customary" is between approximately $20 and $25 per hour. Under this bill, the maximum hourly rate for a self-directed employee providing community based supports would be equal to the hourly service provider rate of approximately $51.00, provided that the level of care is identical for both services. | In Committee |
| S1592 | Adopts State definition of Islamophobia for certain civil and criminal purposes. | This bill adopts the first-ever State definition of Islamophobia in New Jersey and in the nation. Attacks on persons who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim have grown significantly since September 11, 2001. From 2014 to 2019, there were 10,015 anti-Muslim bias incidents, which included 1,164 anti-Muslim hate crimes. This rise in Islamophobic sentiment is widely acknowledged by the American people, as a 2019 study by Pew found that most American adults (82%) say that Muslims are subject to at least some discrimination in the United States today. According to the FBI, approximately 19% of religion-based incidents from 2015-2019 were against Muslims, who make up only about 1% of the United States population. Furthermore, the United States Attorney General has commented that since September 11, 2001, the Justice Department has led more than 1,000 investigations into "anti-Muslim hatred" acts and bigoted behavior that have led to more than 45 prosecutions. According to a 2017 Pew Poll, while perceptions of religious groups improved overall in 2017, Muslims rated most negatively of all religious groups, scoring a 48 out of 100. New Jersey ranked among the top 10 states for anti-mosque incidents according to the ACLU, including multiple incidents against Muslim persons and Muslim institutions. This bill provides a State definition of Islamophobia modeled in part after the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), which is composed of British Parliament Members of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Awareness of this definition of Islamophobia will increase understanding of the parameters of contemporary Islamophobia crime and discrimination. Under the bill, the definition of Islamophobia in the bill would not include any criticism of any Muslim-majority country similar to that leveled against any other country. The bill provides that in reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of any policy, law, or regulation prohibiting discriminatory acts under the civil or criminal laws of this State, a public official or law enforcement officer is required to take into consideration the definition of Islamophobia contained in this bill for the purposes of determining whether the alleged act was motivated by Islamophobia and discriminatory anti-Muslim intent. Nothing contained in this bill is to be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or paragraph 6 of Article I of the New Jersey State Constitution, and nothing in this bill is to be construed to conflict with local, State, or federal anti-discrimination laws or regulations. | In Committee |
| S2048 | Modifies provisions of grant program that reimburses eligible costs for school district regionalization feasibility studies. | This bill revises various portions of law establishing the School Regionalization Efficiency Program (SREP), which was enacted as P.L.2021, c.402. The grant program supports public school districts and governing bodies across New Jersey who wish to study the feasibility of school district regionalization and consolidation. Regarding the administering of the grant program, the bill does the following:· provides that the board of education or governing body of a single school district seeking to form a limited purpose or all purpose regional school district would be eligible for grant funding under the SREP; · expands eligibility for funding under the SREP to the boards of education or governing bodies of two or more school districts that conducted a school district regionalization feasibility study within two years prior to the enactment of P.L.2021, c.402, for which the amount of a prior grant award disbursed by the Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) in the Department of Community Affairs is less than the total cost of the study;· removes a provision of law that permits boards of education or governing bodies whose applications are denied approval for grant funding under the SREP to be afforded an opportunity to contest the decision; and· provides that the DLGS would, prior to considering the approval of a grant application, either notify each non-participating district that is proposed to be included in a regionalization feasibility study or require the applicant to notify each non-participating district, to ensure that the district is afforded an opportunity to provide comment on the proposed regionalization. The bill requires the DLGS to submit quarterly reports to the Legislature that would include information identifying each applicant seeking a grant award under the SREP. P.L.2021, c.402 extends the timeline by which a school district receiving approval or preliminary approval under the SREP would experience State aid reductions pursuant to current law, by a period of four additional years beyond what is provided for under the current State aid reduction timeline. The bill expands eligibility for this modified State aid schedule to a school district that is a participating district under an application for which a lead district has successfully completed a prior grant agreement with the DLGS for the purposes of completing a feasibility study for school district regionalization. The bill also provides various restrictions under which a district would not be eligible for this modified schedule: Finally, the bill provides that a vote on a proposal to enlarge a regional school district may be held at the November school election. | In Committee |
| S1029 | Prohibits sale, distribution, import, export or propagation of certain invasive species without permit from Department of Agriculture; establishes NJ Invasive Species Council. | This bill would prohibit the sale, offering for sale, distribution, importation, exportation, or other propagation of certain invasive plant species in the State, except under a valid permit issued by the Department of Agriculture (DOA), and it would require the DOA to adopt rules and regulations establishing and implementing a permitting program to facilitate the safe sale, import, export, introduction, distribution, and propagation of regulated invasive species in the State. The bill would also establish, in the statutory law, with certain modifications, the New Jersey Invasive Species Council (council) that was originally created by Governor Corzine's Executive Order No. 97 of 2004. The bill defines "regulated invasive species" to mean an invasive plant species, and any non-hybrid sub-species, variety, cultivar, or other subcategory thereof, which is included in a list of invasive species to be developed by the DOA under the bill. The bill would expressly exempt, from its prohibitions and permitting requirements, certain plant cultivars and varieties of Chinese Silvergrass, which have been deemed to be non-invasive, and it would further authorize the department's rules and regulations to establish criteria for the exemption, from the bill, of other cultivars, subspecies, and varieties of ordinarily invasive plant species which are proven to be non-invasive, by virtue of sterility factors or other unique and stable genetic traits. The bill would require the DOA, within one year after the bill's effective date, to develop a list of the regulated invasive species that are subject to the bill's permitting requirements. Each year thereafter, the DOA would be required to update the departmental list, as necessary to designate new species as regulated invasive species for the bill's purposes. In order to designate a new plant species as a regulated invasive species, the DOA would be required to find that the species threatens, or has the potential to threaten, the ecological, cultural, historical, or infrastructure resources of, or human health in, the State. The departments would not be authorized to designate a species as a regulated invasive species solely on the basis that it is non-native to New Jersey. The bill also requires the DOA's rules and regulations to incorporate labeling requirements for regulated invasive species, permit application requirements, criteria for permit approval, and a fee schedule. The DOA would further be required, in consultation with the Invasive Species Council and other relevant entities, as deemed appropriate, to develop or provide physical and digital educational materials, for distribution to consumers at the point of sale. These materials are to identify the State's regulated invasive species, as well as the best propagation, cultivation, and management practices to be used in order to prevent the spread of a regulated invasive species, and, where applicable, alternative species that can be more safely propagated in the State. A person who violates the bill's provisions would be subject to a warning for a first offense and a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for a second offense, up to $2,000 for a third offense, and up to $5,000 for a fourth or subsequent offense. Any violator would be provided with a three-month period in which to remediate any violation before being subjected to an enhanced penalty for a subsequent offense under the bill's provisions. The DOA would also be authorized to seek injunctive relief, as necessary to prevent an ongoing violation, and to seize and destroy any invasive plant species that forms a basis of a violation. The DOA would be required to conduct nursery inspections, in a manner and form similar to inspections for nursery stock conducted pursuant to law, to evaluate compliance with the bill's provisions. The New Jersey Invasive Species Council, as established under the bill, would consist of a combination of ex-officio members from State agencies and pubic members appointed by the Governor. The council would be charged with examining and revising the 2009 New Jersey Strategic Management Plan for Invasive Species, prepared by the New Jersey Invasive Species Council pursuant to Executive Order No. 97 of 2004. The council would be required to submit the revised plan to the Governor and the Legislature no later than two years after the effective date of the bill. The council would also be charged with the following duties: (1) reviewing comprehensive lists of invasive species and likely invasive species present in New Jersey and the nearby states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia for possible inclusion on the list; (2) developing procedures for the addition of new species to the departmental list maintained under the bill; (3) providing recommendations to the DOA regarding their addition of new species to the list of regulated invasive species; and (4) performing various other tasks related to the management of invasive species. The bill would exclude, from the council's responsibilities, the requirement - present in Executive Order No. 97 - to plan, design, and implement two invasive species eradication and native plant restoration pilot projects. | In Committee |
| S1985 | Legalizes growing or possessing up to six marijuana plants for personal recreational use, and up to 10 plants for personal medical use, by persons aged 21 or older. | This bill would make it legal for a person aged 21 or over to grow and possess certain amounts of marijuana for personal use. P.L.2021, c.16, which legalized the personal use of cannabis, provides that possession of six ounces or less of marijuana, including any adulterants or dilutants, is not subject to any punishment, as this possession is not a crime, offense, act of delinquency, or civil violation of law. Under the enactment, possession of more than six ounces of marijuana, including any adulterants or dilutants, constitutes a crime of the fourth degree. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months or a fine of up to $10,000 or both. P.L.2021, c.16 does not make it legal for a person to grow their own marijuana for personal use. Under the bill, growing or possessing marijuana plants for personal recreational use or personal medical use by a person aged 21 or older would also not be a crime, offense, act of delinquency, or civil violation of law. The bill would apply under the following circumstances: (1) A person aged 21 or older may grow or possess up to six marijuana plants for personal recreational use, with a maximum of 12 plants per household; and (2) A qualifying patient as defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3), aged 21 or older, or a designated caregiver, as defined in section 3 of P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-3), aged 21 or older, on behalf of the qualifying patient, may grow or possess up to 10 marijuana plants for personal medical use, with a maximum of 12 plants per household. | In Committee |
| S800 | Provides accidental death benefit to surviving spouse, surviving child, or surviving parent of a State Police recruit who dies during required pre-service training. | Under current law, State Police recruits are not sworn members of the New Jersey State Police until the recruits complete the required training and graduate from the New Jersey State Police Academy. As a result, the death of a recruit cannot be classified as a death of a member and, therefore, death benefits cannot be provided to the survivors. This bill classifies the death of a State Police recruit who dies during required pre-servicing training, or complications therefrom, as a death in the line of duty and provides an accidental death benefit to the surviving spouse, surviving child, or surviving parent of the State Police recruit. Under the bill, the benefit paid to the surviving spouse must be at least $50,000. The bill provides that if there is no surviving spouse, a final compensation of at least $50,000 would be used to calculate the death benefit to the surviving child or surviving parent, as the case may be. | In Committee |
| S1623 | Establishes Small Business Resiliency Project Loan Program in EDA for certain small businesses implementing certain resiliency projects. | This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish and maintain the Small Business Resiliency Project Loan Program (program) and Small Business Resiliency Project Loan Fund (fund). Loan Program Eligibility The EDA is to provide financial assistance in the form of low-interest loans to qualified businesses that are engaging in or have completed resiliency projects. Under the bill, a qualified business is a business that: 1) is registered to do business in New Jersey with the Director of the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services in the Department of the Treasury; 2) intends to maintain its principal business operations in the State after receiving assistance from the EDA under the program; and 3) employs not more than 50 full-time employees at the time of approval of financial assistance to the business. Under the bill, a resiliency project means those projects or activities, which may include, but are not limited to, projects or activities that improve or support the treatment or management of drinking water, wastewater, and storm water; enhance the reliability and resiliency of the electrical grid and public utility infrastructure; expand access to broadband internet; or utilize technology, infrastructure improvements, and other materials that mitigate against or protect the business in the event of climate change-related natural hazards, including, but not limited to, increased temperatures, drought, flooding, hurricanes, and sea-level rise. Application Criteria The bill requires the EDA to establish an application process. A qualified business that seeks assistance under the loan program is required to submit an application to the EDA in a form and manner prescribed by the EDA. In addition to any other information that the EDA may deem appropriate, the application is required to request an applicant to submit information demonstrating that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements and an outline of the anticipated use of loan proceeds. Under the bill, the EDA is required to approve applications for the loan program on a rolling basis or on one or more dates, subject to the availability of funds. Loan Awards and Loan Requirements Under the program, the EDA is to provide financial assistance in the form of low-interest loans for qualified businesses that are engaging in or have completed resiliency projects, with priority consideration, as determined by the EDA in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, given to a qualified business based the long-term impact of the qualified business on the State economy, the type of resiliency project, and whether the principal business operations of the qualified business are located in a municipality of the State that has incorporated a climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment into the land use plan element of the municipality's master plan. Upon approval of an application, the EDA is required to enter into a loan agreement with the qualified business and provide a low-interest loan to the qualified business. Each loan issued under the program is required to bear interest at rates lower than and provide more flexible repayment terms than are customarily made available through conventional business loans issued by private lenders. A qualified business that receives financial assistance under the loan program is to annually report to the EDA until such time as the full balance of the loan has been repaid to the EDA. At a minimum, the annual report is to include information outlining the expenses supported by the loan and the financial information of the qualified business, audited by a certified public accountant, which is to include a consolidated summary of the performance of the qualified business. Any information about the performance of a qualified business is considered confidential and not subject to the law known commonly as the open public records act. Loan Fund Any monies received by the EDA for the repayment of a loan issued pursuant to the program would be deposited into the non-lapsing revolving loan fund. Any interest collected from loans provided by the loan program may be used by the EDA to offset the costs of the administration of the loan program, or otherwise are required to be deposited into the fund. The EDA may also credit the fund with monies received from State, federal, or private sources and may use those funds to provide financial assistance to qualified businesses in a manner consistent with federal law or the private source of funds. | In Committee |
| SCR37 | Commemorates 127th anniversary of Jewish War Veterans of United States of America. | Commemorates 127th anniversary of Jewish War Veterans of United States of America. | In Committee |
| SJR48 | Establishes working definition of antisemitism for NJ. | This joint resolution adopts a working definition of antisemitism for the State of New Jersey.Antisemitism, as well as discrimination, harassment, bias, and bigotry against those who are or who are perceived to be Jewish or have Jewish heritage remains prevalent throughout the world, including throughout the United States and in New Jersey and has both historical and contemporary contexts. According to data compiled by the New Jersey State Police, as of April 2022, anti-Jewish bias was cited as a motivation for 298 reported bias incidents in 2020 and 347 reported bias incidents in 2021. According to the Anti-Defamation League, one in four Jews in the United States reported having been impacted by antisemitism in 2021. In recent months, the country has witnessed a disturbing trend of public figures making comments, supporting viewpoints, and meeting with individuals that are widely regarded as antisemitic.Antisemitism is closely linked to other forms of bigotry and hatred. New Jersey law criminalizes acts of bias intimidation, defined as certain offenses committed with the purpose to intimidate or with the knowledge that the offense would intimidate an individual or group of individuals because of, among other protected characteristics, religion, ethnicity, or national origin. New Jersey law prohibits discrimination and bias-based harassment in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation on the basis of, among other protected characteristics, actual or perceived religion, ethnicity, ancestry, or national origin. Despite these prohibitions, many acts and occurrences of bias and bigotry go unreported or unaddressed. It is the responsibility of the State of New Jersey to reject and speak out against bias and bigotry, including condemning antisemitism in all its forms. A critical component of combatting antisemitism is understanding what antisemitism is. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ("IHRA") is a thirty five-member intergovernmental organization created to focus on antisemitism and Holocaust-related issues. The IHRA has adopted a non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism, illuminated by useful examples, illustrations, and distinctions, to help guide and empower governments to understand and address the rise in hate and discrimination against Jews and those with Jewish heritage. The working definition of antisemitism may be used as an education and training tool for public officials, law enforcement offices, educators, and other public and private employees so that they may effectively raise awareness of and call out antisemitism and understand its impact. 38 countries including the United States have adopted or endorsed the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, as have several state and local governments.The working definition, as adopted by the IHRA on May 26, 2016, reads: "Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities". The IHRA also notes, in the context of defining the concept of antisemitism, that criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic.This working definition of antisemitism is intended as an analytical and educational tool and is not legally binding, and thus is not intended to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, or paragraph 6 of Article I of the New Jersey State Constitution. | In Committee |
| S1387 | Increases distribution to municipalities from Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years; prohibits anticipation of certain revenue in municipal budget; requires additional aid be subtracted from municipal property tax levy. | This bill requires the distribution of additional State aid to municipalities under the "Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Act." Budget constraints required reductions in the amount of Consolidated Municipal Property Tax Relief Aid (CMPTRA) distributed to all municipalities in Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, and 2011. Some municipalities also experienced reductions in their Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Aid (ETR Aid) distribution during that period. This supplemental funding would restore, over a two-year period, approximately $331 million in reductions to CMPTRA and ETR Aid. In Fiscal Year 2023, municipalities would receive an aid increase equal to 50 percent of the difference between the distribution of CMPTRA and ETR Aid they received in Fiscal Year 2008 and Fiscal Year 2012. The fully restored amount would be distributed beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 and in each fiscal year thereafter. The total amount of aid to be restored to each municipality would be in addition to the total amount of CMPTRA and ETR Aid distributed to each municipality in Fiscal Year 2012. This legislation also extends the existing ETR Aid "poison pill" protection to ensure that each municipality received an aid amount not less than the combined payment of CMPTRA and ETR Aid to municipalities in Fiscal Year 2012 and the additional aid distributed under the bill. This bill also amends current law to require a municipality to subtract any additional amount of ETR aid it receives, pursuant to the bill, from its adjusted tax levy when computing that amount for its next fiscal year. By deducting the additional amount of ETR Aid from the previous year's levy, municipalities would be permitted to raise a lower amount of taxes through the levy for municipal purposes. The bill prohibits a municipality from anticipating, for purposes of preparing its annual budget, the receipt of any State aid payment from the ETR aid under the provisions in the bill. The bill also requires a municipality to amend its local budget to properly reflect the total amount distributed to the municipality from the ETR aid. | In Committee |
| S1483 | Requires Division of Highway Traffic Safety to conduct public awareness campaign regarding bicyclist and pedestrian safety. | This bill requires the Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in the Department of Law and Public Safety to establish a public awareness campaign to provide information to the public concerning bicyclist and pedestrian safety. The campaign is to include, but is not limited to, information regarding the provisions under current law that require a person operating a bicycle to keep to the right side of the road, the penalties and dangers associated with violating this provision, information regarding the provisions under current law concerning motorists safely passing a pedestrian, bicycle, low-speed electric bicycle, low-speed electric scooter, or any other lawful personal conveyance, and the penalties and dangers associated with violating this provision. | In Committee |
| S1589 | Designates Ultimate as State sport. | This bill designates Ultimate as the State sport of New Jersey. This bill recognizes the contribution of New Jersey residents in developing the sport of Ultimate. Ultimate, also known as Ultimate Frisbee, is a self-officiated, non-contact disc sport played between two teams of seven players. The object of the game is to score goals against the other team while maintaining Spirit of the Game. Spirit of the Game is a set of principles that places the responsibility for fair play on the players. These principles encourage highly competitive play but not at the expense of mutual respect between competitors, adherence to agreed-upon rules, and the basic joy of play. Joel Silver of Maplewood, New Jersey introduced the idea of Ultimate in 1967 at Columbia High School in Maplewood. The first game of Ultimate was played between students of Columbia High School the following year. Mr. Silver, Bernard "Buzzy" Hellring, and Jon Hines then developed the sport's first two sets of rules. As the sport's popularity grew, more early developments in the sport of Ultimate Frisbee soon followed. New Jersey is home to the most firsts for the sport of Ultimate. Columbia High School and Millburn High School in Millburn competed in the first interscholastic game of Ultimate in 1970. The first collegiate match was played between for Rutgers University and Princeton University in 1972. Rutgers went on to prevail at the first National Collegiate Championships for Ultimate Frisbee in 1975 and won National Ultimate Frisbee Championship in 1976. In 2015, the International Olympic Committee officially recognized Ultimate, paving the way for the sport to be showcased at the Olympics. Today, millions of people play the sport across more than 100 countries. Players worldwide represented by 103 member associations of the World Flying Disc Federation, an official member of the International Olympic Committee. As of 2022, the United States is home to three professional Ultimate leagues. The premier Ultimate League and the Western Ultimate League primarily consist of athletes who are women or non-binary, while the American Ultimate Disc League primarily consists of athletes who are men. As the sport of Ultimate continues to grow and develop, the players tasked with upholding the principles and rules of Spirit of the Game are continuously challenged to be aware of the potential for implicit biases when considering and discussing interactions with and impressions of other teams and their own teams. This is especially important given that mixed-gender teams often play together on the same field. This bill recognizes that it is important for New Jersey to acknowledge the State's historical significance to the sport of Ultimate and the shared commitment of New Jersey and Ultimate to challenging implicit biases for the betterment of our shared communities. | In Committee |
| S1634 | Prohibits public officials from accepting virtual currency and non-fungible tokens as gifts. | This bill amends definitions to provide that a gift includes all forms of virtual currency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Under this bill, a public official would be prohibited from accepting any form of virtual currency or NFTs as a gift. | In Committee |
| S1637 | 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 |
| SR36 | Urges Congress to establish national infrastructure bank. | This resolution respectfully urges Congress to pass H.R.3339, establishing a national infrastructure bank. American infrastructure is in dire need of investment, as outlined by the American Society of Civil Engineers and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Increasing frequency of extreme weather events further strains infrastructure approaching the end of its useful life. In New Jersey alone, less than 30 percent of the roads and bridges are in good condition. As host to a large portion of the northeast corridor, New Jersey moves national and international trade, and millions of people each day along deteriorating structures. Nationally, broadband access, modernization of the energy grid, and remediation of the water supply systems are of paramount importance. Economic vitality, national security, public safety and quality of life, are dependent on sound infrastructure. Current funding mechanisms do not address the scope of the need. Direct competitors of the United States rely on an infrastructure funding method invented and previously used by America. H.R.3339 addresses funding shortfalls for large, innovative infrastructure projects by establishing a national infrastructure bank, perpetually generating funds in a manner similar to a commercial bank. A dedicated, regenerative, nonpartisan funding mechanism is required to remedy inadequacies in our energy grid, transportation and other systems, in addition to preparing us for a future of increasing extreme weather conditions. | In Committee |
| S1597 | Expressly allows health care professionals located outside New Jersey to provide services using telemedicine and telehealth to patients in New Jersey. | This bill expressly allows health care providers located outside New Jersey to provide health care services to New Jersey residents using telemedicine and telehealth. The health care provider will still need to be licensed or certified as a health care professional in New Jersey as a condition of providing health care services using telemedicine and telehealth, as is required under current law. | In Committee |
| S1393 | Authorizes home cultivation of medical cannabis. | This bill authorizes the home cultivation of medical cannabis for a registered qualifying patient's personal medical use. Specifically, the bill provides that a registered qualifying patient who is 21 years of age or older who provides notice to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission of the intent to home cultivate medical cannabis will be allowed to either home cultivate medical cannabis himself or herself, or authorize a designated caregiver to home cultivate medical cannabis on the patient's behalf. A home cultivator will be allowed to cultivate and possess up to four mature cannabis plants and up to four immature cannabis plants. Medical cannabis may only be home cultivated at the residence of the authorized home cultivator that is on file with the commission. The notice of intent to home cultivate medical cannabis provided to the commission is to specify which individual will home cultivate the medical cannabis. In no case may more than one individual home cultivate medical cannabis for a registered qualifying patient at one time. A patient may change the designated home cultivator upon providing 10 days' notice to the commission. At least 10 days after providing the notice of change, but no more than 30 days after providing notice, any medical cannabis plants in the former home cultivator's possession may be transferred to the new designated home cultivator. Any plants that are not transferred to the new home cultivator are to be promptly surrendered to law enforcement for destruction. The failure to provide notice of a change in designated home cultivator will result in the patient's registration with the commission being deemed null and void. The commission will be required to promptly update the registry information for the patient and any affected designated caregiver upon receiving notice of the patient's intent to home cultivate medical cannabis or of a change in who is authorized to home cultivate medical cannabis for the patient. Any designated caregiver of a patient who elects to home cultivate medical cannabis will be authorized to possess, transport, and assist the patient with the administration of home-cultivated medical cannabis in dried form or in any other consumable form, regardless of whether the designated caregiver is designated as the patient's home cultivator. In addition to any other civil or criminal penalties as may apply, any individual in possession of home-cultivated medical cannabis in the form of a mature or immature plant or in any consumable form, who sells, donates, or furnishes the home-cultivated medical cannabis to any individual who is not authorized to be in possession of the home-cultivated medical cannabis under the bill, will be liable to a civil penalty of up to $1,000. In addition, the individual's registration with the commission will be deemed null and void, and the individual will be permanently ineligible for re-registration with the commission as a qualifying patient, a designated caregiver, or an institutional caregiver. It is the sponsor's intent to expand access to medical cannabis for registered qualifying patients who may find the medical cannabis that is available through a medical cannabis dispensary unaffordable, or who may otherwise benefit from the convenience of home cultivation or the ability to readily access medical cannabis in the strain and form appropriate to the patient's individual treatment needs. Of the 36 states that have approved a comprehensive medical cannabis program, 17, or nearly half, currently allow for home cultivation of medical cannabis: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. | In Committee |
| S2029 | Establishes High Efficiency Accelerated Learning Grant Program. | This bill requires the Department of Education to establish and administer the High Efficiency Accelerated Learning Grant Program. The purpose of the program is to provide high-impact tutoring opportunities to students throughout the State. The grant program supports high-impact tutoring programs implemented by local education providers, in partnership with a tutoring provider included on the department's list. The bill details the criteria that a tutoring program must meet in order to be considered. The bill also requires the Department of Education to publish a list of tutoring providers with a record of high quality instruction in mathematics and English language arts. The department will develop performance standards and guides, and will establish a rubric to evaluate each tutoring program and determine the minimum qualifications for a tutoring program to be included in the department's list of high quality tutoring providers. The department will compile and make the list publicly available on its Internet website no later than 90 days following the effective date of the bill. A tutoring program wishing to be included on the list of high quality tutoring providers will be required to submit an application to the department. The bill outlines the application process for a local education provider wishing to participate in the grant program. A tutoring provider may apply for a grant on behalf of a local education provider. Grant awards will be allocated to local education providers on a competitive basis, in a manner to be determined by the department. In determining grant recipients, the department will consider the local education provider's plan with respect to the alignment with elements of high impact tutoring programs, the potential number of students impacted by the program, the need of the local education provider to supplement classroom learning, and the estimated cost of implementing the program by the local education provider. The bill stipulates that school employees may only serve as tutors during times that do not conflict with existing school duties. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, any individual hired as a tutor under the grant program is not required to have or maintain a principal residence in the State unless required to do so as a condition of another position of employment. Under the bill, any local education provider participating in the High Efficiency Accelerated Learning Grant Program must conduct an annual evaluation or provide an annual external evaluation of the tutoring program implemented according to the criteria developed by the Department of Education. The evaluation will be reported in a manner determined by the department, in consultation with the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. The bill also outlines information to be included in the evaluation. The bill also requires updates to be made to the Governor and to the Legislature concerning the outcomes and efficacy of the program. | In Committee |
| S2243 | Establishes five-year community schools pilot program. | This bill establishes a five-year Community Schools Pilot Program in the Department of Education. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education is to identify and enter into a contract with an institution of higher education or a qualified nonprofit organization with the appropriate capacity and experience located in the State to manage the pilot program. The organization or institution and the department will be responsible for selecting one public school of a school district, renaissance school, or charter school in each county of the State that would receive direct assistance from a site coordinator assigned to the school. Additionally, the selected institution or organization is required to establish a technical assistance center that would be available to schools participating in the pilot program and would be responsible for making group training sessions and information about community schools available to any school district, renaissance school, or charter school interested in establishing a community school. The technical assistance center will be responsible for the Statewide dissemination of information on effective and promising practices in the establishment and ongoing management of community school strategies through professional development and technical assistance activities. Under the bill, the department, in coordination with the organization or institution, and the New Jersey Community Schools Coalition, is to develop specific criteria for selecting schools to participate in the program and receive direct support from a site coordinator. The selection criteria would be posted on the department's website. The organization or institution is required to employ and train individuals who would be assigned to serve as a site coordinator. Site coordinators are to be employees of the organization or institution, and not the school district, renaissance school, or charter school to which they are assigned. The salaries, wages, and other financial compensation of the site coordinators would be the responsibility of the organization or institution. The bill directs a public school selected to participate in the pilot to enter into an agreement with the selected institution or organization outlining at a minimum the role, responsibilities, and authority the site coordinator has in supporting the establishment of the community school site. The organization or institution can enter into an agreement with another nonprofit entity to assist it in fulfilling responsibilities enumerated in certain sections of the bill, subject to approval of the commissioner. The commissioner would receive an annual audit of the accounts and financial transactions of the organization or institution for the duration of the pilot program. The bill also directs the commissioner to enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program. The final report, which the commissioner would forward to the Governor and the Legislature, would be due no later than six months following the conclusion of the pilot program. The bill establishes the Community Schools Pilot Program Fund in the Department of Education. The fund is to consist of any funds that are appropriated by the Legislature, investment earnings of the fund, and moneys contributed to the fund by private sources. The bill allows the moneys in the fund to be invested and reinvested as other trust funds in the custody of the State in the manner provided by law. | In Committee |
| S1032 | Establishes annual cost of living adjustment based on Consumer Price Index for programs providing mental health, substance use treatment, or services to persons with developmental disabilities. | This bill stipulates that the terms of a contract entered into on or after the effective date of the bill between the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the Department of Human Services (DHS) or the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the DHS and a program providing mental health services, substance use disorder treatment services, or services to persons with developmental disabilities, include an annual increase in the cost of living adjustment received by the organization. The cost of living adjustment is to be based on the Consumer Price Index for the previous 12-month period beginning October 1 and ending September 30, as published by the United States Department of Labor. The DHS will be required to announce the rate of the increase on October 1 of each year. The bill provides that a program providing mental health services, substance use disorder treatment services, or services to persons with developmental disabilities includes State programs partially funded or fully funded by Medicaid and licensed or approved by the Commissioner of Human Services or other appropriate State licensing agencies. | In Committee |
| S296 | Requires mail-in ballot applications to include prepaid postage. | Under current law, a voter may complete and return to the county clerk by regular mail an application requesting to receive a mail-in ballot. This bill requires the mail-in ballot application form sent by mail to include prepaid postage, to be paid by the State. The bill will be implemented following the 2023 primary election. | In Committee |
| SJR47 | Designates August of each year as Radon Awareness Month; designates August 2 of each year as Radon Action Day. | This resolution recognizes the risk of long term exposure to elevated levels of radon in contaminated indoor air. Radon is an odorless and colorless radioactive gas released from the Earth by the natural breakdown of uranium. Radon is a known carcinogen, killing over 21,000 Americans each year. It seeps upward into the air from exposed ground, through foundation cracks and other structural gaps. Radon levels fluctuate based on temperature, weather and other factors. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection classifies the majority of the State as having moderate to high risk potential for elevated levels of radon exposure. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that a home be tested every other year, upon sale, whenever a structural change is made, and in newly occupied areas. Radon testing is simple and can be performed by certified professionals. Mitigation of exposure is immediate upon venting and sealing the foundation and any structural gaps. This resolution recognizes the importance of testing indoor air for elevated levels of radon, and the importance of remediation in New Jersey through a campaign of awareness each month of August, and a day of action each August 2. | In Committee |
| S1983 | Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses. | This bill eliminates practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses (APNs), including restrictions that limit the ability of APNs to prescribe medications and administer anesthesia, and establishes new requirements for APNs to prescribe medications. The bill expressly provides that, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, an APN with greater than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice will be authorized to practice without a joint protocol with a collaborating provider. With regard to prescribing medications, the bill requires the use of New Jersey Prescription Blanks and satisfying continuing professional education requirements related to pharmacology and prescribing controlled substances. An APN with fewer than 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be permitted to prescribe medication only if a formal joint protocol with a physician or experienced advanced practice nurse is in place. The bill revises the requirements for APNs to authorize patients for medical cannabis and to issue written instructions for medical cannabis, to provide that the APN will only be required to meet the requirements set forth under the "Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act," P.L.2009, c.307 (C.24:6I-1 et al.). Those requirements include: possessing active State and federal registrations to prescribe controlled dangerous substances; being the health care practitioner responsible for the ongoing treatment of a patient's qualifying medical condition; and complying with various other requirements for issuing written instructions for medical cannabis. The bill further provides that every APN who is an APN-Anesthesia and who has completed 24 months or 2,400 hours of licensed, active, advanced nursing practice in an initial role will be authorized to practice as an APN-Anesthesia to the full scope of practice for APNs-Anesthesia, without any requirement for supervision by a licensed physician and without any requirement that the APN-Anesthesia enter into joint protocols with a licensed physician. The bill provides that any State law or regulation that requires the signature or similar endorsement of a physician will be deemed to require the same of an APN, to the extent consistent with an APN's scope of practice. The bill revises and repeals certain sections of law that are obviated by the changes made under the bill. | In Committee |
| S1056 | Requires EDA to create needs-matching website for eligible entities. | This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to create a website for the purpose of matching the needs and supplies of eligible entities. As defined in the bill, "eligible entity" means an entity doing business in this State in at least one of the following industries: advanced computing, advanced materials, biotechnology, electronic device technology, information technology, life sciences, medical device technology, mobile communications technology, or renewable energy technology. The EDA is required to make this website available to eligible entities including, but not limited to, businesses, real estate professionals, medical institutions, research facilities, non-profit organizations, professional associations, higher education institutions, and investors. Under the bill, the website is required to provide a platform on which an eligible entity may match its needs with a supplier for physical locations, equipment, labor, and other appropriate assets or services. The EDA is also required to provide a list of public and private funding sources and investment opportunities, including information on State and federal grant programs, which may be appropriate for an eligible entity. | In Committee |
| S1580 | Establishes "Innovation Partnership"; provides funding for certain nonprofit partnerships to promote certain emerging technology businesses. | This bill establishes the "Innovation Partnership," (partnership) to be administered by the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (commission) and which is to include one or more independent nonprofit organizations (partners) certified or established and incorporated by the commission, working individually, in partnership with each other, and in partnership with the commission, to advance the development of emerging technology businesses in this State and to create a supportive and collaborative innovation ecosystems across New Jersey. This bill provides that the goals and policies of the partners are to include, but not be limited to: 1) identifying, developing, adapting, and implementing advanced technologies to enable the growth and competitiveness of emerging technology businesses through technology development, commercialization, and implementation; 2) acting as regional facilitators and managers for interactions, programs, and initiatives by and among the commission, emerging technology businesses, economic development organizations, the corporate community, private and public institutions of higher education, research institutions, government, organized labor and other interests working collaboratively to advance the development of specialized innovation-based science and technology ecosystems in this State; 3) directly providing, and serving as the conduit to, early-stage and later-stage private and public capital for emerging technology businesses; 4) providing training or technical assistance to help emerging technology businesses apply to the federal Small Business Innovation Research Program for the purpose of attracting federal biotechnology investment funds to this State; 5) developing, providing, or supporting business incubation resources and space and facilitating the development of emerging technology business campuses, including discounted laboratory space to academic or executive emerging technology business spin-out companies; 6) coordinating marketing efforts concerning existing State and local financial and material resources for emerging technology businesses; 7) establishing and administering a research grant fund for the economic impact assessments of technology development projects conducted by private or public institutions of higher education that seek grant funding through the commission; 8) establishing partnerships to support and enhance the scale, scope, and impact of initiatives that support the purpose and mission of the commission and the partners; and 9) encouraging the advancement, development, and support of minority and women's emerging technology businesses to expand diversity and opportunity within that sector, with priority given to emerging technology businesses that demonstrate diversity in ownership or leadership, as applicable. The commission is to establish the exact geographical boundaries for the partners to focus their efforts, and the partners are to be responsible for implementing the following goals for each of the four regions: 1) the northern region of the State having a primary, but not exclusive, focus on financial information technology, cybersecurity, or a combination thereof; 2) the central region of the State having a primary, but not exclusive, focus on healthcare, life sciences, biotechnology, or a combination thereof; 3) the southern region of the State having a primary, but not exclusive, focus on agriculture, aviation, or a combination thereof; and 4) the shore region of the State, having a primary, but not exclusive, focus on renewable energy and autonomous vehicles. A nonprofit organization established as of the date of the bill's enactment and meeting one of the regional requirements may submit to the commission an application, in a form and manner determined by the commission, for certification as a partner. Once certified, a partner may apply to the commission, in a form and manner determined by the commission, to receive grant funds from the fund established pursuant to this bill. The commission, upon approving a grant application submitted by a partner, is to sign a grant agreement with the partner, which is to permit the partner to execute the goals and policies pursuant to this bill only if matched by private sector funds on a minimum basis to be established by the commission. In selecting and certifying a nonprofit organization as a partner, the commission is to give priority to a nonprofit organization with diverse leadership and organized with at least one location in a municipality that meets the criteria for State aid pursuant to State law. If the commission is unable to certify a nonprofit organization as a partner for a certain regional focus, pursuant to the bill, the commission is to establish and incorporate an independent nonprofit organization to serve as a partner for that particular regional focus. In appointing the board for the nonprofit organization, the commission is to consider the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of the community in which the partner is located. The commission may modify or revoke a partner's participation in the partnership if the commission determines the partner does not achieve the goals or does not implement the policies of this bill. Additionally, upon receipt of a grant, a partner is to implement the terms of the grant agreement. Failure to comply with the grant agreement is to result in the forfeiture of the grant. Lastly, this bill directs partners to annually submit certain information to the commission and the commission to annually issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature describing the activities of the commission and each partner. | In Committee |
| S2012 | Requires certain public schools that receive State aid to begin regular instruction for high school students no earlier than 8:30 AM. | This bill provides that, in order to receive any State aid pursuant to the "School Funding Reform Act of 2008" or any other law, a school district, charter school, renaissance school project, county vocational school district, or county special services school district that includes grades 9 through 12 will be required to begin regular instruction for high school students no earlier than 8:30 AM. | In Committee |
| S1628 | Establishes certain protections for persons, providing, receiving, and allowing children to receive gender-affirming health care. | This bill establishes certain protections for persons who provide, receive, or allow a child to receive gender-affirming health care. As defined in the bill, "gender-affirming care" means care that focuses on a transgender person's physical, mental, and social health needs and well-being while confirming the person's gender identity, including but not limited to, psychological or psychiatric care, surgery, hormone replacement therapy, and other nonsurgical treatments intended to align certain physical aspects of a person's gender identity. Specifically, the bill amends P.L.2004, c.187 (C.2A:34-53 et seq.), the "Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act" to stipulate that: 1) the presence of the child in this State for the purpose of receiving gender-affirming health care is sufficient for a State court to have jurisdiction to make an initial child custody determination for a child, if the child and the child's parents, or the child and at least one parent or a person acting as a parent, have a significant connection with this State other than mere physical presence (section 13 of P.L.2004, c.147 (C.2A:34-65)); 2) a court of this State has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in this State and the child is unable to receive gender-affirming health care in the child's home state (section 16 of P.L.2004, c.147 (C. 2A:34-68)); 3) a court of this State is the appropriate forum to exercise jurisdiction in a child custody case when the law or policy of the other state that may take jurisdiction limits the ability of a parent to obtain gender-affirming health care for a child (section 19 of P.L.2004, c.147 (C.2A:34-71)); and 4) in making a determination about whether a court in this State can decline to exercise its jurisdiction over a child custody case, the court cannot consider the taking or keeping of the child from the person who has legal or physical custody or visitation rights as a factor weighing against a petitioner in the case, if there is evidence that taking or keeping the child was so that the child could receive gender-affirming health care (section 20 of P.L.2004, c.147 (C.2A:34-72)). The bill also prohibits the Governor from extraditing a person who: is found in this State; was not in the state making the demand for extradition at the time of the commission of the alleged crime and did not flee; and is charged in the state making the demand for extradition with providing, receiving, or allowing a child to receive gender-affirming health care that is permitted under the laws of this State. Under the bill's provisions, an attorney or counselor at law who practices law in the State is prohibited from responding to any subpoena issued by another state or jurisdiction if the subpoena relates to a violation of that state's or jurisdiction's law against a person providing, receiving, or allowing a child to receive gender-affirming health care that is permitted under the laws of this State. The bill also prohibits a State, county, or local law enforcement agency from: 1) knowingly making an, or participating in the, arrest of a person pursuant to an outstanding arrest warrant issued by another state or jurisdiction for a violation of that state's or jurisdiction's law against a person providing, receiving, or allowing a child to receive gender-affirming health care that is permitted under the laws of this State; and 2) cooperating with, or responding to, an inquiry from another state or jurisdiction about a person providing, receiving, or allowing a child to receive gender-affirming health care that is permitted under the laws of this State. Under the bill, any law or judicial ruling of another state or jurisdiction authorizing a state agency to remove a child from the care and custody of the child's parent or guardian as a result of the parent or guardian allowing the child to receive gender-affirming health care cannot be enforced by a court of this State. The bill's provisions bar a health care facility licensed pursuant to pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:3H-2 et seq.) and a health care professional licensed pursuant to Title 45 or Title 52 of the Revised Statutes from providing the medical records of any child seeking or receiving gender-affirming health care in furtherance of any interstate investigation or proceeding, based on another state's law, seeking to impose civil or criminal liability upon a person or entity for: 1) the provision, receipt, or seeking of, or inquiring or responding to an inquiry about, the person providing gender-affirming health care to a child that is permitted under the laws of this State; or 2) assisting, advising, aiding, abetting, facilitating, soliciting, or conspiring with any person or entity providing, receiving, seeking, or inquiring or responding to an inquiry about, the person providing gender-affirming health care to a child that is permitted under the laws of this State. A health care facility or health care professional would be required to provide the medical records of any child seeking or receiving gender-affirming health care in the furtherance of an investigation or proceeding if the conduct subject to potential liability under the investigation or proceeding would be subject to liability under New Jersey law if committed in New Jersey, or if the provision of such medical records is necessary for a person to engage in conduct otherwise prohibited by the bill in order to comply with a valid order issued by a court with jurisdiction over the person, or to comply with applicable provisions of State or federal law. As defined in the bill: "person" means an individual, any State, county, or local governmental entity or instrumentality, a, partnership, an association, a limited liability company, or a corporation. | In Committee |
| S1609 | Creates online job portal for behavioral health care workers and online internship and externship portal for health care students. | This bill creates an online job portal for behavioral health care workers and online internship and externship portal for students enrolled in both physical and behavioral health care training programs. Under the bill the Department of Health (department) is to create, maintain, and update an online job portal that permits in-State employers to post job openings for behavioral health care workers. The bill defines "behavioral health care" to mean health care and associated services for the treatment of a mental illness, emotional disorder, or substance use disorder. In addition, the department will be required to create, maintain, and update an online internship and externship portal that permits in-State employers to post internship and externship openings providing academic credits for students studying to become a health care professional. The department will be authorized to contract with a third-party entity to develop and administer the online behavioral health job portal, the online internship and externship portal, or both. | In Committee |
| S1581 | Establishes license to allow wineries that produce more than 250,000 gallons per year to directly ship wine to consumers. | This bill allows New Jersey wineries and out-of-State wineries that annually produce more than 250,000 gallons to directly ship wine to consumers. Under current law, small plenary wineries that produce 250,000 gallons or less per year and farm wineries are permitted to directly ship wine to New Jersey residents and consumers residing in other states. In addition, out-of-State wineries that annually produce 250,000 gallons or less may obtain a license to directly ship wine to New Jersey residents. Wineries that produce more than the 250,000 gallon capacity cap are currently prohibited from directly shipping wine. This bill establishes a license to allow the holder of a New Jersey winery license or an out-of-State winery that exceeds the 250,000 gallon capacity cap to directly ship up to 12 cases of wine annually to any person over the age of 21. | In Committee |
| S1647 | Establishes "Community Wealth Preservation Program"; expands access for certain buyers to purchase property from sheriff's sales. | This bill establishes the "Community Wealth Preservation Program" and expands access for certain buyers to purchase property from sheriff's sales. Under the bill, a defendant in a foreclosure proceeding, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, tenant of the foreclosed upon defendant, nonprofit community development corporation, or bidder who shall occupy the property for at least 84 months, will have up to 90 business days to complete the sale of a foreclosing property, with no interest accruing on the balance of the sale for 60 business days following the sale. If the successful bidder does not pay the balance within this 90 business day period, the bidder would forfeit the deposit on the property and be responsible for the payment of accrued interest and fees or penalties incurred as a result of the sale being void, unless the failure to fulfill the balance is due to the bidder's inability to close a mortgage through no fault of the bidder's own. Under the bill, a foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, tenant of the foreclosed upon defendant, nonprofit community development corporation, or bidder may purchase property in a sheriff's sale by way of financing if the bidder provides documentation that the bidder has been pre-approved by a financial institution for financing the property. A bidder, other than the foreclosed upon defendant, the foreclosed upon defendant's next of kin, or nonprofit community development corporation may only use the financing option if the property will be the bidder's primary residence. In the case of a foreclosed residential property where the foreclosed upon defendant is an individual and not a corporate entity, if the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant of the foreclosed upon property has secured financing or assets sufficient to meet terms offered by the foreclosing plaintiff or an alternative financial institution to purchase the property, the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant will have the right of first refusal to purchase the property in the amount approved for the opening bid of the sheriff's sale at the time of the sale. The right of first refusal will only be made available to the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant for the initial sale of the foreclosed upon property, unless the sale is delayed, postponed or concludes with the foreclosing plaintiff purchasing the property, upon which the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant will receive a right of first refusal for the subsequent sale of the foreclosed upon property. Such right will be deemed exercised if, prior to the opening of the bidding on the foreclosed property, the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant pays a 3.5 percent deposit with the rest of the balance due within 90 business days by cash, certified or cashier's check, or by wire transfer, made payable to the sheriff of the county in which the sale is conducted. If the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant of the foreclosed upon property fails to secure financing or assets sufficient to meet the terms offered by the foreclosing plaintiff or an alternative financial institution to purchase the residential property, the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant may request that a nonprofit community development corporation purchase the property. If the nonprofit community development corporation agrees in writing to purchase the property from the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant, the corporation will have a right of second refusal to purchase the property which is subordinate to the first right of refusal provided to a foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant. If the foreclosed upon defendant, next of kin of the foreclosed upon defendant, or tenant decides not to participate in the sheriff's sale, enter into an agreement with the corporation, or fail to secure financing or assets sufficient to meet the terms offered by the foreclosing plaintiff or an alternative financial institution to purchase the property, a nonprofit community development corporation will have the right of second refusal to purchase the property in the amount approved for the opening bid of the sheriff's sale at the time of the sale. The right shall be deemed exercised if, prior to the opening of the bidding on the foreclosed property, the corporation pays a 3.5 percent deposit with the rest of the balance due within 90 business days by cash, certified or cashier's check, or by wire transfer, made payable to the sheriff of the county in which the sale is conducted or to the Special Master, if the sheriff cannot conduct the sale. A nonprofit community development corporation will only have a right of second refusal to purchase the property if it satisfies certain conditions set forth within the bill. With the exception of sales conducted pursuant to the Community Wealth Preservation Program, the bill increases the fee to be charged by virtue of an execution sale from 4 to 5 percent, or 6 percent to 10 percent, depending on whether the sum involved is greater than or less than $5,000, respectively. The bill also increases the minimum fee to be charged by virtue of an execution sale from $50 to $150. Finally, the bill provides creditors and creditors' agents with immunity from liability for damages to certain vacant and abandoned property so long as reasonable care is exercised, and clarifies that bidders are not authorized to enter the property prior to the time of sale. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1638 | Amends lists of projects eligible to receive loans for environmental infrastructure projects from NJ Infrastructure Bank for FY 2024. | This bill would make changes to the authorization given to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB) to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for State fiscal year 2024. In July 2023, P.L.2023, c.119 was enacted into law, which authorized the NJIB to expend up to $1.78 billion, and any unexpended balances from previous authorizations, to provide low-interest and market-rate loans to project sponsors (primarily local governments, public authorities, and public water utilities) for a portion of the total costs of 164 eligible environmental infrastructure projects for fiscal year 2024. This bill would amend the lists of environmental infrastructure projects for which the NJIB is authorized to make loans pursuant to P.L.2023, c.119 to include new projects, remove projects, modify the priority of certain projects, and modify the trust loan amounts for certain projects, as enumerated in subsections a. and b. of section 4 of the bill. The bill would authorize the NJIB to expend up to $3.08 billion, and any unexpended balances from previous authorizations, to provide loans to project sponsors for a total of 223 eligible environmental infrastructure projects for fiscal year 2024. This would include 137 projects on the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2024 Clean Water Project Eligibility List" and 70 projects on the "Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2024 Drinking Water Project Eligibility List." The bill would also give the NJIB the explicit authority to use funds in the "Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Fund" established pursuant to section 14 of the "Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Bond Act of 1985," P.L.1985, c.302, for drinking water projects. The bill would require such drinking water projects to be funded in accordance with the regulations applicable to the financing of wastewater projects by the Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Fund, unless and until regulations specific to the financing of drinking water projects are promulgated. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1578 | Increases the income eligibility threshold and eliminates asset test for Medicare Savings Programs; Appropriates funds. | This bill increases the income eligibility threshold and eliminates the asset test for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program, the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program, and the Qualifying Individual (QI) Program. The bill also appropriates from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services (DHS) such an amount as is necessary to carry out these provisions. Generally, these programs are referred to as Medicare Savings Programs, which are federal programs administered by each individual state Medicaid agency and provide people with limited income and resources assistance in paying their Medicare cost sharing obligations. The QMB program pays for eligible individuals Medicare Part A and B premiums, copayments, coinsurances, and deductibles. The SLMB and QI programs pay for eligible individuals Medicare Part B premiums. Currently, New Jersey implements the federal income - between 100 percent and 135 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) - and asset cap - $9,090 for individuals and $13,630 for married couples - to determine eligibility for these Medicare Savings Programs. States, however, have the option of modifying federal income and asset eligibility criteria, pursuant to Section 1902(r)(2) of the Social Security Act, by increasing income and asset disregards. Using this authority, the bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services to implement a State Medicaid benefit, that maximizes federal funding available under the QMB, SLMB, and QI programs, to provide State residents enrolled in the Medicare program, whose incomes are equal to or less than 200 percent of the FPL, or $29,160 for singles and $39,440 for married couples in 2023, and without regard to resident's assets, with assistance in the payment of all medicare cost-sharing. Under the bill, medicare cost-sharing includes Medicare Part A and B premiums, copayments, coinsurances, and deductibles. To the extent that federal law and regulation do not permit the provision of assistance in the payment all medicare cost-sharing under the SLMB and QI programs, the bill directs the DHS to provide such assistance via a separate subprogram using State funds only. Furthermore, the bill authorizes the Commissioner of Human Services to establish alternative income eligibility standards to the standard described under the bill in order to comply with federal law and regulations and to maximize federal funding available under the SLMB and QI programs, provided that the alternative income eligibility standards are no higher than 230 percent of the FPL. The bill explicitly states that its provisions are in no way to be construed to permit the Commissioner of Human Services to alter the federal requirements for the QMB, SLMB, and QI programs beyond the flexibilities provided to the State by the federal government regarding income and asset eligibility. | In Committee |
| S1604 | Establishes "State House Flag Program"; makes appropriation. | This bill establishes the "State House Flag Program." The "State House Flag Program" will be operated by the Building Management office within the State House Joint Management Commission. At the request of a member of the Legislature, the Building Management office will fly a New Jersey State flag on top of the State House. A certificate will be created for each flag flown, including the information of when it was flown and for which individual, group, or organization the flag is flown. The Building Management office will mail the flag to the individual, group, or organization. This bill directs the Director of Public Information of the Office of Legislative Services to provide information about the "State House Flag Program" to the Legislature and the public in order for members and constituents to be informed of the program's existence. The bill makes to make an appropriation from the General Fund in order to properly implement the provisions of the bill. | In Committee |
| S1631 | Establishes ranked-choice voting procedure for presidential primaries and general elections for electors for United States President and Vice-President. | This bill establishes a ranked-choice voting procedure for presidential primary elections and general elections for electors of candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States. Ranked-choice voting is an election method in which voters rank candidates in order of their preference, the ballots are counted in rounds, and the votes are distributed to candidates according to the preferences marked on each ballot. The bill requires the ballot to be designed to allow voters to assign a ranking order to each qualified candidate on the ballot, including write-in candidates. In the event that the voting equipment cannot feasibly accommodate a ballot containing a number of rankings equal to the number of qualified candidates, the ballot is permitted to be designed to allow a voter to rank the maximum number allowed by the voting equipment, but not less than six candidates. Under the bill, the ballots cast would be tabulated in rounds. Each ballot counts as one vote for the highest-ranked candidate on that ballot. If a candidate reaches the election threshold of 50 percent of the votes plus one, that candidate is elected and the tabulation is complete. If two or fewer continuing candidates remain, the candidate with the fewest number of votes is defeated, the candidate with the greatest number of votes is elected, and the tabulation is complete. However, if more than two continuing candidates remain, the continuing candidate with the fewest number of votes is defeated, and a new round of counting begins until a candidate reaches the election threshold. The bill directs the Secretary of State to issue guidelines and promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the ranked-choice voting procedures established by the bill. The bill would take effect immediately, but would remain inoperative until the January 1st following 12 months after the Secretary of State officially certifies that all voting machines used in this State have the capability to support ranked-choice voting. | In Committee |
| S1598 | Grants children places in resource family care right to have certain signage displayed in home. | This bill amends the "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act" to grant children placed in resource family care the right to have certain signage displayed in their home. Under the bill, a child placed in resource family care is granted the right to have conspicuous signage displayed in no less than three locations in the home that lists contact information for children who are abused or who require mental health services. | In Committee |
| S1611 | Concerns radon testing in certain schools and institutions of higher education. | This bill would require radon gas or radon progeny testing in buildings used by public schools, private schools, and institutions of higher education at least once every five years. If such a building has been tested for radon within the five-year period preceding the bill's effective date, the test required under the bill would need to be performed on such building within five years after that prior test and once every five years thereafter. If a building has not been tested for radon within the five-year period preceding the bill's effective date, the test required by the bill is to be performed on the building within 60 days after the bill's effective date and once every five years thereafter. The Commissioner of Education or Commissioner of Higher Education, as appropriate, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, would be required to determine the extent of testing required by the bill, and the superintendent of each school district in the State, the board of trustees of a charter school, the principal or chief administrator of a private school, or the chief administrator of the institution of higher education, as applicable, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, would be required to identify the buildings to be tested, the locations within each building to be tested, the method of testing, and the procedures concerning notification and circulation of the testing results. This bill repeals an existing section of law that previously required radon testing in public school buildings, but that was deemed to be expired after a determination by the Council on Local Mandates that it constituted an unfunded mandate. Because this bill's radon testing requirements would be equally applicable to similarly situated government and non-government entities, it would not constitute an unfunded mandate. | In Committee |
| S1627 | Requires State to take steps to create additional graduate medical education program slots focused on behavioral health care. | This bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to apply for such State plan amendments or waivers as may be necessary to secure federal financial participation for State Medicaid expenditures under the federal Medicaid program for the purpose of establishing additional graduate medical education program slots focused on behavioral health care. Contingent on the approval of such State plan amendments or waivers, the Commissioner of Human Services and the Secretary of Higher Education are to establish a process for new and existing graduate medical education programs to request and use Medicaid funds to establish additional graduate medical education program slots focused on behavioral health care. | In Committee |
| S1587 | "Department of Commerce and Innovation Act"; establishes Department of Commerce and Innovation as principal department in Executive Branch of State government; appropriates $1 million. | This bill establishes the Department of Commerce and Innovation (department) as a principal department in the Executive Branch of the State government. New Jersey has historically been a hub for business and industry in the United States, in sectors that range from textiles and ceramics to pharmaceuticals and scientific innovation, and it is the policy of this State to continue to be an economic leader in this country. It is also the policy of New Jersey to stimulate economic growth and development in ways that are efficient and coordinated across all sectors, departments, and agencies; however, this State has seen a decrease in coordination and centralization of these efforts, starting with the abolishment of the Department of Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce Department) in 1998. With the abolishment of the Commerce Department, the New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth Commission, later renamed the New Jersey Commerce Commission (commission), was established in but not of the Department of the Treasury for the purpose of streamlining the coordination of economic development in this State to meet the demands of the 21st Century. Yet, in 2008, the commission was also abolished and its functions, duties, offices, and programs were dispersed among several departments and agencies, with tourism responsibilities transferred to the Department of State, and most other functions and duties being transferred to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority), an authority formerly housed within the Commerce Department. Some of the functions and duties of the commission were transferred to the Division of Business Assistance, Marketing, and International Trade, which was established within the authority with the abolishment of the commission, and, in 2011, was itself renamed the Business Action Center and transferred to the Department of State through Executive Reorganization Plan No. 003-2011. With the State government's gradual decentralization of economic growth policy and administration, New Jersey has struggled to coordinate a cohesive policy approach to attract and foster business, industry, and innovation in this State, and in recent years has fallen behind other states, particularly in science, technology, and engineering. It is in the best interest of the citizens of this State to establish a principal department within the Executive Branch to serve as a centralized focus for business and industrial concerns, to serve as a voice and advocate of the interests of the business and innovation community to the Executive Branch and to the Legislature, to realign the functions and duties of several State agencies in a coordinated manner to streamline the administration of business assistance and innovation programs and policy, to eliminate the confusion felt within the business community concerning the myriad State programs and policy objectives that are difficult to navigate or discover due to being spread across several State agencies and departments, and to establish a strong, centralized business-centered State identity that will again put New Jersey at the forefront of business, industry, and innovation in this country. The administrator and chief executive officer of the department is to be a commissioner, who is to be known as the Commissioner of Commerce and Innovation (commissioner), and who is to be a person qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of the office. The commissioner is to be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is to serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor's term of office and until the appointment and qualification of the commissioner's successor. The commissioner is to devote the commissioner's entire time to the duties of the office and is to receive a salary as provided by law. Any vacancy occurring in the office of the commissioner is to be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The department and the commissioner are to be responsible for the activities of the State government in the support and development of business, industry, and innovation through aid, promotion, and advertising, domestic and foreign commerce, business and technological growth, and any program as determined by the department. The department and commissioner also are to be responsible for research and statistics in the fields of commerce, business, and innovation and maintenance of a business information service. The Business Action Center in the Department of State, the Economic Development Authority in but not of the Department of the Treasury, and the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology in but not of the Department of the Treasury, are to be transferred, together with all functions, powers, and duties, to the department. This bill amends existing law to add the commissioner to the board of the authority. This bill provides that, within three months of the effective date of this bill, after consultation with all division directors, the State Treasurer, and the commissioners of appropriate commissions and executive departments, including but not necessarily limited to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of State, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the commissioner is to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and to the Legislature identifying: those functions and duties currently exercised by other departments, divisions, agencies, commissions, councils, boards, offices, or bureaus of State government relating to commerce, economic development, and innovation that may be appropriately transferred to the department and those functions and duties transferred to the department pursuant to the provisions of this bill that may be appropriately transferred to other departments. The transfers may be effectuated by executive order or law, as the case may be. | In Committee |
| S1626 | Provides for enrollment as NJ FamilyCare provider in conjunction with licensure application; Requires health insurance carriers to determine provider enrollment within six months of application. | Under the bill, within 365 days of its effective date, the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (division) in the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the State Board of Medical Examiners, is required to develop and implement a streamlined process for a physician to enroll as an NJ FamilyCare provider and to apply for State licensure in a single application. For all applications submitted under the bill, the State Board of Medical Examiners is to provide the division with a copy of the applicant's license, within five days of issuing the license to the applicant. If the applicant is not approved for licensure, the bill directs the State Board of Medical Examiners to provide the division with the appropriate documentation within five days of the determination. Moreover, to the extent possible and in accordance with the documentation submitted with the application, the bill directs the division to immediately begin to process the portion of the application regarding NJ FamilyCare provider enrollment. Within 10 days of receiving an applicant's licensure from the State Board of Medical Examiners, the division is to notify an applicant in writing, if applicable, of any additional information or documentation required by the division to enroll the applicant as an approved NJ FamilyCare physician. The bill explicitly provides that these provisions of the bill are not to be construed to alter the application requirements for State licensure or the enrollment requirements for a NJ FamilyCare provider. The bill also amends the "Health Care Quality Act" to require the committee of a carrier, which reviews applications submitted by licensed health care professionals for participation in a carrier's plan, to provide an applicant for participation a notice of determination within six months of receiving an application. Under existing law, "carrier" means an insurance company, health service corporation, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or health maintenance organization authorized to issue health benefits plans in this State. | In Committee |
| S2283 | "Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act"; authorizes production and use of psilocybin to promote health and wellness; decriminalizes, and expunges past offenses involving, psilocybin production, possession, use, and distribution. | This bill, designated the "Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act," establishes a framework for the regulated production and use of psilocybin in connection with behavioral health care and preventative behavioral health treatment, decriminalizes the production, dispensing, and use of psilocybin by persons over 21 years of age, and expunges past and pending offenses for conduct involving psilocybin that is authorized under the bill. Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Advisory Board The bill establishes in the Department of Health (DOH) the Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Advisory Board. The board will comprise 18 members, including: 1) the Commissioner of Health, the Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services, and the Attorney General, or their designees, who will serve as ex officio, nonvoting members; 2) a representative from the DOH who is familiar with public health programs and public health activities in New Jersey and a designee of the Public Health Council in the Department of Health, who will serve at the pleasure of the commissioner as nonvoting members; 3) a representative from the Cannabis Regulatory Commission who has expertise in the tracking of cannabis items, who will serve at the pleasure of the commission as a nonvoting member; and 4) 12 public members, to be appointed by the Governor, which members are to include individuals with expertise in areas related to behavioral health care; public health; clinical research related to the use of psychedelic compounds in clinical therapy; mycology, ethnobotany, or psychopharmacology; issues confronting veterans; the traditional, cultural, and religious uses of psilocybin; emergency medical services; harm reduction and drug policy; and racial and economic equity and health care access. The public members of the board will serve for a term of four years, with staggered terms of appointment for the members first appointed, and will be eligible for reappointment. The Governor will be required to appoint the public members no later than 60 days after the effective date of the bill. The board will organize upon the appointment of the public members and select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among the membership. The chairperson will appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the board. The members of the board will serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties, within the limits of funds made available to the board for this purpose. During an 18-month program development period established under the bill, the board will be required to meet at least once every calendar month, at a time and place designated by the chairperson. Following the end of the 18-month program development period, the board will meet at least quarterly at a time and place designated by the chairperson. The board will additionally meet at any time at the call of the chairperson or at the call of a majority of the public members. The board will be authorized to establish committees and subcommittees as are necessary for the board's operation. The purpose of the board will be to provide advice and recommendations to the DOH, upon request or upon the board's own initiative, concerning the implementation of the bill, including providing recommendations to the department concerning: 1) educating the public about the use of psilocybin in behavioral health care; 2) available studies and research concerning the safety of psilocybin and its efficacy in ameliorating behavioral health conditions, as well as the potential for psilocybin to promote community, address trauma, and enhance physical and mental wellness; 3) the requirements, specifications, and guidelines for providing psilocybin services to a client, including requirements specific to documenting services, screening clients for potential health or safety issues, and providing clients with certain information; 4) public health and safety standards and industry best practices for psilocybin businesses and psilocybin service facilitators; 5) the formulation of a code of professional conduct for psilocybin service facilitators; 6) the education and training requirements for psilocybin service facilitators; 7) the examinations that psilocybin service facilitators will be required to successfully complete as a condition of licensure; 8) public health and safety standards and industry best practices for holding and completing a psilocybin administration session, including; 9) the qualification criteria and amount to be charged in license application and issuance fees; 10) requirements and restrictions for advertising psilocybin services; 11) standards, protocols, and best practices for in-home psilocybin administration sessions; 12) requirements for tracking psilocybin products; 13) requirements concerning the transportation and delivery of psilocybin products between psilocybin businesses; 14) requirements for the social opportunity program established under the bill to promote social equity and accessibility; 15) development of a long-term strategic plan for ensuring that psilocybin services are a safe, accessible, and affordable wellness option; and 16) monitoring and studying federal laws, regulations, and policies regarding psilocybin. The board will vote upon and submit recommendations to the DOH according to a schedule agreed upon by the DOH. Advice and recommendations are to be made in consideration of federal laws, regulations, and policies concerning psilocybin. No later than 18 months after the effective date of this act, the board will be required to prepare and submit a report to the DOH, the Governor, and the Legislature, outlining its findings and recommendations concerning the implementation of the bill. Psilocybin Licensure Requirements An applicant for an initial or renewed license or permit related to psilocybin will be required to submit the application in a form and manner specified by the DOH. In the case of an applicant for issuance or renewal of a psilocybin product manufacturer license, psilocybin service center operator license, or psilocybin testing laboratory license, the application is to identify the proposed location of the premises that is to be operated under the license. The DOH will promptly review and approve or deny any application for licensure or issuance of a permit. The DOH may reject an application that is not submitted in a form and manner required by the department. An applicant whose application is rejected will not be prohibited from submitting subsequent applications for licensure or a permit, or for renewal of a license or permit. No psilocybin license or permit may be issued to any applicant who is younger than 21 years of age. The DOH may refuse to issue or renew a license or permit, or may issue a restricted license or permit, to an applicant upon finding that the applicant: has not completed the requirements for the license or permit; made false statements to the DOH; in the case of a psilocybin manufacturer, service center, or testing permit, demonstrates a lack of capacity or incompetency to carry on the management of the facility that is the subject of the application; has been convicted of violating a federal law, State law, or local ordinance, if the conviction is substantially related to the fitness and ability of the applicant to lawfully carry out activities authorized or required under the license or permit; has an unsatisfactory record of compliance with the requirements of the bill; in the case of an applicant for a psilocybin product manufacturer license, a psilocybin service center operator license, or a psilocybin testing laboratory license, fails to submit documentation demonstrating that the applicant will have final control of the premises both within six months after the application is submitted and upon approval of the application and, if the applicant will lease the premises, certification from the landlord that the landlord is aware that the tenant's use of the premises will involve activities related to psilocybin; in the case of an applicant for a psilocybin product manufacturer license, a psilocybin service center operator license, or a psilocybin testing laboratory license, has not demonstrated financial responsibility sufficient to adequately meet the requirements of the facility that is the subject of the application; or for other good cause as determined by the DOH. The application and issuance fees may not exceed the administrative costs to the DOH of processing the application and administering the provisions of the bill. A license or permit issued under the bill will be valid for one year. The DOH will be prohibited from issuing any psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, psilocybin testing laboratory, or psilocybin service facilitator license, or any psilocybin worker permit, during the 18-month development period. Each applicant for a license or permit issued under the bill will be required to undergo a criminal history record background check. The applicant will bear the cost of the criminal history record background check. The DOH may not approve an applicant for a license or permit under the bill if the criminal history record background information of the applicant reveals a disqualifying conviction for a crime of the first, second, or third degree involving certain offenses involving the production, distribution, or possession of controlled dangerous substances, other than certain offenses involving cannabis or psilocybin. The DOH may offer provisional authority for an applicant to be issued a license or permit under the bill, for a period not to exceed three months, if the applicant submits to the DOH a sworn statement attesting that the applicant has not been convicted of any disqualifying conviction. The Division of State Police will be required to notify the DOH if any person required to complete a criminal history background check under the bill is subsequently convicted of a disqualifying conviction. Under the bill, an applicant for a license or permit who has a disqualifying conviction may still be issued a license or permit if the applicant has affirmatively demonstrated to the DOH clear and convincing evidence of rehabilitation. No application for a psilocybin product manufacturer or psilocybin service center operator license may be approved unless it includes a description of the proposed location for the applicant's site, including: the proposed location, the surrounding area, and the suitability or advantages of the proposed location, along with a floor plan and optional renderings or architectural or engineering plans; and documentation of zoning approvals for the proposed location. The DOH may require a licensed psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center operator, or psilocybin testing laboratory, or an applicant for a psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center operator, or psilocybin testing laboratory license, to submit to the DOH a sworn statement identifying the name and address of each person holding a financial interest in the licensee or the applicant for licensure, and the nature and extent of the financial interest held by each person holding a financial interest in the licensee or the applicant for licensure. A person may hold multiple psilocybin service center operator licenses and may hold both a psilocybin product manufacturer license and one or more psilocybin service center operator licenses, which licenses may be issued for the same or for different premises, provided that no individual may have a financial interest in more than one psilocybin product manufacturer or more than five psilocybin service centers. The DOH may require a person issued both a psilocybin product manufacturer license and a psilocybin service center license for the same premises to require the premises be segregated into separate areas for conducting the activities authorized under each license, as may be necessary to protect the public health and safety. The DOH may immediately restrict, suspend, or refuse to renew a license issued pursuant to this act if: 1) the DOH finds probable cause exists that a licensee purchased or received a psilocybin product from an unlicensed source or sold, stored, or transferred a psilocybin product in an unauthorized manner; 2) the DOH determines that a person who has a financial interest in a licensee or an applicant for licensure committed or failed to commit an act that disqualifies the individual for licensure; 3) the DOH finds the licensee made any false representation or statement in the licensee's application for licensure or renewal; 4) the DOH finds the licensee made any false representation or statement to the DOH to conceal a violation of the bill or to otherwise avoid disciplinary action against the licensee; 5) in the case of a psilocybin product manufacturer or a psilocybin service center operator, the licensee is insolvent, incompetent, or physically unable to manage the operations of the licensed entity; 6) in the case of a psilocybin product manufacturer or a psilocybin service center operator, the licensee is cited by the department three or more times within a 12-month period for selling or offering for sale mislabeled or adulterated psilocybin products, or for selling or furnishing a psilocybin product to a person who is younger than 21 years of age or who is not a client of the licensee; 7) following issuance of the license, the licensee is convicted of, adjudicated guilty to, or pleads guilty to a disqualifying conviction; or 8) the DOH determines that allowing the individual to hold or retain the license would present a risk to the public health and safety. An entity whose application for renewal of a license is denied or whose license is restricted, suspended, or revoked will be entitled to a hearing before the DOH concerning the action. The DOH will issue a final order or decision following the hearing, which final order or decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court. Notwithstanding the lapse, suspension, or revocation of a license or permit issued under the bill, the DOH may: proceed with any investigation of, or any action or disciplinary proceeding against, the person who held the license or permit, as applicable; and revise or render void an order suspending or revoking the license or permit, as applicable. In cases involving the proposed denial of a license or permit, the applicant for licensure or a permit may not withdraw the licensure or permit application that is proposed for denial. Psilocybin Worker Permits No person who is younger than 21 years of age may be employed at any psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, or psilocybin testing laboratory. The DOH may require a licensee to furnish proof that all employees of the licensee are 21 years of age or older, and may require any person for whom proof of age is unavailable to leave the licensed premises until such time as the person presents acceptable proof of age. Failure to provide proof of age for an employee within a reasonable period of time will constitute prima facie evidence that the licensee knowingly employed the person in violation of this prohibition. No individual will be authorized to engage in any activities involving the manufacture, processing, transportation, delivery, testing, sale, or administration of psilocybin products, provide psilocybin services, or engage in other activities related to the manufacture, processing, transportation, delivery, testing, sale, or administration of psilocybin products or the provision of psilocybin services, unless the individual holds a current, valid psilocybin worker permit issued by the DOH. Each psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, and psilocybin testing laboratory will be required to ensure that each employee of the psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, or psilocybin testing laboratory, as applicable, including any psilocybin service facilitator employed by the licensee, possesses a current, valid psilocybin worker permit. Applications for psilocybin worker permits are to be submitted in a form and manner as required by the DOH. A psilocybin worker permit will be valid for one year and will be subject to renewal. The DOH is to establish reasonable application and issuance fees for psilocybin worker permits, which fees may not exceed the cost to the DOH of processing the application and issuing the permit. The DOH may require applicants for a psilocybin worker permit to complete a course provided or approved by the DOH, which course may include training in: verifying client ages; detecting signs of client intoxication; safe and sanitary handling of psilocybin products; best practices for sanitation and for the safe production, processing, transportation, and storage of psilocybin products; confidentiality requirements; and any other topics the department determines to be appropriate. The department may charge, or authorize a course provider to charge, a reasonable fee, not to exceed $250 for a psilocybin worker training course. The DOH may not require an individual to attend a psilocybin worker course more than one time, except in cases where the individual's psilocybin worker permit has been suspended or revoked, in which case the DOH may require the individual to complete the course as a condition of removing the suspension or issuing a new permit to the individual. Psilocybin Product Manufacturers and Service Centers The DOH will designate specific activities that will be authorized for psilocybin product manufacturers, and a psilocybin product manufacturer will not engage in a psilocybin manufacturing activity unless the manufacturer holds an endorsement authorizing the manufacturer to engage in that specific activity. A psilocybin product manufacturer will not be limited in the number of endorsements the manufacturer holds at one time, and may request approval from the DOH for additional endorsements at any time. The DOH is to approve a request for an additional endorsement unless the DOH determines that the psilocybin product manufacturer will be unable to meet the requirements for the requested endorsement. Denial of a request for an additional endorsement will not preclude a manufacturer from submitting a subsequent request for approval of the same or any other endorsement. The DOH will be required to establish a psilocybin product manufacturer microbusiness license, the fees for which will be no more than half the fee applicable to full psilocybin product manufacturer license. A license issued to a microbusiness will be valid for one year and may be renewed annually. A microbusiness will be required to meet the following requirements: at least 51 percent of the owners, directors, officers, and employees of the microbusiness are residents of the municipality in which the microbusiness is or will be located or a bordering municipality; the microbusiness may employ no more than 10 employees at one time, inclusive of any owners, officers, and directors; and the entire microbusiness facility occupies an area of no more than 2,500 square feet. The DOH may restrict the quantity or volume of psilocybin annually produced by a psilocybin product manufacturer, which may include establishing specific, lower quantity or volume limits for psilocybin product manufacturers issued a microbusiness license. In establishing quantity or volume restrictions, the DOH is to take into consideration the demand for psilocybin services in the State, the number of entities issued psilocybin product manufacturer licenses and the number of applicants for psilocybin product manufacturer licenses, and the number of each type of endorsement held by psilocybin product manufacturers, as well as the geographic distribution of licensees, applicants, and endorsements throughout the State. In no case may psilocybin manufacturing activities be conducted in an outdoor area. The bill provides that no psilocybin service center may be approved for any location that is entirely zoned for residential use or that is within 1,000 feet of an elementary or secondary school, subject to certain exceptions. Psilocybin service center operators will be required to take steps to prevent noisy, lewd, disorderly, and disruptive conduct on the licensee's premises and ensure the premises are maintained in a safe and sanitary condition. Psilocybin service centers will not constitute a health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.163 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.). Psilocybin product manufacturers and psilocybin service centers may not advertise any psilocybin products to the public. However, psilocybin service centers will be allowed to furnish information concerning psilocybin products that are available from the psilocybin service center to clients present in the interior premises of the center or during the course of a preparation session, and psilocybin product manufacturers may provide information concerning the manufacturer's products to psilocybin service centers and psilocybin service facilitators. Psilocybin service centers and psilocybin service facilitators may advertise psilocybin services, provided such advertisements do not: appeal to minors; promote excessive use of psilocybin; promote illegal activity; violate the code of professional conduct for psilocybin service facilitators; or otherwise present a significant risk to public health and safety. Psilocybin product manufacturers may not deliver psilocybin products to any location or entity other than a psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, or psilocybin testing laboratory. Psilocybin product manufacturers may not receive psilocybin products from any entity other than a psilocybin product manufacturer or from a psilocybin service center. Psilocybin service centers may not sell, furnish, or deliver psilocybin products to any entity other than a client, a psilocybin service center, or a psilocybin testing laboratory, and may not receive psilocybin products from any entity other than a psilocybin product manufacturer or a psilocybin service center. The DOH is to establish requirements concerning the return of psilocybin products by a psilocybin service center to a psilocybin product manufacturer, which requirements are to, at a minimum, identify the circumstances under which psilocybin products may be returned, establish measures to ensure the security and integrity of returned products, and establish requirements to mitigate the risks of adulteration and diversion. Psilocybin product manufacturers will be responsible for ensuring the accurate labeling of all psilocybin products produced and distributed by the manufacturer, which labels are to accurately and comprehensively describe the contents of the product, including, as appropriate, product ingredients, allergen warnings, an expiration or sell by date if needed to ensure product safety and efficacy, as well as anticipated activation time, potency, the size of an individual serving, the total number of servings in the packaged product, and any other information as may be required by the DOH. The product labeling is to include a clear statement that the product contains psilocybin, which is a psychoactive substance that can produce intoxication when consumed, that the product should be kept out of the reach of people under 21 years of age, and that the product should not be consumed except under the supervision of a psilocybin service facilitator. Psilocybin Service Facilitators Each applicant for a psilocybin service facilitator license will be required to submit documentation to the DOH proving that the applicant: is 21 years of age or older; has a high school diploma or its equivalent; has completed the education and training requirements for licensure; has successfully completed any required examinations; and has met any other requirements for licensure established by the DOH. In no case may an applicant for licensure as a psilocybin service facilitator be required to hold a degree issued by an institution of higher education. A psilocybin service facilitator may be an employee, manager, officer, investor, partner, member, shareholder, or direct or indirect owner of one or more psilocybin service centers. Psilocybin service facilitators will be authorized to provide psilocybin facilitation services at or through more than one psilocybin service center. Psilocybin Services Psilocybin service centers and psilocybin service facilitators will be required to verify the age of a client prior to providing any psilocybin service or selling or furnishing a psilocybin product to the client. Information collected for the purposes of verifying a client's age may not be retained by a psilocybin service center or psilocybin service facilitator and may not be used for any other purpose. Psilocybin services comprise a preparation session, an administration session, and an optional integration session. A preparation session involves the initial screening of the client to verify the client's age and screen the client for anything that would signal psilocybin is contraindicated for the client. An administration session is when psilocybin is administered to the client by a psilocybin service facilitator, who remains with the client and guides the client throughout the session. The preparation session is required before an administration session can take place. An integration session is an optional session that follows an administration session, during which a psilocybin services facilitator works with the client to process the results of the administration session. A preparation session and an integration session may be held in person at a psilocybin service center or other appropriate location, or remotely using any appropriate form of communication technology as may be authorized by the department by regulation. As a general rule, administration sessions are to be held at a psilocybin service center. However, a psilocybin service facilitator may provide psilocybin services in a private residence if, for medical reasons, the client is unable to travel to the psilocybin service center. The psilocybin service center will be required to document the basis upon which an in-home administration session is authorized. In no case may in-home psilocybin services be provided to a client who is located outside New Jersey. A psilocybin service center or psilocybin service facilitator may refuse to provide psilocybin services to any person for any reason, provided that a psilocybin service center or psilocybin service facilitator does not cease to provide psilocybin services during an administration session after the client has consumed a psilocybin product, except under circumstances as may be authorized by the DOH and in conformance with any guidelines and best practices as the DOH may establish for ceasing the provision of psilocybin services during an administration session. In no case may a psilocybin service center or a psilocybin service facilitator sell or furnish a psilocybin product to any person who is visibly intoxicated. A psilocybin service facilitator who is supervising an administrative session may not consume or be under the influence of a psilocybin product during the administrative session. Psilocybin service facilitators will be responsible for: 1) ensuring the client completes a preparation session prior to initiating an administration session; 2) ensuring the client is furnished with verbal notice and a written copy of the warnings and other disclosures required by the DOH during the preparation session; 3) determining whether the client is precluded from receiving services by DOH rule; 4) prior to initiating an administration session, ensuring the client completes and signs a client information form; 5) transmitting completed client information forms to the psilocybin service center prior to initiating the administration session; 6) documenting the completion of all preparation, administration, and integration sessions, as well as the provision of all required warnings and disclosures to the client; and 7) ensuring the client is offered the opportunity to participate in an integration session following completion of an administration session. Each psilocybin service center will be required to annually report to the DOH: the total number of clients who were provided psilocybin services during the preceding year, including the number of repeat clients served; the purposes for which clients requested psilocybin services, including the number of requests received for each type of behavioral health condition or other purpose for which psilocybin services were requested; the number of clients who completed a preparation session but not an administration session; the total number of clients who elected to complete an integration session; the total number of in-house administration sessions performed; any adverse events involving a client during an administration session; and assessments of client satisfaction with the psilocybin services provided. The DOH will be required to make this information publicly available, provided that nothing in the bill is to be construed to authorize the disclosure of any personal identifying information or health information about any individual client, and nothing in the bill is be construed to require any psilocybin service center to disclose to the DOH any personal identifying information or health information about any individual client. No psilocybin service center, psilocybin service facilitator, or other employee of a psilocybin service center may disclose any information about any client that may be used to identify the client, any confidential health or medical information about a client, or any communications between a client and the psilocybin service center, psilocybin service facilitator, or employee of the psilocybin service center, unless: 1) the client, or a person authorized to act on the client's behalf, provides written consent authorizing the disclosure; 2) disclosure is required to prevent an imminent act that will result in serious physical harm to the client or to any other person; 3) disclosure is required to report an act of neglect of a minor or an act of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of a minor; or 4) as may be required by the DOH in the course of an investigation involving alleged violations of the provisions of the bill. Psilocybin products purchased by a client from, or sold to a client by, a psilocybin service center or psilocybin service facilitator are be consumed by the client on the premises of the psilocybin service center, except in the case of a home visit, in which case the psilocybin product is to be consumed by the client at the location in which the administration session is held. Psilocybin products may not be consumed by a client except under the supervision of a psilocybin service facilitator. In order to prevent diversion, accidental ingestion, and accidental injury, the DOH will establish requirements for the disposal of partially consumed, unused, adulterated, expired, and mislabeled psilocybin products. Tracking and Testing Psilocybin Products The DOH may require a psilocybin product manufacturer to test psilocybin products before selling or transferring the psilocybin products to another psilocybin product manufacturer or to a psilocybin service center. The DOH may also conduct random testing of psilocybin products for the purpose of determining whether a licensee is in compliance with the requirements of the bill. The DOH may not require a psilocybin product to undergo the same test more than once unless the psilocybin product is processed into a different type of psilocybin product or the condition of the psilocybin product has fundamentally changed. The testing of psilocybin products will be restricted to laboratories licensed under the bill. For the purpose of tracking the manufacture and administration of psilocybin products and the transfer of psilocybin products between licensed premises, the DOH will be required to either develop a new tracking system or enter into an agreement with the Cannabis Regulatory Commission authorizing the department to use the existing cannabis tracking system. The DOH will be required to ensure the selected tracking methodology is designed to: prevent the diversion of psilocybin products to other states; prevent the substitution of and tampering with psilocybin products; ensure accurate accounting of the production, processing, and sale of psilocybin products; ensure that the results of laboratory tests of psilocybin products are accurately reported; and ensure compliance with the requirements of the bill. The tracking system implemented by the DOH will be required, at a minimum, to be capable of tracking: the manufacture of psilocybin products; the sale of psilocybin products by a psilocybin service center operator to a client; the sale, purchase, transfer, and delivery of psilocybin products between licensees; individual product batches that may be mislabeled, adulterated, or present health or safety risks to clients; and any other information that the DOH determines is reasonably necessary to implement the requirements of the bill. Powers of the Department of Health The bill provides that the DOH will have certain specific duties, powers, and functions, including: 1) reviewing and making publicly available on its Internet website research, studies, and other information relating to the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in behavioral health care; 2) after the 18-month program development period, comprehensively regulating the system for producing and administering psilocybin in New Jersey; and 3) promulgating rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the bill. The DOH will have the power to issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses, establish fees, and compel the production of various documentary materials. The bill prohibits the DOH from requiring that a psilocybin product be manufactured by means of chemical synthesis, from prohibiting the use of naturally grown mushrooms that meet quality and safety standards, from mandating the use of patented products or procedures, and from requiring that a client be diagnosed with or have any particular medical or mental health condition as a prerequisite to being provided psilocybin services. If recommended by the advisory board, the department may exclude individuals, or categories of individuals, from receiving psilocybin services, which exclusion may be based on preexisting diagnoses, identified risk factors, or contraindications. Commencing six months after the effective date of the bill, the DOH will be required to post on its Internet website available research, studies, and other information relating to the safety and efficacy of psilocybin for behavioral health care, and thereafter is to periodically update the information as may be necessary to ensure the information is current and accurate. No later than six months after the effective date of the bill, the DOH is to establish the necessary forms and commence the process of accepting applications for and approving psilocybin service facilitator training programs. No later than 18 months after the effective date of the bill, the DOH will be required to establish the necessary forms and commence the process of accepting applications for issuance of psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center operator, psilocybin testing laboratory, and psilocybin service facilitator licenses and psilocybin worker permits. The DOH will be required to establish and administer a social opportunity program to assist individuals who qualify as social opportunity applicants and who otherwise meet the requirements for issuance of a psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, psilocybin service facilitator, or psilocybin testing laboratory license. An applicant for licensure will be eligible for participation in the social opportunity program if: at least 51 percent of the applicant is owned or controlled by individuals who have lived in a distressed area for five of the past 10 years; the applicant is an entity that has more than 10 full-time employees and has more than half of its employees currently residing in a distressed area; or the applicant is an entity that meets any other eligibility criteria for the social opportunity program as may be established by the DOH. The applicant will be required to have a primary residence in a distressed area for five of the past 10 years, have demonstrated economic need, and meet any other eligibility criteria for the social opportunity program as may be established by the DOH. For the purposes of implementing the social opportunity program, the DOH will identify geographic areas that are distressed areas, establish appropriate criteria to identify social opportunity applicants, provide technical assistance to social opportunity applicants, provide reduced licensure application, renewal, and issuance fees for social opportunity applicants, and if applicable, create a process for social opportunity applicants to receive points towards a license application score. The DOH is to additionally establish and administer an equitable access program to assist qualified economically disadvantaged individuals with the cost of receiving psilocybin services. The DOH will be authorized to purchase, possess, seize, transfer to a licensee, or dispose of psilocybin products as is necessary for the DOH to ensure compliance with, and enforce the provisions of, the bill. The DOH may, upon providing the licensee with 72 hours' notice, examine the licensee's books and may, at any time, conduct an inspection of a licensee's premises. The DOH may allow, but will not require, a licensee's books to be maintained on the licensed premises. The DOH may require licensees to maintain general liability insurance, in an amount the DOH determines is reasonably affordable and available, for the purpose of protecting the licensee against damages resulting from a cause of action related to activities authorized under the license held by the licensee. Commencing one year after the end of the 18-month program development period, and annually thereafter, the DOH will be required to prepare, submit to the Governor and the Legislature, and make available on its Internet website, a report concerning the implementation and administration of the bill. The report will include, at a minimum: the total number of psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, psilocybin testing laboratory, and psilocybin service facilitator licenses and the total number of psilocybin worker permits issued; the total number of psilocybin facilitator training programs approved; the total number of clients served during the preceding one-year period and the number of those clients who previously received psilocybin services; the purposes for which clients requested psilocybin services, including the types of behavioral health conditions and the nature of any other purposes for which psilocybin services were requested; the number of in-home administration sessions provided during the preceding one-year period; any adverse events reported during the preceding one-year period; the number of psilocybin products tested during the preceding one-year period; any incidents during the preceding one-year period involving, and any disciplinary actions taken in response to, the sale, distribution, or administration of adulterated, mislabeled, or deceptively labeled psilocybin products; recommendations for legislation or other action related to the implementation or administration of this act; and any other information or recommendations as the commissioner deems necessary and appropriate. Protections and Immunities A psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, psilocybin testing laboratory, psilocybin service facilitator, employee of a psilocybin product manufacturer, psilocybin service center, or psilocybin testing laboratory, or a psilocybin service facilitator or client, who engages in conduct authorized under the bill will be immune from liability for that conduct as it pertains to the State's criminal drug laws. Under the bill, it will be unlawful to take any adverse employment action against an employee who receives psilocybin services, unless the employee is visibly impaired while at work, and an employer may not test an employee for the presence of psilocybin in the employee's system unless the employee exhibits clear, observable symptoms of impairment. Conduct permitted under the bill will not, by itself, constitute child abuse or neglect, constitute a basis to deny parenting time with a child without a finding of actual threat to the health or welfare of a child based on relevant factors, or constitute a basis to deny eligibility for any public assistance program. Treatment for behavioral health, mental health, or substance use disorders, or other health care a client is otherwise eligible to receive, may not be denied on the basis that the care or treatment is covered in conjunction with psilocybin services or that psilocybin is prohibited by federal law. No contract may be held to be unenforceable on the basis that psilocybin is prohibited by federal law. A holder of a professional or occupational license, certification, or registration will not be subject to professional discipline or loss of a professional license or certification for providing advice or services related to psilocybin or for applications for licensure under the bill. The governing body of a county or municipality may adopt, by ordinance, reasonable regulations on the operation of psilocybin product manufacturers and psilocybin service centers located within that county or municipality. No county or municipality will be authorized to establish any taxes or fees on the manufacture or sale of psilocybin products or the provision of psilocybin services. Nothing in the bill is to be construed to: require a government medical assistance program or private health insurer to reimburse a person for costs associated with the use of psilocybin products; prohibit a recipient of a federal grant or an applicant for a federal grant from prohibiting the manufacture, delivery, possession, or use of psilocybin products to the extent necessary to satisfy federal requirements for the grant; prohibit a party to a federal contract or a person applying to be a party to a federal contract from prohibiting the manufacture, delivery, possession, or use of psilocybin products to the extent necessary to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract or to satisfy federal requirements for the contract; obstruct the enforcement of federal law; or deem psilocybin services to constitute a medical diagnosis or medical treatment. Other Provisions The bill provides that it will not be unlawful for a person over 21 years of age to possess, store, use, ingest, inhale, process, transport, deliver without consideration, or distribute without consideration, four grams or less of psilocybin. It will also not be unlawful for a person over 21 years of age to grow, cultivate, or process plants or fungi capable of producing psilocybin for personal use, or to possess the psilocybin produced if the plants and fungi are kept on the grounds of a private home or residence and are kept secure from access by persons under 21 years of age. It will further not be unlawful to assist another person who is 21 years of age or older or allow property to be used in the course of engaging in such conduct. The bill specifies that engaging in this authorized conduct will not: be considered an offense under State law or the laws of any county or municipal governing body; constitute the basis to assess against any person a civil penalty, a civil sanction, or professional or administrative discipline; constitute the basis for detention, search, or arrest of any person; or constitute the basis to deny a person any right or privilege, or to seize or forfeit the assets of any person under State law or the laws of any county or municipal governing body, provided the person is at least 21 years of age. The bill provides that a person convicted of, or who has pending charges for, conduct authorized under the bill that would not constitute an offense or that would constitute a lesser offense were the bill in effect at the time of the offense may petition for resentencing, reversal of conviction and dismissal of case, or modification of judgment and sentence. Similarly, a person who has completed a sentence for a conviction, whether by trial or plea of guilty or nolo contendere, who would not have been guilty of the offense or who would have been guilty of a lesser offense under the bill had it been in effect at the time of the offense, will be authorized to file a petition to have the conviction dismissed, expunged, and vacated as legally invalid or redesignated as a civil infraction. A court receiving a petition is to presume the petitioner satisfies requirements to have the conviction or charged modified or overturned, unless the State opposes the petition or alleges that granting the petition would pose an unreasonable risk of danger to an identifiable individual's safety. In the event that the State opposes a petition, the petitioner will be entitled to a hearing on the record, including the opportunity to question witnesses and present evidence supporting the petition. The State will bear the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that the petitioner does not satisfy the criteria or that granting the petition would pose an unreasonable risk of danger to an identifiable individual if alleged. Unless the State sustains its burden, the court will be required to grant the petition. Any outstanding fines, court costs, and fees imposed in connection with the conviction at issue will be waived. Under no circumstance will a resentencing, reversal and dismissal, modification, revocation, or acceleration result in the imposition of a supervision or imprisonment term longer than the original sentence, or the reinstatement of charges dismissed pursuant to a negotiated plea agreement, or require the payment of any additional fines or fees beyond those authorized by the bill. Any conviction that is modified, resentenced, or redesignated as a civil infraction under the bill will be considered a civil infraction for all purposes. The bill will take effect the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Governor and the Commissioner of Health may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as is necessary for the implementation of the bill. | In Committee |
| S1599 | Authorizes home care for individuals who are disabled or elderly and requires health insurance coverage therefor. | This bill authorizes home care for individuals who are disabled or elderly and requires health insurance coverage therefor. Under the bill, a health care professional is to be permitted to provide care or treatment to an individual who is disabled or elderly in the home of the individual if the individual is unable to present for an in-person visit in a clinical setting, as documented by a health care professional in the medical record of the individual based upon the good faith clinical judgment of the health care professional, provided that the health care professional is able to provide adequate medical care or treatment in the home of the individual who is disabled or elderly in a manner that is consistent with the clinical standards for treatment in the applicable specialty. Further, the bill requires health insurance carriers, including insurance companies, health service corporations, hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health maintenance organizations authorized to issue health benefits plans in New Jersey, and any entity contracted to administer health benefits in connection with the State Health Benefits Program or School Employees' Health Benefits Program, to cover home care. The provisions of the bill are not be interpreted as imposing any new network adequacy requirements related specifically to the provision of home care. Additionally, the provisions of the bill are not be interpreted to preclude a health insurance carrier from offering benefits for the provision of care or treatment by a health care professional in a covered person's home, which coverage may be provided regardless of whether the covered person is elderly or has a disability and regardless of the reasons for which care or treatment is provided in the covered person's home. The bill defines "home care" to include preventative, primary, specialty, or urgent care or treatment provided by a health care professional to an individual who is disabled or elderly in the individual's home. "Home care" does not include custodial care. | In Committee |
| S293 | Expands definition of child abuse or neglect. | This bill expands the definition of child abuse or neglect. Specifically, the bill amends section 2 of P.L.1971, c.437 (C.9:6-8.9) and section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9-8.21) to stipulate that a child is considered abused or neglected if the abuse or neglect is committed or is allowed to be committed by a person who is not the child's parent or legal guardian, including another child under the age of 18. Currently, both statutes consider a child to be abused or neglected if the abuse or neglect is committed or is allowed to be committed by a parent or legal guardian, but does not consider such acts to be abuse or neglect if they are committed by a person who is not the child's parent or a legal guardian, including another person under the age of 18. | In Committee |
| S1613 | Establishes Blockchain Promotion and Integration Program. | This bill provides that the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology, in consultation with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, is to establish the Blockchain Promotion and Integration Program. The bill provides that the program is to meet certain requirements as specified in the bill. The bill requires the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology to analyze the state of the blockchain and decentralized digital technology sectors in New Jersey. The bill provides that, in establishing the Blockchain Promotion and Integration Program, the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology is to: (1) consult with the New Jersey Blockchain Council, and integrate its efforts with those of the council to have the greatest impact on small businesses in New Jersey; and (2) partner with groups that represent small business in New Jersey to connect businesses with the resources of the program and to better serve the business community. The bill also provides that, within one year of its enactment, and every third year thereafter, the commission must report to the Governor and the Legislature on the state of blockchain and decentralized digital technology in New Jersey and make recommendations on how the State can better achieve integration of those technologies with businesses in New Jersey. | In Committee |
| S1941 | Establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities. | This bill establishes staffing standards for registered professional nurses in State hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, developmental centers, and psychiatric hospitals. Specifically, the bill provides that, in addition to existing staffing requirements provided by law or regulation, the Commissioner of Health is to adopt regulations that provide minimum direct care registered professional nurse-to-patient staffing ratios for all patient units in general and special hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities, in accordance with the minimum staffing requirements that are established by the bill. As specified in the bill, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios will vary depending on the type of unit, and will range from one registered professional nurse for every five patients in a behavioral health or psychiatric or a medical/surgical unit, to one registered professional nurse for every patient under anesthesia in an operating room. The regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Health are not to decrease any nurse-to-patient staffing ratios that are already in effect on the bill's effective date. The bill provides that the Commissioner of Health is to require all general and special hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to employ an acuity and staffing system for the purpose of increasing direct care registered professional nurse staffing levels above the minimum levels established in the bill, or otherwise provided by law or regulation, in order to ensure adequate staffing of each unit, service, or department. The acuity and staffing system will be based on: patient classification or acuity; professional nurse staffing standards adopted by nurse specialty organizations; skill mix; and the staffing levels of other health care personnel and the use of agency or temporary staff. The system is to be established in the facility by the facility's department of nursing, with the approval of a majority of the unit staff nurses or their bargaining agent. The bill requires the acuity and staffing system to allow for the forecasting of staffing levels, and to provide a method to adjust staffing levels for each patient care unit based on objective criteria currently set forth at N.J.A.C.8:43G-17.1(a)3, including, but not limited to: (1) the documented skills, training, and competency of staff to plan and provide nursing services in the nursing areas where they function; (2) a patient database incorporating objective factors such as the case mix index, specific or aggregate patient diagnostic classifications or acuity levels, patient profiles, critical pathways or care progression plans, length of stay, and discharge plans; (3) operational factors, such as unit size, design, and capacity, the admission/discharge/transfer index, and support service availability; (4) contingency plans to address critical departures from the staffing plan, including policies and procedures to regulate the closure of available beds if staffing levels fall below specified levels; and (5) policies and procedures for the reassignment of staff, including float and agency staff. The acuity and staffing system will additionally be required to permit waiver of minimum staffing level requirements in the event of an unforeseen emergent circumstance which causes significant changes in the patient census for a regular shift. Waiver will not be permitted unless the facility has made reasonable efforts to provide sufficient additional staff to meet the required minimum staffing levels, including seeking volunteers and making use of on-call staff, per-diem staff, agency staff, and float pools. The bill defines "unforeseeable emergent circumstance" to mean an unpredictable or unavoidable occurrence requiring immediate action. The Commissioner of Health will also be permitted to waive the minimum staffing level requirements for any hospital or facility that the commissioner determines is in financial distress. A waiver may be revoked upon a determination that the facility is no longer in financial distress. The bill requires the Department of Health to enforce minimum staffing ratios by conducting periodic inspections and responding to complaints. The bill provides a system, pursuant to which a registered professional nurse, other staff member, or member of the public, believing that a facility is in violation of the staffing requirements or the staffing and acuity system, may file a complaint with the Commissioner of Health. In responding to a complaint, the commissioner will be required to conduct an investigation to determine whether or not a hospital or facility is in violation, and to take such other action as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of the bill. Finally, in addition to the above-described requirements applicable to the Commissioner of Health, the bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services to conduct a review of Department of Human Services regulations concerning registered professional nurse staffing standards in developmental centers and State psychiatric hospitals, and to revise the regulations, as appropriate, to reflect safe staffing practices and assure adequate staffing at the facilities. | In Committee |
| S1406 | Prohibits surgical declawing of cats and other animals. | This bill prohibits a person from performing, or causing to be performed, an onychectomy (declawing) or flexor tendonectomy procedure by any means on a cat or other animal, unless the procedure is deemed necessary for a therapeutic purpose by a licensed veterinarian. Any person who violates this provision would be guilty of a disorderly persons offense, which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, a term of imprisonment of up to six months, or both. A violator would also be subject to a civil penalty of between $500 and $2,000. Under the bill, whenever a licensed veterinarian determines that an onychectomy or flexor tendonectomy is necessary for a therapeutic purpose, the veterinarian would be required to file a written statement with the Department of Health, and provide a copy of that statement to the owner of the animal. A veterinarian who fails to comply with this provision would be subject to disciplinary action by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. For purposes of the bill, the term "therapeutic purpose" means for purpose of necessity to address the medical condition of the animal, such as an existing or recurring illness, infection, disease, injury, or abnormal condition in a claw that compromises the animal's health. "Therapeutic purpose" would not include cosmetic or aesthetic reasons or reasons of convenience in keeping or handling the animal. | In Committee |
| S1646 | Prohibits payment of subminimum wage due to age, disability, injury, or status as apprentice, learner, or student through special license issued by DOLWD. | This bill prohibits the payment of subminimum wages to individuals due to age, disability, injury, or status as an apprentice, learner, or student through the issuance of a special license from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development's Wage and Hour Division. It is the view of the sponsor that the elimination of subminimum wages is essential to promote economic justice and pay parity for all. In particular, persons with disabilities working under a special permit are limited from realizing their full potential while allowing providers and businesses to profit from their labor. This bill repeals the law establishing special certificates or licenses for the employment of individuals due to age, disability, injury, or status as an apprentice, learner, or student at wages lower than the minimum wage. | In Committee |
| S2016 | Appropriates $70 million in federal funds to EDA to support arts and culture organizations negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. | This bill appropriates $70 million in federal funds to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support arts and culture organizations, including for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations, that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the bill, the EDA, in consultation with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (council), would be required to award $50 million in grants to support the financial recovery, resiliency, and growth of qualifying arts and culture organizations. However, of this total, $10 million in grants would be dedicated to arts education organizations that provide programs and services for public schools or afterschool programs. Specifically, these grants may be used to offset any revenue losses that occurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic or provide the cash reserves necessary to ensure continued operations in the event of future pandemic-related shutdowns. Additionally, the bill requires the EDA, in consultation with the council, to award $20 million in grants to qualifying arts and culture organizations to support the completion of placemaking projects in public spaces. Under the bill, placemaking projects would include any creative or artistic project intended to beautify or enrich public spaces, such as artistic paintings on roadways or sidewalks, landscape plantings in public areas, educational signage, and other artistic, cultural, or educational installations. The monies appropriated under the bill would be provided from the State's allocation of funds from the federal "Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund," established pursuant to the federal "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021". | In Committee |
| S1600 | Grants child placed in resource family care and resource family parents the right to be notified when case manager or supervisor is assigned to child; grants child in resource family care right to be notified of certain property and benefits. | This bill amends the "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act" to grant a child placed in resource family care and the child's resource family parents the right to be promptly notified of the identity and contact information of the child's case manager or supervisor, and if a new case manager or supervisor is assigned to the child. The bill further amends the "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act" to grant a child placed in resource family care the right to be promptly notified of property and benefits to which the child is the owner or beneficiary at the time of the child's placement outside of the child's home, including but not limited to federal Social Security benefits; to be informed of the department's intent to file for federal benefits on the child's behalf; and to have an opportunity to review the contents of any application form for federal benefits filed on the child's behalf prior to submission. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S664 | Increases amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to $10 million; establishes dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund. | This bill increases the amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research (NJCCR) to $10 million. The bill also establishes a dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund within the Department of the Treasury. In doing so, the bill prioritizes funding: 1) to expand the NJCCR's capacity to fund research regarding the causes, prevention, treatment, and palliation of all cancers and to serve as a resource of information to providers and consumers of cancer care and treatment services; and 2) for cancer research grants that reduce and eliminate disparities among the various racial and ethnic populations within the State's minority and vulnerable communities by increasing access to clinical trials and high-quality cancer care and treatment. Pursuant to current statute, the NJCCR annually receives $1 million in cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues. This money is deposited into an existing lapsing Cancer Research Fund and then appropriated to the commission. In recent years, pursuant to the annual appropriations act, this money has been transferred from the Cancer Research Fund to the General Fund. The appropriations act then provides the NJCCR funding via a budget line. Despite the statutory requirement, in FY 2022, the NJCCR was appropriated $4 million in funding. Under the bill, the existing lapsing Cancer Research Fund is replaced by a non-lapsing, revolving fund. This fund is to be the repository of the $10 million in cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues deposited into the account under the bill and any other funds approved by the Department of Health or the NJCCR. Moneys deposited in the fund, and any interest earned thereon, are to be used exclusively for providing grants for cancer research projects authorized and approved by the commission, with at least $5 million to be used to fund general cancer research and at least $5 million to be used to fund pediatric cancer research. The State Treasurer will be the custodian of the fund and all disbursements from the fund are to be made by the State Treasurer upon vouchers signed by the chairperson of the NJCCR or the chairperson's designee. The monies in the fund are to be invested and reinvested by the Director of the Division of Investment in the Department of the Treasury in the same manner as other trust funds in the custody of the State Treasurer, in the manner provided by law. Interest received on the monies in the fund are to be credited to the fund. | In Committee |
| S2213 | Establishes office in EDA to assist in provision and expansion of broadband Internet service in State to address inequities in accessing broadband service. | This bill establishes in the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) a "Broadband Assistance Office" (broadband office). The broadband office is to be responsible for formulating and executing a comprehensive Statewide policy that fosters the provision of wired broadband service by government or private entities developing a broadband project, or both, if these entities develop a broadband project under a public-private partnership (P3) agreement, and for the development, promotion, coordination, oversight, and approval of a broadband project developed pursuant to the bill. The broadband office, in cooperation with EDA, is to establish guidelines for the broadband office's approval, designation, operation, and reporting of a proposed broadband project, including any proposed broadband project developed under a P3 agreement, in a manner determined by the broadband office. The broadband office, in cooperation with EDA, is to oversee, coordinate, and provide assistance to a broadband project approved by the broadband office. The broadband office is to consult and coordinate with representatives of other State departments, agencies, boards, and authorities, including EDA and the Office of Information Technology (OIT), as these entities deem necessary and appropriate to accomplish the goals of the bill. To accomplish the broadband office's duties and responsibilities, it is to be responsible for certain obligations enumerated in the bill concerning the facilitation of the establishment of broadband projects. In evaluating a proposed broadband project, the broadband office is to consider certain criteria provided in the bill. The bill establishes in EDA a separate non-lapsing fund to be known as the "State Broadband Fund" (broadband fund) for use by the broadband office to adequately and properly perform the duties and responsibilities in carrying out the requirements of the bill. EDA, in consultation with BPU, is to determine the level of funding and the appropriate administration of the broadband fund. With financial assistance from BPU and any available funding from federal, State and private entity sources, EDA is to provide sufficient funding to the broadband office to enable the broadband office to provide funding for underserved communities to pay for broadband service and for the installation or expanded use of broadband infrastructure for communities that lack broadband access, specifically the portion of a communications infrastructure network that physically reaches the residents' or small business's premises within those communities. The bill allows EDA, in consultation with BPU, to seek and accept gifts, donations, grants, or loans from public or private sources, including, but not limited to, any funding provided by the Federal Communications Commission or any funding from a non-profit foundation, specifically for the provision of broadband infrastructure or broadband service, except that EDA and BPU are not to accept a gift, donation, grant, or loan that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with any other law of this State. The bill requires EDA, in consultation with BPU, to annually prepare a report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the number, nature, structure, and scope of each broadband project developed, and whether the broadband project is developed under a P3 agreement. The report is to include certain information provided in the bill and address any issues related to the implementation the bill, including staffing and resource requirements of the broadband office. The report is to set forth recommendations regarding how the processes and methods adopted to foster the development of broadband projects and any related P3 agreements under the bill may be improved, expanded, or made more efficient. | In Committee |
| S2071 | Requires five-year average of equalized property valuation be used in calculation of local share under State school funding formula. | This bill makes changes to the calculation of a school district's local share in determining the district's State school aid. Under current law, a district's local share is calculated by multiplying the district's prebudget year equalized valuation by the Statewide property value rate, divided by two, and adding this to the product of the district's income and the Statewide income rate, divided by two. This bill amends the calculation to use the district's average equalized valuation over the preceding five school years instead of the district's prebudget year equalized valuation. | In Committee |
| S1610 | Requires outdoor lighting fixtures installed or replaced by, or on behalf of State, or at projects receiving State funds, to meet certain criteria. | This bill would require outdoor lighting fixtures installed or replaced by, or on behalf of, a State agency, or at projects receiving public moneys from a State agency, to meet certain criteria in order to reduce light pollution. The bill would require outdoor lighting fixtures installed or replaced by, or on behalf of, a State agency, or as part of a project that receives funds from a State agency, to comply with the following: (1) the luminaire is a fully shielded luminaire; (2) the outdoor lighting fixture emits only as much light as necessary for the intended purpose and shall not exceed the minimum illuminance level recommended for that purpose by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America or the Federal Highway Administration; (3) the outdoor lighting fixture uses a full cutoff fixture when the output of light is greater than 1,800 lumens; and (4) full consideration has been given to energy conservation, reducing glare, minimizing light trespass and light pollution, and preserving the natural night environment. The bill would not apply if the: the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis because emergency personnel require additional illumination for emergency procedures; the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis for nighttime work; or a compelling safety interest exists that cannot be addressed by another method. In addition, in the case of outdoor lighting fixtures installed along roadways, the bill requires the Department of Transportation to assess whether the purpose of the outdoor lighting fixture can be achieved by the installation of reflective road markers, lines, warning or informational signs, or other effective passive methods in lieu of the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures. The provisions of the bill would take effect on the first day of the third month after the bill is enacted into law. At least 18 other states have enacted laws intended to reduce light pollution in order to promote energy conservation, public safety, aesthetic interests, and astronomical research capabilities. Taking actions to address light pollution will reduce energy usage and energy costs, while also helping to protect and preserve New Jersey's natural nighttime environment. Unshielded outdoor lights are responsible for emitting pollutants and wasted light, and over-lighting during non-daylight hours neither improves visibility nor increases nighttime safety. This bill would help to remove unnecessary lighting and utilize efficient light sources in order to save money and improve the natural nighttime environment. | In Committee |
| S1629 | Increases tax credits for investments made in emerging technology businesses under "New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act." | This bill increases the amount of the tax credits provided under the "New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act" for qualified investments made in New Jersey emerging technology businesses. Under current law, taxpayers are allowed credits against the gross income tax and corporation business tax equal to 20 percent of a qualified investment made by the taxpayer in a New Jersey emerging technology business, in a New Jersey emerging technology business holding company that makes a verified transfer of funds to a New Jersey emerging technology business, or in a qualified venture fund. Taxpayers can qualify for an additional five percent credit provided that the qualified investment is made in an emerging technology business that is located in an opportunity zone or a low-income community, is a minority or women's business, or, in the case of a qualified venture fund, if the qualified venture fund commits by contract to invest 50 percent of its funds in diverse entrepreneurs. The bill would increase the amount of the tax credit provided to taxpayers that make qualified investments from 20 to 30 percent while increasing the total amount of the tax credit provided for taxpayers that qualify for the additional five percent credit from 25 to 35 percent. | In Committee |
| S1608 | Broadens eligibility for certain civil service and pension benefits for veterans by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations. | This bill broadens the eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating the requirement that a veteran serve during specific wars or other periods of emergency, and, in certain instances, that a veteran serve in a war zone. Instead of service during specific dates or in specific locations, the bill requires federal active service in any branch of the United States Armed Forces or a Reserve component thereof. The benefits in the bill are (1) a civil service preference under Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes; (2) a veteran's retirement allowance under the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) or the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS); and (3) the purchase of additional military service credit in the Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS), TPAF, PERS, and the State Police Retirement System (SPRS). Eligibility for the civil service benefits for all veterans is contingent upon voter approval of an authorizing amendment to the State Constitution. | In Committee |
| S1642 | Prohibits government dealings with businesses associated with Azerbaijan. | This bill prohibits various government dealings with businesses associated with Azerbaijan. Specifically, a person that engages in prohibited activities in Azerbaijan will be placed on a list by the Department of the Treasury and will not be permitted to: (1) contract with State agencies; (2) file or renew a Public Works Contractor Registration; (3) receive an economic development subsidy from the Economic Development Authority; (4) be awarded a municipal property tax abatement, or make or enter into a payment in-lieu of property tax agreement; (5) apply for or receive a tax clearance certificate from the Division of Taxation; (6) be certified as an urban renewal entity for purposes of the "Long Term Tax Exemption Law"; or (7) be designated as a redeveloper by a public agency for the purposes of the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law." The bill prohibits the State from investing pension or annuity funds in companies with an equity tie to the government of Azerbaijan. The bill also prohibits the State and its subdivisions from banking with, having or holding stock, debt, or other equity investments of, or maintaining insurance coverage through a policy issued by a financial institution that has an equity tie to the government of Azerbaijan. | In Committee |
| S1590 | Establishes "Twelfth Grade Postsecondary Transition Year Pilot Program" in Department of Education. | This bill establishes in the Department of Education a three-year "Twelfth Grade Postsecondary Transition Year Pilot Program." The purpose of the pilot program will be to offer participating 12th grade students with a guided start to postsecondary coursework, through the provision of targeted supports and no-cost courses. The pilot program will be offered to students in school districts that have been impacted substantially by the COVID-19 public health crisis, where learning loss as a result of the pandemic has increased the likelihood of students abandoning their higher education goals. Under the bill, the Commissioner of Education will select two districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to participate in the program and will seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State. The commissioner will select districts impacted substantially by the COVID-19 public health crisis which have a high proportion of economically disadvantaged students and low rates of college enrollment among recent high school graduates. The bill directs the commissioner to provide a grant to each of the pilot districts to finance the costs associated with offering the pilot program, including the cost of tuition charged to the district pursuant to the bill's provisions. The bill directs a school district that wants to participate in the pilot program to submit an application to the commissioner with the items detailed in the bill's provisions. The bill requires a school district selected to participate in the pilot program to require participating students to: be enrolled in the 12th grade, except as otherwise approved by the school district superintendent; enroll in no less than six academic credits, and no more than 15 academic credits, in in each semester; and maintain a 2.0 grade point average for the student's postsecondary coursework in order to continue participation in the program. The bill provides that an institution of higher education that enters into a partnership agreement with a participating school district will provide a program of six or more academic credits in each semester. The program must include a coherent sequence of courses applicable towards a postsecondary degree or credential and the student's high school diploma requirements. The bill requires the institution to waive student fees and charge the partnering district no more than $100 per academic credit for each participating student. The institution must also provide quarterly reports to the district, at a minimum, on the academic progress of the district's students enrolled in the program. The bill directs a public institution of higher education to accept and apply towards an applicable degree program all credits earned by a student during the pilot program, in accordance with the institution's credit transfer policies. An independent institution of higher education may accept the credits earned by a student during the pilot program. Finally, the bill requires the commissioner to submit a report at the conclusion of the pilot program to the Governor and the Legislature, containing information on the implementation of the pilot program and shall include the commissioner's recommendation on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis. | Signed/Enacted/Adopted |
| S1057 | Establishes Office of Financial Assistance in EDA to help businesses and non-profit organizations access opportunities for public financial assistance; requires office to develop common application platform. | This bill establishes an Office of Financial Assistance within the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to help business entities and non-profit organizations access available sources of public financial assistance, including any grants, loans, loan guarantees, or tax credits provided by a State or federal agency. Under the bill, the Office of Financial Assistance would be responsible for: (1) providing technical assistance to business entities and non-profit organizations in the State concerning the identification of available sources of public financial assistance, the application for public financial assistance, and the compliance with any terms and conditions imposed upon the receipt of public financial assistance; (2) developing and updating, as necessary, the common application platform required under the bill; (3) coordinating with State agencies and federal agencies, on a regular basis, to determine the availability of new sources of public financial assistance; and (4) fulfilling any other duties and responsibilities that may be prescribed by the board or chief executive officer of the EDA. The bill also requires the Office of Financial Assistance to develop, or cause to be developed, a common application platform through which business entities and non-profit organizations may electronically apply for any sources of public financial assistance made available by a State agency. At a minimum, and to the extent practicable, the common application platform would be required to allow these entities to: (1) identify all available sources of public financial assistance; (2) input any information or documentation that may be required by a State agency as part of the application for public financial assistance, which information may be stored for use in other applications; (3) simultaneously submit applications for any sources of public financial assistance made available by a State agency; and (4) monitor the status of all applications submitted through the platform. After the common application platform has been developed, the bill requires every State agency that offers public financial assistance to coordinate with the office to ensure that all applications for public financial assistance can be submitted through the platform and all information contained on the platform concerning the availability of public financial assistance is up-to-date and accurate. Based on this coordination, the office would be required to update the platform, as necessary, to ensure that all information contained therein is up-to-date and accurate. | In Committee |
| S1641 | Reaffirms continuation of Rutgers Institute of Management and Labor Relations; appropriates $750,000. | This bill reaffirms the importance of the continuation of the Rutgers University Institute of Management and Labor Relations on its 75th anniversary. As the United States is in the midst of major shifts in the labor force, it is a pivotal time to continue to expand educational resources on labor and management practices. The changing New Jersey economy will be built upon a skilled and educated workforce; therefore, this bill invests in the future wellbeing of New Jersey. The funds that this bill appropriates allows the Institute of Management and Labor Relations to continue its educational programs, such as classes, lectures, conferences and forums. The tuition for the educational programs is to be affordable to all, with the goal of the programs being free for New Jersey residents. The Institute is to continue to conduct applied research on labor-management relations issues. An advisory council is to manage the advisement of the programs and research that the Institute administers. Rutgers University is to appoint the members of the advisory council and it will consist of representatives from the labor, management and public communities. This bill appropriates $750,000 annually for the Rutgers University Institute of Management and Labor Relations to fund the requirements of this act. The funds granted for the Institute of Management and Labor Relations shall be in addition to the existing portion of State funds for the Institute of Management and Labor Relations. | In Committee |
| S1491 | Reinstates automatic COLA for retirement benefits of members of the State-administered retirement systems. | This bill reinstates automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirement benefits under the "Pension Adjustment Act," P.L.1958, c.143 (C.43:3B-1 et seq.), for members of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund, the Judicial Retirement System, the Public Employees' Retirement System, the Police and Firemen's Retirement System, and the State Police Retirement System. Provisions contained in P.L.2011, c.78 (C.43:3C-16 et al), signed into law on June 28, 2011, cancelled the automatic, annual adjustment for current and future retirees and beneficiaries of these State-administered retirement systems. COLAs protect retirement benefits against erosion by inflation, the ills of which were addressed by the Legislature, both for the individual and the State, with the enactment of the "Pension Adjustment Act" in 1958. Without the annual adjustment, retirees and beneficiaries will gradually see significant reductions in their purchasing power. The loss of COLAs will impact their everyday lives, and, over time, make it harder to afford more necessary elements of living, such as out-of-pocket medical costs, groceries, and utility bills. Retirees and beneficiaries will find it more prudent, or perhaps necessary, to leave this State for other states with a comparably lower cost of living. For the State, such outbound migration will result in the loss of the economic activity of those retirees and beneficiaries, and any tax revenues concomitant with such activity. In addition, New Jersey's fiscal outlook may be further strained by the retirees and beneficiaries who remain. These persons will continue to slip further downward on the socioeconomic scale. In some cases, they will require, or at the least become eligible and utilize, greater levels of public assistance under the many taxpayer funded social programs administered by the State, counties, and municipalities, requiring more revenues to meet this increased demand. In the interests of the retirees and beneficiaries of the State-administered retirement systems, and the State, this bill reinstates the automatic COLAs for retirement benefits under the "Pension Adjustment Act." | In Committee |
| S2181 | Eliminates requirement for State residency of public school employees for period of three years. | This bill provides for a three year period during which a person hired by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project will not be required to comply with the State residency requirement under R.S.52:14-7. This State residency requirement was established by law in 2011 and currently applies to all public officers and employees in the State, with certain limited exceptions. The bill also specifies that a person hired by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project who maintains or establishes a principal residence outside of this State during the three year period will not be required to comply with the residency requirement after the end of the three year period, regardless of whether the person changes their principal residence or experiences a break in service or employment with a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project after the end of the three year period. Under the bill, a school district, charter school, or renaissance school seeking to fill an open position would be required to make a good faith effort to hire a person who maintains a principal residence in the State for the open position. The bill requires the Department of Education, not later than 90 days after the end of the three year period, to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature that evaluates the elimination of the residency requirement for persons hired by a school district, charter school, or renaissance school project during the three year period, with specific regard to its effectiveness, any unintended consequences, and any recommendations for legislation. Finally, the bill revises the definition of "school district," as that term is used in R.S.52:14-7, to include approved private schools for students with disabilities. The addition of approved private schools for students with disabilities to the definition of "school district" expressly provides that these schools are subject to the State residency requirement under R.S.52:14-7, and also expressly provides that these schools are subject to the three year exemption to the State residency requirement established under the bill. | In Committee |
| S1304 | "Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act." | This bill, the "Digital Asset and Blockchain Technology Act," regulates digital asset business activity. The bill defines "digital asset" to mean a representation of economic, proprietary, or access rights that is stored in a machine-readable format and has a transaction history that is recorded in a distributed, digital ledger or digital data structure in which consensus is achieved through a mechanism consistent with the underlying protocol. Examples of digital assets include, but are not limited to, digital consumer assets, digital securities, and virtual currency. "Digital asset" does not include securities, whether in digital form or otherwise, as defined pursuant to law. The bill provides that a person is not to engage in a digital asset business activity, or hold themselves out as being able to engage in a digital asset business activity, unless the person is licensed in this State by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities (bureau), or has filed a pending license with the bureau. The bill provides the bureau may license a person to carry on one or more digital asset business activities described in the bill. The bureau shall have the authority to exempt persons from the provisions of the bill concerning engaging in digital asset business activity without a license and to determine whether a person is subject to a license pursuant to the bill. The bill provides that a person who violates the provisions requiring licensure is liable for a penalty of $500 per day, from the first day the bureau issues a notice of failure to apply for a license until a license application is filed with the bureau. The bill provides that an application for a license is to be submitted in a form and manner set forth by the bureau. Each application is to be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee. Applicants are to provide certain information relevant to the applicant's proposed digital asset business activity. Certain information provided to the bureau pursuant to an application for a license is to be protected from public disclosure. The bill requires applicants to provide a list of any litigation, arbitration, or administrative proceedings to which the applicant, or certain other individuals, has been a party to for 10 years prior to submission of the application. This bill also permits the bureau to use the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System, or a similar system, to conduct criminal history records checks or applicants and certain other individuals. The bill requires the bureau to grant or deny any digital asset business license application within 180 days of receipt of a completed application. The bureau may refuse an application for a digital asset business license application if a licensee or applicant fails to meet certain standards specified in the bill. Licensees are required to submit a renewal of a license that contains an update of all information required at initial licensing as well as certain other information described in the bill. The bill provides that the bureau may audit any digital asset business licensee. The bill stipulates that each licensee is to maintain and enforce confidential, written compliance policies which are to be reviewed and approved by the licensee's board of directors or an equivalent governing body. The bureau may suspend or revoke a digital asset business license upon certain findings that are provided in the bill. The bill provides the bureau chief with the authority to, for good cause shown, summarily suspend, revoke, or deny any license pending final determination of a proceeding. Under the bill, notice of any suspension or revocation of a license issued by the bureau is to prominently indicate that a right to a hearing is available. A licensee, under the bill, is to provide the bureau with any document relating to the operations of the licensee upon receiving written notice from the bureau. The licensee is to maintain records of all client transactions and any accounts, correspondences, memoranda, and other records as the bureau may require, for no less than six years from the date of a transaction's occurrence, unless the bureau by rule prescribes another timeframe. The bureau has the authority to conduct examinations to determine a licensee's compliance with the provisions of the bill. The bill requires the terms and conditions of a digital asset business involving a customer's account to be disclosed at the time the customer contracts for a digital asset business service. The disclosure is to be full and complete, contain no material misrepresentations, be in readily understandable language and may include, as appropriate and to the extent applicable, certain information concerning fees and charges, risks to the customer, and any protections or securities that are in place. The disclosures required by the bill are to be displayed and individually agreed to by a customer before any digital asset transaction at an electronic kiosk. Any fee to be charged is required to be displayed and individually agreed to by a customer before any digital asset transaction or digital asset balance inquiry at an electronic kiosk. Under the bill, it is a violation for any person to make or cause to be made, in any document filed with the bureau or in any proceeding, investigation or examination conducted under the bill, any statement which is, at the time and in the light of the circumstances under which it is made, false or misleading in any material respect. In addition, the bill provides the bureau chief with certain investigatory authority to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate any provision of the bill or to otherwise aid in the enforcement of the bill. The bill makes it unlawful for any officer or employee of the bureau to use for personal benefit any information which is filed with or obtained by the bureau that is not made public. Lastly, the bill establishes the "Digital Asset Enforcement Fund" in the Division of Consumer Affairs (division) of the Department of Law and Public Safety is to continue as a dedicated, nonlapsing, revolving fund. All fees, penalties, costs, fines, and other collected moneys are to be deposited in the fund and used by the director of the division to administer and enforce the provisions of the bill, and to conduct investigations related to the bill. | In Committee |
| S2010 | Requires minimum annual State appropriation of $10 million for Public Health Priority Funding. | This bill supplements the "Public Health Priority Funding Act of 1977" and requires a minimum annual State appropriation of $10 million for Public Health Priority Funding, thereby reinstating New Jersey's only State appropriated, unrestricted fund for local health departments. Such appropriation will be expended in accordance to the provisions of the "Public Health Priority Funding Act of 1977." From 1966 to 2010, under the "State Health Aid Act" and later amended as the "Public Health Priority Funding Act of 1977," the State provided local health departments with flexibility to address local needs, emerging threats, and other priorities via the appropriation of dedicated funds. The State eliminated Public Health Priority Funding in the FY 2011 Appropriations Act. For context, in FY 2010, Public Health Priority Funding amounted to approximately 15 percent of the total funding for local health departments. Currently, local health departments in New Jersey are funded via local property taxes and State and federal funding that is designated for specific purposes, such as vaccines or environmental health services. | In Committee |
| S154 | Establishes New Jersey Higher Education Student Advisory Commission. | This bill establishes the New Jersey Higher Education Student Advisory Commission in, but not of, the Department of State. The commission will consist of 15 members including: three student representatives of the State colleges and universities, a student representative of each of the five public research universities, three student representatives of the county colleges, three student representatives of the independent colleges and universities, and one student representative of a proprietary degree-granting institution. The New Jersey Education Association will appoint one member who is a member of the NJEA Preservice Program and represents any one of the higher education sectors, and the Secretary of Higher Education will appoint the remaining members. Under the bill, a student enrolled in an institution of higher education or a proprietary degree-granting institution in the State may submit an application to serve on the commission to the Secretary of Higher Education. The commission is charged with advising the secretary on system-wide issues of concern to students. The commission is directed to annually report to the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the Senate Higher Education Committee, or their successor committees on the concerns, perspectives, and experiences of students attending institutions of higher education or proprietary degree-granting institutions in the State and may make recommendations on suggested legislative initiatives. | In Committee |
| S1591 | Requires DOE to establish comprehensive searchable website concerning educational programs and resources available to special education students. | This bill requires the Department of Education to establish and maintain a comprehensive website concerning educational programs and resources available for students classified as eligible for special education programs and services. The website's purpose is to provide current and complete information on disability resources in one easily accessible location. Under the bill, the website will include, but is not limited to, information on the following: approved in-State and out-of-State private schools for students with disabilities; other approved receiving schools that provide programs for students with disabilities, including educational services commissions, jointure commissions, regional day schools, county special services school districts, and public college operated programs for students with disabilities; special education programs operated by school districts that also serve out-of-district students; publicly or privately operated educational programs for special education students in the State that are specialized for particular disabilities; assistive technologies for students with disabilities; and support resources, including public and nonprofit organizations, that serve students with disabilities and their families. The information on the website will be electronically searchable by multiple criteria including keyword, type of disability, and geographic location of the educational program. The bill directs the department to consult with the New Jersey State Special Education Advisory Council to assist in developing and maintaining the website. The department will work with the council on a continuing basis to ensure that the website contains complete and current information. The website must be updated on at least an annual basis. | In Committee |
| S1624 | Establishes fund for DEP for Blue Acres acquisition and relocation projects; appropriates $25 million. | This bill establishes the Blue Acres Buyout Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "fund") as a nonlapsing, revolving fund in the Department of Environmental Protection and appropriates $25 million from the General Fund for the purposes of the fund. The fund would be administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to be used for relocation assistance for homeowners and tenants displaced by a Blue Acres acquisition or for a Blue Acres acquisition of flood-prone property. No more than five percent of the total annual revenue allocated to the fund in each fiscal year may be used by the DEP for administrative costs. The monies may be used for relocation assistance, for buyouts of single-family or multifamily property or other flood-prone property, and for administrative costs associated with the program. Since its inception in 1995, the DEP's Blue Acres program has worked to protect public safety and the environment by acquiring properties subject to repeated flooding, for use as natural flood storage, parks, and community open space. The Blue Acres program seeks to improve the slow approval times that keep residential property owners from selling flood-prone properties and finding replacement homes both for owners and tenants. Furthermore, the Blue Acres program has a role in supporting tenant relocation. The Blue Acres program helps relocate tenants affected by the buyout of their rental property and assists in finding a comparable living arrangement. In order to support renters and landlords more quickly, a tenant relocation program with a dedicated team was added to the Blue Acres program in 2017. This appropriation will provide the DEP with assistance to complete larger-scale buyouts by supporting the relocation of tenants of multifamily housing under the Blue Acres program, and would provide additional funding for acquisition of flood-prone property under the Blue Acres program. | In Committee |
| S2210 | Requires racial and gender diversity in membership to be considered for appointments to certain boards and commissions established by statute. | This bill provides that, when the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, or any other person is authorized by law to appoint a member to a board, commission, task force, or any other multi-member body or entity established by law, the Governor, President, Speaker, or other authorized person, as appropriate, must make the goal of attaining a membership for such a board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State a primary consideration when selecting a person for appointment on or after the effective date of the bill. The goal of attaining a membership that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State will be a primary consideration by the appointing authority unless that consideration conflicts with the particular circumstances of the appointment to be made or conflicts with the requirements of the statute that established the board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity. | In Committee |
| S1620 | Requires DCA to track natural disaster-related spending by State and local government. | This bill requires the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), in consultation with other State agencies and authorities as necessary, to track natural disaster-related spending by counties, municipalities, local authorities, fire districts, school districts, and by the State. The bill requires DCA to provide a plain-language summary of the natural disaster-related spending on the State's Internet website, and update the summary on an annual basis. The bill requires the natural disaster spending summary to provide the public with information on the natural disaster-related spending of the State, and of its various units of local government. The bill directs DCA to organize natural disaster-related spending into the following categories, and expand or refine each category as deemed appropriate:(1) Preparedness spending, consisting of measures intended to enhance the ability to mitigate against, respond to, and recover from a disaster, including pre-event contracting, public awareness or outreach campaigns, training, warning system installation, response and recovery planning, vital food and medical supply maintenance, emergency operation center management, and emergency personnel on mobilization;(2) Mitigation spending, consisting of measures to reduce or eliminate the potential harmful consequences of disasters, including retrofitting buildings and infrastructure, buying out vulnerable property, establishing hazard-mitigation plans, building tornado safe rooms, implementing building safety codes, and any measure consistent with eligibility for funding consideration from the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program;(3) Response spending, following the declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor or the proclamation of a state of local disaster emergency within a municipality by a municipal emergency management coordinator, consisting of actions that address the immediate, direct results of a natural disaster, including the provision of search and rescue operations, emergency shelter and food provision, medical care, management of damaged utilities, the patrolling of looting-prone areas, and damage assessment; and(4) Recovery spending, consisting of short- and long-term activities designed to restore communities to normal or better conditions, including returning utility systems to operational standards; managing debris; reconstructing public infrastructure; providing redevelopment grants, loans, and legal assistance; and rebuilding communities. Within each category of spending, the bill directs the natural disaster spending summary to report where the funding originated for the various expenditures, and whether a reimbursement is anticipated. If spending originated with a different unit of government, such as the State or federal government, then the plain-language summary is required to indicate which unit was the source. Finally, in order to facilitate the reporting of expenditures from the various entities of local government, the bill directs DCA to require local government units, including school districts, to summarize their natural disaster-related spending as a part of user-friendly budget reporting, which is already provided annually. | In Committee |
| S342 | Adds two student representatives to board of governors of Rutgers University. | This bill adds two student representatives to the board of governors of Rutgers University. Membership of the board currently consists of the president of the university, serving as an ex officio non-voting member, and 15 voting members, eight of whom are appointed by the Governor, and seven of whom are members of the board of trustees of the university. Under the bill, two full-time, regularly matriculated student representatives in good academic standing, who are 18 years of age or older and citizens of the United States, are to be elected by the students of the university to serve on the board of governors for terms of two years. The bill requires the board of governors to schedule a public hearing on the question of the method of election of student representatives to the board within 90 days of the bill's effective date. At its next regularly scheduled meeting following the public hearing, the board of governors will determine whether the students are to be elected by the student body at large or by the members of the student government association. The method of the selection and the designation of eligible academic status of the student representatives will be determined by the board of governors. Under the bill, for the first election held for student representatives, one student will be elected for a one-year term as a full voting member, and one student will be elected for two years, but will serve as an alternate member during the first year and as a voting member during the second year. At each subsequent election, one student is to be elected for two years, but will serve during the first year as an alternate member, and as a voting member during the second year. | In Committee |
| S1618 | Requires Department of Treasury to review and approve digital payment platform. | This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to review and approve a viable blockchain-based, digital payment platform to provide payment services to legal and licensed businesses in this State that do not have access to traditional financial services and are forced to operate in cash-only or cash-heavy environments. The purpose of the payment platform is to provide a safe, secure, and compliant system that does not exclude these businesses from participating in digital commerce. The bill requires the payment platform to provide businesses with access to cashless transactions and to secure revenue on a one-to-one basis of virtual currency to United States dollars. A business is to only have access to the payment platform with approval from the State. The payment platform is to provide the ability to manage and process all business expenditures and allow all transactions to be recorded on an immutable blockchain ledger. The payment platform is to facilitate regulatory compliance, provide for audits by the State, and allow for payment of sales tax to local municipalities. | In Committee |
| Bill | Bill Name | Motion | Vote Date | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2788 | Appropriates $128.241 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to State Agriculture Development Committee for farmland preservation purposes. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 04/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2792 | Appropriates $500,000 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" to State Agriculture Development Committee for municipal planning incentive grants for farmland preservation purposes. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 04/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2793 | Appropriates $1.723 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" to State Agriculture Development Committee for grants to certain nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 04/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2825 | Removes time limitation on issuance of additional alcoholic beverage licenses within boundaries of former federal military installations. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 04/11/2024 | Yea |
| S1422 | Allows taxpayers to utilize alternative method of depreciation of certain expenditures in connection with construction of new affordable housing developments. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1277 | Establishes centralized directory for affordable and senior citizen housing. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1421 | Requires school report card to include information about placement of graduates, including apprenticeships. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2236 | Exempts nursing mothers from jury duty. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1017 | Establishes right of sexual assault victim to notification of certain developments in criminal case. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1644 | Authorizes State Treasurer to sell as surplus certain real property and improvements in Township of Hillsborough in Somerset County. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1644 | Authorizes State Treasurer to sell as surplus certain real property and improvements in Township of Hillsborough in Somerset County. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1962 | Provides certain protections to residents of long-term care facilities. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S721 | Exempts sales of investment metal bullion and certain investment coins from sales and use tax. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1016 | Requires State agencies to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities and on mobile devices. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1313 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1313 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S1230 | Prohibits electioneering within 25 feet of person waiting in line at polling place or ballot drop box; makes electioneering a disorderly persons offense. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S741 | Authorizes State Treasurer to sell as surplus certain real property and improvements in City of Jersey City in Hudson County. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A3337 | Allows projects supported by State or municipal affordable housing trust fund to be exempt from property tax and to instead contribute to municipal services by making payments in lieu of taxation. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A1495 | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A2267 | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A2267 | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | Senate Floor: Amend | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A2296 | Permits municipality to authorize municipal clerk to submit certain written statements concerning affordable housing. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A4 | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2344 | Limits availability of Child Care Facilities Improvement Program grants funded through Child Care Revitalization Act to licensed child care centers. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2435 | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2423 | Renames Juvenile Justice Commission as Youth Justice Commission. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2611 | Requires each public institution of higher education to convene menstrual equity task force. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2607 | Requires private bus operators to provide notice and hold public meetings for certain service changes. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| SCR93 | Urges President and Congress to enact "Poverty Line Act of 2023." | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2837 | Authorizes school districts to submit separate proposals for additional spending for subsequent budget year at special school election. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A4011 | Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act," revises calculation of gas tax rate, and establishes annual fee for zero emission vehicles. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| A4011 | Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act," revises calculation of gas tax rate, and establishes annual fee for zero emission vehicles. | Senate Floor: Table Motion | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2969 | Provides counties discretion related to retirement of county debt service and amount that can be raised under property tax levy cap. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2969 | Provides counties discretion related to retirement of county debt service and amount that can be raised under property tax levy cap. | Senate Floor: Concur in Assembly Amendments | 03/18/2024 | Yea |
| S2168 | Provides tuition fee waiver apprenticeship courses. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S1472 | Requires DOLWD to identify and recruit unemployed individuals for employment in health care facilities; makes appropriation. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S2306 | "New Jersey Works Act"; Permits businesses to create pre-employment training programs in partnership with nonprofit organizations or educational institutions; provides tax credit to businesses that provide financial assistance to pre-employment training programs; makes appropriation. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S2583 | Establishes Second Chance Program in charge of providing opportunities through labor organizations for formerly incarcerated individuals. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S2822 | Revises workers' compensation law to increase contingency attorney fee cap in contingency case from 20 percent to 25 percent. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S2890 | Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for professional firefighters not enrolled in SHBP, but who are eligible for SHBP by virtue of public employment. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S2864 | Establishes working hours for certain minors employed by or as professional athletes. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/14/2024 | Yea |
| S1422 | Allows taxpayers to utilize alternative method of depreciation of certain expenditures in connection with construction of new affordable housing developments. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S1484 | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S1415 | Requires HMFA to establish affordable housing insurance pilot program; appropriates $5 million. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Substitution | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S721 | Exempts sales of investment metal bullion and certain investment coins from sales and use tax. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S787 | Provides supplemental transportation aid to certain districts participating in interdistrict public school choice program. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| A3337 | Allows projects supported by State or municipal affordable housing trust fund to be exempt from property tax and to instead contribute to municipal services by making payments in lieu of taxation. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| A1495 | Exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S50 | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2312 | Allows projects supported by State or municipal affordable housing trust fund to be exempt from property tax and to instead contribute to municipal services by making payments in lieu of taxation. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| A4 | Reforms municipal responsibilities concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes COAH; appropriates $16 million. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2435 | Revises certain requirements concerning eligibility for reimbursement from "Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund." | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2552 | Clarifies cap on fees imposed under "County Option Hospital Fee Program Act." | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2837 | Authorizes school districts to submit separate proposals for additional spending for subsequent budget year at special school election. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2931 | Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act," revises calculation of gas tax rate, and establishes annual fee for zero emission vehicles. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2969 | Provides counties discretion related to retirement of county debt service and amount that can be raised under property tax levy cap. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Yea |
| S2930 | Makes various changes to process for access to government records; appropriates $8 million. | Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/11/2024 | Nay |
| S2208 | Requires Secretary of Higher Education to create and maintain database of Educational Opportunity Fund student admissions. | Senate Higher Eduction Committee: Reported Favorably | 03/04/2024 | Yea |
| S1625 | Requires annual report on New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program to include information on borrower delinquency and administrative wage garnishments. | Senate Higher Eduction Committee: Reported with Amendments | 03/04/2024 | Yea |
| S2611 | Requires each public institution of higher education to convene menstrual equity task force. | Senate Higher Eduction Committee: Reported with Substitution | 03/04/2024 | Yea |
| S1237 | Requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their name and telephone number on any caller identification service. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S912 | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1425 | Expands culpability requirements for firearms trafficking offenses and violations of regulatory provisions relating to firearms. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| SJR14 | Designates third Sunday of November of each year as "World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims" in NJ. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S2082 | Establishes New Jersey Educator Evaluation Review Task Force; clarifies collection of student growth data. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1602 | Prohibits discrimination on basis of height or weight under "Law Against Discrimination." | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1445 | Requires public institution of higher education to readmit student whose enrollment was interrupted due to military service. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S349 | Concerns motor vehicles overtaking certain pedestrians and persons operating bicycles and personal conveyances. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S2038 | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1446 | Modifies down payment assistance program for benefit of first-generation and first-time homebuyers. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S684 | Requires telecommunications, cable television, and Internet service providers to allow service recipients to terminate service contracts following physician's referral and relocation to long-term care facility. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1433 | Designates bridge over Crosswicks Creek on Interstate Highway Route 295 North as "Benjamin Moore and the 693rd Sapper Company Memorial Highway." | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1325 | Authorizes electronic delivery of documents relating to portable electronics insurance. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| 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. | Senate Floor: Third Reading - Final Passage | 02/12/2024 | Abstain |
| S1237 | Requires telemarketers making sales calls to display their name and telephone number on any caller identification service. | Senate Commerce Committee: Reported with Amendments | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S1445 | Requires public institution of higher education to readmit student whose enrollment was interrupted due to military service. | Senate Higher Eduction Committee: Reported Favorably | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S2038 | Requires public institution of higher education to post certain information on institution's website. | Senate Higher Eduction Committee: Reported with Amendments | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S1313 | Establishes procedure for certification of LGBTQ+ business. | Senate Commerce Committee: Reported Favorably | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S684 | Requires telecommunications, cable television, and Internet service providers to allow service recipients to terminate service contracts following physician's referral and relocation to long-term care facility. | Senate Commerce Committee: Reported Favorably | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S1325 | Authorizes electronic delivery of documents relating to portable electronics insurance. | Senate Commerce Committee: Reported Favorably | 02/05/2024 | Yea |
| S912 | Establishes requirements concerning provision of postpartum care, pregnancy loss, and stillbirth information and development of personalized postpartum care plans. | Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee: Reported with Amendments | 01/29/2024 | Yea |
| S1493 | Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities. | Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee: Reported with Amendments | 01/29/2024 | Yea |
| S2331 | "Equitable Outcomes in Child Support Collection Act"; establishes procedures regarding collection of child support on behalf of children in custody of DCPP. | Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee: Reported Favorably | 01/29/2024 | 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. | Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee: Reported Favorably | 01/29/2024 | Yea |
| S1238 | Concerns training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported with Amendments | 01/25/2024 | Yea |
| S1019 | Establishes program in DOLWD to connect persons with disabilities with job training and employment. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 01/25/2024 | Yea |
| S1602 | Prohibits discrimination on basis of height or weight under "Law Against Discrimination." | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 01/25/2024 | Yea |
| S1470 | Provides workers' compensation benefits for certain public safety workers who developed illness or injury as result of responding to September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported Favorably | 01/25/2024 | Yea |
| S1386 | Establishes system for portable benefits for workers who provide services to consumers through contracting agents. | Senate Labor Committee: Reported with Amendments | 01/25/2024 | Yea |
| State | District | Chamber | Party | Status | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | New Jersey Senate District 16 | Senate | Democrat | In Office | 01/11/2022 | |
| NJ | New Jersey Assembly District 16 | Assembly | Democrat | Out of Office | 01/10/2016 | 01/21/2024 |