Concerns certain agreements entered into by State political subdivisions with groups outside US.

S 1377 requires New Jersey municipalities, counties, and other political subdivisions to obtain pre-approval from the Secretary of State before entering into or ratifying any "sister city" or international partnership agreement with a foreign entity. The bill mandates that the Secretary of State verify the foreign entity's legitimacy and reputation through the newly established Office of Community Pairing Review. This policy directly affects all New Jersey local governments seeking international partnerships, aiming to prevent agreements like Newark's recent pact with a fictitious foreign city led by a criminal. The law takes immediate effect and is framed as a due diligence measure to protect the state from future diplomatic or reputational harm.