S 2862 New Jersey Senate · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Requires BPU to develop program to promote certain energy businesses in State.*

S 2862 requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to create a program promoting women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and LGBTQ-owned energy businesses. The program must establish specific procurement targets: 5% in the first year, rising to 25% by the fourth year, for energy purchased by businesses and public entities using retail energy choice. To qualify, businesses must be certified by state or national organizations, registered in New Jersey, and file annual reports. The BPU must track progress, publish participation lists online, and update the public on program success. This directly affects energy businesses seeking certification and entities purchasing energy through competitive markets.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Veterans

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2024

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2024 Last action May 22, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Reprint SEN 5/22/25 1R · 4 edits

MODERATE

The Senate Environment and Energy Committee amended S2862 to expand the definition of 'energy business' to include board-licensed energy agents, energy consultants, and private energy aggregators. It also narrowed how the percentage sourcing goals apply by requiring that business customers and public entities utilize retail choice specifically through those intermediaries, and changed the language from 'sourced from' to 'sourced utilizing,' shifting the role of these businesses from direct suppliers to intermediaries in the procurement chain.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed in practice: while the definition of 'energy business' was broadened to include new intermediary types, the percentage sourcing goals now only apply to purchases made specifically through board-licensed energy agents, energy consultants, or private energy aggregators, rather than all retail choice purchases by business customers and public entities.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'energy business' was expanded to add 'board-licensed energy agent, energy consultant, or private energy aggregator' alongside the existing categories (broker, electric power supplier, energy agent, gas supplier, marketer).

SCOPE

Subsection b now specifies that the percentage goals apply to energy purchased by business customers and public entities 'through board-licensed energy agents, energy consultants, or private energy aggregators' utilizing retail choice, rather than simply all such customers utilizing retail choice. This narrows the scope of who must meet the targets.

REQUIREMENT

The sourcing language changed from 'be sourced from a women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, or LGBTQ-owned energy business' to 'be sourced utilizing a women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, or LGBTQ-owned energy business,' implying these businesses serve as intermediaries rather than direct suppliers of the energy.

TECHNICAL

The legislative statement section at the end of the bill was removed in the reprint version.

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 22, 2025

Committee

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

May 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported out of Senate Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

upper

Mar 4, 2024

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors