A 2195 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Directs DOH to develop guidelines for school districts and institutions of higher education concerning student vaping awareness campaigns.*

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DOE) to create and distribute annual guidelines for school districts and colleges. The guidelines must include research-backed materials on vaping's health risks (lung effects, mental health, comparison to smoking, dangers to pregnant people and children), age-appropriate anti-vaping campaigns, decision-making tools to resist peer pressure, and promotional materials for students from middle school through college. Schools and colleges must use these guidelines to implement campus anti-vaping programs. The DOH and DOE will update the guidelines yearly and post them online with additional resources.

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

General Assembly Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action May 4, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended as reported by the Assembly Health Committee, shifting primary responsibility for developing anti-vaping guidelines from a joint DOE/DOH effort to DOH leading 'in consultation with' DOE and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The update requirement was relaxed from annual updates to annual reviews with updates 'as necessary,' and the effective date mechanism changed from applying to the first full school year to requiring guideline release within one calendar year of enactment.

SCOPE

Primary responsibility for developing anti-vaping guidelines shifted from a joint DOE and DOH mandate to DOH as the lead agency, with DOE and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education in an advisory 'consultation' role rather than co-equal developers.

The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education was added as a consultation partner, formally bringing the higher education system into the advisory process alongside DOE.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement to update guidelines annually was changed to an annual review with updates only 'as necessary,' giving agencies more flexibility on how often substantive changes are made.

TIMELINE

The effective date provision changed from the act first applying to the first full school year following enactment, to requiring that the guidelines be released within one calendar year following the date of enactment. This sets a specific deadline for guideline delivery rather than tying applicability to a school year.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the General Assembly by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 4, 2026

Committee

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by the Assembly (72-0-0)

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee

lower

3 primary · 6 co-sponsors