S 2194 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes pilot program providing tuition fee waiver for certain apprenticeship courses.*

This bill would provide tuition waivers for classroom courses within registered apprenticeship programs at New Jersey public colleges and vocational schools. It applies to individuals with household income below the state median (as defined by U.S. Census data), who have exhausted all other financial aid and maintain active apprenticeship employment. The state would reimburse institutions for waived tuition costs, covering only the classroom training portion of approved apprenticeships. Eligibility requires completing a FAFSA annually and meeting academic progress standards.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Feb 5, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly narrowed from a permanent tuition waiver to a two-year pilot program with a $500,000 annual funding cap administered by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The income eligibility threshold was lowered from below the state median household income to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, and new conditions were added including a passing grade requirement and a pre-apprenticeship completion restriction. A post-program reporting requirement was also added.

Scope change

Changed from a permanent tuition waiver with open-ended state funding to a two-year pilot program with a $500,000 annual cap, administered by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development rather than requiring direct reimbursement to institutions.

SCOPE

The bill now establishes a two-year pilot program rather than a permanent tuition waiver, limiting the duration and scale of the initiative.

ELIGIBILITY

Income threshold changed from below the state household median income to not exceeding 400 percent of the federal poverty level, which is a lower and more restrictive standard.

New requirement that an eligible person has not previously completed a pre-apprenticeship program.

REQUIREMENT

Financial aid application requirement expanded to allow either a New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application or a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, rather than only the federal form.

New condition (4) requiring the person to complete each tuition-waiver-eligible course with a passing grade.

FISCAL

Funding changed from open-ended state reimbursement of tuition costs for each eligible person to a capped allocation of no more than $500,000 per year provided by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which may draw on Wagner-Peyser Act funds or the $27.5 million workforce development appropriation.

ENFORCEMENT

New section 2c requires the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature within six months after the pilot program ends, covering individuals served, total spending, spending by institution, and a recommendation on continuation.

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

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Key actions

Committee

Feb 5, 2026

Committee

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors