New Jersey Bills

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4033: Increases penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products.

This bill increases civil penalties for retailers who sell tobacco or vapor products to minors under 21 in New Jersey. The law raises fines from $250 to $750 for the first violation, $500 to $1,500 for the second violation, and $1,000 to $3,000 for each subsequent violation. Retailers may avoid penalties if they can prove they relied on valid identification, the minor's appearance suggested they were of legal age, and they acted in good faith. The bill also allows municipalities to suspend or revoke retailer licenses after repeated violations and establishes anonymous reporting mechanisms for violations. Additionally, five percent of collected fines will fund public education programs about the dangers of vapor products.

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4006: Expands the domestic violence statutes to encompass minors aged 16 and older.

This bill expands New Jersey's domestic violence protections to include minors aged 16 and older, allowing them to be both victims and defendants under the state's domestic violence statutes. The key provision amends existing laws to define "victim of domestic violence" to include anyone 16 or older, while maintaining that acts by unemancipated minors under 16 do not constitute domestic violence. Under this change, individuals aged 16 and up could seek restraining orders against abusive partners, and those same individuals could be subject to such orders if they commit domestic violence against others. The law applies retroactively to all acts of domestic violence committed on or after the effective date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 3993: Requires age verification and parent or guardian consent for minor's use of social media platform; prohibits certain messaging between adults and minors on social media platform.

This New Jersey bill requires social media companies to verify the age of all users and obtain explicit parental consent before minors under 18 can create accounts on platforms. To provide consent, parents must submit government-issued identification and credit card information, with a fee of up to 35 cents charged to the card. The law also prohibits direct messaging between adults and minors on social media platforms and mandates that accounts without proper verification be denied access within 14 days. These requirements apply to social media platforms with at least five million worldwide users that allow users to create profiles and share content.

Topics ✗ Technology

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4760: Establishes five-year community schools pilot program.

This bill creates a five-year pilot program to establish community schools in New Jersey, which are public schools that partner with local organizations to provide integrated student supports, expanded learning time, family engagement, and collaborative leadership. The program will be managed by an external nonprofit or university organization selected by the state, which will provide training, technical assistance, and site coordinators to help schools implement community school models. Each county will have one public school assigned a site coordinator to oversee services and outreach, while the program will also develop statewide criteria for school selection and share best practices through a technical assistance center. The initiative directly affects school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools by offering them resources and support to coordinate educational, health, and family services for students and families year-round.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 3963: Prohibits electric public utility residential rate increases during summer and gas public utility residential rate increases during winter.

This bill prohibits electric public utilities from raising residential rates during the summer months of June through August and prevents gas public utilities from increasing residential rates during the winter months of January through March. It applies specifically to residential customers of public utilities in New Jersey that distribute electricity or gas within the state. The law overrides any existing regulations that might allow rate increases during these peak usage seasons, ensuring that bill hikes cannot take effect when consumers are most vulnerable to high energy costs. The measure takes effect immediately upon passage and aims to prevent sudden rate shocks during periods when households typically spend more on energy for heating and cooling.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4039: Prohibits business entities from selling or manufacturing certain personal flotation devices not approved by United States Coast Guard.

This bill prohibits businesses in New Jersey from selling, manufacturing, or distributing personal flotation devices for children under 12 that are not approved by the United States Coast Guard. It defines affected devices as wearable items like life jackets, puddle jumpers, or water wings intended for recreational swimming, and establishes civil penalties ranging from $100 to $500 for violations. The Division of Consumer Affairs would enforce these penalties, and the law would take effect six months after enactment.

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4785: Requires installation of emergency power supply systems to certain common areas of new planned real estate developments; provides related tax incentives.

This bill requires new planned real estate developments in New Jersey to install emergency power supply systems in common areas like clubhouses and community rooms, ensuring these spaces can serve as shelters during extended power outages. Developers must meet specific performance standards for the power systems, and the state will update its construction code to enforce these requirements while also mandating public charging stations for residents' electronic devices. To offset the added cost, the bill offers a tax incentive allowing developers to deduct up to $10,000 of the system's expense as an annual deduction rather than a capital investment. The legislation directly affects real estate developers and homeowners in planned communities by establishing new infrastructure standards and providing financial relief for compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4750: Appropriates funds to support increases in tax levy resulting from health care costs in certain school districts.

This bill appropriates up to $50 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to help school districts in New Jersey offset tax levy increases caused by rising health care costs. It specifically targets qualifying districts where the adjusted tax levy for the 2026-2027 school year has increased by more than 9.9 percent compared to the 2024-2025 school year. The amount each district receives is calculated based on its proportionate share of the statewide increase in health care costs. The legislation takes effect immediately and aims to provide financial relief to districts facing steep tax hikes due to a 29.9 percent allowable adjustment for health care expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4754: Requires Departments of Agriculture and Education to cooperatively implement new "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative to promote and facilitate increased procurement and use of local and regional foods for school meals program purposes.

This bill requires New Jersey's Departments of Agriculture and Education to work together to expand the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative, which aims to increase the purchase and use of local and regional foods in school meal programs. The legislation focuses on administrative cooperation between state agencies to facilitate better sourcing of locally grown produce and ingredients for school lunches and breakfasts. By mandating joint implementation efforts, the bill seeks to strengthen connections between schools and local farmers without changing eligibility rules for students or altering existing meal program structures.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4036: Requires Medicaid and health insurance network contracts to provide participating health care providers with certain notifications.

This bill requires insurance companies and Medicaid programs in New Jersey to give health care providers at least six months' notice before making policy changes that could lead to coverage denials. It directly affects doctors, hospitals, and other providers who have contracts with managed care plans, ensuring they have advance warning of potential restrictions on the services they can offer. The law applies to all insurance carriers and state health programs authorized to issue health benefits in the state, including the State Health Benefits Program and School Employees' Health Benefits Program. This change takes effect 120 days after enactment and applies to any new or renewed contracts signed after that date.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 3954: Requires public utilities to provide Energy Star-rated product and appliance rebates of no less than 20 percent of total cost of product or appliance.

This bill requires public utilities in New Jersey to offer rebates of at least 20 percent of the total cost for residential products and appliances that carry the federal Energy Star label. It directly affects utility companies that administer energy efficiency or peak demand reduction programs and the homeowners who purchase qualifying Energy Star-rated items. The law mandates that these rebates be calculated based on the full price of the product or appliance and must be provided as part of existing utility programs approved by the Board of Public Utilities. The legislation takes effect immediately upon passage without requiring additional administrative steps.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4781: Requires entities to accept confirmation of prior COVID-19 infection or protective immune response against COVID-19 when proof of vaccination is required.

This bill requires entities in New Jersey that mandate proof of COVID-19 vaccination to also accept confirmation of prior infection or protective immune response as an equivalent alternative. It applies to workplaces, schools, and public venues, allowing individuals to voluntarily provide verbal confirmation of natural immunity instead of vaccination records. The law ensures that people with confirmed immunity receive the same employment terms and access to services as vaccinated individuals, while explicitly stating it does not conflict with federal regulations. The Department of Health is tasked with adopting rules to implement these provisions, which take effect immediately upon passage.

Bill results