New Jersey Bills

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 288: Requires MVC to establish certain surcharge promotional incentives every three years.

This bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to create and offer payment incentives to drivers who owe certain motor vehicle surcharges every three years. It specifically targets drivers who haven't paid surcharges for traffic violations (like accumulating penalty points) but excludes those with surcharges related to drunk driving convictions. The incentives may include waived down payments or interest on overdue amounts. The bill updates current law, which previously only required "periodic" offerings, to mandate a precise three-year cycle for these payment relief options.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 1285: Requires installation of fuel gas sensor devices in certain dwelling units.

This bill requires owners of homes or small apartments (in buildings with fewer than three units) to install fuel gas sensors or dual-function carbon monoxide/fuel gas detectors before selling, leasing, or allowing new occupancy. It applies to residential properties where a municipal certificate of occupancy or inspection is required, exempting units with no gas or carbon monoxide hazards. Owners must obtain a certificate from local fire safety officials confirming sensor installation or hazard exemption, following safety standards from Underwriters Laboratories and NFPA. Violations may result in a $100 fine, but the bill focuses on preventing gas-related incidents through mandatory sensor placement.

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 1574: Allows each county to create central registry and provide emergency supply kits to distribute to senior residents during emergencies; appropriates funds.*

S 1574 allows New Jersey counties to create voluntary registries for senior residents (65+), enabling them to receive emergency assistance. Counties must collect basic contact and medical information from participants, keep this data confidential, and run public awareness campaigns about the registry. Each county may also prepare and distribute emergency supply kits to registered seniors during crises, with kit contents determined by local emergency management offices. The bill requires counties to maintain registry data solely for emergency preparedness and prohibits public disclosure of registry information.

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 16, 2026

A 4718: Requires public utilities de-privatization study; appropriates $100,000.

This bill requires the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to hire an independent third party to study the feasibility and potential cost savings of returning public utilities to public ownership. The study will examine options such as full or partial acquisition by state entities, joint ownership arrangements, and the financial and environmental impacts on ratepayers and the state budget. Utilities and public agencies must cooperate with the study by providing requested information, and the board must submit a final report with recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year. The legislation also appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to cover the cost of conducting this study.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 3952: Establishes "Fair Pricing and Transparency Act."

This bill, known as the Fair Pricing and Transparency Act, would require grocery stores in New Jersey to disclose when they use automated systems to set personalized prices for food items based on consumer data. It directly affects retailers selling groceries and other foodstuffs, as well as consumers who shop at these stores. The law prohibits charging different prices to different customers for the same products based on their browsing history, purchase patterns, or other personal information collected through electronic systems. Additionally, the bill mandates that stores using such dynamic pricing technology must clearly inform customers about the practice at the point of sale.

Topics ✓ Technology

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 3949: Requires proportional distribution of payment between employers for health benefit payment obligations for certain retirees.

This bill requires public employers in New Jersey to share the cost of health benefits for retirees who worked for multiple government entities by splitting payments proportionally based on how long each employer employed the retiree. It directly affects state and local government agencies, including law enforcement departments, that currently pay health insurance premiums for retired employees. The key provision mandates that if a retiree qualified for employer-paid health benefits while working for more than one government entity, each former employer must contribute to the premium cost commensurate with their period of employment. The bill also clarifies that this requirement does not apply to employers who have not opted to provide employer-paid health benefits in retirement and does not alter existing collective bargaining agreements.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 16, 2026

A 4739: Establishes low-carbon transportation fuel standard program in DEP.

This bill creates a new low-carbon transportation fuel program within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The program requires fuel suppliers to meet specific carbon intensity standards, meaning fuels must produce at least 10% fewer emissions than traditional gasoline or diesel over their entire lifecycle. It defines low-carbon options to include electricity, hydrogen, renewable diesel, and other alternative fuels, while establishing a system for tracking and managing fuel credits. The legislation also sets a target for fuels to achieve at least 20% lower emissions within 10 years of the program's start.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 16, 2026

A 4727: Establishes Social-Emotional Learning Program in DOE; appropriates $2 million.

This bill creates a Social-Emotional Learning Program within New Jersey's Department of Education to support public school students in grades kindergarten through five. The program will teach students skills to process and apply social and emotional abilities while fostering safe learning environments through peer and family activities. It will initially launch in two cohorts of 103 schools across northern, central, and southern regions, with the Clayton School District serving as a model site. The state will fund 50% of program costs in the first year, decreasing to 35% and then 25% in subsequent years, with an initial $2 million appropriation.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 3950: Requires intervention of at least two days between second reading and passage of State budget bill in either house of Legislature.

This bill requires a minimum two-day waiting period between the second and third readings of New Jersey's annual state budget bill in both the Senate and General Assembly. The provision ensures that budget legislation cannot be passed immediately after its second reading, giving legislators additional time to review the financial plan. A three-fourths majority vote in either house can waive this requirement if urgent action is deemed necessary. The law applies specifically to the appropriations act and takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

SJR 128: Designates the second full week in September of each year as "Truck Driver Appreciation Week."

This bill designates the second full week in September each year as "Truck Driver Appreciation Week" in New Jersey to formally recognize the contributions of professional truck drivers. The resolution directly affects truck drivers and the public by encouraging officials and citizens to acknowledge the importance of the trucking industry to the state's economy and daily life. It requires the Governor to issue a proclamation for the week and does not change laws or regulations. The measure is symbolic and aims to highlight the essential role truck drivers play in transporting goods and maintaining supply chains.

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 16, 2026

S 3871: Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to increase income protection allowance used in determining eligibility of independent adult student for Tuition Aid Grant Program.

This bill directs New Jersey's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to raise the income protection allowance for independent adult students applying for the Tuition Aid Grant Program. The change aligns the state's calculation method with the federal standard used for Pell Grants, allowing more of a student's income to be disregarded when determining financial eligibility. Independent adult students will benefit from potentially higher aid eligibility as the state formula becomes more generous. The law takes effect immediately and applies to grants awarded in the first academic year after enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 16, 2026

A 4698: Imposes 10 percent electric public utility windfall surtax on taxpayers with allocated taxable net income in excess of $10 million under CBT.

This bill introduces a 10 percent surtax on electric public utilities in New Jersey that earn more than $10 million in taxable net income, targeting companies with high profits. The tax applies to utility providers subject to the state's Corporation Business Tax and is calculated based on their allocated taxable net income for privilege periods starting after the bill's enactment. Revenues collected from this surtax, excluding amounts reserved for open space and historic preservation, will be directed to the Board of Public Utilities to fund programs that assist low-income residential customers with utility bills. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Board of Public Utilities from approving any rate increases that would include the costs associated with complying with this new tax.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results