This bill (S 448) upgrades penalties for cyber-harassment targeting public servants or their family members, elevating it to a third-degree crime (a higher-level criminal charge) from the previous fourth-degree classification. It creates a new Office of Cyber-Harassment Support within the state Department of Law and Public Safety to coordinate education, victim support, and prevention programs statewide. The office will work with law enforcement, schools, and social media platforms to improve reporting systems, develop awareness campaigns, and provide counseling for victims. The bill also appropriates state funds for the office’s implementation and includes provisions for parental accountability if minors commit cyber-harassment. (Note: The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.303.)
S 193 (now law as P.L.2025, c.238) allows trained operators from New Jersey's 9-8-8 crisis hotline to make follow-up calls, texts, or chats with minors aged 16 or older who are identified as high-risk for suicide after an initial contact. It permits this communication with the minor's voluntary consent, without requiring parental authorization. The bill specifically clarifies that such follow-up is brief, supportive, and solely for suicide prevention - distinct from formal mental health treatment. This change directly affects minors at acute suicide risk who have already reached out to the crisis hotline.
S 1653 prohibits New Jersey colleges and universities from withholding student transcripts due to debts under $2,000 for non-essential fees (like activity or parking charges), but allows withholding for unpaid tuition, room, or board. Institutions cannot refuse transcripts, charge extra fees, or use transcript issuance to collect small debts, though they may require repayment plans for larger debts. The law specifically protects students needing transcripts for new or refinanced student loans. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was incorporated into an existing law (P.L.2025, c.353).
This bill requires health insurance companies and Medicaid programs in New Jersey to cover screening, prevention, and treatment services for children's behavioral health issues without needing a formal mental health diagnosis. It allows providers to use "at-risk diagnosis" billing codes (like Social Determinants of Health Z-codes) for services such as early screenings and therapy for children under 18. The coverage must be provided at the same level as other medical services, including for children showing potential issues before a diagnosis is made. This applies to all private health plans, state employee health benefits, school employee health plans, and NJ FamilyCare Medicaid programs.
This bill extends the recovery period for municipalities designated under New Jersey's Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act from 9 years (109 months) to 15 years (181 months). It directly affects municipalities deemed "in need of stabilization and recovery" by state officials, requiring them to implement a 15-year financial recovery plan within 150 days of designation. Key provisions mandate the plan include a balanced budget, detailed debt repayment schedules for state obligations (including deferred pension payments), and strategies to increase revenue while ensuring timely payments to counties and school districts. The extension provides additional time for municipalities to stabilize finances under the existing framework of P.L.2016, c.4.
S 1398 (New Jersey) allows families or guardians of individuals up to age 21 with developmental disabilities to save unused after-school care hours provided by contracted agencies for use during holidays or weekends. The bill requires the Division of Children’s System of Care to permit this adjustment to existing family support services, specifically for "agency-after school care" - social/recreational activities offered by community agencies during after-school hours outside the home. It does not create new services but changes how existing authorized hours can be used. The bill was introduced in January 2026 but withdrawn the same day as it was incorporated into another enacted law (P.L.2025, c.360).
S 716, "The Manufactured Home Park Protection Act," would have given residents in New Jersey manufactured home parks the right to purchase their park if the landowner sells it, directly affecting homeowners who live in these communities. Key provisions include requiring landowners to offer the park for sale to resident homeowners first and establishing a state website to notify nonprofits about potential sales. The bill aimed to prevent displacement by expanding residents' ability to collectively buy their park through groups or cooperatives. This bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, after being incorporated into an already-approved law (P.L.2025, c.362).
This bill establishes a one-year pilot program in New Jersey public schools to provide tourniquets and bleeding control training for school staff. School districts applying for the program must ensure each school in their district has at least one accessible tourniquet (stored in an unlocked, sign-marked location) during school hours and school events. The Department of Education will train school nurses, resource officers, and teaching staff on tourniquet use and bleeding control techniques, potentially through a contracted expert organization. At the program's conclusion, the Commissioner of Education must submit a report to the Governor and Legislature recommending whether to adopt the program statewide.
This bill would have modified New Jersey's reimbursement for Medicare premiums under the School Employees' Health Benefits Program. It would have covered Medicare Part B and Part D costs for qualified school retirees (teachers and county college employees with 25+ years of service) and their spouses, excluding income-related surcharges starting January 2025. Retirees hired after 2010 would have paid 1.5% of their monthly retirement allowance (via payroll deduction), with the state covering the remainder. The bill was introduced in the Senate on June 23, 2025, but withdrawn the following day.
This bill (S 4492) requires New Jersey’s Department of Agriculture to consult with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify nonlethal geese control methods and humane lethal alternatives (excluding gassing) for use when necessary. It mandates agencies to develop memorandums of understanding, post implementation guidelines online, and adopt property management standards that discourage geese by minimizing turf grass and promoting native plants. The Division of Fish and Wildlife must coordinate with USDA on lethal methods during public health emergencies, prioritizing humane options. These requirements apply to state agencies and property developers managing public spaces.
New Jersey's Assembly Resolution 189 (AR 189) is a symbolic resolution recognizing the Sikh community's contributions to the state and commemorating the 1984 Sikh Massacre in India. It specifically acknowledges the Sikh community's economic and cultural contributions to New Jersey (home to approximately 100,000 Sikhs) and formally commemorates the 1984 attacks in which roughly 3,000 Sikhs were killed over three days. The resolution describes the 1984 violence as "genocide and ethnic cleansing" and calls for the state to recognize this historical atrocity. As a non-binding resolution, it has no legal effect but serves to honor the community's history and advocate for remembrance.
This bill requires county prosecutors - not police departments - to initiate internal investigations into officer misconduct complaints for all municipal, county, and higher education law enforcement agencies (like campus police). When any complaint of misconduct is filed, the agency must immediately transfer it to the county prosecutor, who then decides whether to investigate or refer the case to court. It applies to all such agencies, including those at colleges and universities under New Jersey law. The bill shifts responsibility for handling these investigations from local agencies to elected prosecutors, streamlining the process.
