This bill prohibits rental property owners and property management software companies from coordinating to restrict competition on rent prices. It bans using software that collects and analyzes rental data (like prices and lease terms) from multiple landlords to recommend or fix rents, which the bill identifies as a cause of rising rents in New Jersey. The law makes it illegal for owners to subscribe to such "coordinating" services, for software companies to facilitate price-fixing agreements, or for landlords to engage in "consciously parallel pricing coordination." Violations will be enforced under New Jersey's existing Antitrust Act, with new public education efforts to inform renters about reporting suspected violations.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study how advanced transmission technologies (ATT) could improve the state's electrical grid. ATT includes tools like software for optimizing power flow or specialized conductors that boost existing infrastructure's capacity without building new lines. The study must evaluate ATT's potential to reduce grid congestion, lower costs for utilities, and speed up project timelines compared to traditional transmission upgrades. The BPU must submit findings within one year, including public input, to help determine if ATT should be adopted to support growing energy demand from data centers, manufacturing, and population growth.
This bill clarifies New Jersey's child custody procedures by requiring courts to prioritize a child's expressed preference (when age-appropriate) and consider recommendations from the child's mental health professional in custody decisions. It restricts courts from ordering family therapy to reunite a parent and child without scientific evidence of its safety, effectiveness, and the child's willingness to participate. Courts must document reasons if they override a child's preference, and the State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners must develop professional standards for such therapy within 12 months. The bill directly affects courts, parents, children, and mental health professionals in custody cases.
S 2346 creates a three-year pilot program to protect vulnerable residents during extreme heat and poor air quality events. It establishes "Code Red" alerts triggered when heat index reaches 95°F+ for two days or air quality hits index 151+, requiring counties to coordinate cooling centers, transportation, and outreach for homeless or outdoor residents. The bill appropriates $5 million total - $500,000 per participating county - to fund this effort in 10 selected counties. Counties must develop alert plans with local agencies, report to the state, and submit a final evaluation on the program’s effectiveness after the pilot ends.
This bill changes how New Jersey fills vacancies in its U.S. House of Representatives seat. It requires the Governor to issue a writ of election within 10 days of a vacancy, replacing the current unspecified timeframe. The bill establishes clear timelines based on the remaining term: for vacancies with 180+ days remaining, it mandates a special primary election followed by a special election; for 135-180 days remaining, it mandates a special election without a primary; and for less than 135 days remaining, the seat remains vacant until the next term. This provides more predictable scheduling for voters, candidates, and election officials.
This bill makes it a crime to possess, sell, or manufacture machine gun conversion devices, which are defined as devices designed to modify semiautomatic firearms to fire multiple shots with a single trigger pull. It establishes a third-degree crime for possessing such devices, punishable by 3-5 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, and creates a separate third-degree crime for manufacturing, selling, or distributing these devices. The bill clarifies that firearms equipped with machine gun conversion devices are considered machine guns under existing law, which is currently a second-degree crime. This law applies to anyone who possesses, sells, or manufactures these conversion devices, regardless of whether they are also in possession of a firearm.
New Jersey Assembly Bill A4976 creates two new firearm offenses: a third-degree crime for accidentally firing a gun within 100 yards of occupied buildings or schools/child care facilities (even if unoccupied), and a fourth-degree crime for other reckless discharges. This directly affects anyone who unintentionally discharges a firearm near schools, homes, or businesses. The bill specifies that convictions for these offenses won’t merge with other charges, requiring separate sentences, and mandates consecutive prison terms if multiple offenses occur. Third-degree violations carry up to 5 years in prison or $15,000 fines, while fourth-degree violations carry up to 18 months or $10,000 fines.
This bill establishes New Jersey's State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS), a centralized platform to track education and workforce data across state agencies. It directly affects New Jersey residents by using anonymized data from the Department of Education, Higher Education offices, Labor Department, and other partners to improve workforce policies and education programs. The system will be operated by Rutgers' John J. Heldrich Center under a Governing Board with agency representatives, requiring strict privacy safeguards (like NIST certification) and releasing only aggregated data. The bill mandates $2 million annually in state funding for the system's maintenance and requires an annual report on its use and impact.
This bill establishes a three-year "New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program" to improve collaboration between local workforce development boards and community colleges in New Jersey. The pilot will operate in three areas, focusing on jointly developing workforce training programs with industry credentials, coordinating marketing efforts, and integrating funding resources to better serve job seekers. It designates community colleges as the preferred providers for state workforce training and adult literacy programs, replacing previous arrangements. The State Employment and Training Commission will manage the pilot, develop a statewide expansion strategy, and submit annual reports on outcomes like employment rates and credential attainment. Funding will come from state and federal sources, prioritizing federal funds where available.
This bill requires all source plasma donation centers operating in New Jersey to obtain an annual license from the Department of Health. Existing centers pay a $25 initial fee, while new centers pay higher renewal fees, with all income funding the Department's oversight. Centers must follow safety rules based on federal standards for donor screening and plasma collection, and the Department can inspect facilities, suspend licenses for safety violations, or impose fines up to $5,000 for repeated offenses. The law directly affects plasma donation centers and their operations, ensuring standardized safety practices for donors and the community.
This bill exempts minors under 16 who are featured in family-run vlogs (not creating their own content) from standard child labor restrictions. It defines a "vlogger" as a caregiver or family member creating compensated video content featuring a minor, excluding minors under 16 who produce their own vlogs. The exemption applies when a minor meets specific criteria over a 12-month period, allowing them to work as a vlog subject without needing a theatrical permit. This directly affects minors working in family vlog content creation and their caregivers. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Budget Committee after passing the Assembly.
This bill requires New Jersey's electric utilities to create special pricing rules (tariffs) for data centers within 180 days of the law taking effect. The tariffs must protect regular electricity customers (non-data center ratepayers) from cost increases caused by data centers' high energy use. Utilities must also design tariffs to encourage data centers to improve energy efficiency, including using technologies that capture and reuse waste heat. The Board of Public Utilities will review and approve these tariffs, and utilities must implement them for all data centers in their service area one year after the law passes.
