This bill establishes a $6 million pilot program to study psilocybin therapy for behavioral health conditions like depression and anxiety through New Jersey hospitals. It directs the Department of Health to select participating hospitals across three regions (Central, Northern, Southern) to conduct FDA- and DEA-compliant research, with oversight from a new advisory board. The program aims to evaluate whether a future statewide system for safe, legal psilocybin therapy could be developed, focusing on treatment-resistant depression and other conditions. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.296, meaning it is now law but no longer pending.
This bill (A 1512) allows trained operators of New Jersey’s Suicide Hopeline to make follow-up calls to minors aged 16 or older who contact the hotline and are identified as high-risk for suicide, without requiring parental consent. It directly affects minors in crisis by enabling immediate, confidential support from the Hopeline after an initial call. The key mechanism amends existing law to explicitly permit these brief, supportive follow-up calls - specifically for suicide prevention - while clarifying they do not constitute formal mental health treatment. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as part of P.L.2025, c.238, meaning the policy change is now in effect.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to study the feasibility of developing advanced reactors statewide within 18 months. The study must examine suitable locations (including retired power sites), regulatory requirements, economic viability, safety, environmental impacts, and public input through three stakeholder sessions. It directs the BPU to recommend a potential program for deploying small modular reactors and publish findings online. The study expires 30 days after the report is submitted to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill (A-2276) would have required municipal tourist development commissions in New Jersey to spend at least 20% of their advertising funds on promoting tourism *outside* the municipality to attract visitors from outside areas, down from the current 50% requirement. It clarifies that "advertising outside the municipality" includes any campaign targeting people who work or live outside the area - regardless of whether the ad also reaches local residents. The bill would have affected local commissions managing tourism funds, directly changing their spending rules. However, the bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was superseded by an already-approved law (P.L.2025, c.250).
This New Jersey bill (A 946), now law as P.L.2025, c.177, requires mental health services to be provided in the communication method preferred by each deaf or hard of hearing individual - such as sign language or oral communication - based on their assessment. It mandates that mental health professionals be fluent in that method, trained in cultural needs, and able to collaborate with interpreters. The law also requires a state resource guide listing specialized mental health services and ensures individuals can help shape their own care plans. It directly affects all deaf or hard of hearing residents seeking mental health support in New Jersey, addressing long-standing barriers in access and care quality.
This New Jersey bill requires producers of firefighting gear containing intentionally added PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to provide written notice to purchasers one year after the law takes effect. The notice must specify which PFAS chemicals are present, why they were added, and their chemical names. Beginning two years after the law takes effect, the bill prohibits selling, manufacturing, or distributing such firefighting gear in New Jersey, with exceptions for non-clothing items like breathing apparatuses until 2032. The law directly affects firefighting equipment manufacturers, sellers, and fire departments purchasing this gear, with violations subject to fines up to $20,000.
This bill (A 3359) requires New Jersey nursing homes to have specific pharmacy staffing and oversight structures to improve medication management. It mandates each facility to employ a consultant pharmacist (not affiliated with the facility's pharmacy staff), a provider pharmacist or in-house pharmacy director, and an interdisciplinary pharmacy committee that meets quarterly to review medication use. The committee must include the facility administrator, nursing staff representative, and consultant pharmacist, with records maintained of all meetings. The bill also adds a conflict-of-interest requirement, requiring consultant pharmacists to attest they have no ties to the facility’s pharmacy leadership. *Note: The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was already codified in P.L.2025, c.294.*
This bill (A 901, "Max's Law") requires New Jersey public school districts to include age-appropriate instruction on the dangers of fentanyl and xylazine in health education for students in grades 6-12. Key provisions mandate teaching specific topics like abuse prevention, poisoning symptoms, emergency response, and legal protections for seeking help, using resources from federal agencies like the CDC and DEA. The bill also requires the state education department to provide resources, maintain online materials for schools and parents, and submit annual reports on the curriculum's effectiveness. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.278.
This bill (NJ A2749) requires health insurance plans and Medicaid (NJ FamilyCare) to cover preventive behavioral health services for children under 18, including screenings and early intervention without requiring a formal mental health diagnosis. It mandates insurers to accept "at-risk diagnosis" billing - using Social Determinants of Health Z-codes instead of standard mental health codes - to pay for preventive care like therapy or screenings for children showing potential behavioral health needs. The coverage must be provided at the same level as other medical services, applying to all health plans sold in New Jersey, state employee health programs, and Medicaid managed care organizations. The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.369.
This bill (A2748) expands New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination to explicitly protect individuals based on "service in the Armed Forces of the United States" and "liability for service" (meaning being subject to military service requirements). It directly affects current military members, veterans, and those subject to military service obligations in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The key change adds these categories to the list of protected characteristics under the law, ensuring discrimination claims related to military service can be addressed under existing anti-discrimination statutes. The bill was withdrawn after being enacted as P.L.2025, c.307, meaning it is now law.
This bill (A 1556) authorized the State Treasurer to sell the Lodi Armory - 4.01 acres of surplus state-owned property in Lodi, Bergen County - to Bergen County for $4.1 million. The sale required the county to lease back approximately 6,000 square feet of space (in the "Motor Vehicle Storage Building") and up to 45 parking spaces to the state. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was already approved under P.L.2025, c.217, making it non-active. The primary effect was transferring ownership of the armory property while securing limited ongoing state use.
This bill (A 1833) removes a specific requirement from New Jersey's Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations act that mandated the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) achieve $100 million in cost savings during the first six months of 2026. It eliminates detailed procedures for a committee to propose, verify, and vote on cost-saving measures, including deadlines for negotiations, mediation, and potential legislative overrides. The change directly affects the SHBP, which provides health benefits to state employees and retirees, by removing the mandatory savings target. This simplifies the program's funding process without altering the underlying benefit structure or cost-sharing arrangements.
