This bill requires all New Jersey solid waste management districts (including counties and the Hackensack Meadowlands District) to create a strategy reducing food waste by 50% by 2035 compared to 2022 levels. Districts must submit these strategies as amendments to their waste management plans, counting food donations, composting, and anaerobic digestion toward the goal. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must publish a list of actionable measures for districts (like donation programs, composting infrastructure, and public campaigns) and establish tiered regulations for composting facilities. The policy directly affects local waste management systems and aims to divert food waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions.
This bill (A 760) eliminates a 5% down payment requirement for local governments issuing bonds to fund hazard mitigation and resilience projects. It directly affects municipalities and counties when financing projects like flood protection, storm recovery, or climate adaptation infrastructure. The key change exempts these projects from needing to set aside 5% of bond proceeds as a down payment and removes the requirement to apply to the Local Finance Board for maturity adjustments on related bonds. This simplifies financing for communities addressing climate risks without changing bond maturity rules for other projects.
This New Jersey bill revises the process for filling vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives. It requires the governor to issue a special election writ within 10 days of a vacancy, unless the remaining term is less than 135 days. The bill also specifies that special primaries must occur 70-76 days before the special election, with the general election held 64-70 days after the primary. This affects New Jersey voters in the affected congressional district and the governor’s office, as it standardizes timing for special elections. (Note: The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was covered by existing law, P.L.2025, c.275.)
This bill requires New Jersey's Attorney General to establish and regularly update guidelines for investigating bias incidents - crimes motivated by prejudice against protected groups. It mandates that local law enforcement agencies report confirmed or suspected bias incidents to the Electronic Uniform Crime Reporting system within 24 hours and immediately notify the Attorney General and county prosecutors for serious cases (e.g., homicide, hate group involvement). The guidelines also set procedures for investigations, require victim referrals to the Division on Civil Rights for discrimination-related incidents, and include mandatory training for officers on detecting and reporting bias crimes. These standards directly affect county/municipal police departments, prosecutors, and victims of bias incidents.
This New Jersey bill (A 1975, now enacted as P.L.2025, c.207) requires cosmetology, hairstyling, barbering, and hair braiding training programs to include specific instruction on working with textured hair. It directly affects licensed professionals in these fields, including cosmetologists, hairstylists, beauticians, barbers, and hair braiders who must complete state-approved training. The key provision amends existing licensing standards to mandate that training curricula cover techniques for textured hair care, ensuring new licensees are trained in this specific skill. The law applies to all training programs operating under the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.
This New Jersey bill prohibits most food service businesses (like restaurants, food trucks, and cafeterias) from automatically giving customers single-use utensils or condiments (like ketchup packets). Instead, businesses must provide these items only if a customer specifically requests them. Larger dine-in establishments (with 50+ seats) must offer reusable utensils for on-site use and require customers to return them after meals. Exemptions include schools (for 5 years), healthcare facilities during outbreaks, and food courts (for 2 years). Violations incur fines starting at $2,500 for repeat offenses.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Agriculture to promote state-produced aquaculture products (farmed fish and shellfish raised in New Jersey waters) through the existing Jersey Fresh Program. It mandates the department to create a specific quality grading system for these products - distinct from wild-caught seafood - and allocate $25,000 annually from the General Fund to fund advertising and promotion. The program will apply only to aquaculture products meeting state quality standards, expanding Jersey Fresh's current focus on locally grown produce. This change directly affects New Jersey aquaculture producers seeking to market their products under the state's agricultural branding initiative.
This New Jersey bill (A 2098) prohibits institutions of higher education and certain proprietary schools from withholding student transcripts due to unpaid debts of $2,000 or less for non-mandatory charges (like campus fees, not tuition or room/board). It specifically bans institutions from refusing transcripts, charging extra fees, or conditioning transcript access on debt payment for qualifying students. Exceptions apply for unpaid tuition/room/board debts, debts exceeding $2,000, or students needing transcripts for new student loans. The bill also requires institutions to post transcript policies online and clarifies that transcript access does not forgive debt or affect diploma issuance. Note: This bill was withdrawn as it was already enacted as P.L.2025, c.353.
This bill requires certain transportation providers - including ferry operators, New Jersey Transit, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Delaware River Port Authority - to develop and publish route schedules. Providers must post schedules at transportation facilities and on their websites, updating them within 30 days of any changes. The law directly affects passengers using these services by improving access to real-time schedule information. It amends existing statutes to mandate these transparency measures, with penalties for noncompliance (e.g., $1 per day for ferry operators failing to post schedules). Note: The bill was withdrawn after being superseded by P.L.2025, c.260.
This bill adds "source of lawful income" to New Jersey's list of protected categories in housing, prohibiting discrimination by landlords or housing providers. It directly affects renters and homeowners who use lawful income sources (such as government benefits, disability payments, or child support) for housing payments. The law expands existing protections under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination to explicitly cover this factor, making it illegal to refuse housing, impose different terms, or harass someone based on how they pay rent or a mortgage. The amendment clarifies that victims can seek remedies like damages for discrimination-related harms, including economic loss or emotional distress. (Note: The bill was withdrawn as redundant after similar protections were enacted as P.L.2025, c.251.)
This bill (A 2286) revised New Jersey's child labor laws specifically for minors working in theatrical productions. It established age-based daily work hour limits: minors aged 6-9 could work up to 6 hours per day (with no more than 8 hours on set), those aged 9-16 up to 7 hours (max 9 hours on set), and those aged 16-18 up to 8 hours (max 10 hours on set). The bill also required medical certification, schooling during work hours (3 hours per missed school day), and employer-supervised care, while creating a new permit registration system separate from general child labor databases. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it had been approved as P.L. 2025, c. 382.
This bill (A3953) requires contractors to be allowed to pay construction code fees electronically through card or electronic funds transfer systems when entering contracts under New Jersey's Local Public Contracts Law. It directly affects contractors who pay these fees and local government units that collect them. Key provisions mandate that local units establish such payment systems via a governing body resolution, specifying eligible fees (excluding delinquent payments or lien redemptions). The bill updates existing laws to modernize fee collection for construction code enforcement.
