This bill creates a pilot program in New Jersey that allows some municipalities to let voters cast their ballots electronically during local elections. To participate, voters would use a secure system that lets them receive, mark, and return ballots online while maintaining strict data protection measures like encryption and identity verification. The state will hire a vendor to build this system, and local election officials will ensure there are backup plans in case the technology fails. The program is designed to run for eight years, with officials required to submit detailed reports on how well it works after each election.
This bill requires School District Authority (SDA) districts in New Jersey to solicit at least three lease proposals from developers before signing a contract for new school building construction. To ensure fair competition, the school business administrator must create a standardized request for proposals that outlines evaluation criteria based on technical, management, and cost factors, with a 30-day public notice period for submissions. The legislation mandates that the final selection process be transparent, including a public report ranking the developers and detailing the chosen lease terms, while prohibiting negotiations on proposal terms after submission.
This bill requires that private buyers of real property formerly owned by a public body in New Jersey agree to pay prevailing wages for construction and maintenance work for a period of 10 years after purchase. If a buyer fails to include this wage agreement in a formal contract, the property cannot be resold during that decade. Additionally, the legislation declares void any deed restrictions that prevent commercial real estate from being used for the same business purpose as the original owner utilized it. These changes aim to ensure fair labor compensation on public assets and remove barriers to the commercial use of such properties.
This bill, known as the SLUMLORD Act, aims to strengthen habitability protections for residential tenants in New Jersey by increasing oversight of landlords. It defines 'habitability' to include conditions that ensure living spaces are safe, healthy, and fit for human use, while also establishing who qualifies as a 'beneficial owner' of a rental business. The legislation requires landlords to designate a 'principal agent' to handle tenant complaints and mandates that rental units comply with state construction and safety codes. To support these enforcement efforts, the bill appropriates $5 million for the Department of Community Affairs.
This bill increases the maximum state funding for farmland preservation projects led by nonprofit organizations in New Jersey from 50 percent to 80 percent of acquisition costs. Sponsored by Senator John J. Burzicelli, the legislation amends existing laws to align the financial support given to nonprofits with the higher rate already available to local government units. The funds, drawn from the Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, can be used to purchase development easements or fee simple titles on farmland, with the latter requiring agricultural deed restrictions upon resale or lease. By removing the lower funding cap for nonprofits, the bill aims to expand the scope of farmland preservation initiatives managed by these organizations.
This bill requires New Jersey county colleges to automatically notify graduating high school students in their county of acceptance into the college. The notification must be sent by December 1 and include instructions on how to enroll, register for classes, and access financial aid and support services, while eliminating the need for a separate application or application fee. Although students receive an offer of admission, the bill clarifies that this does not guarantee placement in a specific major or specialized program. Additionally, the legislation mandates the creation of guidelines for identifying eligible students and requires an annual report on the program's impact, including data on enrollment and out-of-state migration.
This bill requires New Jersey county colleges to automatically notify graduating high school students in their county of acceptance into the college. The notification, sent by December 1, must include instructions on how to enroll, register for classes, and apply for financial aid without requiring a separate application or fee. While the offer guarantees admission to the college, it does not ensure placement in a specific major or specialized program. The legislation also mandates that the New Jersey Council of County Colleges submit annual reports to the Governor and Legislature on the program's implementation and impact.
This New Jersey bill prohibits payment card networks from charging interchange fees based on a percentage of the total transaction amount if that calculation includes sales taxes or tips. The law directly affects merchants, banks, and payment processors by banning fee structures that apply a percentage rate to the full gross dollar value of a debit or credit card purchase. Additionally, the bill sets strict limits on fees charged specifically for charitable donations, capping them at 0.2% for debit cards and 0.3% for credit cards. By defining these terms and restricting how fees can be calculated, the legislation aims to prevent networks from embedding taxes or gratuities into the base amount used to determine interchange charges.
This bill establishes a new New Jersey Suicide Prevention Advisory Council within the Department of Health to coordinate suicide prevention efforts. It mandates that public school teachers complete two hours of suicide prevention training and requires other school staff with regular student contact to finish a one-time awareness and response course. Additionally, the law creates a legal duty for school employees to report imminent threats of self-harm or violence against students, while providing immunity from liability for those who act in good faith to protect students.
This bill removes the exclusion of certain New Jersey institutions of higher education from the "Responsible Collective Negotiations Act," thereby bringing them under the same collective bargaining rules as other public employers. Specifically, it affects State colleges and universities, Rutgers, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and county colleges by extending the act's provisions to them. Under the new rules, these institutions would be subject to requirements regarding permissive negotiation subjects, confidentiality of communications between union representatives and employees, and the periodic sharing of contact information for non-represented workers. The legislation aims to align the treatment of higher education entities with that of other public employers in the state.
This bill creates a new housing assistance program called "Veterans Helping Veterans" within the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs to help homeless veterans find shelter. The program would connect homeless veterans with other veterans who volunteer to provide housing, using a vetting and incentive system similar to the state's foster care program. Key provisions include establishing specific eligibility rules for both those seeking and providing housing, setting up an application process, and allowing the department to accept federal or private grants to fund the initiative. The Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, must develop detailed guidelines and regulations to manage the program within 90 days of the bill's enactment.
This bill creates the Oral Health Equity Act to expand access to dental care for uninsured and underinsured residents in New Jersey's medically underserved areas. It directs the Department of Human Services to partner with specific community health centers to provide a package of services, including comprehensive exams, restorative treatment, and two annual visits per patient. To support these efforts, the bill mandates that the state reimburse participating centers at rates equal to or higher than those paid to federally qualified health centers. Additionally, the legislation requires the state to seek necessary Medicaid waivers to secure federal funding for these new programs.
