Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2300: Provides sales and use tax exemption for sales of books at school book fairs.

This bill (A 2300) exempts sales of books at school book fairs from New Jersey's state sales tax. It directly affects elementary and secondary schools holding book fairs, defining a "school book fair" as an event selling books exclusively to students at that school and their parents or guardians. The exemption applies to receipts from these specific sales, removing the tax burden on book purchases during these school-organized events. The law takes effect four months after enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts school book fair book sales from state sales tax, providing tax relief for families and schools purchasing educational materials.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts school book fair sales from tax, reducing costs for schools/families and enhancing access to educational materials for K-12 students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Tax Incentives

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3775: "Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website; requires certain public entities receiving State funds to establish similar website; makes an appropriation.

This bill requires New Jersey's State Treasurer to create a free, searchable public website displaying detailed financial data about state spending and revenue. It mandates that all state agencies and public entities receiving state funds must provide information on annual expenditures (including salaries, vendor payments, and local aid), revenues (like taxes and grants), and bond debt. The website must include specific data categories - such as exact amounts paid to vendors and bond details - and be updated within 45 days after each fiscal year ends. The law applies to all state departments, the legislature, courts, and any public entity receiving state funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates public disclosure of state spending/revenue data, promoting fiscal accountability per budget/tax transparency indicators95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Tags Government Transparency

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2720: Allows gross income tax credit for portion of certain child care expenses.

This bill creates a New Jersey gross income tax credit for taxpayers who pay for licensed child care for children under six years old. The credit amount (15% to 20% of expenses) depends on the child care center's Grow NJ Kids rating (3 to 5 stars), with higher-rated centers offering larger credits. Taxpayers earning under $25,000 annually can receive the full credit as a cash refund if it exceeds their tax bill, while higher-income taxpayers may carry forward unused credit to the next tax year. The credit cannot be claimed alongside New Jersey's existing child and dependent care credit.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides refundable tax credit for lower-income families' child care costs, offering direct tax relief for those under $25k annually, aligning with tax relief for middle/lower income.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2672: Exempts protective face coverings from sales and use tax.

This bill exempts protective face coverings (such as medical masks and respirators) from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects individuals purchasing these items for personal use to protect against infection spread. The key provision adds "protective face coverings" as a specific item to the existing list of tax-exempt medical products under the Sales and Use Tax Act. The exemption applies to all face coverings designed or sold to protect wearers or others from illness transmission. The bill became effective immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts essential health items from sales tax, providing direct tax relief to individuals purchasing protective face coverings for personal health use.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Sales Tax

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1866: Provides CBT tax credit for retrofit of existing warehouses with solar-ready zone once solar panels are installed.

This New Jersey bill provides a tax credit for businesses that retrofit existing warehouses (at least 100,000 sq ft used for storage) with designated solar-ready zones. The credit, capped at $250,000 per warehouse or 50% of retrofit costs, is only available after solar panels are actually installed on the prepared zone. Businesses can claim this credit for up to eight qualifying warehouses in a single tax year. The program has a total funding limit of $25 million across all claims, and the state tax authority must verify solar panel installation before issuing credits. It aims to incentivize solar infrastructure in commercial storage facilities through direct financial support.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit for solar retrofits, reducing business tax liability. Aligns with tax relief as fiscal incentive within budget/tax framework.90% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyProvides tax credit for solar-ready warehouse retrofits, promoting renewable energy adoption and clean energy infrastructure investment.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentProvides tax credit for solar-ready warehouse retrofits, directly incentivizing clean energy adoption and reducing fossil fuel reliance through renewable infrastructure funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Solar

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2660: Reduces CBT rate; retroactive to January 1, 2020.

This bill reduces New Jersey's Corporation Business Tax (CBT) rate for most corporations to 2.5% of taxable net income, effective retroactively from January 1, 2020. It directly affects corporations operating in New Jersey that pay the CBT, including S corporations and professional entities, by lowering their tax burden on net income. The key mechanism adjusts the tax rate calculation under Section 5 of the existing law, replacing higher historical rates (like 9% for older periods) with the new 2.5% rate for reports covering periods ending after December 31, 2019. This change will result in reduced tax payments or refunds for affected businesses for the 2020-2023 tax years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces corporate tax rate from 9% to 2.5%, lowering tax burden for corporations. Direct tax policy change aligning with fiscal responsibility for businesses.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 265: Requires local governing body and DCA to suspend collection of certificate of occupancy and related inspection fees for homes being rented by persons identified by FEMA as displaced individuals.

This bill suspends local fees for certificates of occupancy and related inspections for homes rented by individuals displaced by Hurricane Sandy and identified by FEMA. It applies to all affected rental units during a six-month period starting from the bill's enactment date. Local governments and the Department of Community Affairs may still collect these fees but must submit a report to the State Treasurer to receive reimbursement for uncollected fees during the suspension. The policy directly aids displaced renters by reducing housing costs during recovery, while ensuring local entities are financially compensated for lost revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesSuspends local fees for Hurricane Sandy displaced renters, providing temporary tax relief with state reimbursement ensuring no net budget loss.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingSuspends occupancy fees for FEMA-displaced renters, reducing financial barriers and protecting tenants during disaster recovery.90% confidence

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 518: Establishes New Jersey Property Tax Relief and Education Empowerment Program to provide both property tax relief to citizens and educational grants to certain students enrolled in nonpublic schools.

This bill establishes New Jersey's Property Tax Relief and Education Empowerment Program, providing property tax relief to residents while offering educational grants to eligible students attending nonpublic schools. It directly affects low-income students (households earning ≤3.7x the federal poverty level for a family of four) who previously attended public school for at least 100 days and switch to a participating nonpublic school. The program provides grants equal to 50% of the public school district's per-pupil spending (capped at the nonpublic school's fees), paid directly to the nonpublic school by the student's resident district. This funding reduces the public school district's budget by the grant amount, with the savings used to lower local school taxes in the following year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides direct property tax relief to low-income households (≤3.7x federal poverty level) while funding educational grants, advancing tax relief and fiscal support for vulnerable residents.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides educational grants to low-income students attending nonpublic schools, expanding access and funding options for education while targeting disadvantaged students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax K-12 Education School Choice

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2639: Exempts volunteer fire companies from paying annual charitable registration fee.

This bill exempts volunteer fire companies in New Jersey from paying the annual registration fee required under the state's Charitable Registration Act. Currently, non-profits pay fees ranging from $30 to $250 yearly based on revenue, but volunteer fire companies must register and pay this fee like other organizations. The bill specifically removes the fee obligation while maintaining their requirement to register as charitable entities. It does not change existing registration procedures or eliminate other compliance duties. The exemption applies immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill exempts volunteer fire companies from state registration fee, reducing state revenue by $30-$250 annually per entity.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Fees & Licensing

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in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2796: Caps State use portion of energy tax revenues and ensures balance of such revenues are paid annually as municipal aid.

This bill caps New Jersey's annual use of energy tax revenues at $740 million, ensuring the remaining funds are paid directly to municipalities as aid. It amends existing law to establish a dedicated fund from energy-related taxes (including sales/use taxes on utilities and corporate taxes from public utilities), deducting $403 million before applying the $740 million cap. Municipalities receive annual payments based on historical aid levels from 1994-1996, with additional funds distributed to maintain previous support levels. The bill directly affects all New Jersey municipalities by guaranteeing predictable annual state aid tied to energy tax collections.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill redirects energy tax revenues to municipal aid, ensuring local government funding from tax revenues, aligning with fiscal responsibility and public service funding indicators.90% confidence

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