This bill establishes the "Training Clinicians to Support Adults with Autism Workforce Development Program" at Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services. It requires the program to recruit 8-10 students annually from diverse academic backgrounds (like psychology, social work, and education) who commit to careers supporting adults with autism, providing 20-40 hours weekly of hands-on clinical training, academic coursework, research opportunities, and a capstone project. The bill appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund to fund the program’s creation and operation. The goal is to improve the quality of life for adults with autism in New Jersey by developing a specialized clinical workforce.
This bill adds $30 million from the General Fund to New Jersey's FY2026 budget for the Department of Agriculture's Food and Hunger Programs. The funds will be distributed to the state's six regional food banks, which collect surplus edible food and distribute it to local pantries and nonprofits serving vulnerable populations. These programs directly support low-income families, seniors, disabled individuals, and children who rely on food assistance. The funding provides immediate resources to maintain food distribution amid potential federal program disruptions, ensuring continued meal access for approximately 800,000 New Jersey residents.
This bill requires all New Jersey counties to transition to paper ballot voting systems using optical scanners by 2029, replacing electronic voting machines. It mandates that any voting technology used must employ open-source software (with publicly available code) and prohibits proprietary systems, except for limited disability-accessible voting machines approved by the Secretary of State. Counties must retain all paper ballots for two years after elections and verify results by reconciling scanner records with voter logs and precinct totals. The law directly affects all local election officials and voters in New Jersey by changing how votes are cast and counted.
This bill provides New Jersey businesses with tax credits for hiring disabled veterans. Specifically, businesses receive a 15% credit (capped at $1,800 per veteran) on qualified wages paid to disabled veterans with a 30%+ VA disability rating who are hired after the bill's enactment and employed for at least 185 business days. The credit applies to wages paid between 2023 and 2026 for both corporation business tax and individual gross income tax. Businesses cannot claim this credit if the same wages are used for other state tax credits, and they must avoid displacing other employees solely to access the benefit.
This bill exempts all property transfers between direct family members (such as parents to children, grandparents to grandchildren, or adopted children) from New Jersey's Transfer Inheritance Tax. It directly affects individuals receiving inherited assets from lineal relatives, eliminating tax liability on these transfers. The key change permanently implements an existing 2022 provision (effective January 1, 2022) that previously provided this exemption, making it automatic for all future transfers. The exemption applies regardless of the transfer amount and covers both biological and legally adopted lineal relationships.
S 2422 requires 7% of funds from New Jersey's Main Street Recovery Fund to be allocated specifically for grants to veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran small businesses. These grants can cover capital improvements or operating expenses for eligible businesses meeting standard program requirements like tax compliance and minimum wage standards. The bill amends existing law to mandate this dedicated funding stream, defining eligible businesses as those owned and controlled by veterans per federal standards (15 U.S.C. §632(q)). It does not change other eligibility rules but ensures a set portion of recovery funds directly supports veteran entrepreneurs.
S 2077 creates a one-year pilot program allowing New Jersey military members on active duty overseas and their eligible spouses or dependents to vote by internet in primary and general elections during the year the bill takes effect. The Secretary of State must develop a secure internet voting system that verifies voter identity, protects ballot privacy, and allows for audits, while following federal guidelines and best practices from other jurisdictions. The program requires consultation with local election officials, public outreach to eligible voters, and a report to the legislature within 120 days of the general election to recommend whether to continue, expand, or end the pilot. The state will appropriate necessary funds from the General Fund to cover the program's costs.
This bill allows racetracks and off-track wagering facilities in New Jersey to accept bets on previously-recorded live horse races (not live races) through electronic terminals, for patrons physically present at those locations. It requires the Racing Commission to set rules ensuring recordings don’t reveal race details (date, horses, etc.), maintain security, and limit takeout rates to 20% - with 62% going to the facility, 15% to purses, and 1% to breeder awards. A 1.5% excise tax on these wagers funds state retirement systems (1.2%), Racing Commission operations (0.1%), Rutgers' Equine Science Center (0.05%), and equine drug testing (0.1%). The bill directly affects racetracks, off-track facilities, bettors at those sites, and industry stakeholders receiving revenue shares.
This bill exempts sales of reusable carryout bags from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects retailers selling qualifying bags and customers purchasing them, removing the tax on these items. A "reusable carryout bag" is defined as one made from specific machine-washable materials (like cloth, polypropylene, or nylon), with stitched handles, and designed for multiple uses. The exemption applies to all sales made four months after the bill's enactment.
This bill prevents New Jersey school districts from facing state aid cuts exceeding 5% compared to the previous year. It requires districts to receive either the newly calculated state aid amount or the prior year's funding reduced by no more than 5%. County vocational school districts receive the greater of this new calculation or their existing aid formula, which includes a 2017-2018 baseline. The policy applies starting the 2024-2025 school year and aims to stabilize funding for all public school districts.
