Budget & Taxes in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4020: Establishes "New Jersey Living Donor Support Program" in DOH; makes appropriation.

This bill creates the New Jersey Living Donor Support Program within the Department of Health to provide financial assistance to living donors who donate organs or tissues for transplantation. The program covers eligible expenses such as lost wages, travel and lodging, childcare, elder care, and medication costs, with reimbursement limits of four weeks for lost wages or eight weeks under special circumstances. Funding is available only to New Jersey residents who donate to other New Jersey residents, and the program serves as a payer of last resort after other insurance or employer benefits are applied. The Department of Health will administer the program and may contract with third parties to manage it, while the Commissioner retains authority to adjust reimbursement limits and add eligible expense categories.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Appropriations

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 4002: Requires DHS to develop incentives to encourage private investment in child care deserts.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to create a program of financial incentives designed to attract private investment in child care facilities located in identified child care deserts. The legislation defines child care deserts as areas where demand for quality child care exceeds available supply and mandates that the incentive program be established within 90 days of the bill's effective date. Potential incentives include tax credits, tax exemptions, loan guarantees, and assistance with employee recruitment, hiring, and training. The Department of Human Services must coordinate with multiple state agencies to develop the program and apply for necessary federal waivers to maintain funding for subsidized child care services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 19, 2026

A 4785: Requires installation of emergency power supply systems to certain common areas of new planned real estate developments; provides related tax incentives.

This bill requires new planned real estate developments in New Jersey to install emergency power supply systems in common areas like clubhouses and community rooms, ensuring these spaces can serve as shelters during extended power outages. Developers must meet specific performance standards for the power systems, and the state will update its construction code to enforce these requirements while also mandating public charging stations for residents' electronic devices. To offset the added cost, the bill offers a tax incentive allowing developers to deduct up to $10,000 of the system's expense as an annual deduction rather than a capital investment. The legislation directly affects real estate developers and homeowners in planned communities by establishing new infrastructure standards and providing financial relief for compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 9, 2026

ACR 128: Amends State Constitution to prohibit State appropriations to non-State agencies unless based upon competitive criteria or statutory process.

ACR 128 proposes a constitutional amendment to restrict how New Jersey allocates state funds to non-state entities like local governments, private colleges, or community organizations. It would require that any funding for these groups must follow a competitive process, merit-based criteria, or a pre-established formula - never by directly naming a specific organization in the funding law. The amendment also mandates that any such appropriation must clearly state its specific purpose. This change would apply to all future state budget appropriations and requires voter approval to take effect.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 9, 2026

A 4524: "Protection of Homeownership and Limiting Institutional Investor Acquisition Act"; imposes limitations and establishes certain incentives and disincentives concerning acquisition of single-family residences.

This bill, A4524, aims to make homeownership more accessible in New Jersey by restricting institutional investors (like large real estate firms) from dominating the single-family home market. It creates tax disincentives for institutional buyers purchasing homes for rental purposes, while offering tax incentives and down payment assistance for individual homebuyers seeking starter homes. The bill also requires developers to streamline construction of single-family homes and establishes new definitions for "beneficial owners" to identify controlling entities behind institutional purchases. These provisions directly affect institutional investors, individual homebuyers, and developers, targeting the market imbalance that the bill claims has made homeownership unaffordable for many.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Procurement Homeownership

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

A 3160: Creates special license plates supporting Autism Awareness.

New Jersey's bill A 3160 creates special license plates displaying Autism Awareness messaging for motor vehicle owners. Vehicle owners applying for these plates must pay a $50 initial fee plus a $10 annual renewal fee, with all fees deposited into the "Autism Awareness License Plate Fund." The fund directs monies annually to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for autism research, in consultation with the Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. The bill specifies that initial costs for plate design and implementation cannot be covered by state funds, requiring contributions from the Governor's Council or other donors.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

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

A 1976: Expands Lifeline Credit and Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Programs to include assistance for water utility bill.

This bill expands New Jersey's Lifeline Credit Program to cover water utility bills, adding them to existing electricity and gas assistance. It directly affects low-income households already eligible for specific federal or state benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), disability benefits, or Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled. The program provides a $200 annual credit applied across utility bills (one-third to water, one-third to electricity, one-third to gas), with special rules for households receiving SSI benefits. It also creates a separate Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Program for renters without individual utility bills who meet the same eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

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

A 3903: Establishes Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Financing Program in NJ Infrastructure Bank; imposes per-kilowatt hour charge on electric energy consumption to finance climate change mitigation and resilience projects.

This bill establishes a Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Financing Program within the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank. It would impose a per-kilowatt-hour charge on all electricity consumption in the state, added to utility bills for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. The collected funds would finance projects like flood-resistant infrastructure, coastal protection, and other climate resilience initiatives. The program aims to address climate impacts through targeted infrastructure investments, funded directly by electricity users.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Climate Change Coastal & Flood Protection

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 24, 2026

A 4472: Provides loan redemption for certain veterinarians who work at approved site for five years; annually appropriates $500,000.

This bill establishes a program to help veterinarians repay student loans by working in underserved areas for five years. It provides full loan redemption (100% of eligible costs) for full-time veterinarians (40+ hours/week) or partial redemption (50%) for part-time (20-39 hours/week) who focus on large animal care at approved sites within designated underserved areas or within five miles of them. Eligible costs include tuition, fees, room, board, and interest for veterinary school. The program is funded annually with $500,000 from the state, administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

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

A 3757: Establishes basic life support services as essential; requires municipalities to arrange for basic life support services; makes an appropriation.

This bill requires all New Jersey municipalities to provide basic life support (BLS) ambulance services as an essential service for their residents. Municipalities must arrange these services through one of four options: licensing private companies, contracting with public/private/nonprofit entities, entering mutual aid agreements with other towns, or partnering with hospitals. The bill also creates a state appropriation to reimburse municipalities for the costs of establishing these services. It defines BLS as pre-hospital care including CPR, wound care, and fracture stabilization, and amends prior laws to clarify hospital partnerships for these services.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Appropriations Hospitals

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