Education (Higher Education)

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2123: Requires public institution of higher education to provide students with information on food assistance programs.

This bill requires New Jersey's public colleges and universities to provide incoming and enrolled students with information about federal food assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and local resources. Specifically, institutions must include a link to the SNAP application and NJ 211 (a state service for human services referrals) in initial admission offers and semester registration emails. They must also share details about campus food pantries, meal swipe programs, or community food assistance options. The bill, which was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.213, aims to address food insecurity among college students by improving access to existing support systems.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides students with access to food assistance resources, removing barriers to educational access and supporting retention in higher education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

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

A 450: Requires public institution of higher education to provide alternative scholarship to student-athlete who loses athletic scholarship due to injury.

This bill requires New Jersey public colleges to provide a replacement scholarship to student-athletes who lose their athletic scholarship due to an injury or illness directly related to intercollegiate athletics. If the injury makes a student-athlete medically ineligible to compete (as determined by the institution's medical staff), the school must offer a scholarship equal in value for the remainder of their undergraduate degree program or up to five years total - whichever is shorter. It specifically applies to student-athletes enrolled at public institutions of higher education in New Jersey. The law defines "incapacitating injury or illness" as one directly tied to athletic participation that causes medical ineligibility for competition.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides replacement scholarship funding for injured student-athletes, ensuring continued educational access and financial support in higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

signed · New Jersey · General Assembly Aug 11, 2026

A 4014: Establishes Social Media Research Center at four-year public institution of higher education.

This bill establishes a Social Media Research Center at a New Jersey four-year public university selected by the Higher Education Secretary. The center will conduct research on social media's effects on youth mental health, develop online safety resources for public schools, and provide recommendations to state agencies. It will also administer grants for social media research using a peer-reviewed process modeled after the NIH, and require annual reports on its work. The bill directly affects New Jersey public universities (as hosts), public schools (through educational resources), and state agencies (by requiring data sharing).

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates research center to develop school safety resources and study youth mental health impacts, directly supporting student well-being in educational settings.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill directly researches social media's impact on youth mental health and develops safety resources, aligning with mental health service support indicators.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEstablishes social media research center to study youth mental health impacts and develop safety resources, funding peer-reviewed research on technology's societal effects.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Mental Health Online Safety Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1688: Exempts public institutions of higher education from motor vehicle registration fee.

This bill exempts public institutions of higher education (like state colleges, universities, and county colleges) from paying motor vehicle registration fees for vehicles not used for personal pleasure or commercial hire. It adds these institutions to an existing list of exempt entities, such as government agencies, hospitals, and volunteer emergency services, under New Jersey law. The exemption applies specifically to vehicles used for institutional purposes, not for general personal or business use. This change aligns public colleges and universities with other public entities already covered by the registration fee exemption.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts public higher education institutions from motor vehicle fees, reducing operational costs for educational entities.70% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1503: Establishes "Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund" to provide funding for deferred maintenance needs at public institutions of higher education.

This bill creates a "Higher Education Deferred Maintenance Fund" to help New Jersey public colleges and universities cover delayed facility repairs. It requires each public institution to submit a detailed maintenance plan within 90 days of the bill's enactment, outlining needed repairs and costs. The fund, financed by state appropriations and other eligible funds, will cover up to 50% of deferred maintenance costs at four-year institutions or 100% at two-year county colleges, with remaining costs to be covered by non-state funds. The Secretary of Higher Education must develop a funding formula in consultation with relevant authorities to distribute these resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates fund to cover 50-100% of deferred maintenance costs at public colleges, directly funding infrastructure improvements for higher education institutions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Funding

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1632: Establishes fringe benefit rate for State colleges and universities.

This bill establishes a separate fringe benefit rate for New Jersey's public colleges and universities, starting in fiscal year 2025. Currently, these institutions use a general state rate that doesn't reflect their actual employee benefit costs - many staff are in the less expensive Alternative Benefit Plan (ABP) rather than the standard Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). The new rate will be based on the actual cost of retirement programs at these institutions and applied to all federal, dedicated, and non-State funded programs. This change directly affects public higher education funding by aligning benefit costs with actual employee retirement plan expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdjusts fringe benefit rate to actual costs for public colleges, ensuring accurate state budget allocation and promoting fiscal responsibility in public university funding.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdjusts fringe benefit rates to actual costs for public universities, ensuring proper funding alignment for employee benefits and supporting higher education institutions' financial stability.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes actual-cost fringe benefit rate for state college staff, correcting underfunding of retirement benefits (ABP vs. PERS), advancing worker benefit protections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions Higher Education Retirement Benefits

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2002: Establishes "New Jersey Higher Education Funding Formula Commission."

Bill S 2002 establishes a 11-member New Jersey Higher Education Funding Formula Commission to study and recommend a new funding model for the state's colleges and universities. The commission will examine funding approaches used in other states, collect data from all New Jersey institutions (including medical, law, and graduate schools) on their needs and operations, and develop a proposed funding formula. It must submit its final report with recommendations to the Governor and legislative committees within six months of its first meeting, after which the commission will dissolve. This bill creates a procedural process for reviewing higher education funding but does not implement any new funding changes itself.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes commission to study and recommend new higher education funding formula, aiming to improve state funding model for colleges/universities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Funding

Track

died · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2179: Provides for expansion of social services supports at county colleges.

This bill requires New Jersey county colleges to partner with county social services boards to help low-income students access essential support programs like food assistance (SNAP), childcare subsidies, and cash aid (TANF). It mandates colleges and social services agencies to collaborate on streamlining application processes, providing direct student assistance, and identifying gaps in meeting basic needs. The bill also directs colleges and workforce boards to form partnerships connecting unemployed residents with career-focused college programs. These provisions aim to increase enrollment in social services and improve access to educational pathways for low-income students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands access to essential supports (food, childcare) for low-income college students, directly addressing educational access barriers in higher education.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Higher Education

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2966: Establishes employee protections for certain employees of New Jersey City University in event of merger with Kean University.

This bill protects unionized faculty and staff at New Jersey City University (NJCU) if the university merges with Kean University. It prohibits job loss, reduced hours, or other adverse actions for three years after the merger, and requires Kean to offer vacant positions first to transferred NJCU employees. The bill also ensures all existing union contracts, salaries, benefits, and seniority are maintained for three years, with a two-year grace period to meet new job requirements. These provisions apply specifically to employees in recognized collective bargaining units who transfer due to the merger.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects unionized faculty/staff jobs, salaries, benefits, and seniority during university merger, directly supporting higher education workforce stability.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly protects unionized staff from job loss, maintains contracts/salaries/benefits for 3 years during merger, directly advancing workers' rights and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Collective Bargaining

Track

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1457: Allows students to use portion of opportunity grant awards under Educational Opportunity Fund program during summer session.

This bill allows New Jersey students receiving Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) grants to use part of their award for summer courses that count toward graduation or their major. Students must notify the state higher education office before the academic year begins, which will reduce their regular academic year grant disbursement by a specific amount. The state must annually report how many students use this summer option and their graduation rates within standard timeframes. The change implements a 2016 College Affordability Study Commission recommendation and does not count summer use toward the grant's eligibility period.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands access to grant funds for summer courses, enabling timely graduation without reducing overall funding, aligns with educational access goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track