Education (Higher Education) in New Jersey

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

A 3773: Provides for student recipients of educational opportunity funds to be exempt from 20 hour weekly work requirement ordinarily required for student SNAP participation.

This bill (A 3773) would allow students receiving financial aid from New Jersey's Educational Opportunity Fund to qualify for SNAP benefits without meeting the standard 20-hour weekly work requirement. It directly affects low-income college students who receive Educational Opportunity Fund awards, which support attendance at higher education institutions. The bill requires the state to first seek federal approval for a waiver of the work requirement, with the Department of Human Services applying for this within 90 days of the law's effective date. Once approved, the state must implement the change and run a public awareness campaign to inform eligible students about the new SNAP eligibility rules.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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

A 2350: Prohibits four-year public institution of higher education from charging tuition and fees to student who is spouse or dependent child of disabled veteran.

This bill prohibits New Jersey's four-year public colleges from charging tuition or fees to the spouse or dependent child of a disabled veteran who meets specific criteria. To qualify, the student must be accepted for undergraduate study, have applied for all available state/federal grants and scholarships, and applied for VA tuition benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The state will reimburse institutions for waived tuition costs. It directly affects disabled veterans' families seeking undergraduate education at public universities.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Higher Education Military Families Veteran Benefits Veteran Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 24, 2026

S 3669: Provides for student recipients of educational opportunity funds to be exempt from 20 hour weekly work requirement ordinarily required for student SNAP participation.

This bill would allow New Jersey students receiving Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) aid to qualify for food assistance (SNAP) without meeting the federal 20-hour weekly work requirement typically needed for student SNAP participation. It directly affects low-income college students who receive EOF grants, which provide financial aid for higher education. The exemption requires federal approval first - New Jersey must apply for this within 90 days - and cannot take effect until federal law, regulation, or a waiver permits it without penalty to the state. After approval, the state must implement the change and run a public awareness campaign to inform students about the new eligibility.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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

A 1293: Provides that former law enforcement officers who retired due to disability are eligible to receive tuition assistance to attend public institution of higher education or proprietary institution licensed to confer academic degrees.

This bill provides tuition assistance to retired New Jersey law enforcement officers who retired due to disability. Eligible officers can attend public colleges or approved private institutions tuition-free for up to 16 credits per semester, provided they apply for all available federal and state student aid first. The program covers undergraduate and graduate studies at qualifying institutions, mirroring a similar existing benefit for National Guard members. It applies only to officers who retired in good standing after meeting minimum service requirements (four+ years) and meeting disability retirement criteria under specific statutes. The state will reimburse institutions for tuition not covered by other aid.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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

A 1128: Requires membership of boards of trustees of State colleges and universities and county colleges to include two college employees.

This bill requires boards of trustees at New Jersey State colleges/universities and county colleges to include two employee members. These members must be recommended by labor organizations representing staff, appointed by the Governor, and serve two-year terms (with initial one-year terms for some). Employee members have full voting rights except on matters involving staff employment or working conditions. The law directly affects all State and county college boards by mandating staff representation on governance bodies.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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

A 4294: Establishes program to provide free tuition under State Tuition Aid Grant Program to certain students who are accepted to public four-year institutions of higher education and elect to attend county college for first two years.

New Jersey's Assembly Bill A4294 establishes the "Two to Four Tuition Free Students Program," covering full tuition costs for eligible students who attend a county college for their first two years of undergraduate study before transferring to a public four-year college. To qualify, students must be accepted to a public four-year institution, qualify for the State Tuition Aid Grant, apply for all available grants/scholarships, elect to attend their county college for two years, and meet income thresholds (NJ Eligibility Index ≤2499). The program ensures all credits earned at the county college transfer fully toward a bachelor's degree at the four-year institution. It applies specifically to students enrolled in New Jersey county colleges and public four-year universities, with no cost to the student for tuition during the covered periods.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 5, 2026

S 3354: Expands Tuition Aid Grant program to part-time undergraduates.

S 3354 would expand New Jersey's Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) program to include part-time undergraduate students at eligible public and private colleges and universities. Currently, only full-time students qualify, but this bill adds that part-time students meeting financial need and academic requirements would receive TAG awards, with each part-time year counting as half a full-time year toward the maximum four-and-one-half-year eligibility period. This change directly affects part-time students who are currently excluded from the state's financial aid program, making them eligible for the same grant support as full-time students.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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

A 2366: Establishes Gold Star Family Scholarship Program; appropriates $100,000 from General Fund to Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

This bill creates the Gold Star Family Scholarship Program, providing financial aid to family members of New Jersey military personnel who died while on active duty. Eligible recipients include spouses, parents, children, siblings, and legal guardians who attend approved colleges or universities. The program is funded through a $2 annual surcharge on personalized license plates, voluntary taxpayer contributions via state tax returns, and a $100,000 initial appropriation from the General Fund. Scholarships cover undergraduate costs up to the average tuition at New Jersey's four-year public universities, with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority managing eligibility and award amounts.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Appropriations Fees & Licensing State Budget Higher Education Student Financial Aid Veteran Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1646: Establishes timelines for review and approval by Commissioner of Education of annual certified audits submitted by approved private schools for students with disabilities.

This bill sets strict deadlines for the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to review annual audits submitted by Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSDs). For audits submitted after the bill's effective date, the Commissioner must complete the review within seven years of submission; for older audits, the deadline is seven years after submission or two years after the bill's effective date (whichever is later). If the Commissioner misses these deadlines, the audit is automatically approved, preventing indefinite delays that previously disrupted school district budgeting and created unfair financial penalties for APSSDs. The bill directly affects APSSDs and the school districts that fund them through tuition payments.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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

A 2274: Allows military member to qualify for resident tuition rate at county college.

This bill (A 2274) allows active-duty U.S. military members and their dependents living in New Jersey to qualify for the lower county resident tuition rate at any county college in the county where they reside or are stationed. Currently, many military families maintain out-of-county addresses and pay higher non-resident tuition rates, even though they live in the county. The bill treats these military-affiliated individuals as county residents for tuition purposes, aligning with existing state law that grants in-state tuition benefits at public colleges. This change directly affects military members and their dependents attending New Jersey county colleges, ensuring they pay the reduced local resident rate instead of higher out-of-county or out-of-state fees.

Topics ✓ Education

Sub-Topics Higher Education

All education bills