This New Jersey bill (S 1667) provides tax credits to businesses that hire and retain neurodiverse employees in qualifying STEM/AI roles. Businesses receive credits of $7,000-$9,000 per full-time employee (increasing with consecutive years of employment) or $4,500 for part-time employees, subject to a $10 million annual cap. To qualify, employees must work in approved STEM/AI fields at minimum wage and be certified as neurodiverse under state guidelines. The credits reduce corporate business tax liability, with unused credits potentially carried forward for up to seven years.
S 850 establishes a $5 million grant program within New Jersey's Department of Health to help health care professional students repay loans or tuition. The program provides grants to qualified recruitment servicers who partner with hospitals and educational institutions, requiring hospitals to match grant funds at 200% and students to commit to three years of work at partner hospitals. It directly affects health care students (capping assistance at $10,000 yearly or $30,000 total), hospitals providing employment, and recruitment servicers managing the program. The bill specifies eligibility, application requirements, and administrative details for distributing funds to support health care workforce retention.
This bill extends New Jersey's existing military leave policy to include members of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. Currently, public employees (state, county, school district, or municipal staff) serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps Reserves receive up to 30 paid workdays annually for federal active duty. The bill amends state law to add "Coast Guard Reserve" to the list of qualifying military branches, ensuring Coast Guard Reserve members receive the same benefit. It does not change the 30-day limit or payment terms already applied to other reserve branches.
This bill requires most health insurance plans in New Jersey to cover pelvic floor physical therapy during the postpartum period (defined as one year after childbirth). It applies to hospital service contracts, medical service contracts, health service contracts, individual and group health insurance policies, health benefits plans, and state-purchased health plans. The coverage must be provided at the same level as for other medical conditions, without additional restrictions. This directly affects all health insurance providers operating in New Jersey and New Jersey residents seeking postpartum pelvic floor therapy.
S 2320 establishes the Jersey Strong Public Service Scholarship Program, providing financial aid to New Jersey residents working in public service fields facing critical workforce shortages (such as healthcare, education, or emergency services). Eligible students must work full-time in these sectors for 1-2 years before receiving scholarships covering tuition and fees up to $25,000 for two years or $50,000 for four years at public New Jersey colleges. To qualify, applicants must be NJ residents, U.S. citizens, recent high school graduates, and employed in approved roles at minimum wage or higher. The program requires students to apply for other aid first and maintain academic progress, with scholarships terminating if they withdraw without approved reasons.
S 1566 creates a $10 million grant program to support volunteer fire companies in New Jersey by funding operational costs and emergency equipment like protective gear, tools, and training. The program, managed by the Division of Fire Safety, requires volunteer fire companies to apply with detailed plans for fund use and report on expenditures and impact within one year. The bill appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the new "Volunteer Fire Company Assistance Program Fund," which will distribute grants annually to maximize participation across the state. This directly affects community-based volunteer fire departments seeking financial assistance for sustainability.
This bill requires New Jersey public employees' contributions to flexible spending accounts (FSAs) to follow the same annual inflation-adjusted limit as federal law. It applies to all state, local government, and school district employees who participate in employer-sponsored FSAs for medical/dental expenses. The key provision mandates that the contribution limit - currently $3,200 for 2024 - be updated yearly to match the federal inflation-adjusted amount, rather than using a fixed state limit. This ensures public employees' FSA benefits stay aligned with federal tax code standards.
S 1067 (NJ Basic Skills Training Program bill) reallocates funding for workforce development programs rather than increasing reporting requirements, as its title suggests. The bill changes how 100% of the "Supplemental Workforce Fund" is distributed: 24% supports One Stop Career Centers, 28% funds Workforce Investment Boards, 25% (with 12.5% dedicated to apprenticeship pilots) aids employer/educator consortia, $3 million minimum goes to community colleges, and 10% covers administrative costs. It directly affects displaced/disadvantaged workers, employers (requiring them to pay regular wages during training without paperwork), and community colleges delivering basic skills training. Key mechanisms include fixed funding percentages, employer wage requirements during training, and annual reporting by the community college consortium.
This bill extends New Jersey's anti-SLAPP protections (legal safeguards against lawsuits meant to silence people) to individuals who report sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination under state law. It ensures that people making good-faith complaints about these issues cannot be sued for reporting them, requiring courts to pause such cases and potentially dismiss them if the lawsuit lacks merit. The law also allows complainants who successfully defend against these lawsuits to recover legal fees and costs. It directly affects anyone filing reports under New Jersey’s sexual offense laws (N.J.S.2C:24-4) or anti-discrimination statutes (N.J.S.10:5-1 et seq.).
This bill requires a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for retirees and beneficiaries in New Jersey's Teachers' Pension, Judicial Retirement, Public Employees', Police and Firemen's, and State Police retirement systems whose monthly benefits are at or below 150% of the federal poverty level for a single-person household. The adjustment equals 100% of the Consumer Price Index change (instead of the previous 60%) and applies only on January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024. The state must appropriate funds from the General Fund to cover these increases and administrative costs for those two years. Retirees or beneficiaries may voluntarily waive the adjustment with written notice.
