A 5798 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Requires automatic enrollment into utility bill payment assistance programs for certain individuals and households.*

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Human Services to share eligibility data for certain low-income assistance programs (like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, SNAP, and Supplemental Security Income) with agencies managing energy assistance programs. It mandates that those agencies automatically enroll eligible households into utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs without requiring separate applications. The policy directly affects households already receiving federal or state needs-based aid, streamlining access to energy help. Key provisions include data-sharing agreements between state departments and automatic enrollment for qualifying individuals, as permitted by federal law. The bill takes effect six months after enactment.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2025
Committee Review
Dec 2025
General Assembly Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Jan 2026
Governor
Introduced Jun 16, 2025 Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
7
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Jan 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (28-10)
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed Assembly (52-23-0)
lower
Dec 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading
lower
Dec 11, 2025
Committee
Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
lower
Jun 16, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee
lower
5 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors