Requires DCA to establish standards for prisoner reentry transitional housing.

S 1296 requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA), working with Corrections, to create new standards for publicly funded transitional housing programs helping formerly incarcerated people rejoin communities. These standards mandate safety measures, emergency and long-term housing options, counseling services (including substance abuse treatment and job training), personalized care plans for those with long sentences, and assistance securing permanent housing. The bill directly affects former prisoners using state-supported transitional housing and the agencies managing these programs. It sets concrete requirements for housing providers but does not create new funding or programs.