A 3389 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes quorum standards for professional licensing entities under certain circumstances.

This bill establishes a temporary quorum rule for New Jersey professional licensing boards (like those for nurses or engineers) that struggle to meet standard quorum requirements. Specifically, if a board cannot get a regular quorum due to vacancies or needing all members present, it can process certain license applications after 90 days of this issue, using just two members (including the chair) as a quorum. The rule applies only to applications not requiring legal review due to background check issues. This aims to speed up processing for applicants without delaying decisions on complex cases. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action May 4, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended by the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee to broaden the conditions under which a reduced quorum applies, add a one-year sunset provision, and require boards that still cannot achieve a quorum after expiration to recommend a merger with another entity to the Legislature.

Scope change

The bill now has a defined expiration (one year) rather than being permanent, and the reduced quorum provision is broadened from two specific vacancy scenarios to any failure to meet the entity's own statutory quorum requirements. A new post-expiration reporting and merger recommendation obligation was added for entities that remain undermanned.

ELIGIBILITY

The two specific scenarios for when the reduced quorum applies (vacancies in membership, or needing every member present) were replaced with a single broader condition: the entity is unable to achieve a quorum 'in accordance with the statutory requirements governing that entity.' This makes the provision applicable to any situation where the entity cannot meet its own statutory quorum requirement, not just the two previously listed scenarios.

TIMELINE

A sunset provision was added: Section 1 (the reduced quorum rule) expires one year after the effective date. Section 2 (the reporting requirement) expires 31 days after Section 1 expires.

REQUIREMENT

A new Section 2 requires that if a board, committee, or entity still cannot achieve the requisite number of members for a quorum upon expiration of the act, it must submit a written report to the Legislature within 30 days recommending another board, committee, or entity with which it should be merged.

SCOPE

Assemblyman Calabrese was added as a co-sponsor.

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Full legislative history

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Committee

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee

lower

3 primary · 2 co-sponsors