A 5324 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Establishes fee on certain employers that employ individuals who receive health benefits coverage through State Medicaid program.

This New Jersey bill introduces a new fee for employers who have at least 50 employees receiving Medicaid health coverage. The fee amount varies based on company size, charging $325, $525, or $725 per covered employee and their dependents depending on whether the employer has between 50-249, 250-499, or 500 or more Medicaid recipients. Employers with employees who have developmental, intellectual, or permanent physical disabilities are exempt from paying this charge. The revenue generated from these fees is intended to help cover the costs of the State Medicaid program.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jun 2026

Committee Review

General Assembly Passage

Jun 2026

Senate Passage

Jun 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Jun 23, 2026 Signed Jun 30, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 3 edits

MINOR

The First Reprint of A5324 adds two new substantive provisions to the employer Medicaid fee bill: an anti-discrimination clause prohibiting employers from using an employee's or applicant's Medicaid status as a basis for employment decisions, and a data confidentiality provision that shields individually identifiable Medicaid enrollment information from public disclosure under the Open Public Records Act. The remaining changes are formatting reflows, addition of two new sponsors (Assemblywoman Bagolie and Senator Vitale), and removal of the explanatory statement, which is standard when a bill advances through committee.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include employee protections against discrimination based on Medicaid status and a data privacy shield for Medicaid enrollment information, going beyond the original fee-imposition framework.

REQUIREMENT

New subsection 1k prohibits employers from using or considering whether a job applicant or employee receives State Medicaid coverage as a basis for denying employment, advancement, or continued employment. The right is enforceable under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (C.10:6-1 et seq.).

ENFORCEMENT

New subsection 1l makes individually identifiable information about employees or dependents receiving State Medicaid coverage confidential and privileged when contained in data prepared to implement this act. Such information is exempt from disclosure under the Open Public Records Act (C.47:1A-1 et seq.).

SCOPE

Two new sponsors were added: Assemblywoman Rosaura 'Rosy' Bagolie (District 27, Essex and Passaic) and Senator Joseph F. Vitale (District 19, Middlesex), indicating broader legislative support for the bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (22-15)

upper

Jun 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by the Assembly (46-22-0)

lower

Jun 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Budget Committee

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors