A 986 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Revises law on extended employment programs for persons with disabilities.

This bill revises New Jersey's law governing employment programs for people with disabilities, renaming it the "Extended Employment Act" and updating terminology (e.g., replacing "sheltered workshop" with "extended employment"). It directly affects individuals with significant disabilities who choose these programs, as well as nonprofit providers offering vocational services. Key provisions include defining "extended employment" as community-based work opportunities with flexible service models (like retail or restaurants), requiring nonprofit providers to be nationally accredited, and tying state funding to inflation (CPI-W) rather than fixed amounts. The law also expands program goals to include competitive integrated employment and requires providers to submit annual expense analyses for funding adjustments.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026