Eliminates requirement for State residency for public officers and employees with limited historic exceptions.

This bill (S 2512) would eliminate the requirement for most New Jersey public employees to maintain their principal residence in the state. Currently, state officials, judges, and employees in government branches, school districts, and public institutions must reside in New Jersey, with limited exceptions for temporary faculty, out-of-state workers, or critical-need roles. The bill removes this residency mandate entirely while preserving existing exceptions for specific positions like visiting faculty, employees working primarily outside New Jersey, and certain critical-need roles (e.g., NJ Transit engineers). It directly affects thousands of state employees across executive, legislative, judicial, and educational roles who currently must live in New Jersey to hold their positions. The change would take effect upon passage, with no new exceptions added beyond those already specified in current law.