New Jersey Bills

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 976: Allows for issuance of two-year temporary courtesy license for nonresident military spouses in certain professions.

This bill (A 976) creates a temporary license for nonresident military spouses who move to New Jersey due to a military spouse’s assignment. It allows these spouses to practice certain licensed professions (like nursing or social work) without full New Jersey licensure, provided they hold a current license in another state with equivalent requirements and meet other criteria like recent experience and a clean disciplinary record. Most temporary licenses are valid for one year (extendable once), but licenses for six specific professions (including nursing and social work) are valid for two years. The bill directly affects military spouses relocating with active-duty service members, enabling them to work in their licensed professions while adjusting to their new home state.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 936: Waives certain professional and occupational licensing fees for veterans and spouses of veterans.

This bill waives initial application and issuance fees for professional and occupational licenses in New Jersey for veterans and their spouses, domestic partners, or civil union partners who already hold a current, equivalent license in another state. It applies when the applicant resides in New Jersey and the out-of-state license meets the board's equivalent or substantially equivalent requirements. The exemption covers all licenses issued by professional boards under the Division of Consumer Affairs. The bill does not affect renewal fees or licenses obtained through other pathways.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 2733: Requires emergency departments to provide certain information to parents of children experiencing mental health crisis.

Bill A 2733 requires emergency departments in New Jersey general hospitals to provide parents or guardians of children experiencing mental health crises with contact information for nearby county-based care management organizations (CMOs). These CMOs are defined as nonprofit groups offering in-person support for youth with complex needs and their families. The bill mandates that hospitals share this specific information during emergency visits, directly affecting parents/guardians, emergency departments, and CMOs. It takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 1502: "Patient and Provider Protection Act."

This bill regulates pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and insurance carriers to increase transparency and fairness in prescription drug coverage. It requires carriers and PBMs to establish pharmacy and therapeutics committees with strict conflict-of-interest rules, prohibits commission-based PBM compensation (mandating flat fees instead), and mandates detailed reporting of PBM fees for insurance filings. The law directly affects insurers, PBMs, and pharmacies by changing how drug formularies (approved drug lists) are managed and how PBM costs are calculated and disclosed. Key provisions include banning preferential formulary placement for higher-cost drugs over lower-cost generics/biosimilars and requiring actuarial documentation for PBM compensation. The bill aims to reduce patient cost-sharing and ensure PBM compensation aligns with administrative costs.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 3577: Requires issuance of report on certain information and data on processing of applications for professional and occupational licenses and mandates review of training and call intake in Division of Consumer Affairs.

This bill (A 3577) requires New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs to collect specific data on professional and occupational license applications and submit a report to the Governor and Legislature within six months. The report must include details like the number of pending applications, average processing times, common errors in incomplete applications, call volume categories from applicants, and funding for staff and technology. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Attorney General develop profession-specific training for new employees processing license applications and review outsourcing phone call handling. The law directly affects license applicants by requiring the state to track and report on application processing efficiency and support for the licensing division.

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 3108: Requires Department of Agriculture to take various actions to publicize and promote community supported agriculture in New Jersey.

New Jersey bill A 3108 requires the Department of Agriculture to promote community supported agriculture (CSA) programs. Within 180 days of enactment, the Department must create a public website listing all CSA farms and enabling online subscriptions, run statewide advertising campaigns highlighting CSA benefits, and develop promotional labels for CSA-marketed products (using "Jersey Fresh" branding where appropriate). The bill also establishes an annual "Community Supported Agriculture Week" in February to showcase local farm-to-table connections through events in schools, markets, and community venues. This directly affects New Jersey farms participating in CSAs and consumers seeking locally sourced seasonal food through subscription programs.

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 3377: Directs DEP to lift conservation restrictions imposed as condition of CAFRA permit under certain conditions.

This bill (S 3377) requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to lift conservation restrictions - land use limits tied to coastal development permits under the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) - when a landowner seeks to expand a school for special needs children. To qualify, the DEP must confirm the land is needed for the school expansion and enforce a new conservation restriction on a different parcel that is at least twice as large and within 20 miles of the original site. The new restriction must provide similar environmental protection as the one being lifted. This applies only to parcels subject to CAFRA permits and directly affects landowners seeking to modify such conservation conditions for school expansion.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 4048: Requires notification to members of health club if club is to be sold and health club services contract assigned to new owner.

This bill requires health clubs to notify members in writing if the club is sold and their service contracts are assigned to a new owner. It mandates that health clubs provide members with a clear copy of their written contract at signing, including the total payment obligation and a prominent cancellation notice. Members retain the existing right to cancel contracts within three business days for any reason, with full refunds required within 30 days. The law applies directly to health club members who have prepaid for services, ensuring they are informed of ownership changes that could affect their contracts.

in committee · New Jersey · Senate May 18, 2026

S 3502: Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for treatment of stuttering.*

S 3502 requires all health insurance plans and Medicaid in New Jersey to cover stuttering treatment, including both habilitative (helping learn or maintain speech skills) and rehabilitative (restoring lost speech skills) speech therapy. It mandates coverage for in-person and telehealth services without cost-sharing like deductibles, copays, or annual limits, and eliminates prior authorization requirements. This directly affects all New Jersey residents with health insurance or Medicaid who need speech therapy for stuttering. The bill applies to all relevant insurance contracts issued in the state, ensuring consistent coverage for medically necessary stuttering treatment.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 1340: Requires Administrative Office of the Courts to collect and publish statistical information about consumer debt lawsuits.

This New Jersey bill requires the Administrative Office of the Courts to collect and publish detailed statistics about consumer debt lawsuits. It mandates reporting on key metrics like new filings (by court division), pending cases over 3 months, defendant attorney representation, judgments (including defaults), and other dispositions. The data must be published annually at both statewide and county levels. This directly affects courts, creditors, and consumers by increasing transparency around a common legal issue involving credit or medical debt. The bill does not change debt collection laws but creates a public record to inform stakeholders about lawsuit patterns.

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 3256: Requires restaurant to disclose mandatory gratuity to patrons.

This New Jersey bill (A3256) requires restaurants to clearly disclose any mandatory gratuity fee to customers. It mandates that the fee be visible on menus, at the restaurant entrance, on the customer's bill, and on the restaurant's website. Restaurants that fail to disclose the fee face fines of $1,000 for the first violation, $2,500 for the second, and $5,000 for the third or subsequent offenses, with each day of violation counted separately. The law directly affects restaurants operating in New Jersey and ensures customers are informed about mandatory service charges before paying.

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly May 18, 2026

A 804: Requires BPU to report societal benefits charge revenues and expenditures to Governor and Legislature.*

This bill requires New Jersey's Governor to include a detailed annual report in the budget message about revenues and spending from the "societal benefits charge" on utility bills. The report must show, for each of the past five fiscal years and the current year, how much was collected from electricity and gas customers, and how those funds were spent - specifically for energy efficiency programs, low-income energy assistance, plug-in electric vehicle incentives, and other approved initiatives. It also mandates itemized breakdowns of funds allocated by each utility company. The goal is to increase transparency about how this charge, embedded in customer bills, finances state energy and assistance programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Energy

Bill results