New Jersey Bills

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 4948: Prohibits pharmacy benefits managers from operating pharmacy practice sites directly or indirectly.

This bill prohibits pharmacy benefits managers from owning or operating pharmacy practice sites in New Jersey to prevent conflicts of interest and promote fair competition. It requires the state pharmacy board to identify and notify any pharmacies that might violate this rule before July 1, 2027, allowing affected businesses to transition to independent ownership. The legislation includes a temporary exception allowing special permits for pharmacies to dispense rare or limited-distribution drugs that are otherwise unavailable, with this provision expiring on September 1, 2028. Ultimately, the law aims to increase patient choice and lower drug prices by separating the entities that set prescription prices from those that sell medications.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 4976: Mandates access to periodic cancer screening examinations for volunteer firefighters.

This bill requires New Jersey to reimburse volunteer firefighters for periodic cancer screenings that are not covered by their personal health insurance. Starting five years after beginning service, eligible firefighters can receive up to $1,250 every three years for exams covering various cancers, with the amount adjusted annually for inflation. The law ensures there are no out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles or copayments, and treats volunteer firefighting as an occupational condition for reimbursement purposes. Funding for these payments will come from the state's general fund, and firefighters must provide appropriate records to claim the benefits.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1760: Directs DOLWD to identify, and post on website, employment opportunities with minimal barriers to entry for persons returning to workforce after imprisonment.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD) to identify and publicly post on its website employment opportunities with minimal entry barriers for people returning to work after incarceration. It directly affects formerly incarcerated individuals who face employment challenges like employer stigma and lack of educational opportunities. The key mechanism is DOLWD's ongoing duty to list jobs that have low barriers to entry and high demand. The bill aims to improve reintegration into the workforce by making accessible job listings available to this population, without specifying how employers will be engaged or how success will be measured.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 3724: Provides personal liability for owner, executive officer, or executive director of employer for failure to pay for workers' compensation coverage.

This New Jersey bill creates an "uninsured employer's fund" to pay workers' compensation claims when employers fail to provide coverage. It requires insurance companies and self-insured employers to pay annual surcharges to maintain the fund, and imposes personal penalties on employers (including $1,000 plus 15% of the award per claim, capped at $5,000) for nonpayment. Owners, executives, or directors of uninsured employers face personal liability for these penalties, extending joint responsibility beyond the business itself. The fund ensures employees receive compensation from the state when employers default, while shifting the financial burden to noncompliant businesses and their leadership.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1728: Prohibits public school from denying admittance to student due to tardiness or violation of dress code or school uniform policy.*

This New Jersey bill (A-1728) prohibits public school districts from denying students admittance due to tardiness or violations of dress code or uniform policies. It specifically allows denial only for clothing indicating gang affiliation with criminal activity. Schools may still enforce other conduct policies not covered by this law. The bill directly affects all public school students and districts in New Jersey, ensuring students cannot be barred from school for these specific infractions.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1548: Establishes Bridge Transportation Asset Management Plan Pilot Program; appropriates $9.5 million.

This bill establishes a five-year pilot program for New Jersey's Department of Transportation to inventory, assess, and monitor all state, county, and municipal bridges. It requires creating a digital bridge inventory, a risk scoring model for bridge safety, climate vulnerability assessments, and a public dashboard showing bridge conditions. The $9.5 million appropriation funds the program ($4.5M) and a separate AI-driven "Bridge Infrastructure Innovation Module" ($5M) to test sensor-based monitoring on high-risk bridges. The program mandates annual progress reports and a final evaluation after five years to determine if the approach should be expanded statewide to other infrastructure like roads and tunnels.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 2691: Increases personal needs allowance to $140 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities.

This bill increases the monthly personal needs allowance (PNA) from $50 to $140 for low-income residents in nursing homes, state/county psychiatric hospitals, and state developmental centers. It directly affects eligible residents who receive medical assistance under New Jersey’s Medicaid program but are not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The allowance is intended for personal discretionary spending on items like phone calls, meals out, clothing, or hobbies. The amount will automatically increase annually starting January 1 after enactment, adjusted by the same percentage as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 2383: Requires MVC to issue special windshield stickers marking electric vehicles exempt from emission inspections.

This bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue special windshield stickers for qualifying electric vehicles. Owners of eligible EVs would display these stickers to prove exemption from annual emission inspections. The bill defines "electric vehicle" as one powered solely by electricity without hydrocarbon fuel (excluding plug-in hybrids). It directly affects EV owners by eliminating a required inspection for their vehicles under the new sticker system.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 1040: Provides for expansion of county transportation services to include disabled veterans; provides funding source for expansion.

This bill expands New Jersey's existing Senior Citizens and Disabled Residents Transportation Assistance Program to provide transportation services specifically for disabled veterans needing to attend medical appointments for service-connected conditions. It directs the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to work with counties to identify veterans' transportation needs and provides funding by redirecting 4% of casino revenue fund allocations (previously used for senior/disabled transport) to cover these new services. The program helps counties pay for expanded transit options, including door-to-door service or subsidized rides, for veterans certified with service-connected disabilities by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This directly affects disabled veterans in New Jersey who require transportation to VA-approved medical appointments but are not covered by existing travel reimbursement programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Transportation ✓ Veterans

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 2772: Requires Division of Child Protection and Permanency to develop suicide screening and crisis response training for caseworkers.

This bill requires New Jersey's Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P) to create suicide screening and crisis response training for its child welfare caseworkers. The training must cover recognizing suicide risk in youth, immediate response protocols, and coordinating care with mental health providers and schools. All DCP&P caseworkers must complete this training during initial onboarding and every two years, with existing staff required to finish it within 24 months of the bill's effective date. The mandate aims to equip workers handling child abuse/neglect cases with standardized tools to address youth mental health crises.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 2293: Requires certain municipalities to include certain information concerning beach costs and revenues in municipality's public access plan.

This bill (A2293) requires certain New Jersey municipalities to include specific information about beach-related costs and revenues in their public access plans. It directly affects municipalities that manage public beach access, mandating they document financial details related to beach operations. The key provision amends existing law to add this requirement to the master plan elements, ensuring transparency about how beach-related expenses and income are handled. The bill does not specify exact financial details but mandates their inclusion in planning documents. It is currently pending before the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee.

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly May 7, 2026

A 3548: Provides certain volunteer and other workers with maximum compensation benefit for workers' compensation claim regardless of outside employment.

This bill ensures that certain volunteer workers - including firefighters, first aid/rescue squad members, emergency management volunteers, health care workers registered with the Emergency Health Care Provider Registry, and park/forest volunteers - receive the maximum workers' compensation benefit for work-related injuries or deaths, regardless of their outside employment. It removes the seven-day waiting period for these workers and bases compensation on the statutory maximum amount, not their actual income from other jobs. The bill clarifies existing law following a 2019 court ruling (Kocanowski v. Twp. of Bridgewater) that required this maximum benefit for volunteers. It directly affects eligible volunteer workers in emergency services, health care, and public land management roles across New Jersey.

Bill results