This bill amends New Jersey's Civil Rights Act to strengthen protections against constitutional violations by private individuals and government officials. It clarifies that victims can sue for damages and relief regardless of whether the violator is acting under color of law, while also allowing the Attorney General to bring civil actions on behalf of injured parties. The legislation ensures that any damages awarded in these cases are distributed to the victims and includes provisions for jury trials in Superior Court. Additionally, the bill establishes specific aggravating factors that courts may consider when deciding whether to award punitive damages.
This bill extends foreclosure protections for homeowners in New Jersey who were affected by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. It allows eligible homeowners to apply for a forbearance, which pauses mortgage payments, by submitting an application to the Department of Community Affairs. To qualify, applicants must prove they are storm-impacted homeowners with a mortgage on their primary residence and provide specific documentation. If approved, the forbearance period lasts for two years, giving borrowers time to recover financially without facing immediate foreclosure actions.
This New Jersey bill requires chain restaurants to limit the calories, sodium, sugar, and fat in children's meals while mandating the inclusion of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. It applies specifically to establishments with 20 or more locations and sets strict nutritional caps, such as a maximum of 550 calories per serving and zero grams of trans fat. Additionally, the law mandates that restaurants display the nutritional information for these meals on their menus or signage unless the data is already available on their website. The legislation also restricts the default beverage served with children's meals to healthier options like milk or water.
This bill establishes faster notification procedures for sex offenders moving to New Jersey from other states. It requires individuals already registered as sex offenders in another jurisdiction to register in New Jersey if they enroll in state educational institutions or work in the state for more than 14 consecutive days or over 30 days in a calendar year. The legislation defines specific sex offenses that trigger registration requirements and sets a 120-day deadline for new registrants to complete the process. Failure to register as required would result in a third-degree criminal charge.
This bill allows businesses in New Jersey to round cash transaction amounts to simplify payments after the penny's production ended in 2025. It applies only to cash payments, not cards or other non-cash methods, and sets specific rules for rounding prices ending in cents like $.01, $.02, $.03, or $.04 to the nearest nickel or dime. Businesses that choose to use this rounding system must follow the outlined rules, with fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for violations. The law takes effect 30 days after being signed into legislation.
This bill prohibits controllers of commercial websites and online services in New Jersey from selling sensitive personal data, such as financial information, health records, and biometric data. It applies to all individuals and legal entities regardless of the size of their consumer base and requires explicit consent before processing sensitive information. The law also mandates that companies implement strong data security practices and provides consumers with a clear mechanism to revoke consent within 15 days. Additionally, it requires data protection assessments for activities that pose a heightened risk of harm, including targeted advertising and data sales.
This bill allows school districts in New Jersey to count the value of SREC-IIs (Solar Renewable Energy Credits) as part of the financial calculations when deciding whether energy-saving projects are cost-effective. It directly affects school boards and energy service companies that implement energy conservation programs in public schools. The key change permits these renewable energy credits to be included in cost-benefit analyses, potentially making it easier for districts to justify and fund energy efficiency improvements. The bill does not alter existing requirements for public bidding, prevailing wages, or contractor qualifications under current energy savings improvement programs.
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.
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.
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.
This bill establishes a program to help New Jersey allied health professionals reduce student loan debt. It covers licensed workers like nurses, therapists, phlebotomists, and medical technicians (excluding physicians) who agree to work full-time in New Jersey for four years. Participants receive partial loan forgiveness for each year of service, covering both principal and interest on qualifying education loans for their healthcare training. To qualify, applicants must be NJ residents, hold the required license, and commit to working at a licensed healthcare facility or in-home care.
This bill expands New Jersey's Nonprofit Security Grant Program to include funding for security-related training, planning, and intelligence gathering, in addition to existing support for security personnel and target-hardening equipment. It increases the maximum grant amounts to $50,000 for personnel/training and $150,000 for equipment/intelligence. The program, administered by the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, directly assists eligible nonprofit organizations at high risk of terrorist attacks, domestic extremism, or violent acts. The bill also requires the program to request a minimum of $10 million annually in state funding (up from $2 million), with 5% of funds allocated for program administration.
