New Jersey Bills | MyRepTracker

passed · New Jersey · Senate Jul 6, 2026

SR 72: Recognizes open water lifeguards as first responders and emergency services providers.

This Senate Resolution (SR 72) formally recognizes open water lifeguards in New Jersey as first responders and emergency services providers due to their critical lifesaving work, training, and risk to life while performing duties like responding to emergencies, treating victims, and protecting property. It does not create new laws or benefits but acknowledges their role through a symbolic resolution, citing their cross-training in emergency response and alignment with duties defined for first responders. The resolution, sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal, will be shared with NJ Lifeguard and the American Lifeguard Association. It follows similar recognition in other countries where lifeguards receive first-responder program access.

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4477: Authorizes provision of residential mental health services in residential substance use disorders treatment facility or program under specified hospital affiliation and clinical support criteria.

This bill allows licensed residential substance use disorder treatment facilities in New Jersey to offer residential mental health services to patients with co-occurring conditions. To qualify, these facilities must have a formal written partnership with a hospital that provides ongoing clinical oversight, medical staffing, and quality assurance. The legislation requires these partnerships to include shared treatment protocols, 24-hour psychiatric and medical consultation, and clear procedures for transferring patients to inpatient care when necessary. Facilities meeting these criteria must file their partnership agreements with the Department of Health and remain subject to existing state regulations.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4420: Authorizes regional rehabilitation and reentry center authority to determine county proportional share assessment for budget purposes.

This bill allows the authority managing regional rehabilitation and reentry centers in New Jersey to calculate how much each participating county should contribute to the center's budget. Instead of a separate tax levy being sent to the Board of Taxation, the authority's chief financial officer will certify the number of inmates from each county and determine their proportional financial share based on those figures. This change shifts the responsibility for assessing county contributions from a tax-based process to a direct calculation based on inmate population data. The legislation primarily affects the administrative operations of these centers and the financial reporting requirements for the counties involved.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4514: Concerns certain motor vehicle related funding to certain municipalities.

This bill allows large, fast-growing New Jersey municipalities to collect and use additional taxes to fund local transportation services. Specifically, it permits cities with over 200,000 residents that grew by more than 15 percent between 2010 and 2020 to use mass transit parking tax revenue for transit operations and administrative costs. The legislation also changes how parking fines are handled in these areas, directing a larger share of penalty fees to municipal courts and giving cities full control over how to spend the remaining funds. Furthermore, it lets these same cities impose a rental car tax regardless of whether they have a major airport and removes restrictions limiting where within the city the tax can be collected.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4413: Establishes School-based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids program in DCF; requires school districts to develop mental health support and partnership programs. **

This bill creates the School-Based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids program within the Department of Children and Families to support student mental health. It requires school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools to develop specific mental health support programs that connect students with high behavioral health needs to the new SPARK program navigator. The SPARK program, operated by the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative, will provide same-day psychiatric consultations, referrals to community providers, and assistance with school re-entry after a mental health crisis. Access to these services is limited to students in kindergarten through grade 12 and requires written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Additionally, the bill mandates that schools have designated staff or formal agreements with external providers to ensure ongoing counseling support for their students.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4495: Allows use of Green Acres funds to fully fund certain projects on State-owned land by certain nonprofit organizations.

This bill allows qualifying nonprofit organizations to receive full funding from the Green Acres Fund for projects on State-owned land without being required to provide matching funds. It changes existing rules that typically mandate nonprofits contribute their own money alongside state grants for development, repairs, or improvements of public property. The legislation specifically targets tax-exempt nonprofits working on facilities used for education, research, or recreation to help maintain and upgrade these sites. By removing the matching fund requirement, the bill aims to improve the repair and operation of State lands managed by these organizations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Environment

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4513: Concerns temporary use of funding for open space, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland and historic preservation for certain municipalities.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities that have established an arts and culture trust fund to temporarily redirect money collected from local taxes into their general operating funds. Specifically, it permits the use of funds originally set aside for open space, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland preservation, and historic preservation during fiscal year 2027. The measure applies only to unspent money from previous years and requires the municipality to have an existing arts and culture fund to qualify for this temporary flexibility.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4436: Requires return of unexpended balances from certain FY 2023, FY 2024, and FY 2025 appropriations to Hudson County; authorizes supplemental appropriation to Hudson County for general operating aid.*

This bill requires Hudson County to return up to $28.1 million in unspent funds from previous state budgets intended for the Hudson County Jail to the state treasury by June 30, 2026. In exchange, the state authorizes a new appropriation of up to $28.1 million in general operating aid to the county, ensuring the new funding does not exceed the amount of money returned. The legislation directly affects Hudson County by mandating the repayment of specific past appropriations while simultaneously providing a mechanism for the county to receive fresh funding for general operations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 4515: Authorizes dual employment by certain employees of Rutgers University and affiliated contracting entities.*

This bill allows certain Rutgers University employees to hold dual employment with affiliated nonprofit health organizations, enabling them to receive compensation from both entities. It specifically applies to staff overseeing medical education, research, or clinical care programs related to long-term affiliation agreements between the university and these partners. The legislation also permits board members of Rutgers who serve on the governing boards of these affiliated entities to vote on matters necessary to implement those health-related agreements. By doing so, the bill creates exceptions to standard state conflict of interest laws that normally restrict public employees from accepting outside employment or compensation.

passed · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 30, 2026

A 5236: Requires DCF to strengthen Statewide pediatric psychiatry and behavioral health care services for children and families.

This bill directs New Jersey's Department of Children and Families to improve access to mental health care for children and their families. It requires the department to expand services through the New Jersey Pediatric Psychiatry Collaborative, which includes adding telehealth options, providing real-time psychiatric support to pediatric doctors, and offering better training and referral systems. The legislation also mandates greater transparency by setting specific performance goals for service providers, making contract results public, and launching a public awareness campaign to help families find care. Additionally, the bill establishes a new requirement for hospitals and clinics to report standardized data on how often children seek psychiatric or behavioral health services.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

passed both · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

SCR 137: Recognizes centennial of Township of Wyckoff.

This bill is a concurrent resolution that formally recognizes the 100th anniversary of the Township of Wyckoff in New Jersey. It does not change any laws or policies but serves as an official state acknowledgment of the town's history and its centennial year in 2026. The resolution includes a provision to send copies of the document to the Mayor and municipal clerk of Wyckoff. Sponsored by local legislators, the measure highlights the town's historical significance and current status as a community.

passed both · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 30, 2026

A 5016: Establishes program in EDA to encourage employee ownership awareness and provide funding and advisory support.

This bill directs the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to create a program that helps businesses understand and adopt employee ownership models, such as worker cooperatives or stock ownership plans. To support this goal, the program will offer funding for feasibility studies, provide expert consulting advice, and publish educational resources online for both employers and employees. Eligible businesses must be located in New Jersey, have at least 20 full-time employees, and maintain good standing with state agencies to receive these services. Additionally, the authority will partner with educational institutions to offer early-stage technical assistance to smaller companies that may not yet be ready for a transition.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment