Budget & Taxes

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1868: Allows certain volunteer firefighters, rescue and first aid squad members to claim $500 income tax deduction.

S 1868 allows eligible volunteer firefighters, first aid squad members, and rescue squad members in New Jersey to claim a $500 deduction from their state gross income tax. To qualify, volunteers must serve the entire tax year and meet specific duty requirements: firefighters need 60% attendance at fire alarms/drills plus Firefighter I certification, while first aid/rescue members need 10% attendance at rescue alarms/drills plus EMT certification or approved training. Fire department and squad leaders must annually verify qualifying members to the state departments of Community Affairs and Health by March 31. The deduction applies only to qualifying individuals meeting all criteria and cannot exceed $500 per tax year. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2026, and awaits committee review.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides $500 income tax deduction for volunteer first responders, reducing taxable income and offering tax relief to eligible lower-income service members.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 845: Establishes EDA grant program to support increased business expenses incurred by certain businesses impacted by certain public highway projects; appropriates $1 million.

S 845 creates a $1 million grant program administered by New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to reimburse small retail businesses for increased operating costs caused by public highway projects. It directly affects small businesses (≤50 employees) located in areas immediately surrounding highway construction zones where traffic flow is blocked or access is restricted. The program reimburses the difference between normal business expenses and increased costs during the project's duration ("relief period"), requiring applicants to document pre-project expenses and project-related financial impacts. Funds are appropriated from the General Fund, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis as long as money remains available. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1M from state budget to fund business cost reimbursements, directly increasing government spending on targeted small business support program.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill creates $1M EDA grants to reimburse businesses impacted by highway projects, directly supporting transportation infrastructure implementation by mitigating disruptions to affected small businesses.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Roads & Highways

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 511: Allows a gross income tax deduction for certain higher education tuition and fee expenses.

S 511 allows New Jersey taxpayers with gross income of $85,000 or less to deduct qualified higher education tuition and fee expenses paid during the tax year. The deduction covers costs for the taxpayer, their spouse, or dependents enrolled as matriculated students at accredited public or private colleges or universities. It applies to expenses paid for accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. This policy change directly affects low-to-moderate income families with students in higher education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction for lower-income families' education costs, directly offering tax relief to qualifying taxpayers under $85k gross income.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tax deduction for higher education tuition, increasing affordability and access for low-to-moderate income families with dependents in accredited institutions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 675: Revises New Jersey Aspire Program to clarify that certain incentive awards may not be prorated.

This bill clarifies that certain residential redevelopment projects under New Jersey's Aspire Program will not have their tax credit incentives prorated (reduced proportionally) during any year of the project's eligibility period. It specifically applies to projects approved under the November 2021 rules or submitted within 121 days after July 6, 2023, which previously faced proration requirements. The key change removes the proration requirement for these qualifying projects, ensuring developers receive the full tax credit amount annually. This directly affects developers of residential projects providing housing for low- and moderate-income households. The bill retroactively applies to projects already approved under the affected rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill removes proration of tax credits for qualifying projects, preserving full incentive amounts under Aspire Program, directly supporting tax credit structure and fiscal incentives.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves proration of tax credits for residential redevelopment projects, ensuring full incentives to advance housing development under Aspire Program.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Community Development

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 3180: Imposes tax on collection of consumer data in certain instances; dedicates portion of annual revenues to support 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline.

This bill imposes a monthly tax on commercial data collectors (businesses that gather personal data for business purposes) based on the number of New Jersey consumers whose data they collect. Tax rates range from $0.05 to $0.50 per consumer, with higher tiers for larger data volumes. The first $60 million in annual tax revenue will be dedicated to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Trust Fund, specifically to support New Jersey’s 9-8-8 crisis hotline and behavioral health services. The tax applies to data collected from consumers with New Jersey addresses or IP connections, and businesses may claim credits for similar taxes paid to other states.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes tax on data collectors, dedicating first $60M to 9-8-8 crisis hotline funding - directly funds essential public health service.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyTax on data collectors regulates consumer data practices, aligning with data privacy protections and consumer protection goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1389: Expands eligibility for State gross income tax credit for child and dependent care expenses and increases amount of credit.

New Jersey's S 1389 expands the state's child and dependent care tax credit by raising income limits and increasing credit percentages. It raises the income cap for joint filers, heads of household, and surviving spouses from $150,000 to $250,000, while keeping the $150,000 limit for other filing statuses. The bill also increases the credit percentage across all income brackets by 10 points - for example, taxpayers earning under $30,000 will now receive 60% of the federal credit instead of 50%. The changes apply to taxable years beginning after the bill's enactment and extend eligibility to married individuals filing separately who meet federal credit requirements except for joint filing.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands child care tax credit, increasing relief for lower/middle-income families by raising income limits and credit percentages.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands tax credit for dependent care, increasing disposable income for working parents and supporting workforce participation through enhanced financial benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 1245: Establishes manufacturing machine and metal trade apprenticeship tax credit program.

This bill creates a tax credit for New Jersey manufacturers hiring apprentices in machine and metal trades. Employers can claim a credit equal to 50% of qualifying apprentices' wages, up to $7,500 per apprentice per year, for structured training programs. To qualify, apprentices must work at least 1,500 hours annually in roles like machinists or toolmakers, with defined training, wage progression, and completion leading to skilled worker status. The credit applies to both corporate business tax and individual income tax starting January 1, 2016, and is nonrefundable.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes tax credit for manufacturers hiring apprentices, reducing business tax liability to incentivize workforce development, directly supporting tax policy for economic growth.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentTax credit incentivizes apprenticeship hiring with wage progression, structured training, and path to skilled worker status, directly advancing workforce development and employment standards.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Tax Credits Apprenticeships

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2428: Indexes amount of veterans' income tax exemption for inflation.

This bill (S 2428) adjusts the New Jersey veterans' income tax exemption amount to keep pace with inflation. It directly affects honorably discharged veterans who qualify under state law, increasing their current $6,000 exemption annually based on the Chained Consumer Price Index (C-CPI-U). The exemption will automatically rise each year if the C-CPI-U increases from the previous year's 12-month period ending August 31, but remain unchanged if inflation is flat. This change applies to tax years starting in 2023 and beyond.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdjusts veterans' tax exemption for inflation, providing ongoing tax relief to qualifying veterans by maintaining exemption value against inflation.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAdjusts veterans' tax exemption to inflation, preserving purchasing power and strengthening financial benefit for honorably discharged veterans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Incentives Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Employment

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2673: Provides mortgage payment relief, income tax relief, consumer reporting protection, and eviction protection for residential property owners, tenants, and other consumers, economically impacted during time of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

This bill provides temporary financial protections for New Jersey homeowners and tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It requires mortgage lenders to grant at least 90 days of payment forbearance (a temporary pause on mortgage payments) to qualifying homeowners who lost income due to the pandemic, with an option for a second 90-day period. It also prohibits "non-essential evictions" for tenants who lost income or faced pandemic-related hardships, and prevents negative credit reporting for pandemic-related payment delays. These protections apply during the emergency period (the Governor's declared emergency plus 60 days) and cover renters and homeowners meeting income and hardship criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides income tax relief for pandemic-impacted residents, aligning with tax relief indicators for middle/lower income.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits non-essential evictions and mandates mortgage forbearance for pandemic-impacted tenants/homeowners, directly strengthening tenant protections and housing stability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Mortgages Tenant Rights

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in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 2344: Makes FY2024 supplemental appropriation of $750,000 providing for additional attorneys dedicated to juvenile matters.

This bill allocates $750,000 in supplemental funding to the Office of the Public Defender’s Trial Services to Indigents program for fiscal year 2024. The funds will hire eight additional attorneys specifically dedicated to juvenile cases in Essex and Atlantic counties, where juvenile caseloads and custodial sentences have risen sharply. It directly supports juvenile defendants facing post-dispositional matters, addressing a 25-30% projected increase in cases due to expanded legal mandates. The funding targets high-volume regions to reduce backlogs and shorten custody durations, as noted in the bill’s statement. (Note: This is a funding measure, not a policy change.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $750,000 supplemental funding to hire juvenile attorneys, directly increasing state budget for essential public service (juvenile legal aid) amid rising caseloads.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds eight additional juvenile defense attorneys to address rising caseloads and ensure legal representation for minors, supporting reform by enhancing access to counsel.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Juvenile Justice

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