This bill establishes the Office for Women’s Advancement within New Jersey’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development to promote full and equal participation of women in the workplace. The office will collect and analyze data on workplace issues affecting women - including pay gaps, hiring practices, and work-family balance - and collaborate with state agencies like the New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women. It will review legislation and regulations related to gender equity, provide public education through reports and events, and recommend policy changes. The bill also creates a dedicated "Women's Advancement Fund" to finance these activities, with an annual state appropriation.
This bill increases the New Jersey Department of Children and Families' (DCF) FY2026 budget by $16.7 million to raise the monthly reimbursement rate for care management organizations (CMOs) serving youth with complex health needs. The rate will jump from $1,032 to $1,200 per client in 2026, with annual $100 increases until reaching $1,500 per client. CMOs - county-based agencies that coordinate care for youth with behavioral health, substance use, or developmental disabilities - will directly benefit from this funding change. The policy ensures CMOs receive higher payments for services provided through the NJ FamilyCare program.
This bill adds $10 million from the Universal Service Fund (an off-budget source) to the NJSHARES-S.M.A.R.T. Program for utility payment assistance in New Jersey. It directly helps homeowners and tenants facing financial hardship with past-due utility bills, including arrearages. The program requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to quickly establish eligibility guidelines, ensuring applicants aren’t receiving duplicate benefits from private insurance or other programs. This supplement builds on an existing $5 million appropriation for the same program in the FY2026 budget.
S 1239 creates a "Manufacturing Reboot Program" within New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA), providing financial assistance to eligible manufacturing businesses affected by the pandemic. It appropriates $10 million from the state General Fund - $5 million prioritizing businesses producing coronavirus vaccines and $5 million for other healthcare products like PPE or medical devices - to fund grants of $25,000-$150,000 per business. Qualified businesses must operate facilities with over 50% manufacturing equipment, pay above-average salaries with health benefits, and demonstrate market expansion or capacity to pivot to healthcare manufacturing. Grant funds can cover equipment, payroll, or employee training, with businesses required to report quarterly on employment and spending, and the EDA to submit annual program reports to the Governor and Legislature.
This bill creates neutral safe exchange zones at county sheriff offices for parents exchanging minor children under custody or visitation orders. Each zone must have clear signage, 24/7 access, adequate lighting, and continuous video surveillance recording for 45 days. The court may require exchanges at these zones if domestic violence is involved or a restraining order exists. County sheriffs receive state funding to establish these zones, and law enforcement is protected from liability for incidents occurring there.
This bill (S 2780) appropriates $45 million from New Jersey's Transportation Trust Fund to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for disaster recovery construction projects. The Commission must repay the full $45 million to the state Treasury regardless of whether it receives federal funding for these projects, as required by a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Environmental Protection. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, because the funding was already approved under another bill (P.L.2025, c.318). It does not change existing laws but provides supplemental funding for specific park infrastructure recovery work.
This bill provides two annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to retired police and fire personnel and their beneficiaries (surviving spouses, children, or other designated recipients) who receive monthly payments from New Jersey’s Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS). Eligibility is limited to those whose original monthly benefit was at or below 450% of the federal poverty level for a single person (approximately $61,155 annually in 2022). The adjustment amount is calculated using a formula based on the regional Consumer Price Index, capped between 1% and 3% of the index, and paid on January 1 of the year after the bill’s effective date and the following year. The state would appropriate funds from the General Fund to cover these increases, with no impact on those receiving benefits above the eligibility threshold.
SCR 41 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit annual increases in most state government spending to 2% per year. The cap would apply to general appropriations for state operations, excluding funding for schools, federal aid, pensions, capital projects, debt payments, emergencies, and property tax relief. It requires a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers to override the cap for "fiscal emergency" situations. The bill is currently under review in the Senate Budget Committee and has not yet become law.
This bill increases New Jersey's Work First New Jersey Child Care subsidy program funding by $28 million in the FY2026 budget, raising the appropriation from $565.8 million to $593.8 million. It directly affects lower-income families who rely on state child care subsidies to cover expenses, reversing a recent pause in new applications and increased family copayments. The key provision requires the state to resume accepting new applications and return to pre-August 1, 2025 copayment rates (2-6% of income), restoring the program to its prior operational status. This addresses a projected $25-$30 million shortfall that had forced the Department of Human Services to limit enrollment and raise costs for families.
New Jersey's S 2096 adjusts state fuel taxes based on monthly average gas prices. If the average price of unleaded regular gasoline exceeds $4.50 per gallon, it triggers a 50% tax reduction; $5.01-$5.50 triggers a 75% reduction; and over $5.50 suspends the tax entirely for motor fuel and petroleum products taxes. The bill applies to gasoline, diesel, and other highway fuels sold in New Jersey during June-August 2022, requiring retailers to pass tax savings directly to consumers. Businesses must report tax savings and fuel sales to the Division of Taxation.
