S 623 bans the sale and use of gas-powered leaf blowers with two-stroke engines after two years and restricts four-stroke models in residential areas after four years, allowing limited non-residential use only during March 15-May 15 and October 15-December 15. It exempts gas blowers used for pest management applications and imposes penalties: $500-$1,000 for businesses and $25 for individuals for violations. The bill also creates a 50% tax credit (up to 50% of purchase cost, including batteries) for homeowners and businesses replacing gas blowers with electric models, valid for five years after the bill’s effective date. This directly affects residents, property managers, and landscaping businesses operating in New Jersey.
This bill requires New Jersey's Commissioner of Community Affairs to create safety guidelines for installing small balcony solar panel systems (defined as plug-in devices under 1,500 square inches that don't connect to the power grid). The guidelines will cover wiring modifications for both U.S.-designed systems and systems imported from other countries that need adaptation. These rules will be added to the State Uniform Construction Code to ensure safe home installations. The bill directly affects homeowners and renters in New Jersey who wish to use commercially available balcony solar panels.
S 2749 requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority to install at least one hydrogen refueling station at every service area on their respective toll roads (Turnpike/Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway) within two years of the law taking effect. The bill mandates that these authorities recover installation and operating costs from motorists who use the stations, based on their individual usage. It directly affects toll road users and the two transportation authorities responsible for implementing the stations. The law defines hydrogen refueling stations as facilities providing hydrogen fuel for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which produce only water vapor as emissions and refuel similarly to gasoline vehicles.
This bill, S 625, streamlines zoning approvals for small electric battery storage equipment in New Jersey. It directly affects homeowners (allowing residential installations as a permitted accessory use without special permits) and businesses (exempting commercial/industrial installations from site plan reviews or variances). Key provisions require municipalities to approve qualifying applications within 20 days if complete, mandate compliance with existing safety codes, and direct the state to publish a model ordinance for installation standards. The bill removes local barriers to battery storage deployment while maintaining safety requirements and allowing municipalities to adopt reasonable, non-review-based standards.
This bill (S 143) blocks public utilities regulated by New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) from filing requests for rate increases during specific periods. It prohibits filings when the BPU has ordered a base rate case to check if a utility exceeded its authorized return rate, or when the BPU is actively investigating such an overage. The restriction remains in place until the BPU concludes the case or investigation. This applies to all public utilities subject to BPU oversight in New Jersey.
S 616 provides New Jersey businesses with tax credits for installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and converting commercial vehicle fleets to zero-emission models. Businesses that purchase and install EV charging stations (capped at $1,000 per station) or buy qualifying zero-emission vehicles (with credits up to $100,000 based on vehicle weight) can claim a 50% credit against corporation business tax or gross income tax. To qualify, businesses must apply for certification from the Environmental Protection Commissioner, proving purchase dates, costs, and installation details, with decisions made within 90 days. The credits apply for five years starting after the bill’s effective date and require submitting certification with tax returns.
S 631 creates a pilot program offering financial incentives to New Jersey residents and businesses for installing energy storage systems, like batteries or solar-plus-storage setups. It provides two types of support: a one-time upfront payment to cover installation costs based on storage capacity (kWh), and recurring performance payments to compensate owners for grid benefits like stabilizing electricity supply. The program prioritizes low-income households and communities designated as "overburdened" by reserving at least one-third of upfront incentives for them. Eligible systems must be new (operational after the program starts) and either customer-owned (behind the meter) or utility-owned (in front of the meter). The Board of Public Utilities will design the program within 90 days of the bill’s effective date.
S 1675 establishes New Jersey's Advanced Transmission Technologies Workforce Development Program (ATT Program) within the Department of Labor. The program trains electrical engineers and utility workers to install and manage advanced transmission systems, directly affecting these workers and students in career technical education. Key provisions include creating job training linked to infrastructure projects, using community agreements to connect training with jobs, and retraining existing workers to meet industry demands. The program will leverage state and federal funds while requiring annual reports on its effectiveness to the Governor and Legislature starting in 2027.
S 1201 establishes a state-administered program to provide low-cost financing for green infrastructure equipment, such as solar panels or energy-efficient upgrades, directly benefiting New Jersey's electric and gas utility customers - especially those who cannot afford large upfront costs. The program allows customers to pay for installations through small, recurring fees added to their monthly utility bills instead of making a large initial payment. Funds from these repayments will be recycled to finance additional installations, aiming to make clean energy more accessible while supporting the state's renewable energy goals. This program targets underserved customers and coordinates with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Board of Public Utilities to manage financing.
This bill requires New Jersey's Economic Development Authority (EDA) to create a website connecting eligible innovation-focused businesses and organizations with suppliers and funding. The website will let eligible entities - such as tech companies, research facilities, medical institutions, and nonprofits in industries like biotechnology, renewable energy, and advanced computing - post needs (e.g., equipment, labor, or physical space) and find matching suppliers or services. It also mandates the EDA to include a searchable list of public and private funding sources, including state/federal grants, directly on the platform. The website must be developed with input from these eligible entities and become operational immediately upon enactment.
