This bill (S 1619) directs excess revenue from New Jersey's energy sales and use taxes to fund utility assistance programs. Specifically, if annual energy tax collections exceed the 2025 baseline, the surplus must be deposited into the Universal Service Fund to support programs like the Payment Assistance for Gas and Electric Program. It amends existing law to ensure these funds are dedicated exclusively to utility assistance, rather than other uses. The bill does not change current tax rates but redirects unspent revenue to help low-income households with energy costs.
S 684 establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey allowing gas public utilities to replace aging natural gas pipelines with geothermal energy infrastructure (like underground heating/cooling systems) and recover the project costs through customer utility rates. Gas utilities must submit detailed infrastructure plans to the Board of Public Utilities for approval, which will evaluate project costs, benefits like reduced emissions, and impacts on ratepayers. The program requires annual reports to the Governor and Legislature, with a final assessment on whether to make it permanent. This directly affects gas utilities operating in New Jersey, aiming to transition infrastructure toward renewable geothermal energy.
This bill requires New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to issue special windshield stickers for qualifying electric vehicles (EVs). Owners of EVs meeting the bill's definition - vehicles powered solely by electricity without hydrocarbon fuel (excluding plug-in hybrids) - would display these stickers to be exempt from annual emission inspections. The sticker system would replace the current emission inspection requirement for these vehicles, as specified in the amended statute. The bill directly affects EV owners in New Jersey by simplifying inspection compliance for their vehicles.
This bill (S 2876) requires New Jersey state agencies to automatically enroll eligible households into ongoing utility bill assistance programs. It directs the Department of Human Services and Treasury to share information about recipients of needs-based programs (like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, SNAP, and Supplemental Security Income) with agencies managing utility assistance (such as the Winter/Spring Termination Programs). Agencies must then automatically enroll qualifying households into programs like the Universal Service Fund, without requiring separate applications. The bill was withdrawn on January 13, 2026, as it was incorporated into an already-approved law (P.L.2025, c.387).
S 2318 establishes a low-carbon transportation fuel standard program in New Jersey, requiring gasoline and diesel refiners, wholesalers, importers, and alternative fuel producers (who choose to participate) to meet annual carbon intensity standards for transportation fuels. The program mandates a 10% reduction in the average carbon intensity of gasoline and diesel by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, measured using the GREET model to assess life-cycle emissions. It creates a credit-trading system where producers of low-carbon fuels earn tradable credits to offset deficits from higher-carbon fuels, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. This directly affects fuel suppliers and producers, aiming to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions while incentivizing cleaner fuel markets.
S 621 requires New Jersey school districts to include environmental sustainability goals in their long-range facilities plans, which must be updated at least every five years. This amendment to existing law (P.L.2000, c.72) mandates that districts submit these plans to the commissioner for approval, ensuring sustainability is integrated into school infrastructure planning. The bill directly affects all public school districts in New Jersey, requiring them to address environmental goals alongside enrollment, safety, and facility needs. It does not specify particular sustainability measures but establishes a recurring planning requirement for district facilities management.
This bill provides a tax credit against New Jersey's corporation business tax for businesses that retrofit existing warehouses (100,000+ square feet used for storage) with a designated solar-ready zone and install solar panels. The credit covers up to 50% of retrofit costs or $250,000 per warehouse, with a maximum $25 million total for all taxpayers. To qualify, businesses must prove solar panels are installed after retrofitting and meet specific roof-area requirements for the solar-ready zone. The credit applies to up to eight warehouses owned by the same business in one tax period.
This bill exempts small portable solar devices (under 1,200 watts) from standard utility requirements. It directly affects homeowners using these devices, which connect via standard 120V outlets and meet electrical safety standards. Key provisions remove the need for interconnection agreements, net metering program rules, utility approval, or fees. Utilities cannot charge for these devices or require additional equipment beyond what’s built-in. The bill also shields utilities from liability for customer use of these devices.
S 641 requires New Jersey's electric public utilities (companies delivering electricity to homes and businesses) to create and submit "integrated distribution plans" to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). These plans must address infrastructure upgrades for safety and reliability, support smaller energy sources like rooftop solar, and ensure customer benefits. The BPU must first set plan criteria within six months, then utilities must submit plans one year later. If approved, utilities must implement the plans; if rejected, they must revise and resubmit within 90 days.
This bill requires new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in New Jersey to be accessible to drivers with disabilities within 18 months of the law's effective date. It mandates specific physical features, including 11-foot-wide charging spaces with 5-foot access aisles, clear floor space meeting ADA standards, and accessible communication features like touchscreens or audio interfaces. The law applies to all new EV charging installations and gives the Department of Transportation authority to require existing stations to comply where feasible. The bill directly affects EV charging station operators and ensures disabled drivers - using wheelchairs, canes, or mobility devices - can independently use charging stations.
