Bills in the 2026–2027 Session, General Assembly.
Andrea Katz
Sponsored
Became law4
Requires transmission owners to join regional transmission organizations approved by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.*
Establishes Social Media Research Center at four-year public institution of higher education.
"New Jersey Kids Code Act"; adopts New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code and requires certain online service providers to implement certain measures concerning minors' use of online service.*
Revises certain requirements for prescription of Schedule II controlled dangerous substances via telemedicine and telehealth without in-person examination or review.*
Passed the General Assembly5
Requires emergency departments to provide certain information to parents of children experiencing mental health crisis.
Prohibits social media platforms from promoting certain practices or features of eating disorders to child users.
Requires Department of Agriculture to publish information on highway safety for motorists passing farm equipment on public highways; includes safely sharing roadway with farm equipment in driver education courses and certain informational brochures.
Requires Division of Child Protection and Permanency to develop suicide screening and crisis response training for caseworkers.
Requires DCF to strengthen Statewide pediatric psychiatry and behavioral health care services for children and families.
Out of committee12
Directs Dept. of Agriculture to develop and implement beginning farmer mentoring program in cooperation with certain agricultural and educational organizations and entities; appropriates $5,000,000.*
Requires 45 day notice concerning tuition rate changes by licensed child care centers.
Protects access to assisted reproductive technology.
Requires DHS and DOH to study disordered eating; establishes "Disordered Eating Prevention Research Grant Pilot Program."
Creates penalty for child endangerment via use of social media.
Provides seniority service credit to educational support professionals for military service.
Directs Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote New Jersey liquors, beers, and wines.*
Modifies child endangerment statute to include AI technology; establishes criminal penalties.
Requires Social Media Research Center to research and make recommendations concerning addictive social media behaviors.*
Authorizes county agriculture development boards to purchase agricultural supplies for sale to New Jersey farmers.*
Provides for inclusion of alcohol manufacturers on highway signs; provides for internet site for alcohol manufacturers in New Jersey.
Clarifies that voluntary incapacitation by alleged victim of sexual assault does not bar prosecution of defendant.
In committee58
Establishes standards for annual height, weight, and blood pressure screening of public school students.
Encourages local unit sharing of services; makes appropriations.
Requires continued coverage of prescription drugs for certain medical conditions.
Allows law enforcement agencies to provide juvenile-family crisis information to principal of juvenile's school for planning programs relevant to juvenile's educational and social development.
Allows gross income tax credit for portion of certain child care expenses.
Transfers administration of programs for certain individuals with developmental disabilities from DHS to DCF.
Establishes central registry for background checks of youth serving organization employees and volunteers.
Requires certain health care facilities to offer lactation counseling and consultations to persons who have given birth.
Requires installation of diaper changing station in certain public restrooms; appropriates $500,000.
Regulates use of automated employment decision tools in employment decisions to minimize discrimination in employment.
Imposes additional annual registration fee for electric vehicles; reduces rate of highway fuel taxes; authorizes DOT to conduct alternative revenue feasibility study.
Requires State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to assign paid or volunteer advocates to long-term care facilities; makes appropriation.
Establishes School Funding Formula Evaluation Task Force.
Permits DEP officers to use drones.
"Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act"; requires institutions of higher education to implement mental health programs and services.
Reallocates $5 million in certain FY 2024 appropriations to provide funding for Burlington County - Animal Shelter.
Updates certain crimes to include nonconsensual pornographic deepfake threats and disclosure.
Establishes standards for court-ordered counseling for domestic violence offenders.
Requires State colleges to close on Election Day.
Amends public school laws on harassment, intimidation, and bullying to apply to certain acts against teachers and staff members; revises definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" in "Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act."
Requires written notification of advanced placement courses to parents of students with disability; prohibits exclusion from advanced placement courses on basis of disability.
Requires prescriptions for certain patients to include patients' weight.
Establishes Office of Farm Ombudsman in Department of Agriculture; appropriates $250,000.
Requires DCF to expand services provided by NJ Statewide Student Support Services program to include eating disorder services.
Enhances protections under Law Against Discrimination for persons serving in military and military veterans.
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for screening, prevention, and treatment services of behavioral health issues affecting children.
Establishes New Jersey Tuition Reimbursement Program for Special Education Teachers.
Exempts sale of farm vehicles from sales and use tax for farmers.
Prohibits homestead property tax rebates and credits and ANCHOR property tax benefits from being paid to property owners who move out of State.
Establishes certain requirements for public utility rate increases.
Requires State domestic violence public awareness campaign to add information on coercive control; requires annual reporting on activities of campaign and expands range of languages.
Exempts sales of reusable carryout bags from sales and use tax.
Prohibits BPU approval of electric and gas public utility rate increases resulting in total increase to average residential customer bill in excess of two percent annually.
Requires video surveillance of MVC drop box locations.
Exempts small-scale renewable energy projects from State land-use permit requirements, under certain conditions.
Requires Division of Parole to establish residency restrictions for certain sex offenders.
Authorizes Rate Counsel to deny certain public utility rate increases.
Ensures that certain regional school districts receive no less than total amount of State school aid provided in 2024-2025 school year.
Requires certain law enforcement officers to complete human trafficking training.
Establishes deadline for DEP implementation of prescribed burn program, and provides for establishment of prescribed burn acreage goals, schedules, calendars, training program, and mobile deployment units to provide on-site prescribed burn training and assistance.
Establishes Office of Permitting and Broadband Deployment and Development Efficiency in Department of State and establishes NJ Permit Fast Track Program; appropriates $2 million.
Requires AOC, in conjunction with State Parole Board, to conduct comprehensive study on Megan's Law.
Establishes surcharge for electric public utility service to certain data centers during certain periods; establishes "Grid Modernization Fund" in BPU.
Permits import of prescription drugs from certain countries.
Establishes four-year Performing Arts Education Improvement Grant Program.
Prohibits agreements intended to conceal certain information concerning development of data centers under MLUL.
Allows Right to Farm Act complaints to be filed with county agriculture development board in adjacent county under certain circumstances and creates alternate voting members on such boards.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction and disabled veterans' property tax exemption to certain veterans released under other than honorable circumstances.
Requires volunteers, employees, and organizers of certain youth and sports organizations to receive criminal history record background checks.
Permits certain alcoholic beverage license holders to sell "Jersey Fresh" alcoholic beverages.
Authorizes Secretary of Agriculture to declare agricultural emergency; establishes sales tax holiday on sale of fertilizer during agricultural emergency.
Authorizes Secretary of Agriculture to declare agricultural emergency; requires Department of Agriculture to conduct study on funding sources available to farmers during agricultural emergency.
Requires school districts to permit students excused absences for student illness.
Requires age verification to prohibit minors from accessing sexually explicit material online.
Establishes "Social Media Settlement Fund"; requires moneys in fund to be used to address youth mental health concerning social media.
"Emergency Crop Loss Relief Act of 2026"; appropriates $60 million.
Requires Commissioner of Education to provide preliminary State aid notice to school districts.
Establishes Youth Well-Being and Digital Accountability Act and Fund; creates independent authority to administer funds from social media settlements once threshold is met.
Carried from the Senate
Became law2
Provides seniority service credit to educational support professionals for military service.
Requires Social Media Research Center to research and make recommendations concerning addictive social media behaviors.*
Co-sponsored
Became law · 4
Provides for representation of Burlington County on SJTA.
Requires paratransit vehicle operators to announce stops for passengers.*
Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract.
Establishes "Fair Price Protection Act."*
Passed the General Assembly · 11
Requires DOH to conduct survey on status of antenatal and prenatal care clinics in New Jersey.
Upgrades penalties for certain prostitution crimes; creates crimes of leader of prostitution network and participant in prostitution network.
Requires child abuse reporting hotline maintained by DCPP to provide information on resources available to victims and families.
Creates separate crime for items depicting sexual exploitation or abuse of children; concerns computer generated or manipulated sexually explicit images.
Requires creation of license plates that allow disabled veterans to park in parking spots reserved for persons with disabilities.
Requires Department of Agriculture to take various actions to publicize and promote community supported agriculture in New Jersey.
Excludes biomass, solar, and wind energy systems located on rooftops or exception areas from certain size restrictions and approval requirements applicable to preserved farmland.*
Establishes certain protections against demand by large-load addition customers in State.
Modifies definition of "aquaculture" throughout State law to include construction of facilities and appurtenant structures.
Establishes additional procedures for financial oversight and reporting to ensure fiscal stability of school districts.
"Jack Reid Law: Protect All Students Act"; prohibits harassment or bullying of nonpublic school students and requires nonpublic schools to adopt anti-harassment and bullying policy.
Out of committee · 19
Requires DHS to establish system to ensure distribution of funds for certain support services for General Assistance beneficiaries ceases upon beneficiary's exit from support service.
Expands requirements for health insurance carriers concerning prostate cancer screening. *
Requires public institution of higher education to adopt withdrawal policy permitting refund for certain extenuating circumstances.
Requires Secretary of Agriculture to establish Farm to School Local Food Procurement Reimbursement Grant Program to reimburse school districts for costs expended in sourcing and procuring local foods for students; appropriates $4,500,000.
Exempts from realty transfer fee recording of deed of preserved farmland to qualified beginning farmer.
Establishes protected leave under "Family Leave Act" and family temporary disability leave benefits for bereavement for death of child, miscarriage, stillbirth, and certain other circumstances.
Secures protections for patients and providers accessing and providing reproductive health care services; establishes right of residents to reproductive health care activity that is restricted in other states.*
Requires Medicaid coverage for fertility preservation services in cases of iatrogenic infertility caused by medically necessary treatments.
Permits dual-use solar energy projects to participate in community solar program.*
Prohibits sports wagering licensees from offering micro bets online; establishes penalties.*
Requires State entities purchase five percent of goods and services from Central Nonprofit Agency; requires Division of Purchase and Property establish training protocols for all purchasing agents; grants Central Nonprofit Agency right of first refusal.*
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for the treatment of stuttering.
Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems; establishes certain enforcement procedures and penalties for certain violations captured by school bus monitoring systems.
Establishes reproductive health travel advisory.
Establishes Large Animal Veterinarian Loan Redemption Program; appropriates $200,000.
Extends certain pay parity regarding telemedicine and telehealth.*
"New Jersey Natural Gas Modernization Act."
Establishes School-based Partnerships for Access and Resilience for Kids program in DCF; requires school districts to develop mental health support and partnership programs.*
Provides alcoholic beverage tax credits to certain breweries for donations of spent grain byproduct to commercial farm for agricultural or horticultural use.
In committee · 64
Directs State Board of Education to authorize general science endorsement to instructional certificate.
Requires Cannabis Regulatory Commission to monitor prices and to establish price cap on prices, under certain conditions, regarding medical cannabis cultivators, manufacturers, dispensaries, and clinical registrants.
Authorizes provision of monetary awards to whistleblowers who report State tax law violations committed by employers in construction industry.
Allows students to use portion of opportunity grant awards under Educational Opportunity Fund program during summer session.
Prohibits operation of drone over school under certain circumstances.
Establishes "Property Tax Study Commission" to examine New Jersey's property tax structure and develop recommendations for reducing residential property tax burden.
"Right to Mental Health for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Act"; establishes certain requirements concerning provision of mental health services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Includes Sikhs as protected class in bias intimidation law; appropriates $100,000.
Makes $3 million supplemental appropriation for bonus awards for certain COVID-19 emergency essential frontline State workers of Local 195 of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.
Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members.
Allows expectant mothers in third trimester to receive temporary parking privileges.
Modifies procedure for fire districts to request exemption from property tax levy cap.
Makes total property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans retroactive to effective date of determination of total disability; requires State to reimburse municipalities for reimbursement of property taxes paid to veteran.
Establishes program in SADC for acquisition of development easements on privately-owned woodlands.
Establishes additional public inspection requirements for school district budgets.
Requires MVC to provide customers with certain documents in-person, same day.
Eliminates high school graduation proficiency test.
Makes various changes to SHBP plan offerings and governance.
Provides CBT tax credit for retrofit of existing warehouses with solar-ready zone once solar panels are installed.
Makes FY2023 supplemental appropriation of $17 million to DEP for grants for certain lake management activities.
Requires water supplier to notify affected municipalities, school districts, charter schools, nonpublic schools, and institutions of higher education of violations of drinking water quality standards.
Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act."
Establishes criminal penalties for certain violations of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act."
Establishes timeframe for adoption of, and requires public comment on, proposed annual economic benefits for certain solid waste facilities; authorizes residents to petition State to establish or adjust annual economic benefit.
Extends time period in which to enroll newborn infant in health benefits coverage.
Eliminates sales tax on baby necessities and sunscreen.
Increases FY2026 annual appropriation to DCF by $16.7 million to increase NJ FamilyCare monthly reimbursement rate paid to care management organizations.
Permits use of credit card, debit card, or other electronic payment for bingo, raffles, and penny auctions.
Directs DEP to select consultant to perform Statewide needs assessment regarding recycling of packaging products; establishes "Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment Advisory Council" in DEP; appropriates $500,000.
Requires school meal service providers to give purchasing preference to foods produced by in-State farmers and other food producers located within State borders or within 100 miles of destination school.
Dedicates certain wine tax receipts to "Jersey Fresh Program Fund."
Requires Department of Agriculture to conduct inspections of on-farm dairy processing activities; transfers certain resources and employees from DOH to Department of Agriculture.
"Cancer Patient Care and Compassion Act."
Requires certain candidates for teaching certifications to complete youth mental health education course or online module.
Allows certain public high school student-athletes to substitute study hall for physical education during their athletic seasons.
Requires NJEDA to establish loan program to assist beginning farmers in financing capital purchases.
Requires advertising for NJ wine growing regions on tourist directional signs.
Requires schools to universally provide free meals to all students, regardless of whether students are federally eligible for free or reduced price meals.
Prohibits cryptocurrency automatic teller machines.
Requires health insurance coverage for certain neurological diseases.
Concerns assessment of farmland for property tax purposes.
"New Jersey Loves New Jersey Farmers Act"; provides corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits to commercial farm operators for price loss.
Adds training concerning coercive control to domestic violence training for judges and law enforcement officers.
Removes plenary retail distribution license limit for certain stores.
Establishes fee refund program for businesses applying for permits, licenses, or certifications in this State.
Requires construction project applicants to disclose project financing.
Requires evidence-based early reading instruction be implemented in public schools.
Concerns keyless locking mechanisms and burglar's tools.
Expands definition of "qualifying land" to include certain deeds of easement excluding certain portions of farm from preservation.
Increases penalty for reckless vehicular homicide committed when driving while intoxicated under certain circumstances.
Clarifies that amateur sports official is independent contractor for purposes of State employment laws.
Increases allowable amount of farmland preservation grants to nonprofit organizations.
"New Jersey Energy Security & Affordability Act"; permits electric public utilities to own, operate, develop, or otherwise procure generation in certain circumstances.
Provides for youth mental health care professionals in family court.
Requires DOBI to monitor, evaluate, and submit annual report concerning mental health insurance coverage for minors; requires carriers to maintain provider directory.
Expands role of New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and transfers $3 million from DCF to DHS for establishment of dashboard and associated implementation.
"Public School Employees' Health Benefits Trust Act."
Makes various changes to SHBP governance and administration.
Prohibits private use and regulates government use of automated license plate readers.
"Sales Tax Holiday Weekend Act"; establishes annual sales tax holiday every third weekend in August for certain retail sales.
Authorizes temporary waiver from requirement that farm winery use NJ grown fruit.
Allows value of SREC-IIs to be included in cost-benefit calculations under energy savings improvement programs.
Requires schools to serve free breakfast to all students in public schools.
Revises "Fair Price Protection Act."