Bills in the 2026–2027 Session, General Assembly.
Craig J. Coughlin
Sponsored
Became law3
Establishes certain State funding preferences for municipalities that enhance opportunities to develop housing.
Requires public schools to post link to subsidized school meals application, and certain informational videos related to application, in prominent place on Internet website.*
Requires Governor's Office of Volunteerism to promote and support volunteerism for compliance with certain eligibility requirements for NJ FamilyCare and SNAP recipients; appropriates $200,000 to DHS, Office of Volunteerism, and DOLWD.*
Passed both houses1
Amends Fiscal Year 2027 annual appropriations act to require portion of funding for Working Class Families State Supplement to be used for outreach purposes.
Passed the General Assembly1
Revises certain deadlines and State funding regarding support provided by DHS, DOLWD, and Office of Volunteerism to NJ FamilyCare and SNAP recipients to meet federal eligibility requirements via volunteering.
Out of committee2
Requires Commissioner of Education to take certain action concerning preliminary State school aid notices and school district budgets and creates New Jersey Education Funding Portal; modifies certain provisions in school funding law.
Establishes surtax on certain incomes derived from operation of prediction markets.*
In committee24
Allows certain State agencies to sell Internet advertisements on agencies' websites as pilot program.
Authorizes development and operation of computer system which would allow electronic access to outstanding arrest warrant information.
Provides corporation business tax credit for certain investment in manufacturing equipment and manufacturing facility renovation, modernization, and expansion, or hiring and training of new employees for manufacturing purposes.
Allows State-owned, municipally-managed Blue Acres lands to be used for freshwater wetlands mitigation projects.
Excludes donations up to $15,000 when determining income eligibility for applicants to the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program.
Creates white collar crime registry.
"Garden State Manufacturing Jobs Act."
Includes e-mail addresses in list of confidential items to be redacted from public records under OPRA.
Establishes training curriculum for auxiliary police officers; awards auxiliary police officers additional service credits on civil service exam for years of service.
Requires certain public schools that receive State aid to begin regular instruction for high school students no earlier than 8:30 A.M.
Establishes fringe benefit rate for State public higher education institutions; requires employer pay for health care benefits for certain part-time faculty.
Establishes NJ Non-Profit Loan Guarantee Pilot Program within EDA.
Requires Commissioner of Education to establish matching grant program for certain school districts and schools using federal funds to increase instructional time and accelerate learning.
Requires public and nonpublic schools with lunch programs to provide free lunch to increasing numbers of income-eligible students and, after five-year phase-in, to provide free lunch to all students, regardless of income or federal eligibility.
Requires prescription drug services covered under Medicaid program to be provided via fee-for-service delivery system.
Removes requirement that certain government officers disclose the address of their home or secondary residence, or that of their immediate family on financial disclosure statements.
Permits State employees not covered by collective negotiations agreements to enroll in certain negotiated health care plans.
Requires notification of pet presence in seasonal rental unit.
Requires State-chartered financial institutions to increase minimum reserve balances by five times amount of previous year's losses relating to fraud and theft.
Requires Division of Pensions and Benefits to provide report on available funds in local government part of SHBP prior to transferring funds from State part of SHBP; requires monthly reporting on certain assets in SHBP.
Revises territorial rating plans used by insurers writing private passenger automobile insurance.
Revises process for submission of annual school district audits.
Requires schools to serve free breakfast to all students in public schools.
"Efficient Income Verification Act."
Co-sponsored
Out of committee · 4
Allows termination of motor vehicle lease in event of death; prohibits imposition of fee for early termination.
Modifies matching grant criteria for New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust accounts.
Removing requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations, thereby broadening eligibility for certain veterans' benefits.
Establishes "NJpass Program" to provide discounted fares to eligible organizations; establishes "GO NJ Transit Card Program" to develop transit cards that can be used to purchase any NJT service.
In committee · 21
Expands crime of bias intimidation; establishes additional penalties for crimes of bias intimidation and harassment; establishes bias intimidation motivation damages.
Increases penalty for "bombing" online meeting or teleconference under certain circumstances.
Establishes offense of criminal mischief committed on historical sites.
Eliminates fee for special plates for firefighters and members of first aid or rescue squads.
Provides one-third of motor vehicle fine moneys generated through State Police issued tickets go to municipality where violation occurred.
Exempts disabled veterans from certain fees at State parks and forests.
Permits application for PERS accidental disability benefit for injury sustained after January 2003 while employed at State psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately prior to PERS membership.
Revises law concerning family leave to extend protection by reducing, over time, employee threshold from 30 employees to five employees in definition of employer.
Directs State Board of Education to authorize issuance of new endorsements in certain fields.
Requires Department of Treasury and DHS to annually identify State funds available for NJ FamilyCare, evaluate program, and create prioritized list of initiatives to improve quality of care under program.
Makes supplemental appropriation of $615,000 to DHS for grant to NJ 2-1-1 Partnership.
Requires election by certain public employees of certain health care benefit plans; prohibits payments by public employers for waiver of such plans.
Requires health insurers, SHBP, and SEHBP to cover mammograms for women over 35 and women under 35 under certain circumstances.
Upgrades domestic violence-related assault under certain circumstances.
Establishes New Jersey Student Teacher Scholarship Program.
"Transparency in Government Act"; provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Prohibits awarding of economic development subsidy to business if payment of principal and interest on previously awarded loan or loan guarantee is greater than 24 months overdue.
Requires DEP to submit annual financial report on status of certain fund balances.
"Food Desert Elimination Act"; provides incentives to supermarkets and grocery stores that locate in "food deserts."
Revises certain laws concerning domestic violence and firearms.
Makes supplemental appropriation of $1.5 million to Election Law Enforcement Commission in DLPS for enforcement and staffing activities.