Bills in the 2026–2027 Session, General Assembly.
James J. Kennedy
Sponsored
Passed the General Assembly2
Exempts community gardens operating on-site composting systems or other systems of managing organic waste from certain DEP permits under certain conditions.
Requires DEP to prioritize funding for certain projects for acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes and certain environmental infrastructure projects that include, or allow for, flood mitigation projects.
Out of committee1
Appropriates $111.6 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to DEP for habitat restoration, land acquisition, and restoration oversight projects.
In committee26
Prohibits use of paper receipts containing bisphenol-A or bisphenol-S; provides for phased-in prohibition on use of all paper receipts; authorizes continued use of electronic receipts.
Requires certain notifications and free credit reports for customers following breach of security of personal information within business or public entity.
Requires institution of higher education to have automatic external defibrillator on premises of each athletic facility and student center.
Prohibits sale of certain cleaning products containing triclosan.
Requires certain restaurant chains to provide sodium information for items offered for sale.
Requires door to operator's cabin be locked on NJT trains.
Prohibits use of chlorpyrifos insecticide.
Requires certain telecommunications, cable television, and public utility service providers to notify BPU of service discontinuance to public entities 14 business days prior to shutoff.
Prohibits use of receipt paper containing bisphenol A.
Requires certain recycling centers to report information about recycling markets and contamination to DEP.
Requires solid waste management district to develop strategy to reduce food waste; requires DEP to adopt certain rules and regulations regarding composting facilities.
Establishes "Zero Energy Construction Act"; requires all new residential and commercial developments to be zero energy ready; requires developers to offer zero energy construction.
Requires State entities engaging in projects resulting in deforestation of any size to submit plan to DEP for no net loss of forested areas.
Requires permit and compensatory reforestation plan for development projects that result in deforestation; establishes grant program for reforestation activities by private landowners; establishes "State Compensatory Reforestation Fund."
Requires NJT rail stations and bus and rail terminals to display historical information about area in or around stations and terminals.
Provides CBT tax credit for retrofit of existing warehouses with solar-ready zone once solar panels are installed.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations and for commercial zero emission vehicle fleet conversions.
"New Jersey Transit Villages Act."
Requires owners and operators of certain landfills to control and monitor landfill gas emissions.
Provides workers' compensation benefits for certain public safety workers who developed illness or injury as result of responding to September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Requires school districts to include environmental sustainability plan in long-range facilities plan.
Makes FY2023 supplemental appropriation of $17 million to DEP for grants for certain lake management activities.
Requires testing of electrical systems of certain electric bicycles, powered mobility devices, and batteries prior to sale, rental, lease, or other distribution to consumers.
Revises provisions of "Dry Cell Battery Management Act."
Requires DOBI to monitor, evaluate, and submit annual report concerning mental health insurance coverage for minors; requires carriers to maintain provider directory.
"Clean Water and Safe Communities Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $5 billion; appropriates $5,000.
Carried from the Senate
Became law1
Appropriates $111.6 million in dedicated natural resource damages revenues to DEP for habitat restoration, land acquisition, and restoration oversight projects.*
Co-sponsored
Passed the General Assembly · 1
Requires DCF to strengthen Statewide pediatric psychiatry and behavioral health care services for children and families.
Out of committee · 9
Expands requirements for health insurance carriers concerning prostate cancer screening. *
"Mattress Stewardship Act;" requires mattress producers to join stewardship organization and implement mattress stewardship program.
Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*
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 paint producers to implement or participate in paint stewardship program.
"Polluters Pay to Make New Jersey More Affordable Act"; imposes cost recovery payments on certain fossil fuel companies for funds needed for climate change adaptation; establishes program in DEP to collect and oversee distribution of funds.**
Establishes "Fleet Conversion Task Force" in DEP.
Requires public schools to develop policy for administration of nasal seizure rescue medication and use of manual vagus nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorder on emergent basis.
Expands criminal and civil penalties for human trafficking, and expands human trafficking training requirements for law enforcement.*
In committee · 41
Provides gross income tax deduction for amounts paid to taxpayers for sale of certain real property interests for conservation purposes.
"Ruth Gilbert Alzheimer's Accessibility Act"; allows certain individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia to receive, and caregivers transporting those individuals to utilize, parking privileges reserved for persons with disability.
Requires certain State-funded construction projects to utilize plastic construction materials that contain certain amounts of postconsumer recycled content.
Establishes State definition of antisemitism.
Authorizes proportional property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected permanent disability and proclaims that the State shall reimburse municipalities for cost of exemption.
Permits any member of PERS to receive accidental disability retirement allowance for disability resulting from participation in 9/11 World Trade Center rescue, recovery, or cleanup operations.
Includes Sikhs as protected class in bias intimidation law; appropriates $100,000.
Requires electric public utilities to submit to BPU and implement electric infrastructure improvement plans.
Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members.
Establishes protections for immigrants interacting with government agencies; designates "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act."
Prohibits aquaculture of any species of octopus for purpose of human consumption.
Establishes program in SADC for acquisition of development easements on privately-owned woodlands.
Establishes "New Jersey Reparations Task Force."
Makes various changes to SHBP plan offerings and governance.
Requires BPU to review and report on rates and revenues of electric public utilities that use smart meters.
Establishes NJT Office of Customer Advocate and Rider Advocacy Commission.
Permits legislative agents and organizations to receive funds assessed on tuition bills as waivable fees.
Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act."
Establishes "New Jersey STEM Scholars Grant Pilot Program" in Department of Education.
Repeals law that requires funds for legislative agents to be assessed on student tuition bills in certain manner.
Provides for establishment of three-year pilot program to expand provision of paratransit services in New Jersey.
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Increases distribution to municipalities from Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over two years; prohibits anticipation of certain revenue in municipal budget; requires additional aid be subtracted from municipal property tax levy.
"New Jersey Motorcycle Awareness and Safety Act"; requires DOT to develop public awareness campaign for motorcycle day.
Requires certain group homes to install electronic monitoring devices in common areas, upon request and with uniform resident consent.
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.
Concerns procedures with respect to repair of certain public utility facilities and related street repaving.
"Packaging and Paper Product Stewardship Act."
Prohibits food service businesses from providing single-use utensils and condiments to customers, except upon request, and requires certain food service businesses to provide reusable, washable utensils to customers eating on site.
Allocates $7.5 million annually of constitutionally dedicated CBT revenue for preservation of land in Highlands Region.
Establishes Climate Change Mitigation and Resilience Financing Program in NJ Infrastructure Bank; imposes per-kilowatt hour charge on electric energy consumption to finance climate change mitigation and resilience projects.
Requires DEP to consider potential impacts to natural resources when classifying dams according to hazard potential.
Directs BPU to establish rebate program for purchase of electric bicycles.
Authorizes EDA to use moneys in "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to support projects to refurbish or upgrade existing electricity generation facilities.
Establishes thermal energy network pilot program for gas public utilities.
Increases amount of cigarette and other tobacco products tax revenues provided to New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research to $10 million; establishes dedicated, non-lapsing Cancer Research Fund.
Expands role of New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and transfers $3 million from DCF to DHS for establishment of dashboard and associated implementation.
Clarifies when MVP Emergency Alert may be issued.
Modifies certain DEP permit application requirements for data centers.
Aligns criteria for designating endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species with federal standards.
Establishes "Minor Protection Order Act of 2026"; makes appropriation.