Bills in the 2026–2027 Session, Senate.
Joseph Pennacchio
Sponsored
Passed the Senate4
Requires MVC to accept emergency medical technician and paramedic certification cards as two points of documentation for purposes of MVC identification verification program.
Requires consumer reporting agencies to provide a consumer with a free credit report three times during any 12-month period upon request.
Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidance on accommodations for certain students fasting for religious or medical reasons.*
Permits students to be eligible for high school graduation credits in career readiness or career, and technical education for completing county fire academy course under certain circumstances.*
In committee60
Allocates 10 percent of Green Acres funding to local government units for development of completely inclusive playgrounds.
Adds fusion to types of Class I renewable energies as defined for purposes of "Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act."
Establishes scholarship program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in field of fusion science.
Provides that fusion energy and fusion technology companies are eligible to receive benefits under certain economic incentive programs.
"Fusion Technology Industry Promotion Act"; establishes program to promote fusion technology industry and attract fusion technology businesses.
"Flood Control, Mitigation, and Prevention Bond Act"; authorizes bonds for up to $2 billion and appropriates $5,000.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website; requires certain public entities receiving State funds to establish similar website; makes an appropriation.
Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of US Armed Forces, NJ National Guard, and reserve component of US Armed Forces; creates permanent commission to study various definitions related to veteran status.
Directs NJ Sports and Exposition Authority to conduct feasibility study of Meadowlands convention center project.
Establishes home elevation fund and dedicates up to $5 million of realty transfer fee revenue annually for this purpose.
Revises requirements for administration of vaccines to patients.
"Children's Vaccination Bill of Rights"; provides children in State with certain protections concerning vaccines.
Requires use of paper ballots during conduct of election; requires use of open source voting technology; makes appropriation.
"Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act"; bans abortion 20 weeks or more after fertilization.
Requires informed consent for breast implant surgery.
Expands audit powers of State Auditor; requires online publication of certain materials; requires performance review audits of certain business incentive programs.
Requires managed care plans to allow any clinical laboratory to participate in provider network.
Requires DEP to provide public access for boats to certain State-owned lakes; appropriates $1 million.
Exempts expansion or reconstruction, within 125% of existing footprint, of municipal and county buildings and certain emergency services buildings from "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Permits municipality to obtain affordable housing credit for each resident of alternative living arrangement.
Establishes NJ Fusion Technology Industry Commission.
Provides gross income tax deductions for membership fees, dam project assessments, and potable water system project assessments paid to lake associations.
Creates New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission.
Broadens riot; enhances penalties for certain crimes committed during riot; creates new crimes of mob intimidation and cyber-intimidation by publication; establishes duty in municipality to permit law enforcement to respond appropriately.
Requires health insurers to provide coverage for treatment of tick-borne diseases.
Prohibits retail mercantile establishments from requiring certain consumer identification for return of merchandise.
Requires sex offenders in satellite-based monitoring program to pay for certain equipment and monitoring costs.
Eliminates age restriction for issuing special permits to carry handgun to retired law enforcement officers.
Encourages wearing blue to honor law enforcement officers on Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Clarifies spitting in law enforcement officer's food or drink constitutes aggravated assault; requires certain sanctions on restaurant employees who commit this crime.
Revises method of determining reimbursement costs when a law enforcement entity hires a recently trained officer from another law enforcement entity.
Provides three-year phase-in of full funding of extraordinary special education State aid.
Provides for direct State payment of cost of special education and related services for certain students.
Requires board of education to publicly post full meeting agenda 48 hours prior to meeting.
Requires public schools to post curriculum plans online; requires school districts to make textbooks or other materials used in implementing curriculum plans available for inspection by parents and legal guardians.
Provides for agreement between Secretary of State and AOC to match information in Statewide voter registration system with certain jury records in order to identify and remove ineligible non-citizen voter registrants from system.
Modifies rate-regulation over municipal electric utilities.
Creates permanent commission to study various statutory definitions of veteran, disabled veteran, and service-disabled veteran.
Removes diversity and inclusion instruction requirements for students in grades kindergarten through eight.
The "Uniform Electronic Wills Act"; authorizes electronic wills.
Establishes Office of River Maintenance in DEP; repeals P.L.1993, c.376 concerning stream cleaning activities.
Prohibits institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions from withholding transcript due to outstanding student account balance; establishes penalties for noncompliance.
Prohibits adoption of State and local rules that prohibit use of fossil fuel-powered kitchen appliances.
Requires Division of Developmental Disabilities to develop guidelines for tiered group home placements and transfers.
Eliminates State residency requirement for mathematics and science public school teachers.
Establishes State Pension Cost of Living Reform Commission.
Requires State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to assign paid or volunteer advocates to long-term care facilities; makes appropriation.
Requires Division of Purchase and Property to issue annual report on public contracts awarded to women-owned and minority-owned businesses; requires Division of Revenue to operate Selective Assistance Vendor Information (SAVI) database.
Expands eligibility for gross income tax credit to family caregivers of certain armed service members with physical disabilities.
Establishes Farmland Assessment Review Commission to annually review and recommend changes to farmland assessment program, as necessary to ensure fair, equitable, and uniform Statewide application and enforcement of program requirements and allocation of program benefits.
Requires Secretary of State to adjust census redistricting data to remove noncitizens for redistricting purposes in this State.
Permits party member, candidate, or designee to be present for ballot position draw and inspect materials used for drawing; requires officials conducting ballot draw to provide notice of date, time, and location of drawing.
Requires parent to be notified when minor undergoes procedure or treatment under certain circumstances.
Prohibits remote work for State employees.
Creates offense of impersonating first responder; grades offense one degree higher than underlying offense.
Requires controller or processor to de-identify personal data and prohibits re-identification of de-identified data.
Requires NJT to establish a transportation network company pilot program in certain counties.
Permits individuals to access, and authorize sharing of, certain health data and information collected by medical device technology companies.
Revises processing of valid mail-in ballots received after closure of polls.
Requires State Police to develop public database of criminally charged or convicted undocumented immigrants.
Filed2
"Election Integrity Through Uniform Fair Standards Act"; concerns voter signature verification procedures to cure voted mail-in ballots.
Creates "Conspiracy to Fund Criminal Activities Act;" creates penalties for financing of riots and violent disorderly conduct.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 4
Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2027.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2027.
Appropriates $77,406,208 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and for certain administrative expenses.
Appropriates $15,546,575 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, and for certain administrative expenses.
Passed the Senate · 2
Prohibits public utilities from assessing surcharges and certain fees.
Expands criminal and civil penalties for human trafficking, and expands human trafficking training requirements for law enforcement. *
Out of committee · 5
Establishes certain protections for drivers and holders of non-driver identification cards diagnosed with certain disabilities.*
Establishes minimum Medicaid reimbursement rate for structured day program services provided to beneficiary eligible for brain injury services.
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.
Authorizes Division of Gaming Enforcement to participate in national self-exclusion list for gaming activities, and to create necessary forms for participation.
"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.
In committee · 37
Prohibits requiring students to wear face masks in schools and on school buses.
Prohibits government entities from procuring and using technology products and services from companies owned by, controlled by, or domiciled in certain foreign countries.
Prohibits any foreign company created under laws of foreign adversary from participating in critical infrastructure.
Authorizes municipality to enact ordinance regulating where certain sex offenders may reside.
Clarifies crime of highway and public passage obstruction and increases penalties.
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.
Requires public school student with concussion to be evaluated by physician or other licensed health care provider before return to school and return to physical activity at school.
Establishes Nuclear Power Advisory Commission.
Broadens offenses of riot and disorderly conduct; enhances penalties for public monument destruction; addresses riot victim assaults; creates crime of promotion of violent, disorderly assembly.
Provides that public school parent who objects to learning material or activity that parent considers harmful may receive voucher from school district to enroll student in nonpublic school.
Requires legislative approval of updates or revisions to core curriculum content.
Prohibits teaching of critical race theory in public schools; prohibits public school teachers from engaging in political, ideological, or religious advocacy in classroom.
Authorizes proportional property tax exemption for honorably discharged veterans having a service-connected disability and proclaims that the State shall reimburse municipalities for cost of exemptions.
Establishes Office of Inspector General for Veterans' Facilities.
Establishes "Commission on People with Disabilities."
Prohibits mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 as condition of attending public K-12 schools.
Revises law on extended employment programs for persons with disabilities.
Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
"New Jersey Jobs Protection Act"; requires verification of employment.
Requires State Board of Education meetings to be accessible virtually and in person.
"Energy Security and Affordability Act"; requires BPU to consider energy security, diversity, and affordability when preparing Energy Master Plan and perform economic and ratepayer impact analysis of energy generation projects and Energy Master Plan.
Suspends sales and use tax and societal benefits charge on electric and gas public utility bills during four-month period.
Suspends sales and use tax and societal benefits charge on electric and gas public utility bills during one year period beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2026.
Revises emergency care services referral standards for providers of telemedicine and telehealth.
"Fentanyl and Xylazine Poisoning Awareness Act"; requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of fentanyl and xylazine.
Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members.
Establishes Office of Ombudsman for Children.
Permits police officers to travel to and from and remain within police station located within 100 feet of polling place; permits Class Three special law enforcement officers to be assigned to certain polling places.
Permits Legislature to terminate certain declarations by Governor for state of emergency or public health emergency and limits duration of such declarations unless Legislature approves extension.
Permits taxpayers to deduct the total amount of State property taxes paid on principal residence from gross income tax obligation.
Credits $2.35 billion to "New Jersey Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund"; appropriates $4.32 billion to Department of Treasury to provide funds to municipalities and counties for debt retirement and avoidance.
Requires certain animals used in testing to be offered for adoption; requires establishment of procedures for assessment and disposition of animals; establishes penalties for noncompliance.
"New Jersey Ticket Consumer Choice Act."
Establishes Office of Child Advocate.
Increases amounts of aid paid to certain municipalities that host watershed lands; increases amount annually appropriated to "Highlands Protection Fund" from realty transfer fee revenues.
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for testing and treatments to slow progression of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Filed · 1
Concerns activation of parental controls on Internet-enabled devices.