Bills in the 2026–2027 Session, Senate.
Renee C. Burgess
Sponsored
In committee2
Reduces tax credits available for Next New Jersey Program from $500 million to $250 million.
Requires written contract for sale of memorials and option for purchaser to deposit payments into escrow account.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 3
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.*
Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses.
"End Data Center Tax Credits Act"; reduces tax credits available for Next New Jersey Program.*
Passed both houses · 1
Eliminates statute of limitations for human trafficking and criminal sexual contact prosecutions and eliminates statute of limitations for civil cases arising from human trafficking.*
Passed the Senate · 6
Establishes guidelines for creditworthiness determinations concerning affordable housing programs.
Establishes reproductive health travel advisory.
Establishes certain testing, certification, and labeling requirements for manufacturers and sellers of final hair products; establishes limits on amount of certain intentionally added chemicals. **
Requires school bus drivers and school bus aides to call 911 emergency line in potential life-threatening emergencies; requires certain school buses transporting students with disabilities to be equipped with certain safety features.*
Provides certain protections to residents of long-term care facilities and long-term acute care hospitals.
Expands criminal and civil penalties for human trafficking, and expands human trafficking training requirements for law enforcement. *
Out of committee · 30
Requires DOH to operate mobile cancer screening program; appropriates $100,000.
Establishes certain protections for drivers and holders of non-driver identification cards diagnosed with certain disabilities.*
Establishes "John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey." **
Requires county clerks to send applications for mail-in ballots to registered voters upon their 18th birthday.
Expands responsibilities of Child Advocacy Center-Multidisciplinary Team Advisory Board and establishes Problematic Sexual Behavior Program.
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.
Requires portable anti-choking devices be placed in schools.
Prohibits sharing automated license plate reader information for interstate investigation concerning reproductive health care services that are legal in NJ.
Provides that contracts between subscribers and attorney in fact are not related party transactions.
Requires construction project applicants to disclose project financing.
Establishes fully autonomous vehicle pilot program.*
Concerns development of accessory dwelling units and related regulations.
Expands requirements for health insurance carriers concerning prostate cancer screening and requires coverage be provided without cost sharing.
Expands liability of certain individuals associated with limited liability companies and other commercial entities, when acting as residential landlord.
"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.*
Creates "Patient and Provider Protection Act."*
Requires Division of Gaming Enforcement to arrange study and implement certain language requirements in gambling advertisements; restricts advertisements and promotions in certain locations.
Requires midwives and physicians to provide pregnant women information on birthing options prior to delivery.
"Stop Sepsis Act"; Requires hospitals to establish sepsis recognition and treatment protocols, train staff, and establish quality measures.*
Requires children's meals and beverages served in certain settings to meet nutritional standards.*
Revises reporting requirements for nursing homes concerning financial disclosures and ownership structure.
Establishes certain requirements and initiatives related to nurses; appropriates funds.
Establishes telecommunication fee to support Statewide behavioral health crisis system of care.
Authorizes creation of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. license plates.
Prohibits expenditure of Green Acres funds for purchase, use, installation, or replacement of artificial turf fields.
Requires food service businesses to provide written notice of major food allergens in each menu item.
Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract.
Concerns lung cancer screening awareness and access.
Regulates use of artificial intelligence-based systems for electronic monitoring regarding employment and public services.
Establishes "New Jersey Holistic Representation Model" in Office of Public Defender.
In committee · 137
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.
Updates scope of practice of optometrists.
Prohibits certain animal adoption centers from denying applicant for adoption of dog or cat solely due to applicant's age.
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Establishes crime of law enforcement officer choking another person; designated as George Floyd's Law.
Provides child tax credit for taxpayers with children ages six to 11 and increases amount of credit for taxpayers with children under 12 over period of two years.
Establishes MOM Project oral health three-year pilot program in DOH; appropriates $4,150,000.
Requires insurers and SHBP to provide coverage for expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer.
Requires hospitals to notify family of patient release following drug overdose.
Provides for spaying and neutering stray or feral cats and establishes fund therefor; designated as "Compassion for Community Cats Law."
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.
Prohibits sale of cats, dogs, or rabbits by pet shops; repeals "Pet Purchase Protection Act."
Requires automatic external defibrillators on-site at certain places of public assembly and youth athletic events.
Requires health insurance coverage of prenatal genetic test during first trimester of pregnancy.
Establishes Animal Cruelty Offender Registry; prohibits purchase, adoption, and breeding of animals by animal cruelty offenders.
Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in, and requires divestment from, 200 largest publicly traded fossil fuel companies.
"New Jersey Clean Energy Act of 2024"; establishes 100 percent clean electricity standard and directs BPU to establish clean electricity certificate program.
Requires BPU to establish beneficial building electrification and decarbonization program and requires electric public utilities to prepare and implement beneficial building electrification and decarbonization plans.
Requires certain State-funded construction projects to utilize plastic construction materials that contain certain amounts of postconsumer recycled content.
Establishes "New Jersey Menopause Coverage Act"; requires health insurance coverage of medically necessary perimenopause and menopause treatments.
Requires DHS to establish three-year Obstetric Discrimination Prevention and Mitigation Pilot Program.
Requires DOH to establish levels of maternity care at maternity care facilities.
Requires MVC to provide customers with certain documents in-person, same day.
Expands "Daniel's Law" to prohibit disclosure of personal information of members of NJ Legislature.
Requires Commission on Human Trafficking to post public awareness signage in additional establishments.
Expands epinephrine administration mechanisms permitted in schools, institutions of higher education, and youth camps.
"NJ Healthy Schools Act"; prohibits sale and distribution of ultraprocessed foods in schools participating in federally funded or assisted meal programs.
Establishes New Jersey Low Income Household Water Assistance Program to provide water service and water bill payment assistance to certain low-income households; appropriates $25 million.
Requires certain group homes to install electronic monitoring devices in common areas, upon request and with uniform resident consent.
Revises law on extended employment programs for persons with disabilities.
Establishes legislative internship program for veterans.
Requires public schools to develop policy for administration of nasal seizure rescue medication and use of manual vagas nerve stimulators for students with seizure disorder on emergent basis.
Provides cancer and cardiovascular screenings to law enforcement officers; establishes fund; appropriates $20 million.
Provides PERS members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007.
Provides TPAF members and certain retirees same benefits provided to members enrolled in retirement system before July 1, 2007.
Requires health insurance coverage of diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations without cost-sharing.
Requires Division of Developmental Disabilities to develop guidelines for tiered group home placements and transfers.
Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems.
Establishes occupational heat stress standard and "Occupational Heat-Related Illness and Injury Prevention Program" in DOLWD.
Prohibits sale of ammunition by vending machine.
Extends veteran's gross income tax exemption to spouses of deceased veterans.
Requires State reimbursement to municipalities of cost of disabled veterans' total property tax exemption.
Requires eligible children from birth to five to receive early intervention services.
"Moose's Law"; prohibits persons convicted of animal cruelty offenses from owning animals and from working or volunteering at animal-related enterprises; establishes presumption against pretrial intervention for certain persons.
Upgrades offense of prostitution as patron; directs fines collected to "Human Trafficking Survivor's Assistance Fund."
Authorizes local governments to provide voluntary contributions to certain nonprofit veterans' organizations.
Requires age verification to prohibit minors from accessing sexually explicit material online.
Regulates residential mental health treatment facilities.
"Fentanyl and Xylazine Poisoning Awareness Act"; requires school districts to provide instruction on dangers of fentanyl and xylazine.
Prohibits State Board of Education from limiting number of certain two-year college credits that may be applied towards meeting teacher certification requirements.
Reinstates automatic COLAs for retirement benefits of certain PFRS members.
Authorizes provision of monetary awards to whistleblowers who report State tax law violations committed by employers in construction industry.
Permits veteran's property tax deduction for tax year when veteran was previously qualified to receive deduction and became owner of real property after October 1 of pretax year.
Requires automobile insurers to include appraisal provisions in insurance policies.
Establishes "New Economy Opportunity Skills System Pilot Program" to strengthen alignment and collaboration between local workforce development boards, community colleges, and county vocational school districts; makes appropriation.
Requires DOH to encourage health care facilities and licensed health care professionals to develop a "Reach Out and Read Program."
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for family planning and reproductive health care services; prohibits adverse actions by medical malpractice insurers in relation to performance of legally protected health care services.
Codifies authority for certain health care providers to provide abortions and clarifies certain operational requirements for abortion facilities.
Creates "Reproductive Health Care Access Fund" to strengthen access to reproductive health care.
Requires affirmative written consent for certain entities to disclose individual's medical information regarding reproductive health care services, with limited exceptions, unless disclosure is necessary to provide those services.
Requires four-year public institution of higher education to develop and implement reproductive health services plan; requires county college to develop referral network for reproductive health care services.
Provides for voluntary contributions for taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support reproductive health care services.
Requires owner or operator of data center to submit water and energy usage report to BPU.
Requires certain high-traffic facilities to obtain permit from DEP and annually implement measures to reduce air pollution caused by facility.
Requires physicians and certain hospital employees to complete training on communication with and treatment of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Requires continuation of health benefits dependent coverage for certain children with disabilities who are 26 years of age or older.
Requires State Police to inform local law enforcement if certain prohibited persons attempt to purchase firearm or ammunition.
Imposes criminal liability on persons who allow minors to access firearms used to commit crimes.
Requires NJT to equip trains with defibrillators.
Increases access to substance use disorder treatment; Requires Medicaid coverage for substance use disorder services provided by community-based organizations.
Requires certain doctors and nurses to ask patients questions regarding menstrual cycles, previous tampon use, and toxic shock syndrome.
Requires minimum annual State appropriation of $10 million for Public Health Priority Funding.
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.
Permits surviving spouse of retired member of PFRS to be enrolled in SHBP and to continue to receive pension benefit after remarriage in certain circumstances.
Creates separate crime for items depicting sexual exploitation or abuse of children; concerns computer generated or manipulated sexually explicit images.
Establishes "New Jersey Migrant and Refugee Assistance Act."
Requires public utilities de-privatization study; appropriates $100,000.
Prohibits BPU approval of electric or gas public utility rate increases resulting in total increase to average residential customer bill in excess of two percent within five-year period.
Requires electric public utilities and gas public utilities to implement or maintain public utility warranty programs that cover full cost to repair or replace covered appliances.
Requires BPU to prohibit electric and gas public utilities from charging residential customers certain types of payments based on certain billing practices.
Requires electric and gas public utilities de-privatization study; appropriates $100,000.
Resets electric and gas public utility rates to 2020 levels for five-year period.
Prohibits electric generation service and gas supply service rates from exceeding basic generation service and basic gas supply service rates.
Imposes 10 percent electric public utility windfall surtax on taxpayers with allocated taxable net income in excess of $10 million under CBT.
Requires State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs to review, and potentially increase, income thresholds for residential customers to participate in programs.
Imposes 30 percent electric public utility windfall surtax on certain taxpayers with allocated taxable net income in excess of 20 percent above five-year average income under CBT.
Increases Work First New Jersey Child Care appropriation by $28 million in FY2026 annual appropriations act to ensure full funding of child care subsidy program.
Makes use of front registration plate optional for certain vehicles.
Establishes protections for immigrants interacting with government agencies; designates "New Jersey Immigrant Trust Act."
Requires local boards of education to employ certain number of staff with expertise in student mental health.
Establishes "New Jersey Reparations Task Force."
Establishes "New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission" to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs.
Extends anti-SLAPP protections to complainants of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination.
Requires access to certain assistive services for students with disabilities at public institutions of higher education.
Establishes crime of reckless discharge of firearm.
Requires appointment of State Dementia Services Coordinator; appropriates $150,000.
Makes human trafficking-related crimes subject to No Early Release Act sentencing.
Establishes new mitigating factor, reduced sentencing, and resentencing for certain defendants who are victims of abuse.
Requires prescription drug coverage for serious mental illness without prior authorization or utilization management, including step therapy.
Permits 16 and 17-year-olds to vote in elections for local school board.
Requires State agencies to make good faith effort to increase awarding of contracts procured without advertisement to minority- and women-owned businesses.
Regulates provision of pharmaceutical services in long-term care facilities.
Requires health insurance and Medicaid coverage for screening, prevention, and treatment services of behavioral health issues affecting children.
"Healthy Smiles Act"; increases NJ FamilyCare fee-for-service reimbursement rates for pediatric dental services; requires NJ FamilyCare managed care rates for identical services be no less than fee-for-service rates.
Creates Health Care Cost Containment and Price Transparency Commission, Office of Healthcare Affordability and Transparency, and hospital price transparency regulations.
Establishes "Patient Protection and Safe Staffing Act."
Directs DOH to establish food bank for pets pilot program; appropriates $1 million.
Establishes the "Safe and Sanitary Rental Housing Act."
Allows certain senior citizens to apply for rent increase limit.
Establishes program in DOE to support school districts in developing grow-your-own programs for hiring of teachers of students with disabilities.
"Psilocybin Behavioral Health Access and Services Act"; authorizes production and use of psilocybin to promote health and wellness.
Authorizes establishment of charter school payment reserve account in school districts.
"Fair Funding for Vulnerable Residents Act"; establishes direct care ratio requirement for certain providers of services to adults or children with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Imposes various taxes and fees on operators of private prisons to offset social costs of incarceration.
“Justin Christian El-Abiad, Robert E. Dwight, Jr., Raquan Ellis, Zahir Atkins, and Sebastien Manzalaoui Act"; revises window guard requirements in certain residential rental units and multiple dwellings.
Enters NJ in Cosmetology Licensure Compact.
Establishes "Justice for Vulnerable Residents Act"; creates Justice Center for the Protection of Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities.
Requires landlord to provide written explanation for rent increase on tenant of senior citizen housing project.
Establishes Autism Education Council.
Establishes civil action for abuse, neglect, exploitation or bullying of minor or adult with disability; provides that bullying of vulnerable adult may constitute grounds for investigation by adult protective services and report to law enforcement.
Requires local recreation departments, youth serving organizations, and youth camps to have defibrillators for youth athletic events.
Establishes prisoner reentry peer support hotline.
Includes Sikhs as protected class in bias intimidation law; appropriates $100,000.
Clarifies that amateur sports official is independent contractor for purposes of State employment laws.
Designates accounting as STEM subject for various educational and other programs.
Concerns the "New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program."
Requires NJ FamilyCare coverage for healthy food prescriptions for certain enrollees.
Implements procedures for automated "Clean Slate" expungements.
"Responsible Data Center Development and Resource Protection Act"; establishes Statewide framework concerning siting, land use approval, energy sourcing, water use, and environmental impacts of large load data center development.
"Public School Employees' Health Benefits Trust Act."
Requires certain consumer disclosures relating to rabies testing and establishes optional training for veterinarians.
Establishes five-year "New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Workforce Transition Act."
Modifies procedures for parole release, early discharge from parole, and penalties for certain parole violations.
Makes various changes to SHBP governance and administration.
Establishes compensatory time lost to investigation of unsubstantiated child abuse, neglect, or other issue in child custody cases.
"Clean Water and Safe Communities Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $5 billion; appropriates $5,000.
Requires health care claims experience data to be shared with local governments.