Education
Senate Advances Therapy Dog Pilot Program Bill – On May 28th, the New Jersey Senate unanimously passed Bill S-3453, sponsored by Senators James Beach and Anthony M. Bucco, which aims to establish a three-year pilot program within the Department of Education to evaluate the academic and health benefits of therapy dogs in public elementary school wellness initiatives. Under this bill, interested districts must submit an application to the Commissioner of Education, providing detailed information about their elementary schools, student enrollment, wellness program participation, and plans for integrating therapy dogs to enhance student well-being. The Commissioner will then select two districts from each region to participate and will offer guidance on implementation; additionally, the Department of Education is required to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature by June 30 of the third school year, with the purpose of assessing the pilot program’s impact on student academic performance and health outcomes. The bill is currently under consideration in the Assembly, having been specifically referred to the Assembly Education Committee.
Housing
Senate Committee Advances Bill Requiring Municipalities to Permit Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – On June 1st, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee advanced S1786, sponsored by Senators Troy Singleton and Britnee Timberlake, which would require New Jersey municipalities to allow homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These are self-contained housing units on the same lot as a primary single-family or two-family homes. The bill sets uniform statewide standards for ADUs, including a ban on short-term rentals under 30 days, no additional parking requirements, and a 60-day window for municipalities to approve or deny applications. Applications that are not acted upon by municipalities within this period are deemed approved. This bill would meaningfully increase the below-market housing supply, benefitting renters and housing-seekers, particularly seniors, young adults, veterans, people with disabilities, and lower-income residents. New Jersey homeowners could also supplement their income or provide housing for family members. Local governments and planning boards would face new obligations and limits on their ability to deny or delay ADU applications. The bill has been referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and does not yet have a companion measure in the Assembly.
Environment & Energy
Bill Introduced to Install Solar Within Right-Of-Way of State Roads – On June 4th, Assemblymen William Moen, Jr. (D-5) and Clinton Calabrese (D-36) introduced Bill A2403 to establish a pilot program to construct solar panels within the right-of-way of state roadways. Under this legislation, the Board of Public Utilities would be directed to permit installation of solar panel systems of up to 10 megawatts in capacity on state-owned roadside property. The pilot program would enable the deployment of up to 200 megawatts of roadside solar with the potential to power 160,000 homes. Developers seeking to propose roadside solar projects would apply to the Board of Public Utility for consideration of traffic impacts, funding mechanisms, project siting, grid connection, and lifetime maintenance needs. If passed, the pilot program would open applications within 6 months and the program would operate for 4 to 5 years.
New Bill Would Direct the NJDEP to Study Impact of Data Centers on Local Water Supply – Bill S4400 was introduced on June 4th in the New Jersey Senate (Bill A3966 in the Assembly) that would require the Department of Environmental Protection to study the effects of water use by data centers on water systems and the environment. Such a study would help to quantify the external costs of data center operations on the environment and public goods such and drinking water and could produce strategies for data centers to reduce water usage. Data center computing produces large amount of heat which require cooling; many of the current cooling methods use large quantities of water.
Health
Assembly Introduces Bill to Require Long-Term Care Facilities Provide Facilities Basic Necessities – On June 4th, the New Jersey Assembly introduced Bill A5214, the Employer Responsibility for Essential Supplies Act. It is sponsored by Joe Danielsen (D-17) and intends to require that long-term care companies provide their facilities with all the necessary basic resources and equipment they need for daily functioning, at no cost, with penalties for noncompliance. These necessities include personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, laundry items, hygiene products, and dietary supplies for residents. Medical staff employed by these facilities such as nurses, certified nursing assistants, and other caregiving staff would no longer have to use their salaries to purchase equipment and supplies for patients. Under this legislation, any employer who fails to comply will be fined $3,000 per day for a violation. This eases the cost burden on employees and allows long term care companies to take more responsibility for the needs of their residents. Long term care residents may benefit from the utmost care, provided by the robust equipment funded by the companies themselves.
Public Administration / Women, Children, & Families
Governor Sherrill Directs $12M in Funding for Immigrant Defense Initiative – On June 4th, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that she was directing a $12 million increase in funding for the Detention Deportation Defense Initiative (DDDI), bringing the total funding for the program to $20.2 million. The governor also announced a coordinated Rapid Legal Response Initiative through the NJ Department of Health and Human Services to expand legal capacity for emergency immigration defense and support for immigrant families in the state. These announcements come after both the governor and state health officials have attempted to access Delaney Hall, a federal immigration detention center in Newark which has faced allegations of unsanitary and unsafe conditions for the immigrants detained in the facility. Last week, NJ Attorney General Jennifer Davenport filed a lawsuit against GEO Group, the private contractor running the facility, requesting the court grant the NJ Department of Health full access to the building and all detainees.
Bill Introduced to Expedite Information from Communication Providers in Domestic Violence and Stalking Investigations – On June 4th, Senator Raj Mukherji introduced Bill S4409, which would require communication providers to respond to police search warrants for domestic violence and stalking within 72 hours for social media platforms and within five days for other providers. Modeled after Oregon’s House Bill 4045, the bill was inspired by Kristil Krug, a Colorado woman murdered by her partner after months of stalking due to delayed responses and inaction from communication providers. Under this bill, communication services must disclose customer records including location, name, address, phone number, and payment methods, and preserve this information for 90 days. Search warrants provided to the providers must include “Immediate Response Required” in the title and body. The legislation aims to aid investigations and protect victims, particularly in stalking cases.
Assembly Introduces Bill Allowing Twin Siblings to Enroll in the Same Pre-K Programs – On June 4th, the New Jersey Assembly introduced Bill A5218, which concerns the enrollment and the classroom placement of twins or higher order multiples in public preschool programs. The bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin and Assemblyman Dawn Fantasia, and allows parents or guardians to request that twins, triplets or other multiples be placed either in the same classroom or in separate classrooms within preschool programs. The legislation would also require school districts using preschool lottery or open enrollment systems to treat twins or higher order multiples as one unit, meaning siblings would either be accepted or waitlisted together rather than separated across programs or providers. Many supporters agree the bill would provide families more flexibility and consistency during early childhood education, while also reducing the logistical and emotional challenges for young children and families, as many families with twins or triplets were having their children split up due to the lottery system. This bill has been referred to the Assembly Education Committee for further consideration.