Top 12 Most Important New Laws of New Jersey Taking Effect In 2024

Top 12 Most Important New Laws Taking Effect In New Jersey 2024

Recently, some measures that were enacted for New Jersey in 2024 have been signed into law.

The new rules target telemarketers with the "Seinfeld Bill," raise the minimum wage in the Garden State, expand the scope of "Safe Haven" laws, and create a new path to teaching.

Top 12 Most Important New Laws Taking Effect In New Jersey 2024

1. Keeping Veterans Safe From Abuse

According to officials, scammers who prey on New Jersey military veterans may face severe consequences as a result of this bill. In return for assisting veterans and their families in obtaining their benefits, it establishes additional requirements for those who make payment requests.

The law mandates that people disclose whether or not they are connected to local, state, or federal veterans organizations. Under the state's Consumer Fraud Act, offenders would be subject to fines, quadruple the amount of loss, and attorney fees.

On August 25, Governor Murphy signed this bill, which became operative right away.

Murphy stated, "Our veterans have more than earned the benefits for which they and their loved ones are eligible. They put their lives on the line in service to our country." Veterinarians and their families need to be shielded from dishonest people who would overcharge them for assistance with such benefits. This legislation will assist in making sure that these wrongdoers either abide by all relevant federal rules or else pay a price.

2. Hormone Birth Control Tablets: No Prescription Required

S-275/A-4149, which Governor Phil Murphy signed into law, permits pharmacists in New Jersey to provide patients with "self-administered hormonal contraceptives" without a prescription. Click here to view the text in its entirety.

In New Jersey, patients generally cannot get self-administered hormonal contraceptives, such as tablets, patches, and rings, without a prescription from a registered healthcare provider. The bill mandates the issuance of a standing order allowing pharmacists to provide self-administered hormonal contraceptives to patients without a prescription and specifying the contraceptives that pharmacists are authorized to dispense in order to lower barriers to access to this essential family planning tool, according to Murphy.

Not only will New Jerseyans have access to contraception without a prescription, but pharmacists will also be able to give these contraceptives to patients, no matter where in the state they reside.

Under the proposed legislation, pharmacists would need to fulfill a training program and adhere to established protocols and procedures that have been jointly adopted by the State Board of Medical Examiners and the Board of Pharmacy in order to distribute self-administered hormonal contraceptives to patients without a prescription.

READ MORE: 19 Most Important New Laws Taking Effect in New York 2024

3. $80 million Urban Preservation Initiative launched

The governor's office reports that federal funding totaling $80 million will be utilized to maintain affordable housing in urban regions. The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency launched an Urban Preservation Program with the goal of funding development and rehabilitation projects in certain urban communities. This program was made possible by Bills A5596 and S3991.

4. Budget for fiscal year 2024: Tax reductions

After being ratified on June 30, the fiscal year 2024 budget resulted in 20 tax breaks for seniors and working-class and middle-class families.

According to Murphy, "The budget signed into law today will help make New Jersey more affordable for hardworking residents and families by boosting tax relief and investing in more affordable housing, social services, and education."

5. Program for police licensing

Murphy enacted the Police Licensing Program Bill on July 7, 2022. Beginning in January, all law enforcement personnel will need to possess a current, valid license granted by the Police Training Commission.

"Officers holding these licenses will be proven professionals who fulfill their duties with honesty and integrity, helping law enforcement strengthen and rebuild the bonds of trust between police and residents in the communities they serve, especially in our Black and brown communities," Murphy stated.

Three years after its issuance, officers must renew their licenses. A license may be revoked or not issued for specific behavior, like being convicted of a felony, committing domestic abuse, or engaging in unsafe or drug-related driving while operating a motor vehicle.

6. Assisting those who are first-generation homeowners

The First Generation Homebuyer Down Payment and Assistance Program, which offers qualified homeowners a loan of up to $15,000, was enlarged by Bills A5415 and S3780. Additionally, this law creates the Department of Community Affairs' Resilient Home Construction Pilot Program, which provides funding to developers to renovate pre-existing homes and construct brand-new, reasonably priced homes for sale.

7. Required alerts of flood risk

If a property is situated in a flood zone or area, has a history of flooding, or is at risk of flooding, landlords and property sellers are required to disclose this information to potential buyers.

Additionally, landlords are required by law (bills A4783/S3110) to inform tenants whether renters' insurance is offered through the National Flood Insurance program. Murphy and the bill's supporters, Assemblyman John McKeon (D-NJ-27) and Senator Bob Smith (D-NJ-17), claimed that the legislation gives New Jersey consumers more transparency and empowers them to make better decisions about where to live.

"Severe weather has caused increased flooding in New Jersey, and far too many people are unaware that their homes are in flood zones," McKeon said. "Requiring flood risk information will safeguard customers. Renters and home buyers who are aware that their neighborhood is vulnerable to flooding can acquire flood insurance to safeguard their belongings and feel more at ease.

8. Nursing

The current nursing requirements of the NJLAD are expanded by Senate Bill 3135 to include the following: (1) breastfeeding employees must be accommodated by their employers for as long as they choose; (2) breastfeeding employees are entitled to reasonable break time each day paid at the employee's regular rate of compensation; and (3) employers must provide job restructuring, a modified work schedule, and a private room or other location (other than a restroom) for the purpose of expressing milk.

9. Pay Openness

Assembly Bill 3937, in line with a growing trend in other states, mandates that employers with ten or more workers make a good faith effort to notify all current employees in the affected department of any internal or external promotional opportunities before deciding to make a promotion decision (defined as a change in job title and an increase in compensation). Any promotion given to an existing employee based on performance or years of experience is exempt from the notification obligation. Additionally, "a promotion on an emergent basis due to an unforeseen event" is not covered by it. This article shall be violated separately for each instance in which one promotional opportunity is not publicly announced, posted, or otherwise made known.

The bill also mandates that employers disclose the hourly wage or salary, or a range of the hourly wage or salary, and a list of benefits and other compensation programs for which the employee would be eligible within the first twelve months of employment in each posting for promotions, new jobs, and transfer opportunities that the employer advertises, either internally or externally. Interestingly, the measure does not forbid employers from raising the pay, perks, and wages listed in the job advertisement when they extend an offer of employment to a candidate. A new violation of this paragraph will occur for each job posting in which the information required by this subsection is omitted.

READ MORE: Top 21 Most Important New Laws Taking Effect In Illinois 2024

10. Computational Intelligence

In order to reduce the possibility of employment discrimination resulting from the use of automated employment decision tools throughout the hiring process, Assembly Bill 4909 "regulates their use." The bill forbids the selling of automated employment decision tools in the State unless: (1) the tool has been the subject of a bias audit within the previous year before the tool is sold or offered for sale; (2) the tool's sale includes an annual bias audit service that provides the audit's findings to the buyer at no additional cost; and (3) the tool is sold or offered for sale along with a notice indicating that it is subject to the bill's provisions. Furthermore, the bill mandates that anyone who utilizes an automated employment decision tool to screen a candidate for an employment decision must inform each candidate, within thirty days of the tool's use, of the following: (1) that the candidate's application for employment involved the use of an automated employment decision tool, which is auditable for bias; and (2) that the tool evaluated the candidate's qualities or job qualifications.

11.Sources of information leaks

The Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) in New Jersey is being amended by Assembly Bill 5637, which specifically grants "whistleblower" rights and protections to "C-Suite executives" (chief executive officer, chief operating officer, and chief financial officer) who object to or decline to engage in any activity that they believe breaches their fiduciary responsibilities.

12. An increase in the minimum wage

The minimum wage for most workers will rise by $1 on January 1st to $15.13 per hour.

Furthermore, pay increases are planned for:

Workers in small businesses and seasonal labor can earn up to $13.73 per hour; however, they must reach $15 by 2026.

Agricultural laborers, to $12.81 per hour (although by 2027, they must be paid $15).

Care staff in long-term care facilities are paid $18.13 per hour.

Summary

In general, after a relatively quiet 2023 legislative session in New Jersey—if you count the adoption of a comprehensive Temporary Workers Bill of Rights and a significant revision to the state's mini-WARN law as quiet—New Jersey employers should be aware of several significant bills that are moving through the legislature and could become law in 2024.

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