The NJ State Legislature has not meet since the end of June, despite an announcement to meet over the summer to fill judicial vacancies, with over 50 vacancies and some counties no longer having trials. With summer break and all 40 Senate seats and 80 Assembly seats up for election, the legislative calendar is empty. It usually resumes committee and quorum calls in mid-November and then it is lame duck time. The Governor has been signing bills that were passed at the end of June.

• A4682: Establishes employment protections for certain service employees during changes of ownership. We have been following this bill and I believe we opposed it. The bill requires a successor employer to retain an affected service employee at a covered location for 60 days or until its service contract is terminated, whichever is earlier.

7/24/2023 Approved P.L.2023, c.128. Now a Law

• A4694: Concerns tax treatment of individual’s income earned outside state of residence. The bill creates a “convenience of the employer” test for residents of states that impose a similar test. This means that if an employee’s state of residence uses a convenience of the employer test when determining the source of income of nonresidents, and the employee works for a New Jersey employer from a location in their state of residence for their own convenience, then the New Jersey employer must include those days as days worked in New Jersey and withhold accordingly.

7/21/2023 Approved P.L.2023, c.125. Now a Law

• A5286: Modifies employee health benefits requirements under certain economic development programs. This bill modifies the employee health benefits requirements under the Business Retention and Relocation Assistance Grant Program, the Business Employment Incentive Program, and the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program. The bill would allow certain businesses participating in these programs to satisfy this requirement if the employee health benefits are provided by the business or pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement, no later than 90 days of employee start date, under a health benefits plan authorized pursuant to State or federal law.

8/16/2023 Approved P.L.2023, c.143 Now a Law

• S3508/A4284: Prohibits seller from imposing certain surcharge for credit card transactions; establishes certain notice requirements regarding surcharge.

8/18/2023 Approved P.L.2023, c.146 Now a Law

• S3989: Establishes “Boardwalk Preservation Fund” in DCA; appropriates $100 million from federal “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.” The purpose of providing matching grants to counties and municipalities in amounts equal to reasonable and necessary county and municipal expenditures or contributions concerning boardwalk construction, maintenance, reconstruction, and repair projects.

8/15/2023 Approved P.L.2023, c.136. Now a Law