New Jersey Lawmakers Passed Over 600 Bills in Two Years. Here Are the Key Ones.

While the Legislature’s main function is to enact an annual state budget, there were more than 600 bills passed by lawmakers during the two-year run of the 221st Legislature. Here are several key non-budget bills passed by the Legislature.

OPRA – A4045/S2930 rewrites the Open Public Records Act to restrict access to public records, especially for commercial businesses, and allows judges more latitude in awarding attorneys fees to record requesters.

Prudential Center: A6306/S5031 appropriates $300 million to renovate and refurbish the Prudential Center in Newark.

Cell phones in schools: A4882/S3695 requires all school districts in New Jersey to adopt policies restricting the use of cell phones and other internet-enabled devices in K-12 schools.

Target Zero – A1476/S361  established the “New Jersey Target Zero Commission,”  tasked with developing a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities by 2040. 

Property Tax Relief: A4706/S3693 expanded property tax relief programs and enacted StayNJ, which cuts property taxes in half for most seniors. The bill also streamlined the application process forANCHOR and Senior Freeze property tax relief programs.

Affordable Housing: A4/S50 overhauls New Jersey’s affordable housing obligations system, abolishing the Council on Affordable Housing.

Freedom to Read: A3446/S2421 enacted “Freedom to Read” legislation, establishing requirements for public school libraries and public libraries to draft criteria for banning any books. The bill also provided protections to school librarians and staff members from public reprisals.

Reproductive Health: A4915/S3663 establishes a “reproductive health travel advisory” for those traveling outside of New Jersey to states where laws differ from New Jersey; A4191/S3157 protects access to assisted reproductive technology.