[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 4709

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED OCTOBER 20, 2025

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Singleton, Wimberly, Ruiz and Moriarty

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires automatic enrollment into utility bill payment assistance programs for certain individuals and households.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on January 8, 2026, with amendments.

  


An Act requiring automatic enrollment into 1[energy] utility bill payment1 assistance programs for certain individuals and households and supplementing 1[Chapter 27D of]1 Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  1For the purposes of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), “ongoing assistance” means assistance, including monetary assistance, provided to recipients of a needs-based public assistance program that does not expire upon reaching a pre-determined total amount of assistance received or pre-determined total time period during which assistance was received.  “Ongoing assistance” shall include utility shutoff prevention provided pursuant to the Winter Termination Program and Summer Termination Program.

     b.1   The Department of Human Services 2[1together with the Department of the Treasury1]2 shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency program to] that provides ongoing assistance to recipients.  The memorandum of understanding shall require the Department of Human Services 2[and Department of the Treasury]2 to1 provide information 1to the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program that provides ongoing assistance to recipients1 concerning recipients of 1or households eligible for any of the following1 needs-based public assistance 1[, including through the following]1 programs: 

     (1)   Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pursuant to Pub.L.104-193 (42 U.S.C. s.601 et seq.);

     (2)   Work First New Jersey pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.);

     (3)   the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.);

     (4)   the supplemental security income program pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, Pub.L.92-603 (42 U.S.C. s.1381 et seq.); and

     (5)   any other State or federal needs-based public assistance program, as provided for in a memorandum of understanding required to be entered into pursuant to this subsection. 

     The information provided by the Department of Human Services 2[1and the Department of the Treasury1]2 shall include information necessary to enroll those recipients of 1or households eligible for a1 needs-based public assistance 1program listed in this subsection 2[, if qualified,1]2 into 1any1 utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency programs]1 administered by the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency program, if qualified] that provides ongoing assistance to recipients1.

     1[b.] c.  The Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program that provides ongoing assistance to recipients shall review the eligibility criteria and recipient data for any needs-based public assistance program administered by the respective agency to identify the information necessary to enroll those recipients of needs-based public assistance programs into any utility bill payment assistance program listed in subsection d. of this section.

     d.1   Notwithstanding any State law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and only to the extent permitted by federal law, a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to subsection 1[a.] b.1 of this section shall further require the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, or any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency program,] that provides ongoing assistance to recipients1 to, based on the information received from the Department of Human Services 2[1and the Department of the Treasury]2 , and the review conducted pursuant to subsection c. of this section1, automatically enroll 1[recipients of the following programs] eligible households1 into 1the following1 utility bill payment assistance 1[program or energy efficiency]1 programs that the State agency administers 1[and for which the individual or household qualifies]1: 

     (1)   1[Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pursuant to Pub.L.104-193 (42 U.S.C. s.601 et seq.);

     (2)   Work First New Jersey pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.);

     (3)   the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.);

     (4)   the supplemental security income program pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, Pub.L.92-603 (42 U.S.C.s.1381 et seq.); and

     (5)] the "Universal Service Fund," established pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60);

     (2)   the Winter Termination Program codified pursuant to P.L.2021, c.317 (C.40A:5A-28 et al.);

     (3)   the Summer Termination Program established pursuant to P.L.2025, c.145 (C.40A:5A-31 et al.); and

     (4)1  any other State 1[or federal needs-based public assistance program, as provided for in a memorandum of understanding required to be entered into pursuant to subsection a. of this section] utility bill payment assistance program that provides ongoing assistance to recipients.  A State agency shall not automatically enroll a household into a utility bill payment assistance program that provides a one-time grant or other limited-use assistance1.

 

     2.  The Department of Community Affairs, Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers 1[an]1 a utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency program may] that provides ongoing assistance to recipients shall1, in consultation with the Department of Human Services 2[1and the Department of the Treasury1]2 , pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), promulgate rules and regulations, as necessary, to effectuate the provisions of P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

 

     3.  This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except that the Department of Human Services, 2[1Department of the Treasury,1]2 Department of Community Affairs, Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program 1[or energy efficiency program] that provides ongoing assistance to recipients1 may take action to enter into a memorandum of understanding as required by section 1 of P.L.    , c.    1(C.        )1 (pending before the Legislature as this bill)1[,]1 and 1to1 establish rules and regulations in advance of the effective date as necessary.