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19 new laws address pharmacy technician authority, cosmetology student permits, fire safety, ballot signatures, and more.
Governor Phil Murphy has signed a total of 19 new pieces of legislation into law; 15 signed into law on January 30, and 4 additional bills signed into law today, February 3, 2025.
Today, the Governor enacted four bills concerning pharmacy technician authority, student permit regulations for shampoo technicians, fire safety rules, and ballot signature requirements in elections.
On January 30, 2025, the Governor signed 15 other bills dealing with areas such as elder-friendly telecommunications policy, child support procedures, solar interconnection improvements, environmental infrastructure funding, and more.
February 3, 2025 Bills
A-1899/S-1981 (Conaway, Speight/Vitale, Mukherji): Expands the authority of pharmacy technicians to administer certain drugs and vaccines and permits qualifying pharmacists, pharmacy interns, externs, and technicians to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. By clarifying training requirements and broadening the scope of practice, the law aims to improve public health access and reduce burdens on the health care system.
A-3414/SCS for S-2245 (Murphy, Lampitt, Speight/Ruiz, Turner, McKnight): Modifies regulations for student permits issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. The law adds oversight for individuals seeking employment as shampoo technicians, establishing guidelines for training and supervision. It seeks to clarify professional pathways while ensuring consumer safety and proper industry standards.
A-3894/S-2580 (Murphy, Quijano/Bucco, Singleton): Amends fire safety statutes to update licensure procedures, equipment requirements, and define liability, fee, and penalty provisions. The legislation also expands the membership of the Fire Protection Equipment Advisory Committee. By modernizing these rules, the State seeks to bolster public safety and maintain robust standards for firefighting equipment maintenance.
A-5117/S-3994 (Greenwald/Beach, Sarlo): Alters the number of signatures required for candidates to be placed on primary, general, nonpartisan municipal, and school election ballots. It also mandates that the Secretary of State publish updated nominating petition forms by January 1 each year. In streamlining the signature requirement process, the law seeks to enhance transparency and uniformity in election administration.
January 30, 2025 Bills (Previously Signed)
S-684/A-2334 (Singer, Diegnan/Tully, Swain, Sampson): Requires telecommunications, cable, and internet service providers to let consumers pause or cancel contracts if they are admitted to a long-term care facility. By removing exit penalties and obstacles, this measure protects vulnerable individuals from unwarranted financial burdens.
S-720/A-4168 (Burgess, Vitale/Reynolds-Jackson, Atkins, Stanley): Requires the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) to consult with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) when a child abuse or neglect finding involves someone with a developmental disability, ensuring that a specialized services plan is created to address the individual’s needs.
S-2331/A-3517 (Ruiz, Vitale/Speight, McCoy, Haider): Titled the “Equitable Outcomes in Child Support Collection Act,” this law refines how child support is collected for children in DCPP custody. It provides guidelines that aim to promote fairness in how collected funds benefit children and minimize administrative confusion.
S-3179/A-2941 (Cryan/Schaer, Wimberly): Concerns emergency operations plans submitted to law enforcement agencies. By updating submission protocols and content requirements, the measure seeks to strengthen overall public safety, readiness, and coordination among local, county, and state law enforcement.
S-3308/A-4513 (Scutari, Greenstein/Speight, Karabinchak, Wimberly): Requires electric public utilities to adopt streamlined interconnection processes for grid-supply solar and energy storage facilities. These procedural enhancements seek to reduce bottlenecks, accelerate clean energy adoption, and improve grid resilience.
S-3879/A-5123 (Timberlake/Morales, Carter, Miller): Amends the lists of projects eligible for environmental infrastructure loans under the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB) for Fiscal Year 2025. The measure aims to facilitate critical water treatment, stormwater management, and other environmental upgrades.
S-3880/A-5124 (Lagana/Swain, Park, Freiman): Updates hazard mitigation and resilience projects approved for NJIB funding under the FY2025 Community Hazard Assistance Mitigation Program. It focuses on community-level undertakings to curb vulnerabilities from severe weather events, such as flooding and storms.
S-3881/A-5122 (Cruz-Perez, Beach/Rodriguez, Bailey, Bagolie): Amends the roster of environmental infrastructure projects authorized for long-term funding by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the FY2025 environmental infrastructure program. It underscores sustainable water and wastewater solutions essential for public health.
S-3921/A-5090 (Sarlo/Calabrese): Allows standardbred horse racing purse subsidies to be reallocated from Freehold Raceway to the Meadowlands Racetrack under specific conditions. The law helps maintain the competitiveness and fiscal stability of New Jersey’s racing industry.
S-3922/A-5120 (Zwicker, Turner/Peterpaul, Verrelli, Moen): Appropriates $18,518,738 from constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax (CBT) revenues to the New Jersey Historic Trust for grants tied to historic preservation projects. A portion covers the administrative costs of overseeing these grants, reflecting the state’s commitment to safeguarding heritage sites.
S-3936/A-5119 (Singleton, Johnson/Drulis, Sampson, Murphy): Appropriates $60 million in CBT revenues for recreation and conservation to the DEP, targeting capital improvements and park development. By enhancing New Jersey’s outdoor spaces, the measure promotes sustainable land use and public well-being.
SJR-76/AJR-101 (Ruiz, Turner/Lampitt, Matsikoudis, Rodriguez): Designates the second Friday in December each year as “PSRPs in Our Schools Day.” This resolution spotlights the essential role of paraprofessionals and school-related personnel (PSRPs) in classrooms statewide, recognizing their contributions to student success.
A-4571/S-3472 (Calabrese, Lopez, Verrelli/Zwicker, Johnson): Makes various modifications to the powers and duties of the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, aiming to enhance its capacity to manage financial assistance programs and oversee compliance on infrastructure projects.
A-4968/S-3839 (Calabrese, Carter/Diegnan, Mukherji): Revises the list of transportation infrastructure projects eligible for NJIB loans for FY2025, emphasizing improvements to roads, bridges, and mass transit systems. This legislative update aims to reduce congestion, enhance safety, and promote robust development.
A-5121/S-3943 (Katz, Egan, Collazos-Gill/Vitale, Diegnan): Appropriates $49.5 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to the DEP for acquiring lands for recreation and conservation, including Blue Acres floodplain buyout initiatives. It also covers administrative costs for the Green Acres Program.
Together, these 19 new laws represent broad alterations to public health, environmental resilience, social welfare, and infrastructure modernization laws in the Garden State. From pharmacy practice and cosmetology student permits to advancing large-scale environmental and hazard mitigation projects, Governor Murphy’s latest legislative actions impact a wide range of residents within the Garden State.
