5 New NJ Law Proposals That Could Impact Your Life

NEW JERSEY — A state Child Tax Credit program, making more students eligible for free meals, and removals of the terms "illegal alien" and "inmate" from state language are among the bills up for consideration that could impact New Jerseyans.

Here are five potentially life-changing proposals in the State Legislature:

Child Tax Credits (A3852, S2523)

Last month, lawmakers proposed the establishment of a New Jersey Child Tax Credit, which would give $500 to eligible families with children 6 or younger. The proposed laws

would provide direct cash payments on annual tax-refund checks to families with young children in households that earn less than $80,000 annually.

Payments would total $500 for each eligible child for incomes up to $30,000, with payments reduced by $10 for each $1,000 earned over $30,000. For instance, a household earning $60,000 would receive $200 for each eligible child. The bill would impact an estimated 400,000 children — about two-thirds of young children — in the state, according to lawmakers supporting the measure

Proponents seek to return the relief many families received under last year's expansion of the federal child tax credit, which provided families with $3,600 per child younger than 6 and $3,000 per child age 6 to 17. The federal tax-credit expansion expired Dec. 15, increasing the national child poverty rate from 12 to 17 percent in one month, according to Columbia University's Center on Poverty & Social Policy.

Free School Meals (A2368, S1677)

For the past two years, the National School Lunch Program allowed children — regardless of their family's income level — to receive free school meals if their district opted into the program. Congress failed to extend the federal goverment's free-lunch waivers, setting them up to expire June 30.

In the midst of many children on the verge of losing access to free school breakfasts and lunches, Democratic lawmakers are pushing to restore eligibility for some New Jersey children. Families at 185 percent of the federal poverty line currently qualify for free school lunch. A New Jersey bill would increase eligibility to 200 percent of the poverty level.

That means a family of four earning $55,550 or less would qualify for free school meals if the proposal becomes law, according to federal poverty standards.

The State Assembly passed the bill May 26 with a 75-3-1 vote, advancing the measure to the State Senate.

Lawsuits Against Gun Manufacturers (S1893, A1765)

In the wake of mass murders in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, Gov. Phil Murphy urged lawmakers to pass a series of gun-control measures his administration proposed in April 2021. One of the proposals just moved forward.

The bill would allow the state attorney general to file public-nuisance claims against members of the gun industry. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-3 Monday to advance the measure. Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the bill. Among the four Republicans on the committee, three voted no and one didn't vote.

Almost 80 percent of guns used in New Jersey crimes were purchased out-of-state, Murphy's administration said last year. After May 24's shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 students and two teachers, Murphy attacked several Republican lawmakers by name in his call for stringer gun measures.

New Jersey's legislative Republicans have said Murphy's proposals would disproportionately impact law-abiding residents. Read more: Fight Over NJ Gun Laws Heats Up As Murphy Attacks GOP

Nonetheless, the State Legislature have yet to move Murphy's gun-control proposals to the governor's desk, despite Democrats holding majorities in the State Senate and Assembly.

Addressing the Shortage of School Bus Drivers (S1682/2152)

School districts have struggled with a driver shortage throughout the pandemic. But the Senate Transportation Committee approved a potential solution Thursday with a 6-0 vote.

The measure would allow drivers to transport students in Type S school buses that can accommodate up to nine passengers without requiring commercial driver's licenses.

"Under this bill, short-handed school districts and transportation companies could free-up drivers with CDL-licenses to handle larger buses and more students," said State Senator Ron Singer (R-30), who sponsored the legislation. "Schools have an ongoing need to move small groups or lone students to lessons or events. It makes sense to allow safe drivers with good, clean driving records to take the wheel of smaller Type S-classified vehicles that do not require the special skills of CDL training."

No More 'Illegal Aliens?' (S2599, A3333)

New Jersey statutes refer to undocumented immigrants as "illegal aliens" more than 80 times. The proposed measure would replace the term with language supporters say is more humanizing.

If passed, the law would update state statutes mentioning "alien" and "illegal alien" with "foreign national" and "undocumented foreign national." The bill advanced Monday with a 3-0 vote from the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee.

The state Law Revision Commission is also set to meet Thursday to consider a report that calls for removing the term "inmate" from state statute in regards to the incarcerated population. The report references New York replacing "inmate" with "incarcerated individual" last August.