New Jersey A 5179: Requires appointment of State monitor to school districts that receive 70 percent or more of revenue from State aid.

Bill Text

A5179 

ASSEMBLY, No. 5179 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED JUNE 1, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� HEATHER SIMMONS

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

SYNOPSIS

���� Prohibits payment of subminimum wage due to age, 
disability, injury, or status as apprentice, learner, or student through 
special license issued by DOLWD. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act concerning payment of subminimum wage, revising 
various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing P.L.1966, c.113 
(C.34:11-56a et seq.).

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

���� 1.��� (New section)� The 
Legislature finds and declares that: 

���� a.���� New 
Jersey raised its minimum wage in 2018 because every worker deserves a fair 
day�s pay for a fair day�s work.

���� b.��� The elimination of 
subminimum wages is essential to promote economic justice and pay parity for 
all, notwithstanding age, disability, injury, or status as an apprentice, 
learner, or student.� 

���� c.���� New Jersey law 
currently authorizes employers to pay persons less than the State minimum wage 
due to age, disability, injury, or status as an apprentice, learner, or student 
upon the receipt of a special permit from the New Jersey Department of Labor 
and Workforce Development�s Wage and Hour Division.

���� d.��� According to the 
findings made by the United States Commission on Civil Rights in September 
2020, it has been repeatedly found that, in particular, persons with 
disabilities working under a special permit are limited from realizing their 
full potential while allowing providers and businesses to profit from their 
labor.

���� e.���� There are a growing 
number of states that now recognize that the payment of subminimum wages is a 
discriminatory practice and have thus imposed a ban on their use.

���� f.���� Therefore, beginning 
with the effective date of this act, employers are prohibited from paying 
subminimum wages to individuals due to age, disability, injury, or status as an 
apprentice, learner, or student through the issuance of a special license from 
the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development�s Wage and Hour 
Division.

���� 2.��� Section 1 of P.L.1987, 
c.455 (C.34:16-51) is amended to read as follows: 

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds 
and declares that many [handicapped 
citizens] 
persons with disabilities enrolled in [sheltered 
(] 
extended [)] employment 
programs at sheltered workshops [earn 
subminimum wages in a noncompetitive working environment and therefore] require 
financial assistance so that they may meet their transportation costs.

���� The Legislature further finds 
and declares that the Department of Labor and Workforce Development through 
its Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, in conjunction with the 
Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services and 
the sheltered workshops of this State, should play a major role in defraying 
the costs of [public] 
transportation and paratransit expenses of [handicapped 
citizens] 
persons with disabilities enrolled in [sheltered 
(] 
extended [)] employment 
programs at sheltered workshops.

(cf: P.L.1987, c.455, s.1)

���� 3.��� Section 1 of P.L.2005, 
c.318 (C.54:10A-5.38) is amended to read as follows: 

���� 1.��� a.� A taxpayer shall be 
allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1945, 
c.162 (C.54:10A-5), in an amount equal to 20% of the salary and wages paid by 
the taxpayer during the privilege period for the employment of a qualified person, 
but not to exceed $1,000 for each qualified person for the privilege period.

���� b.��� As used in this section:

���� "Qualified person" 
means an extended employee, within the meaning of that term as set forth in 
section 2 of P.L.1971, c.272 (C.34:16-40) [, 
to whom the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, under subsection 
(b) of section 18 of P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a17), shall have issued a 
special license authorizing employment at wages less than the minimum wage 
rate,] 
and who, for at least 26 weeks during the privilege period, shall have 
performed at least 25 hours per week of work at or under the supervision of a 
sheltered workshop pursuant to a contract between the taxpayer and the 
sheltered workshop.

���� "Sheltered workshop" 
means an occupation-oriented facility operated by a nonprofit agency with which 
the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the Department of Labor 
and Workforce Development shall have entered into a contract under section 4 of 
P.L.1971, c.272 (C.34:16-42) to furnish extended employment programs to 
eligible individuals.

���� c.���� The amount of the 
credit applied under this section against the tax imposed pursuant to section 5 
of P.L.1945, c.162 (C.54:10A-5), for a privilege period, when taken together 
with any other credits allowed against the tax imposed purs