New Jersey A 2227: Provides gross income tax deduction to eligible educators and paraprofessionals for expense of classroom supplies.*

Bill Text

A2227 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2227 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Provides incentives for certified nurse aides and 
nursing students to work as direct support professionals; makes appropriation.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning direct support professionals, supplementing 
Title 26 and Title 45 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

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

���� 1.� a.� The Department of 
Health shall establish a certified nurse aide funding program to distribute 
monies to employers of certified nurse aides, who provide direct support 
professional services under the employer, in an amount that is necessary to compensate 
the certified nurse aide for work as a direct support professional at the pay 
rate equal to the pay rate typically paid for certified nurse aide services, as 
determined by the department.� The monies shall be used by the employers to 
incentivize certified nurse aides who are employed by the employer to work as 
direct support professionals.� The Commissioner of Health shall establish an 
application process, guidelines, and compliance standards for the certified 
nurse aide funding program.

���� 2.� The New Jersey Board of 
Nursing shall require schools of nursing approved by the board to grant a 
nursing student, who works as a direct support professional, academic credit 
towards the student�s nursing degree for the student�s experience as a direct 
support professional.

���� 3.� The Commissioner of Health 
and the New Jersey Board of Nursing shall each adopt rules and regulations, 
pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et 
seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

���� 4.� There is appropriated from 
the General Fund to the Department of Health such funds as are necessary to 
effectuate the provisions of this act.

���� 5.� This act shall take effect 
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill provides incentives 
for certified nurse aides and nursing students to work as direct support 
professionals.

���� The bill establishes a 
certified nurse aide funding program in the Department of Health (DOH) to 
distribute monies to employers of certified nurse aides, who provide direct 
support professional services under the employer, in an amount that is 
necessary to compensate the certified nurse aide for work as a direct support 
professional at the pay rate equal to the pay rate typically paid for certified 
nurse aide services, as determined by the DOH.� The Commissioner of Health will 
establish an application process, guidelines, and compliance standards for the 
certified nurse aide funding program. 

���� Under the bill, the New Jersey 
Board of Nursing (board) will require schools of nursing approved by the board 
to grant a nursing student, who works as a direct support professional, 
academic credit towards the student�s nursing degree for the student�s experience 
as a direct support professional.

���� The bill appropriates from the 
General Fund to the Department of Health such funds as are necessary to 
effectuate the provisions of the bill.