New Jersey A 3062: Establishes three year Financial Empowerment Pilot Program.

Bill Text

A3062 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3062 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CHRIS TULLY

District 38 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman HEATHER SIMMONS

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Stanley and Karabinchak

SYNOPSIS

���� Codifies Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship 
Program at Eagleton Institute of Politics; makes appropriation.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

��

An Act codifying the Eagleton Science and Politics 
Fellowship Program, supplementing Title 52 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.� 
There is established the Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship Program at 
the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, the State University.� 
Scientists, engineers, and health care professionals with a PhD or equivalent 
doctoral professional degree in natural sciences, engineering, or healthcare 
shall be selected to participate in the program as fellows.� 

����� b.�� The 
State shall appropriate funds in each fiscal year to the Eagleton Institute of 
Politics at Rutgers, the State University to finance the stipends and benefits 
provided to a minimum of four fellows pursuant to subsection c. of this 
section, and for the cost of administering the Eagleton Science and Politics 
Fellowship Program.

����� c.�� A 
minimum of four fellows shall be selected each year and shall be assigned to 
work with the New Jersey Legislature and the Executive Branch.� The fellows 
shall be referred to as the John Weingart Science Fellows.� 

����� At 
least two of the fellows shall be assigned to work with the Legislature, and at 
least two of the fellows shall be assigned to work in the Executive Branch.� 
Each fellow assigned to work with the Legislature shall be placed in either the 
Office of Legislative Services, the Senate Majority Office, the Senate Minority 
Office, the General Assembly Majority Office, or the General Assembly Minority 
Office.� Of the fellows assigned to work in the Executive Branch, placement 
shall be determined by the Director of the Eagleton Science and Politics 
Fellowship Program, appointed pursuant to subsection d. of this section, in 
consultation with interested State offices.� 

����� Each 
fellow shall receive a stipend during the period of the fellowship, as well as 
health, dental, and vision benefits for the term of their fellowship.� Each 
fellow shall participate for a period of one year on a full time basis.

����� d.�� The 
Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, the State University 
shall appoint the Director of the Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship 
Program, who shall administer the program and recruit and select the fellows.

����� 2.�� a.� 
Notwithstanding any other funds allocated, there is appropriated from the State 
General Fund to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, the State 
University for the Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship Program the sum of $360,000 
for the stipends and the administrative costs of the program, implementing the 
provisions of P.L.�� , c.�� (C.�� ) (pending before the Legislature as this 
bill).

���� b.��� Commencing 
in State fiscal year 2025, there shall be annually appropriated from the 
General Fund to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, the State 
University for the Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship Program, a minimum 
of $520,000 to support the program.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill codifies the 
Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship Program at the Eagleton Institute of 
Politics at Rutgers, the State University.� The program will be funded by the 
State, and the fellows will be referred to as the John Weingart Science 
Fellows.� John Weingart is a former Associate Director of the Eagleton 
Institute of Politics and a founder of the fellowship program.� 

���� A minimum of four fellows who 
are scientists, engineers, and health care professionals with a PhD or 
equivalent doctoral professional degree in natural sciences, engineering, or 
healthcare will be selected each year and assigned to work with the New Jersey 
Legislature and the Executive Branch.� The director of the fellowship program 
will determine the placement of the fellows assigned to work in the Executive 
Branch, as well as recruit and select all the fellows.� 

���� This bill appropriates $360,000 
for the stipends and the administrative costs of the program.� The bill also 
appropriates a minimum of $520,000 annually to support the program.