New Jersey A 3990: Allows dependent students whose parents or guardians hold H-1B visas to qualify for in-State tuition at public institutions of higher education provided they meet certain criteria.*

Bill Text

A3990 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3990 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� RAVI S. BHALLA

District 32 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman� KATIE BRENNAN

District 32 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes NJHousing pilot program for rental 
assistance. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act establishing the NJHousing Pilot Program to provide 
cash assistance to certain rent burdened households, supplementing Title 52, 
and making an appropriation.

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

���� 1.� a.� For the purposes of 
this section:

���� �Cash transfer� means a 
payment from the department to an enrolled household.

���� �Department� means the 
Department of Community Affairs.

���� �Enrolled household� means a 
qualified applicant who is selected for participation in the pilot program 
through the lottery conducted pursuant to subsection e. of this section, and 
enters into a cash transfer assistance agreement with the department.

���� �NJHousing cash transfer� 
means a sum of money, the amount of which shall be calculated by the department 
upon selection of a qualified applicant as an enrolled household in the pilot 
program, that shall be paid by the department to an enrolled household each 
month of the pilot program.� The NJHousing cash transfer shall be in the form 
of cash payment and shall not be subject to any requirement or limitation on 
how an enrolled household spends the NJHousing cash transfer.� The amount of a 
household�s NJHousing cash transfer shall be determined by the department 
pursuant to subsection f. of this section.

���� �Payment period� means the 24 
month period during which the pilot program shall 

���� �Pilot program� means the 
NJHousing Pilot Program administered by the department pursuant to subsection 
b. of this section.

���� �Qualified applicant� means a 
household for which a complete application meets the criteria established by 
the department pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

���� �Rent burden� means a 
household�s rent cost as a percent of household income.

���� b.� There is established in 
the Department of Community Affairs a NJHousing Pilot Program for the purpose 
of providing assistance to support housing security among New Jersey renters at 
risk of eviction.� The appropriation made to the department for the pilot 
program pursuant to section 2 of P.L.��� , c.��� (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill) shall be used for the following purposes:

���� (1)� up to $40,000 to the 
department for administrative costs;

���� (2)� $20,000 for public 
outreach to solicit applications from New Jersey residents pursuant to 
subsection c. of this section;

���� (3)� $10,000 for survey 
respondents pursuant to subsection g. of this section; and

���� (4)� all remaining funds for 
cash transfers pursuant to subsection f. of this section.

���� c.� On or before the first day 
of the fifth month next following the enactment of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.��������� 
) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the department shall make 
available on the department�s Internet website an application portal for 
residents to apply for enrollment in the pilot program.� The department shall 
additionally conduct a public outreach initiative to solicit applications.� 
This outreach campaign shall include, but not be limited to: Internet 
advertisements; proliferation of pilot program information to local housing and 
human services agencies; and traditional advertisements.� The department shall 
cease accepting applications on the first day of the sixth month next following 
the enactment of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.��������� ) (pending before the Legislature 
as this bill).

���� d.� (1)� The department shall 
establish criteria for pilot program eligibility.� The department�s criteria 
shall consider: household income; risk of eviction; and rent burden.� The 
department�s criteria may consider: history of eviction; risk of homelessness; 
number of dependent household members; and other criteria, as selected by the 
department.

���� (2)� The department shall 
evaluate each submitted application for eligibility.� The department shall 
enroll qualified applicants who meet the criteria for eligibility established 
by the department into the lottery pursuant to subsection e. of this section.

���� e.� The department shall 
randomly select, by county and through lottery, a number of qualified 
applicants from each county that is proportional to the number of qualified 
applicants reside in each county.� The department shall randomly select 300 
qualified applicants to be enrolled households upon entering a cash transfer 
assistance agreement with the department.

���� f.� (1)� The department shall 
establish a formula for the amount of a household�s NJHousing cash transfer, 
which shall be calculated from the household�s rent burden and income.