New Jersey S 424: "New Jersey Jobs Protection Act;" requires verification of employment.

Bill Text

S424 

SENATE, No. 424 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator BRIAN P. STACK

District 33 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes weatherization and energy efficiency 
pilot program to address open cockloft space between certain buildings; 
appropriates $30 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

�� 

An Act establishing a weatherization and energy efficiency 
pilot program, supplementing Title 40 and 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.� P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� 
) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall be known and may be cited 
as the �Urban Area Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Pilot Program Act.� 

���� 2.� The Legislature finds and 
declares that:

���� a.� Open cockloft space exists 
at the top of many buildings in urban areas of the State; 

���� b.� These spaces create 
significant heating and cooling problems in both winter and summer by allowing 
air to travel among buildings without obstruction, leading to elevated utility 
costs; 

���� c.� When a fire breaks out, 
open cockloft spaces also facilitate the ability of the fire to spread; and

���� d.� It is, therefore, 
appropriate for the Legislature to establish a pilot program in Union City, the 
City of Trenton, and the City of Camden, locations disproportionately affected 
by open cockloft spaces, to enhance the weatherization and energy efficiency of 
these spaces, and evaluate the ability of a weatherization and energy 
efficiency program to address the problems associated with these spaces.� 

���� 3.� As used in P.L.��� , c.��� 
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill): 

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

���� �Enforcing agency� means the 
enforcing agency in a municipality designated to administer and enforce the 
"State Uniform Construction Code Act" pursuant to section 8 of 
P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-126).

���� �Fire-rated separation� means 
a separation added between buildings in an open cockloft space, consisting of 
Type X fire-resistant drywall, or other fire-resistant wallboard, 
noncombustible insulation, or other materials authorized by the regulatory 
guidance of the department, and compliant with the �State Uniform Construction 
Code Act,� P.L. 1975, c. 217 (C. 52:27D-119 et seq.).

���� "Low-income 
household" means a household with a total current annual household income 
equal to 50 percent or less of the area median income for a household of the 
same size and composition.

���� "Moderate-income 
household" means a household with a total current gross annual household 
income in excess of 50 percent but less than 80 percent of the area median 
income for a household of the same size and composition.

���� �Open cockloft space� means a 
cockloft or attic space that is open or improperly sealed between two or more 
buildings, of which at least one is a residential building.� 

���� �Participating municipality� 
means Union City, the City of Trenton, or the City of Camden.

���� �Pilot program� means the 
Urban Area Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Pilot Program, established 
pursuant to section 4 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill).

���� �Residential building� means a 
building that includes or consists of space used for residential purposes, 
including but not limited to a row house, townhouse, or other single family 
dwelling, a duplex, a multifamily dwelling, or a hotel or motel.� 

���� �Weatherization and energy 
efficiency measures� means the installation of one or more fire-rated 
separations, and other improvements to an open cockloft space, provided 
pursuant to subsection c. of section 4 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending 
before the Legislature as this bill).

���� 4.� The Urban Area 
Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Pilot Program is established in Union 
City, the City of Trenton, and the City of Camden in order to identify open 
cockloft space, and provide weatherization protection, increased energy 
efficiency, and enhanced fire safety among connected residential buildings.� 

���� a.� The enforcing agency of a 
participating municipality shall, within one year of the effective date of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������ ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill), in consultation with the department, conduct 
an inventory of the residential buildings within its municipal boundaries to 
determine the number of open cockloft spaces that would benefit from 
weatherization and energy efficiency measures.� 

���� b.� If a property is 
identified in an inventory as containing an open cockloft space, then the 
participating municipality shall provide the property owner with an option to 
engage in weatherization and energy efficiency measures