New Jersey S 3631: Provides increased flexibility in school district enrollment for military-connected students.

Bill Text

S3631 1R 

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3631 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Allied Health Care Professional Loan 
Redemption Program.� 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As reported by the Senate Higher Education Committee 
on May 18, 2026, with amendments.

�� 

An Act establishing the Allied Health Care Professional Loan 
Redemption Program and supplementing chapter 71C of Title 18A of the New Jersey 
Statutes.

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

���� 1.��� As used in this act:

���� �Allied 1[Health Care 
Professional�] 
health care professional�1 
means an individual who provides professional services and is licensed or 
certified in New Jersey by a professional or occupational licensing board or 
other State agency, as any of the following: respiratory specialists, 
phlebotomists, diagnostic medical sonographers, dieticians, medical 
technologists, occupational and physical therapists, 1athletic 
trainers,1 
radiographers, speech language pathologists, home health aides, certified 
nursing assistants, advance practice registered nurses, clinical nurse 
specialists, medical assistants, respiratory therapists, nutritionists, 
radiation therapists, medical secretaries, radiological technologists, 
ultrasound technologists, surgical technologists, pharmacy technicians, other 
clinical support professionals, culinary professionals, and any other 
professionals, except for physicians, identified by the executive director for 
inclusion in the program.

���� �Authority� means the Higher 
Education Student Assistance Authority.

���� �Eligible qualifying loan 
expenses� means the cumulative outstanding balance of student loans covering 
the cost of attendance in an undergraduate or graduate degree program offered 
by an institution of higher education or other credentialing program offered by 
a licensed proprietary institution required to practice in an allied health 
care profession at the time the applicant is selected for the program.� 
Interest paid or due on qualifying loans that an applicant has taken out for 
use in paying the costs of postsecondary education required to practice in an 
allied health care profession shall be considered eligible for reimbursement 
under the program.

���� �Executive director� means the 
executive director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

���� �Health care facility� means a 
health care facility licensed by the Department of Health pursuant to the 
�Health Care Facilities Planning Act,� P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).

���� �Program� means the Allied 
Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program established pursuant to this 
act.

���� �Program participant� means an 
allied health care professional who contracts with the authority to provide 
services at a health care facility, or in the case of an allied health care 
professional who is a home health aide provides services in a home, in exchange 
for the redemption of eligible qualifying loan expenses.

���� �Qualifying loan� means a 
government or commercial loan for the actual costs paid for tuition and 
reasonable education and living expenses relating to obtaining a degree or 
required credential necessary for an individual to seek employment as an allied 
health care professional.

���� �Total and permanent 
disability� means a physical or mental disability that is expected to continue 
indefinitely or result in death and renders a program participant unable to 
perform that person�s service obligation, as determined by the executive director.

���� 2.��� There is established an 
Allied Health Care Professional Loan Redemption Program within the Higher 
Education Student Assistance Authority.� The program shall provide for the 
redemption of a portion of the eligible qualifying loan expenses of program 
participants for each year of service as a program participant for up to four 
one-year periods.

���� 3.��� To be eligible to 
participate in the program, an applicant shall:

���� a.���� be a resident of the 
State;

���� b.��� have obtained a degree 
or credential in an allied health care professional field; and

���� c.���� agree to practice as an 
allied health care professional as a program participant pursuant to the 
provisions of this act.

���� 4.��� a.� An allied health 
care professional may apply to the authority for loan redemption in such manner 
as prescribed by the authority.

���� b.��� A program participant 
shall enter into a contract with the authority to participate in the program.� 
The contract shall:

���� (1) include the duration of 
the program participant�s required service and the total amount of eligible 
qualifying loan expenses to be redeemed by the authority in return for service;

���� (2)�� require a program 
participant be employed for a