New Jersey A 3495: Provides changes to transportation planning and funding process to reduce costs of certain transportation infrastructure projects.

Bill Text

A3495 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3495 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ

District 19 (Middlesex)

Assemblyman ALEXANDER "AVI" SCHNALL

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Creates Office of Nonprofit Ombudsperson in 
Department of Treasury; appropriates $329,000.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

�� 

An Act creating the Office of the Nonprofit Ombudsperson in 
the Department of the Treasury, supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, 
amending P.L.2011, c.73, and making an appropriation.

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

���� 1.��� (New section) As used in 
sections 2 and 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending 
before the Legislature as this bill):

���� �Head of the agency� means and 
includes the individual or group of individuals constituting the highest 
authority within any agency authorized or required by law to render an 
adjudication in a contested case, as defined in section 2 of the �Administrative 
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-2).

���� �Nonprofit information center 
portal� means the single accessible location on the Department of State�s 
designated home website to provide information for nonprofit organizations 
regarding various resources available to assist them in their daily operations, 
as established pursuant to P.L.2011, c.73 (C.52:16A-110 et seq.);

���� �Nonprofit Ombudsperson� means 
the person appointed by the Governor pursuant to section 2 of P.L.���� , c.��� 
(C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� �Nonprofit organization� means 
an entity that is exempt from federal income taxation under paragraph (3) of 
subsection (c) of section 501 of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 
U.S.C. s.501).

���� �State agency� or �agency� 
means and includes each of the principal departments in the executive branch of 
the State Government, and all boards, divisions, commissions, agencies, 
departments, councils, authorities, offices or officers within any such departments 
now existing or hereafter established and authorized by statute to make, adopt, 
or promulgate rules or adjudicate contested cases, except the office of the 
Governor, as defined in section 2 of the �Administrative Procedure Act,� 
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-2).

���� 2.��� (New section) a.� There 
is established in but not of the Department of the Treasury the Office of the 
Nonprofit Ombudsperson.� The purpose of the ombudsperson is to provide 
information and assistance to, and act as an advocate for, nonprofit 
organizations interacting with State agencies.� For the purpose of complying 
with Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, the 
Office of the Nonprofit Ombudsperson is hereby allocated within the Department 
of the Treasury, but notwithstanding its allocation, the office shall be 
independent of any supervision or control by the Department of the Treasury or 
any board or officer thereof, or any other cabinet-level department, board, or 
officer thereof.

���� b.��� The Governor shall 
appoint a Nonprofit Ombudsperson, who shall be qualified by training and 
experience to perform the duties of the office.� The ombudsperson shall be a 
person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity, and shall be skilled 
in communications, conflict resolution, and professionalism.� The ombudsperson 
shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

���� c.��� The ombudsperson shall 
organize and direct the work of the office, including creating and maintaining 
a website, and the work of such professional and clerical staff as may be 
necessary to carry out the ombudsperson�s duties.

���� 3.��� (New section) The 
ombudsperson shall be responsible for the following duties:

���� a.��� participating in, 
monitoring, and reporting on the participating State agencies� compliance with 
the nonprofit information center portal established in the Department of State 
pursuant to P.L.2011, c.73 (C.52:16A-110 et seq.) that provides information accessible 
on the internet for nonprofit organizations regarding various resources 
available to assist them in their daily operations;

���� b.��� communicating and 
consulting regularly with nonprofit organizations, and associations 
representing nonprofit organizations,� that operate in the State, which 
consultations shall include, but not be limited to, conducting public meetings 
with these organizations and associations no less than once every six months;

���� c.��� providing technical 
assistance to nonprofit organizations to assist them in complying with the 
regulations of State agencies;

���� d.��� investigating complaints 
from nonprofit organizations regarding State agencies, and assisting these 
nonprofit organizations in seeking a resolution;

���� e.��� reporting nonprofit 
organizations� concerns