New Jersey S 3533: Requires public institutions of higher education to temporarily suspend collection of tuition and other payments from students impacted by shutdown of federal government.

Bill Text

S3533 

SENATE, No. 3533 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes �Household Water Assistance Program�; 
appropriates $75 million. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act providing water assistance, sewer assistance, 
and stormwater utility assistance to low-income households and 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.� As used in P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill):

���� �Affordable� means, with respect to a 
household�s costs for water services that the household is able to pay for 
water services that are adequate to meet the household�s basic needs while 
maintaining the ability to pay for other essential costs.

���� �Arrears� means debt owed by a customer of a 
water system for unpaid water service bills.

���� �Assistance� means financial and other 
assistance provided to or on behalf of an eligible household to reduce the 
household�s costs of water service.

���� �Board� means the New Jersey Board of Public 
Utilities.

���� �Commissioner� means the Commissioner of 
Community Affairs.

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

���� �Eligible household� means a household, 
regardless of federal immigration status of the members of the household that:

���� (1)� has an adjusted gross income at or below an 
amount to be determined by the department, which shall be equal to or greater 
than 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines;

���� (2)� includes one or more individuals residing 
in the eligible household who receive or are eligible to receive the following:

���� (a)� benefits under part A of title IV of the 
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. s.601 et seq.;

���� (b)� supplemental security income payments under 
title XVI of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. s.1381 et seq.;

���� (c)� food stamps under the �Food Stamps Act of 
1997,� 7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.;

���� (d)� payments under section 415, 521, 541, or 
542 of the title 38, United States Code, or under section 306 of the �Veterans� 
and Survivors� Pension Improvement Act of 1978,� Pub.L.95-588; 

���� (e)� payments under the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s.8621 et seq.;

���� (f)� benefits under the �Universal Service Fund� 
established pursuant to P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-60);

���� (g)� benefits under the �Lifeline Credit 
Program� established pursuant to P.L.1979, c.197 (C.48:2-29.15 et seq.); 

���� (h)� benefits under the �Tenants� Lifeline 
Assistance Program� established pursuant to P.L.1981, c.210 (C.48:2-29.31 et 
seq.); 

���� (i)��� protections under the �Winter Termination 
Program� established pursuant to 
N.J.A.C.14:3-3A.5; 

���� (j)� 
benefits under the �Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled 
Program�, established pursuant to P.L.1975, c.194 (C.30:4D-20 et seq.); 
or

���� (k)� benefits as defined 
pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1997, c.14 (C.44:10-44); or

���� (3)� is experiencing temporary financial 
hardship as defined by the department including but not limited to financial 
hardship caused by unemployment, illness, medically related expenses, recent 
death of an immediate family member, a public health emergency as provided in 
section 2 of P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-2), or a state of emergency 
pursuant to P.L.1942, c.251 (C.App.A:9-33 et seq.).

���� �Fund� means the Household Water Assistance 
Fund, established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� �Program� means the Household Water Assistance 
Program, established pursuant to section 2 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� �Water crisis� means weather-related and supply 
shortage emergencies and other household water-related emergencies, including 
but not limited to disconnection of water service for nonpayment, imminent 
disconnection of service for nonpayment, or other emergency threatening a 
household�s access to safe water service.

���� �Water service� means service provided by a 
water system.

���� �Water system� includes all of the following:

���� (1)� a public community water system, as that 
term is defined by section 3 of P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-3);

���� (2)� a stormwater utility established pursuant 
to P.L.2019, c.42 (C.40A:26B-1 et seq.); and 

���� (3)� an authority, as defined in P.L.1983, c. 
313 (C.40A:5A-3), municipal public utility, as defined in P.L.1960, c.169 
(C.40A:1-1), or public utility, as defined pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1983, 
c.78 (C.48:2-13.1), that provides sewer service. 

���� 2.� a.� The Commissioner of Community Affairs, 
in consultation with the board, shall establish the �Household Water Assis