New Jersey S 3530: Concerns assessment of real property in municipalities located in certain counties.

Bill Text

S3530 2R 

[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3530 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Senator� NICHOLAS P. SCUTARI

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

SYNOPSIS

���� �Immigrant Tenant Protection Act.�; provides certain 
protections to residential tenants and codifies certain warranty of 
habitability protections.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As amended by the Senate on March 23, 2026.

�� 

An Act related to the immigration status of residential 
tenants, supplementing chapter 42 of Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes, and 
amending 1P.L.1975, c.311 and1 P.L.1970, c.210.

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

���� 1.� (New section)� This act 
shall be known and may be cited as the �Immigrant Tenant Protection Act.�

���� 2.��� (New section)� a.� (1)� A 
landlord shall not threaten to disclose, or actually disclose, information 
relating to the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant, occupant, or 
other person known to the landlord to be associated with a tenant or occupant, 
for the purpose of influencing the person to vacate a dwelling unit.

���� (2)�� A landlord shall not 
bring an action to recover possession of a dwelling unit based solely or 
partially on the immigration or citizenship status of a tenant.

���� (3)�� A landlord shall not 
cause a tenant or occupant to quit involuntarily, or bring an action to recover 
possession, because of the immigration or citizenship 
status of a tenant, occupant, or other person known to the landlord to be 
associated with a tenant or occupant, unless the landlord�s action is in 
compliance with a legal obligation under a federal government program that 
provides for rent limitations or rental assistance to a qualified tenant.

���� b.��� If a landlord violates 
subsection a. of this section, a tenant may bring a civil action to seek one or 
more of the following remedies:

���� (1)�� actual damages, as 
reasonably determined by the court, for injury or loss suffered;

���� (2)�� a civil penalty in an 
amount not to exceed $2,000 for each violation, payable to the tenant;

���� (3)�� reasonable attorney�s 
fees and court costs; and

���� (4)�� other 1[equitable]1 relief 
as the court may deem appropriate and just.

���� c.���� The immigration or 
citizenship status of a person shall not be relevant to any issue of liability 
or remedy in a civil action involving a tenant�s housing rights. In 
proceedings or discovery undertaken in a civil action involving a tenant�s 
housing rights, no inquiry shall be permitted into the tenant�s immigration or 
citizenship status, unless:

���� (1)�� the tenant�s claims or 
defenses raised place a person�s immigration or citizenship status directly in 
contention; or

���� (2)�� the person seeking to 
make the inquiry demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the inquiry 
is necessary in order to comply with federal law.

���� d.��� The assertion of an 
affirmative defense to an eviction action shall not constitute cause for 
discovery or other inquiry into a person�s immigration or citizenship status.

���� e.���� 2Nothing 
in P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) 
shall be construed to limit an individual�s rights or remedies under the 
"Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.).

���� f.2�� As 
used in this section, "immigration or citizenship status" includes a 
perception that a person has a particular immigration status or citizenship 
status, or that a person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived 
to have, a particular immigration status or citizenship status.

����� 3.� 
(New section)� a.� It shall be an affirmative defense to an action for the 
removal of a tenant if the court finds that:

����� (1)�� 
the landlord�s demand for possession is based solely or partially on the 
citizenship or immigration status of the tenant; or

����� (2)�� 
if the lease with the tenant has commenced and the tenant has taken possession, 
the landlord�s demand for possession is based solely or partially on the 
tenant�s failure to provide a social security number, information required to 
obtain a consumer credit report, or a form of identification deemed acceptable 
by the landlord.

����� b.� 
In an 1[unlawful detainer action] action to recover possession of a dwelling unit1, a tenant or occupant may raise, as an affirmative 
defense, that the landlord violated the provisions of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.���� ) 
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

����� c.� 
There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a tenant or occupant has 
established an affirmative defense under this section in an 1[unlawful detainer action] action to recover possession of a dwelling unit1 if the landlord did the following:

����� (1)� 
approved the tenant or occupant to take possession of a unit before filing an 1[un