ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5435

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 15, 2025

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5435 (1R).

      As reported, this bill directs the Division of Housing and Community Resources in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to enter into a memorandum of understanding with each State agency and Statewide nonprofit energy assistance organization that administers a financial assistance program for residential utility customers to provide a consolidated, user-friendly Internet website-based application for those programs on the DCA’s Internet website.  The bill also directs each State agency and Statewide nonprofit energy assistance organization to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the DCA and to assist the DCA in developing the consolidated application, including alerting the DCA of temporary programs that provide financial assistance to residential customers for utility bill payments or energy efficiency measures that the State agency or Statewide nonprofit energy assistance organization may be directed to administer, so that the DCA may integrate those temporary programs into the consolidated Internet website application.

      The bill directs the DCA, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.