SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5733

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 15, 2025

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5733.

      As reported, this bill requires the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to, within one year of the bill’s effective date, complete a review of the program, as provided for in the bill, and increase the income threshold if the department, BPU, or agency determines an increase to be appropriate.

      The bill requires that a State agency request public comment, in a form and manner determined by that State agency, or seek assistance from other State agencies, to determine an appropriate increase to the program’s income threshold.

      The bill further specifies that if an increase in income thresholds for the State’s low-income energy efficiency programs is ordered, the BPU is required to assess if further guidance is necessary to change income thresholds in the utilities’ triennium energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs for moderate-income energy efficiency programs to ensure that low- and moderate-income customers are eligible for only one energy efficiency assistance program and to expand access to moderate-income programs, if appropriate.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 5733 is identical to Senate Bill No. 4522, which was also reported by the committee on this date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill will result in increased administrative costs for State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance, energy efficiency, and peak demand reduction programs to review these programs and increase their income thresholds if appropriate.

      The OLS also concludes that, to the extent that State agencies increase income thresholds for utility bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs based on the reviews required by the bill, it may be necessary to increase funds available for each program in order to manage the increase in the number of households eligible for assistance.