ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5802

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 26, 2025

      The Assembly Budget Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5802.

      As reported, this bill establishes the State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS).  The SLDS is to serve as the State’s centralized longitudinal data system for education, workforce, and related data collected by State departments, agencies, and other entities.  The system is to provide policymakers and other stakeholders with data analysis that improves individual outcomes and informs policy and program decisions.

      Under the bill, the SLDS is to be owned by the State, with oversight provided by the SLDS Governing Board established by the bill.  The SLDS is to be maintained and operated by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, the State University.

      The purpose of the SLDS is to utilize existing administrative data for evidence-based policymaking that, among other public purposes: 

      (1)  enables New Jerseyans to secure and retain employment and receive better pay after completing training or postsecondary degrees;

      (2) enables New Jerseyans to meet the education and job skill demands of business and industry;

      (3) identifies areas of potential workforce gaps, as presented in the annual Teacher Workforce Report;

      (4) identifies the effectiveness of support programs that help New Jerseyans enter or return to employment; and

      (5) encourages the sharing of data and learning across government entities.

      The bill provides that the SLDS is to include data provided for the system by: the Department of Education; the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education; the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority; the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; any other State department, agency, or entity that enters into the SLDS as a formal partner or through a pilot project, subject to the approval by the SLDS Governing Board and the submission of all necessary agreements. The bill provides that the Motor Vehicle Commission is to serve as an intermediary to support data linkage across agencies.

      The bill establishes the SLDS Governing Board.  Membership on the board is to be comprised of, at a minimum:

      (1) the Commissioner of Education, or a designee;

      (2) the Secretary of Higher Education, or a designee;

      (3) the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, or a designee;

      (4) the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, or a designee; and

      (5) the Executive Director of the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, the State University, who is to serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member.

      Members representing additional State departments, agencies, or entities that elect to participate in the SLDS as a formal partner or through a pilot program may be appointed to the governing board, subject to the approval of the board and the submission of all agreements that may be necessary.

      The responsibilities of the governing board are to:

· identify critical research and policy questions that need to be addressed by the State’s education and workforce programs;

· identify reports and other information that should be available to education and workforce entities and other public stakeholders;

· develop a data sharing agreement to be entered into by all partner departments, agencies, or entities of the SLDS;

·  adopt a data access and use policy;

· adopt acceptable use guidelines to ensure the privacy of all individuals ; and

· perform other advisory functions that are necessary for the successful continuation and management of the SLDS.

The bill clarifies that nothing in the bill is to be construed to hinder, or otherwise prevent, an individual State department, agency, or entity from maintaining control of their data. 

      The bill directs the governing board to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature.

      Finally, the bill directs the Legislature to annually appropriate $2,000,000 to the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development to support the infrastructure and maintenance of the SLDS. 

FISCAL IMPACT:

      Fiscal information for this bill is currently unavailable.