STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PAUL KANITRA
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman GREGORY E. MYHRE
District 9 (Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Fantasia
SYNOPSIS
"Public Charge Transparency Act"; requires State entities which provide government assistance to inquire and record beneficiary's citizenship or immigration status and report cost of government assistance to illegal aliens.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning government assistance and illegal aliens and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The act shall be known and may be cited as the “Public Charge Healthcare Transparency Act.”
2. a. Each State entity which provides government assistance to individuals in this State shall inquire and record the individual’s citizenship or immigration status as a condition of participation in the government assistance program.
b. Each State entity which provides government assistance to individuals in this State shall require the individual to provide documentation authenticating the individual’s citizenship or immigration status as a condition of participation in the government assistance program.
c. Each State entity which provides government assistance to individuals in this State shall submit a monthly report to the Department of Health on the citizenship and immigration status of individuals who are recipients of government assistance in this State, and the monthly cost of providing government assistance to illegal aliens. Any data and information contained in the report shall be in aggregate form and the report shall not contain the personal identifying information of any individual. The Department of Health shall make each report publicly available on the department’s Internet website.
d. As it pertains to effectuating the provisions of this act, it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willingly make a false statement or representation of a material fact, or to omit a material fact, concerning an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.
e. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection d. of this section shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
f. As used in this section:
“Government assistance” means monetary or non-monetary benefits, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, assistance with receiving or paying for: clothing, electronics such as cell phones, tablets, and computers, as well as contracts or subscription plans for the operation thereof; education; food; healthcare; housing; legal advice or representation; public utility services, including electric, gas, garbage, recycling, water, and sewer services; and transportation.
"Illegal alien" means an individual who resides in New Jersey, but who is unable to produce documentary evidence to show that the individual is lawfully present.
“State entity” means a State department, agency, or unit, or a local department, agency, or unit that both receives State funding and provides government assistance to illegal aliens.
3. The Commissioner of Health may adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the “Public Charge Healthcare Transparency Act.” The bill requires State entities which provide government assistance to inquire and record beneficiary’s citizenship or immigration status and report the cost of government assistance to illegal aliens.
The bill defines “government assistance” to mean monetary or non-monetary benefits, which is to include, but not be limited to, assistance with receiving or paying for: clothing, electronics such as cell phones, tablets, and computers, as well as contracts or subscription plans for the operation thereof; education; food; healthcare; housing; legal advice or representation; public utility services, including electric, gas, garbage, recycling, water, and sewer services; and transportation. “State entity” means a State department, agency, or unit, or a local department, agency, or unit that both receives State funding and provides government assistance to illegal aliens.
Under the bill, each State entity which provides government assistance to individuals in this State is to inquire and record the individual’s citizenship or immigration status as a condition of participation in the government assistance program. Each State entity is also to require the individual to provide documentation authenticating the individual’s citizenship or immigration status as a condition of participation in the government assistance program.
The bill provides that each State entity which provides government assistance to individuals in this State is to submit a monthly report to the Department of Health on the citizenship and immigration status of individuals who are recipients of government assistance in this State, and the monthly cost of providing government assistance to illegal aliens. The Department of Health is to make each report publicly available on the department’s Internet website.
As it pertains to effectuating the bill’s provisions, it is to be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willingly make a false statement or representation of a material fact, or to omit a material fact, concerning an individual’s citizenship or immigration status. Any person who violates this provision is to be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.