ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1403

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 1, 2026

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1403.

      Under current law, certain government contracting units authorized to purchase goods, or to contract for services, may make purchases and contract for services through the use of a nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreement that has been developed utilizing a competitive bidding process by another contracting unit within the State of New Jersey, or within any other state, when available. The definition of “contracting unit” in this provision of law includes various government entities, but specifies that they are “not a State board, commission, committee, authority or agency.”

      As amended by the committee, this bill revises this definition of “contracting unit” to change the use of “authority or agency,” providing instead for “State authority or agency.”  Thereby, State authorities or agencies would be included in the definition of contracting unit and be able to participate in the pertinent cooperative purchasing agreements.  State boards, commissions, and committees will remain ineligible to participate in these cooperative purchasing agreements.

      The definition of “contracting unit” is also revised to include “local unit.”  This bill defines “local unit” as any county, municipality, special district, school district, fire district, or any board, commission, committee, authority, or agency thereof.

      This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments make technical changes to update the underlying statute to current law.