STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex and Union)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Verrelli and Assemblywoman Dunn
SYNOPSIS
Establishes price preference program on State contracts for businesses owned by women veterans or women in military service.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee with technical review.
An Act concerning preferences for State contracts for businesses owned by women veterans or women serving in the military, and supplementing P.L.1954, c.84 (C.52:34-6 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In awarding a contract which is paid with State funds and publicly advertised for bids, a State agency shall give a preference of up to 10 percent of the amount of the contract to a qualified business that is owned by a woman veteran or a woman serving in the military. If the qualified business otherwise meets the requirements of the contract solicitation and with the preference is the lowest bidder, a State agency shall enter into a procurement contract with that business. If two or more such businesses are the lowest bidders on a contract, the business with the lowest bid shall be awarded the contract.
If a woman owner dies during the term of a contract or in the bidding process for a contract and the surviving spouse acquires the woman’s ownership interest in the business, the business shall remain eligible for the preference and that contract during the term of the contract or the bidding process for that contract.
As used in this act:
“Woman veteran” means a resident of this State who identifies as female and was honorably discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from active service in a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States; and
“Woman serving in the military” means a resident of this State who identifies as female and is serving in the United States Armed Forces on full time active duty status or who has completed Initial Entry Training.
“Qualified business” means a business which (1) has its principal place of business in the State, (2) is independently owned and operated, (3) at least 51 percent of which is owned and controlled by one or more persons who are women veterans or women serving in the military, and (4) the management and daily business operations are controlled by one or more women veterans or women serving in the military, or, in the case of a woman veteran with a permanent and severe disability, are controlled by the spouse of such veteran.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.