STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits self-service storage facilities from charging certain punitive fees to consumers paying with vouchers under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning self-storage facility fees for consumers paying with vouchers and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
“Owner” means the same as the term is defined by section 2 of P.L.1983, c.136 (C.2A:44-188).
“Self-service storage facility” means the same as the term is defined by section 2 of P.L.1983, c.136 (C.2A:44-188).
“Voucher” means any payment provided by a government entity in accordance with the provisions of the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.) or any other federal or State income assistance program established by law.
b. No owner of a self-service storage facility shall charge a late fee, a pre-foreclosure fee, or a fee to unlock access to a self-service storage facility unit leased by a person who pays with a voucher when the payment is delayed by the issuing authority of the voucher.
c. A person in violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 for a first offense, to be collected by the Director of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety in a summary proceeding under the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.).
A subsequent violation of this section shall be an unlawful practice and violation of P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits self-service storage facilities from charging late fees and other punitive fees when a consumer is paying with a voucher and the payment is delayed by the issuing authority of the voucher.
Currently, a self-storage facility may charge certain penalty fees when a consumer misses a payment deadline. Additionally, the consumer may lose access to their stored belongings in measures leading up to a foreclosure. In the instance of a person paying with a voucher, the delayed payment may be due to the actions of the issuing authority. This bill prohibits a storage facility from charging punitive fees to a consumer using a voucher issued in accordance with provisions of Work First New Jersey or any other federal or State income assistance program established by law when the payment is delayed by the issuing authority of the voucher.
An initial violation of the bill’s provisions is punishable by a monetary penalty of $1,000. Any subsequent violation of the bill’s provisions is an unlawful practice under the consumer fraud act, punishable by a monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than $20,000 for any subsequent offense. In addition, violations may result in cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured party.