ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, No. 4013

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 28, 2026

      The Assembly Budget Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4013 ACS.

      As amended, the bill requires the Social Media Research Center (center), which would be established pursuant to Assembly Bill No. 4014 and Senate Bill No. 3411 of 2026-2027, to research and make recommendations, in coordination with the Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness within the Department of Health, regarding:  (1) the impact of addictive social media behaviors among covered children and covered minors on public health; (2) the structure and design of warning labels on online services owned, operated, controlled, or provided by covered online service providers, if any, that are designed to reduce addictive social media behaviors among covered children and covered minors and reduce any burden to be placed upon covered online service providers; (3) the impact, if any, of warning labels on online services owned, operated, controlled, or provided by covered online service providers at reducing addictive social media behaviors among covered children and covered minors; and (4) the impact, if any, of including mandatory disclaimers concerning addictive social media behaviors among covered children and covered minors, and any resources to mitigate those behaviors, in the advertising of online services owned, operated, controlled, or provided by covered online service providers.

      No later than 18 months after the effective date of the bill or Assembly Bill No. 4014 and Senate Bill No. 3411 of 2026-2027, whichever is later, the bill requires the center to issue a final report containing the center’s findings and recommendations to deter or mitigate addictive social media behaviors to the Governor, the Department of Health, and the Legislature, based upon the research findings identified under the bill.

      The Commissioner of Health (commissioner) is required to review the center’s final report, and the commissioner may, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Law and Public Safety, and taking into consideration the recommendations set forth in the center’s final report, adopt such rules and regulations as deemed appropriate to implement the recommendations contained in the report and to deter and reduce addictive social media behaviors among covered children and covered minors.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:  

      (1)  revise the definition of “covered online service provider” and “online service”;

      (2)  remove a provision that would have required the commissioner to adopt rules and regulations, if the commissioner elects to do so, by no later than 30 months after the effective date of the bill or Assembly Bill No. 4014 and Senate Bill No. 3411 of 2026-2027, whichever is later; and

      (3)  make technical changes.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.