ASSEMBLY HOUSING COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4480

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  May 14, 2026

      The Assembly Housing Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4480.

As amended and reported, this bill requires owners of multistory buildings, as that term is defined in the bill, to ensure access to and from each floor of the multistory building for persons with a disability, including in the event of an elevator outage through (1) restoration of elevator service within two hours of notification of an elevator outage; or (2) alternative means of access to and from each floor of a multistory building which may include evacuation chairs, ramps, and motorized stairlifts. 

     The Division of Codes and Standards in the Department of Community Affairs (division) is to be tasked with the enforcement of the provisions of the bill and required to receive reports of violations of the bill, conduct inspections of multistory buildings, conduct investigations of violations of the bill, and impose penalties.  A property owner would not be liable for a penalty, however, if they can demonstrate an active contract with an elevator servicer stating that an elevator repair will be completed within two hours of report of an elevator outage or the presence of alternative means of access to and from each floor of the multistory building.

     The bill requires property owners to comply with its provisions within 18 months of enactment, but allows a property owner experiencing financial hardship or structural limitations to seek an extension of not more than 12 additional months from the division.

     The bill requires the division establish a grant program, low-interest loan program, or both, to assist property owners in purchasing accessibility equipment utilizing funds made available to the division for such purpose.

     The bill also permits the director of the division to recommend, and the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt, revisions to the barrier free subcode to ensure persons with a disability have sufficient access to each floor of a multistory building, including in the event of an elevator outage.

     The bill also expressly permits municipalities to adopt ordinances consistent with the bill’s provisions and impose additional penalties for violations of such ordinances.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments:

      1)  specify that a property owner is not to be liable for a penalty pursuant to the bill if the property owner can demonstrate an active contract with an elevator servicer stating that an elevator repair will be completed within two hours of report of an elevator outage; and

      2)  gives the Director of the Division of Codes and Standards discretion to establish a grant program, low-interest loan program, or both to assist property owners in purchasing accessibility equipment, rather than requiring establishment of a grant program only.