STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Exempts certain essential individuals and businesses from certain requirements in state of emergencies or public health emergencies.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain exemptions during a state of emergency or public health emergency, and supplementing P.L.1971, c.60 (C.45:1-2.1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. If the Governor declares a state of emergency pursuant to P.L.1942, c.251 (C.App.A:9-33 et seq.) or public health emergency pursuant to P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.), services provided by the following shall be designated essential and exempt from requirements included in a state of emergency or public health emergency that mandate a business to temporarily close or individual to temporarily isolate:
(1) Individuals and businesses licensed to perform electrical contracting pursuant to P.L.1962, c.162 (C.45:5A-1 et seq.), heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration contracting pursuant to P.L.2007, c.211 (C.45:16A-1 et seq.) or plumbing pursuant to P.L.1968, c.362 (C.45:14C-1 et seq.); and
(2) Individuals and retail businesses that sell or offer for sale building materials, and other hardware materials, products and implements used for construction or repair.
2. Upon the declaration of a state of emergency or public health emergency, the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs is authorized to designate additional professions or occupations licensed by the Division of Consumer Affairs, in addition to those provided in section 1 of this act, as providing essential services and exempt licensees providing these services from requirements included in a state of emergency or public health emergency that mandate a business to temporarily close or individuals to temporarily isolate.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes that certain services, individuals, and retail businesses are deemed essential and are exempt from business closure or self-isolation requirements that may be included in a state of emergency or public health emergency declaration issued by the Governor. Services included in the bill are electrical contracting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) work, and plumbing services. Retail businesses included in the bill are those that sell or offer for sale building materials, and other hardware materials, products and implements used to construct or repair. Additionally, the bill allows the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs to designate services in other professions or occupations licensed by the division, aside from electrical contracting, HVACR and plumbing, as essential and exempt those individuals or businesses from any declaration included in a state of emergency or public health emergency that requires a business to temporarily close or individuals to temporarily isolate.