Authorizes dual employment by certain employees of Rutgers University and affiliated contracting entities.*

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Raj Mukherji and 1 co-sponsor

Allows Rutgers staff to hold dual employment with affiliated health entities and lets certain Rutgers and contracting entity board members vote on implementation.

Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (50-15-4)

Summary of S.4515 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Main purpose

This bill authorizes dual employment for certain Rutgers University employees and affiliated contracting entities and allows certain dual-board members to participate in votes related to health-related affiliation agreements. The overarching aim is to harmonize conflicts-of-interest rules with the realities of integrated academic health systems, enabling closer collaboration between Rutgers and nonprofit health-care contracting entities to improve health care access, education, and research in the state.

Key provisions

Definitions

“Affiliation agreement”: A long-term, joint governance arrangement between Rutgers and a nonprofit contracting entity to advance Rutgers’ health, education, research, and clinical-care goals.
“Contracting entity”: A state nonprofit corporation (and its affiliates/subsidiaries) that enters an affiliation agreement with Rutgers.
“Special State officer or employee”: As defined in state conflict-of-interest law.

Dual employment authorization (Section 2)

Rutgers employees with oversight, managerial responsibility for, or involvement in supervising medical education, research, or clinical care under an affiliation agreement may be employed by and receive compensation from both Rutgers and the contracting entity.
Compensation from the contracting entity is exempt from the standard conflicts-of-interest and ethics provisions that normally apply to Rutgers employees under state law.

Board participation exception (Section 3)

Notwithstanding conflicting provisions in the New Jersey Conflicts of Interest Law and related executive orders, a Rutgers board member who also serves on a contracting entity’s governing board may participate in Rutgers board votes necessary to implement the affiliation agreement.
Whether a matter is “necessary to implement” the affiliation agreement is determined by individuals designated by Rutgers’ conflict-of-interest policies or related governance policies.

Effective date (Section 4)

The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

who would be affected

Rutgers University employees involved in oversight or management of health-related education, research, or clinical care under an affiliation agreement.

Contracting entities entering into affiliation agreements with Rutgers (and their affiliates/subsidiaries).

Rutgers board members who also serve on the governing boards of contracting entities, subject to the “necessary to implement” standard.

Public-conflicts-of-interest oversight persons and ethics frameworks governing Rutgers employees.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced June 22, 2026, in the New Jersey Senate by Senator Raj Mukherji (District 32, Hudson).

Referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Immediate effective date upon enactment.

Potential impact

Facilitates closer integration between Rutgers and affiliated health-care nonprofits, potentially enabling more seamless governance and operational efficiency in joint health systems.

Alters traditional restrictions on dual employment and cross-entity board participation, balancing collaboration with safeguards through Rutgers-specific conflict-of-interest policies.

Aims to improve health care access, medical education, and research quality in New Jersey by supporting integrated, joint governance and staffing structures.