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Bill

A 5343

Creates long-term care workforce development program and advisory council.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Bergen

Establishes grants, a tax credit, a standardized elder care certificate, and a 16-member advisory council to boost training, recruitment, and access in New Jersey long-term care.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee
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Bill Summary · A 5343

Summary of Bill A 5343 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes a comprehensive framework to strengthen the long-term care workforce in New Jersey.
  • Aims to incentivize certification and ongoing education for direct care workers, streamline career pathways through a standardized elder care certificate, and create a dedicated advisory body to study and improve long-term care training, recruitment, and access.

Key Provisions

  1. Direct Health Care Worker Training Grant Program

    • Created within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
    • Provides up to $5,000 per worker to support certification and continuing education for:
      • Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
      • Certified Home Health Aides (CHHAs)
      • Personal Care Assistants (PCAs)
    • Purposes:
      • Incentivize pursuing careers in targeted long-term care fields.
      • Inform eligible workers about the program.
    • Duration: A individual may participate for up to two years.
    • Administration: The Commissioner certifies eligibility, administers participation, and adopts rules under the Administrative Procedure Act to prevent duplication with other state programs.

  2. State Tax Credit for Qualified Direct Care Workers

    • Implemented for tax years beginning 2027.
    • Credit amounts:
      • $1,200 for an individual (single filer) who is a qualified direct care worker.
      • $2,000 for a joint return filed by two qualified direct care workers.
    • Income limits:
      • Single filers: gross income up to $75,000.
      • Joint filers: gross income up to $100,000.
    • Application: Tax credits claimed via forms/methods to be determined by the Director of the Division of Taxation.

  3. Standardized Elder Care Certificate Pathway

    • Administered by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development.
    • Counties’ community colleges will develop elder care certificate programs aligned to regional employer needs.
    • County colleges will:
      • Design curricula aligned to elder care requirements.
      • Provide faculty and facilities; offer on-site instruction at elder care facilities if agreed.
      • Issue certificates to graduates who complete the program.
      • Allow employers to hire students before program completion with continued employment contingent on successful completion.

  4. Long-Term Care Advisory Council

    • Established within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
    • Roles:
      • Serve as the primary advisory body on long-term care, home health care, elder care, and related training/recruitment issues.
      • Conduct thorough studies on quality of care and access to services.
      • Develop recommendations for best practices to expand training and recruitment.
      • Identify and conduct additional research with public input.
    • Composition (16 members total):
      • Ex officio: Commissioners of Education, Health, Human Services, and Labor and Workforce Development (or their designees).
      • Public members: Four groups of two public members selected by Governor/specified legislative leaders, including nurses, nurse practitioners, or physicians with relevant expertise.
      • Eight additional public members appointed by the Governor, including professionals and stakeholders such as a physician with long-term care expertise, hospital representative, health plans representative, pharmacist, medical technology industry representative, elder care advocacy representative, a person who has previously needed long-term care, and a caregiver or care partner.
    • Terms: Public members serve three-year terms (with a staggered partial-term structure for initial appointments). Public members are non-compensated but may be reimbursed for expenses.
    • Operations: The Council must meet at least three times per year and may hold hearings; it can utilize state and local government staff as needed.
    • Oversight: Department of Labor and Workforce Development will oversee the council and may solicit proposals to locate and staff the council within 180 days of enactment if needed.

  5. Effective Dates

    • The act takes effect six months after enactment.
    • Tax provisions (Section 3) take effect January 1, 2027.

Who Would Be Affected

  • Direct care workers (CNAs, CHHAs, PCAs) eligible for training grants and potential tax credits.
  • Individuals pursuing or considering direct care careers in elder, home health, and long-term care.
  • County colleges and elder care facilities participating in certificate programs.
  • Employers in elder care, home health care, and related fields that collaborate with training programs and with the advisory council.
  • State agencies (Education, Health, Human Services, Labor and Workforce Development) and the Division of Taxation for tax credits.
  • The broader long-term care sector through the advisory council’s research, guidance, and recommended practices.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Grant program and elder care certificate pathway: As soon as the act is in effect, with rules to be established by the Commissioner.
  • Tax credit: Effective for tax years starting 2027.
  • Long-Term Care Advisory Council: Established upon enactment; must organize promptly; initial biennial reporting to Governor and Legislature begins in the second year after enactment.
  • Funding and administration: Grants capped per worker; eligibility and program integrity overseen by the Commissioner; advisory council supported by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Potential Impacts

  • Increases in certified direct care staffing through financial incentives for education and certification.
  • Structured career pathways that may reduce training gaps by aligning curricula to regional employer needs.
  • Enhanced financial support for workers through a state tax credit, potentially boosting retention and recruitment in long-term care.
  • Better coordination and informed policymaking on long-term care workforce issues via a dedicated advisory council.

Note: This summary reflects the bill’s provisions as written and does not reflect subsequent amendments or fiscal analyses.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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