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Bill

A 4072

Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contract.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Rosy Bagolie and 33 co-sponsors

The bill requires public works contractors in NJ to register, verify journeyperson qualifications (through approved apprenticeships or 4 years’ work), and prove workers’ comp cover

Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (67-8-1)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · A 4072

Summary of Bill A-4072 (NJ 2026)

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes minimum qualifications for persons employed on public works contracts funded in whole or in part by public funds in New Jersey.
  • Aims to ensure that workers on public projects meet standardized credentialing or experience requirements, strengthening accountability in the bidding and contracting process.

Key provisions and changes

Registration and contractor information (amending P.L.1999, c.238)

  • Contractors bidding on or performing public works must register electronically with the New Jersey Department.
  • The registration form must collect:
    • Contractor name, principal business address, and phone number.
    • Business form (corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.).
    • If the principal address is outside NJ, the custodian of records and in-state agent for service of process.
    • Names and addresses of individuals with a financial interest, including percentage interests; for publicly traded firms, names and addresses of corporate officers.
    • Tax identification number and unemployment insurance registration number.
    • Certification that the contractor holds all required licenses/registrations to do business in NJ, and, if directly employing craftworkers, participation in a registered apprenticeship program for each craft employed.
    • Certification that the contractor’s registered apprenticeship program meets specified federal and state requirements (see below).
    • Certification that each journeyperson employed on public works meets one of the eligible qualification paths.
    • Any other relevant information as determined by the commissioner.

Apprenticeship program standards

  • The commissioner may determine whether a contractor’s registered apprenticeship program meets applicable federal standards (29 C.F.R. parts 29.3–29.7) and related state requirements.
  • If a program does not meet the requirements, the commissioner's determination can lead to denial, suspension, or revocation of the contractor’s public works registration certificate. This applies to initial registrations and renewals.
  • If a contractor is using a non-compliant program, the denial or suspension can extend to other contractors who participate in that same non-compliant program, subject to due process rights.

Journeyperson qualifications (new §5(a)(8))

  • Each journeyperson employed on public work must meet at least one of:
    • (a) Graduated from a registered apprenticeship program that adheres to the U.S. Dept. of Labor standards and is sponsored by a labor union or jointly with an employer association, with the union signatory to a collective bargaining agreement that underpins a prevailing wage determination.
    • (b) Completed four years of documented work as a craftworker, verifiable by pay records or sworn statements from the worker and employer(s).
  • Exemption: Craft workers who are union members employed by an employer signatory to a prevailing-wage-based CBA are exempt from these qualifications.
  • Other relevant information may be required by the commissioner.

Additional registration requirement

  • Contractors must provide documentation of workers’ compensation insurance coverage for all workers at registration and upon request.

Effective date

  • The act takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Who is affected

  • Public works contractors bidding on or performing projects funded by public bodies in NJ.
  • Subcontractors and all craftworkers employed on those projects.
  • Apprenticeship programs and workers in programs used to meet apprenticeship requirements.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Action history shows passage through the Assembly and Senate in 2026, with committee transfers and readings preceding final passage.
  • The bill references existing framework from P.L.1999, c.238 and P.L.2021, c.423, integrating federal apprenticeship standards and wage determinations.

Potential impact

  • Strengthens credentialing for workers on public projects.
  • Could affect contractor eligibility if apprenticeship programs or journeyperson qualifications do not meet federal/state standards.
  • May influence apprenticeship program participation and compliance monitoring by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
  • Introduces additional verification and documentation requirements for bidders and contractors.

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

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