Bill
S 4039
Exempts nonresident military spouses of active-duty personnel stationed in New Jersey from the state public-employee residency requirement.
Status & key dates
- Bill: S 4039 (also printed as S4039A)
- Sponsor: Sen. James Skoufis
- Introduced: January 14, 2025
- Senate action: Passed Senate May 29, 2025; reported favorably by Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (June 19, 2025)
- Current status: Referred to Assembly Committee on Governmental Operations (delivered to Assembly May 29, 2025)
- Related/companion bills: A4870 / A5090; prior-session related bills S1543, S3310, S7555
Purpose / intent
- To amend New Jersey’s residency requirement for most public employees (R.S.52:14-7) by exempting “nonresident military spouses” so that spouses of active‑duty U.S. Armed Forces members transferred to New Jersey or moved here on permanent change‑of‑station orders may hold State, county, municipal, school district, or other public positions without making New Jersey their principal residence.
Key provisions
- Adds a new exemption to R.S.52:14-7: the residency requirement “shall not apply to a nonresident military spouse.”
- Defines “nonresident military spouse” as a nonresident of New Jersey who is the spouse of an active‑duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces who:
- has been transferred to New Jersey in the course of service, or
- is legally domiciled in New Jersey, or
- has moved to New Jersey on a permanent change‑of‑station basis.
- Leaves intact the statute’s broader framework, including:
- the existing definition of “principal residence” (majority nonworking time, center of domestic life, designated legal voting residence);
- existing exemptions (e.g., certain visiting academics, employees who spend a majority of working hours outside the State, designated critical‑need NJ Transit positions);
- the five‑member exemption committee process for hardship/critical‑need waivers.
Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: spouses of active‑duty military personnel who are assigned to New Jersey but are not New Jersey principal residents.
- Employers affected: State departments, authorities, counties, municipalities, school districts, and other political subdivisions subject to R.S.52:14-7 will be able to hire and retain such spouses without requiring them to establish New Jersey as their principal residence.
- Administrative impact: agencies may need to adopt or clarify procedures to verify military spouse status and process hires under the exemption.
Procedural notes
- S4039 passed the Senate and is pending consideration in the General Assembly; companion Assembly legislation exists. If enacted, it will formally amend R.S.52:14-7 to include this targeted exemption.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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