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Bill

S 4685

Provides for the inclusion of a faculty or staff member on the board of trustees of community colleges

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Samra Brouk and 4 co-sponsors

Requires landlords to accept multiple non-electronic rent payments and prohibits mandating electronic transfers as the sole method.

RETURNED TO SENATE
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Bill Summary · S 4685

Summary — S-4685 (Introduced Version, 2025)

Note: the bill’s caption references inclusion of a faculty or staff member on a community college board, but the text provided is unrelated. The bill text actually amends P.L.2019, c.300 (rent-payment law) to regulate acceptable rent-payment methods. This summary addresses the provided text (rent-payment changes).

Purpose

To require residential landlords to accept certain non-electronic rent-payment methods and to prohibit landlords from mandating electronic funds transfer (EFT) as the sole means of remitting rent. The measure clarifies tenant rights to pay by enumerated methods and creates civil and administrative penalties for violations.

Key provisions

  • Prohibits landlords from requiring tenants or prospective tenants to remit rent by electronic funds transfer, including automatic recurring transfers.
  • Requires landlords, in addition to any payment methods they already offer, to accept a timely rent payment made by any of the following: cash, certified check, money order, personal check, payments made through federal/state/local rental assistance programs, or payments by bona fide charitable organizations on a tenant’s behalf.
    • The acceptance requirement applies when payment is on time or made before the three-business-day period referenced in subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a) — effectively through the point at which a warrant for removal is posted or a lockout is executed after a judgment for nonpayment, per the bill’s statement.
  • Returned personal checks: if a tenant’s personal check is returned for insufficient funds, the tenant is responsible for associated fees; after such an event the landlord may prohibit future payments by personal check from that tenant.
  • Penalties:
    • Administrative/summary enforcement penalty of $2,000 per offense, enforced under the Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999 (P.L.1999, c.274) in the Special Civil Part of Superior Court; proceedings may be initiated by the Commissioner of Community Affairs or the Attorney General.
    • Tenant civil remedy (at tenant’s election): recover $2,000 per offense plus reasonable attorney’s fees, court costs, expert expenses, and other litigation-related expenses.

Who is affected

  • Tenants and prospective tenants — especially unbanked or underbanked individuals who rely on cash, money orders, or checks, or receive rental assistance.
  • Landlords and property managers — those who currently require EFT/ACH or automatic debit systems will need to accept additional payment forms and may face penalties for noncompliance.
  • Rental-assistance programs and charitable payors — their payment methods are explicitly recognized.

Enforcement & effective date

  • Violations subject to $2,000 penalties per offense (state enforcement) and separate tenant civil actions.
  • The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Legislative status (select actions)

  • Introduced: 2025-06-30 — Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
  • The file history shows passage activity in both chambers, amendments, and returns between Senate and Assembly (see bill file for detailed chronology). Current status shown as: RETURNED TO SENATE.

Potential considerations / impacts

  • Improves payment access for tenants without bank accounts and those using rental assistance.
  • Could increase administrative burden and risk for landlords who process more cash/check payments (e.g., handling, NSF checks).
  • Creates strong financial penalties and private-right-of-action incentives for enforcement and litigation.

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

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