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A 5041

Relates to prohibiting fraudulent absentee ballot drop-off boxes or receptacles

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jeffrey Dinowitz and 8 co-sponsors

One-time Emergency Supplemental Aid: $106.5M from Property Tax Relief Fund to stabilize 2024-25 district budgets, $250 per resident pupil for eligible districts.

REFERRED TO ELECTION LAW
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Bill Summary · A 5041

Summary of New Jersey Assembly Bill A 5041

Overview

  • Bill number: A 5041
  • Title: Relates to prohibiting fraudulent absentee ballot drop-off boxes or receptacles
  • Status: Reference changed to Election Law (as of 2025-03-27); previously introduced in Education Committee
  • Introduced: November 14, 2024
  • Primary focus (as introduced): A substantial one-time appropriation to support school districts facing budget shortfalls, with separate procedural notes indicating a potential move to the Election Law framework
  • Related companion bills: S 3904 (companion), S 1324 (companion)

Note: The introduced text provided for A 5041 centers on an emergency school aid appropriation. The stated title about absentee ballot drop-off boxes appears not to align with the enacted content, which describes a specific funding program for school districts.

Purpose and Policy Intent

  • The bill creates a one-time emergency supplemental funding program to stabilize school district budgets that are experiencing significant shortfalls relative to targets set by state aid formulas.
  • It seeks to address ongoing school finance pressures following years of aid reductions, with the aim of preserving educational programs, staff, and services in districts most at risk.

Key Provisions

Emergency Supplemental Aid Program

  • Funding source: $106,500,000 from the Property Tax Relief Fund
  • Recipient: Department of Education
  • Eligible districts: Those meeting all of the following thresholds for the 2024-2025 school year 1) Total State school aid to the district is less than the district’s adequacy budget (as defined by law) 2) Total 2024-2025 State school aid per resident pupil is ≤ $19,000
    • Calculation basis: Total 2024-2025 State school aid divided by resident pupil count (as defined by statute) on the last school day prior to October 16, 2023 3) Additional affordability test:
    • Either total 2024-2025 aid ≤ total 2023-2024 aid, or
    • Total 2024-2025 aid exceeds 2023-2024 aid by up to $200,000

Calculation of Aid

  • Each eligible district receives Emergency Supplemental Aid equal to $250 multiplied by the number of resident pupils counted for resident enrollment (as defined by statute) on the last school day prior to October 16, 2023.

State School Aid Definition (for purposes of the calculation)

  • 2024-2025: Sum of Stabilized School Budget Aid (per P.L.2024, c.13) plus various categories of aid allocated under P.L.2024, c.22 (e.g., equalization, special education, security, transportation, etc.)
  • 2023-2024: Sum of comparable categories of State school aid as allocated under P.L.2023, c.74 (e.g., equalization, special education, security, transportation, etc.)

Effective Date

  • Immediate upon enactment

Eligibility Mechanics and Impact

  • Targeted aid: Aimed at districts with below-adequacy budgets and relatively low per-pupil aid, with a floor tied to a district’s pupil count.
  • Scope: Applies to districts statewide that meet the numeric criteria; designed as emergency relief for the 2024-2025 period.
  • Potential impact: Provides immediate budget stabilization funding intended to support ongoing instructional programs, staffing, transportation, and other core services during a period of financial stress.

Fiscal and Administrative Considerations

  • Funding source: Property Tax Relief Fund (one-time appropriation)
  • Administration: Department of Education would administer the Emergency Supplemental Aid program, distributing funds to eligible districts based on the $250-per-pupil formula.
  • Policy rationale (as stated in the sponsor’s statement): Responds to multi-year reductions in education funding from prior legislation and extreme budget pressures across urban, suburban, and rural districts, with the goal of preserving a quality education for students.

Legislative History & Status

  • Introduced: 11/14/2024 (Assembly)
  • Initial Committee: Assembly Education (per initial actions)
  • Later actions show a status change to Election Law (3/27/2025) and referrals to Codes, indicating ongoing reallocation of the bill’s procedural path.

Sponsors and Related Legislation

  • Primary sponsor: Jonathan Jacobson
  • Additional sponsors: John T. McDonald III, Jo Anne Simon, Rebecca Seawright, Rebecca Kassay, Donna Lupardo, Jen Lunsford, Christopher Eachus, Jeffrey Dinowitz
  • Related/Companion: S 3904; S 1324; A 11103; A 2292; A 1104

What to Watch

  • Whether the measure remains a school aid appropriation or shifts into Election Law language, given the status changes.
  • Final eligibility criteria and whether any revisions alter which districts qualify.
  • Whether the $106.5 million appropriation is maintained or adjusted during subsequent amendments.

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

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