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A 2161

Relates to resettlement of asylum seekers

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Steven Raga and 1 co-sponsor

NJ public colleges must waive or reimburse the application fee and the transcript fee for eligible New Jersey veterans and service members after they accept admission.

REFERRED TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
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Bill Summary · A 2161

Summary — A2161 (Relates to resettlement of asylum seekers)

Note: bill title in header refers to resettlement language in docketing, but the bill text and committee statement concern waiving certain higher‑education fees for military veterans and members of the Armed Forces and National Guard.

What the bill would do (purpose)

A2161 requires New Jersey public institutions of higher education to waive or reimburse two specified fees for eligible military-affiliated applicants who are New Jersey residents and accept admission:

  • the institution’s application fee, and
  • the institution’s fee for the receipt or transmission of an academic transcript.

The stated intent is to reduce financial barriers for veterans and service members seeking enrollment at public colleges and universities in New Jersey.

Key provisions

  • Entities covered: all public institutions of higher education in New Jersey (state colleges, universities, county community colleges, etc.).
  • Eligible individuals: veterans; members of the U.S. Armed Forces; members of the Reserve components of the Armed Forces; and members of the New Jersey National Guard — provided they reside in New Jersey and accept admission to the institution.
  • Fees covered: application fee and fee charged for receiving or transmitting a transcript (official transcript processing/transmission fee).
  • Mechanism: institutions must either waive (not charge) or reimburse (refund) these fees for each eligible individual.
  • Statutory placement: supplements chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
  • Effective date: immediately upon enactment.

Who would be affected

  • Beneficiaries: eligible New Jersey resident veterans, active-duty and Reserve service members, and NJ National Guard members who accept admission to a public institution of higher education.
  • Institutions: New Jersey public colleges and universities would forgo or reimburse the specific fees for eligible students; they would also need procedures to verify eligibility and process waivers/reimbursements.
  • Private institutions: not covered by this bill.

Procedural status and timeline

  • Introduced in the Assembly: January 9, 2024 (referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee).
  • Reported favorably by Assembly Higher Education Committee: June 3, 2024 (then referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee).
  • Later referrals: Referred to Local Governments on January 15, 2025.
  • Effective upon enactment if passed into law.

Sponsors and related bills

  • Primary sponsors: William F. Moen; Shanique Speight; Jenifer Rajkumar.
  • Co-sponsors include Reginald W. Atkins, Victoria A. Flynn, Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, Gerry Scharfenberger, Steven Raga.
  • Companion: S2377. Prior-session related bill: A7992.

Notes / potential impacts

  • The bill does not include a fiscal note in the provided text; implementation could modestly reduce fee revenue for public institutions and create administrative workload for eligibility verification.
  • The waiver/reimbursement only applies after admission is accepted — applicants who are not admitted or who decline admission would not receive the benefit.

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

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