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S 4501

Relates to the definition of practice of pharmacy

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 13 co-sponsors

Allows owners to hire DCA-authorized private on-site inspectors for any requested inspection, shifting some load from municipalities and enabling separate inspection fees.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 4501

Summary — S.4501 (2025)

Title: Relates to the definition of practice of pharmacy (documented bill text concerns construction-code inspections)
Status snapshot: Introduced May 22, 2025; reported out of Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee with amendments (June 19, 2025). Sponsors: Sen. Gustavo Rivera (primary) and multiple cosponsors. Companion: A5927 / A2534.

Note: Although the title in the header refers to pharmacy, the bill text and committee statement amend New Jersey construction-code inspection law (P.L.1975, c.217 and P.L.1979, c.121).

Main purpose

S.4501 modifies New Jersey’s construction-code inspection rules to (1) clarify and permit charging of separate inspection fees and (2) allow owners, agents, or other responsible persons to independently contract with Department of Community Affairs (DCA)-authorized private on‑site inspection agencies to perform requested inspections for any reason (removing prior limits tied to enforcing‑agency delay and DCA authorization).

Key provisions and changes

  • Fee setting (amends P.L.1979, c.121 / C.52:27D-126a):

    • Municipal governing bodies set enforcing-agency fees for plan review, permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, etc., consistent with commissioner standards.
    • Fees may not exceed the enforcing agency’s annual operating costs.
    • For three years after an enforcing agency first joins the state’s Electronic Permit Processing Review System, municipalities may impose a surcharge to defray startup costs; surcharge standards set by the commissioner.

  • Inspection procedures and timing (amends P.L.1975, c.217 / C.52:27D-132):

    • Default inspection hours: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on business days unless another time is agreed or immediate danger exists.
    • Owners of premises are deemed to consent to inspections until certificate of occupancy is issued.
    • Notice and scheduling:
    • Owners/agents must give written notice at least 24 hours before a requested inspection; oral notice permitted for minor projects.
    • Enforcing agency must perform the requested inspection within three business days of the requested date.
    • If unable to meet that timeframe, the enforcing agency must notify the owner/agent in writing within 24 hours and may mutually agree in writing to another date.
    • Reinspection of owner-occupied single‑family residences: the same inspector/team that found a violation must perform reinspections where practical (with enumerated exceptions for certain subcodes).
    • New broad right: if an owner, agent, or responsible person independently elects (for any reason) to contract with a DCA‑authorized private on‑site inspection agency, that private agency may perform the requested on‑site inspections. This removes the prior limited circumstance that allowed private contracting only when a local enforcing agency could not perform an inspection within three business days and required DCA authorization.

Who is affected

  • Property owners, builders, contractors, architects, and engineers (ability to hire private DCA‑authorized inspectors; potential for additional or separate inspection fees).
  • Municipal enforcing agencies and local governments (fee-setting responsibility; potential changes in inspection workload and revenue).
  • DCA and authorized private on‑site inspection agencies (oversight, authorization, and market for inspection services).
  • Construction project timelines and permitting processes (may be accelerated or altered depending on use of private inspectors).

Potential impacts (neutral framing)

  • May increase flexibility and speed for scheduling inspections by allowing private, authorized inspectors to be retained directly by project stakeholders.
  • Could shift inspection workload from municipal enforcing agencies to private providers and alter fee structures (owners may face separate charges for private inspections).
  • Raises oversight considerations for DCA and municipalities regarding quality control, conflicts of interest, and fee regulation.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced in the Senate: 05/22/2025 (referred initially to Senate Community & Urban Affairs).
  • Transferred and reported with committee amendments by Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee: 06/19/2025 (2nd Reading).
  • Listed legislative referrals also include Higher Education on 02/06/2025 (duplicate entries in the bill history).

For exact statutory edits, see amendments to: P.L.1979, c.121 (C.52:27D-126a) and P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-132).

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

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