Repeals law that requires funds for legislative agents to be assessed on student tuition bills in certain manner.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Greenstein and 5 co-sponsors

The bill repeals the ban on funding legislative advocacy groups through student tuition bills, allowing such fees with existing disclosure and referendum processes.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Higher Education Committee

Overview

Bill S 1669 (Session 222, New Jersey) seeks to repeal the requirement that funds for legislative agents or organizations that influence legislation be assessed on student tuition bills at public institutions of higher education. The bill argues that current law restricts students’ rights to participate in state legislative activity and effectively silences student groups engaged in advocacy.

Main purpose and intent

Repeal P.L.1995, c.63 (C.18A:62-22), which governs how certain fees related to legislative advocacy can appear on student tuition bills.

Restore and protect students’ rights to participate in state legislative processes by removing a constraint on funding for legislative agents/organizations through tuition bills.

Key provisions and changes

Repeal of P.L.1995, c.63: The current statute that prohibits funding for legislative agents or lobbying organizations on student tuition bills would be eliminated.

Retention of optional nonpartisan fees (historical context, not explicitly repealed by the bill but described in the statement): Under current law, optional fees for nonpartisan organizations with legislative agents may be assessed only if authorized by a student referendum, and such fees must appear as a separately assessed item on the tuition bill with a disclosure statement.

The bill’s text does not alter the mechanism for optional fees themselves beyond repealing the prohibition on funding for legislative agents; it focuses on removing the prohibition language entirely.

Affected entities and effects

Public institutions of higher education in New Jersey (colleges and universities) and their governing bodies.

Student bodies and student organizations, particularly those engaged in legislative or advocacy activities.

Students who participate in or fund organizations via tuition bills, and those who may be impacted by the current prohibition on funding for legislative agents through tuition charges.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective date: Immediately upon enactment.

Legislative action: Introduced in the Senate on 2026-01-13 and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Sponsors: Includes multiple co-sponsors (Shirley Turner, Linda Greenstein, Britnee Timberlake, Andrew Zwicker, Troy Singleton, Raj Mukherji).

Potential implications

Students and student organizations would have greater freedom to fund legislative advocacy activities through tuition-related fees, subject to existing or future governance and referendum processes (as the bill repeals the prohibition, not necessarily altering all referendum procedures).

Institutions may need to adjust administrative and financial guidance related to how fees for advocacy-related groups are handled, given the statutory change.

The policy change could influence how student government bodies engage with policy processes at the state level, potentially increasing student-led advocacy capacity.

Note: The bill retains a mechanism requiring disclosure for any optional fees, ensuring transparency about the nature of such charges and that they reflect student body requests rather than institutional endorsement.