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A 5944

Requires delivery safety training for those who make deliveries for online ordering and delivery platforms

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Robert Carroll

Protect energy-choice by blocking rules banning fossil-fuel appliances or forcing electric replacements, while allowing voluntary electrification and incentives.

REFERRED TO LABOR
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Bill Summary · A 5944

A 5944 — Affordable Home Energy Protection Act (Introduced July 24, 2025)

Overview

A 5944, introduced in the Assembly and currently referred to the Labor Committee, is titled the Affordable Home Energy Protection Act. The introduced text seeks to preserve homeowner and business energy‑choice by limiting state and local measures that restrict the use of fossil-fuel powered appliances and heating systems in buildings.

Sponsor: Robert C. Carroll (primary)

Companion/related: S 4610 (companion); A 7917 (prior-session)

Purpose and intent

  • To protect residents’ and property owners’ ability to choose heating and power options without being subject to government-imposed mandates for electrification.
  • To acknowledge concerns about cost, feasibility, and equity in shifting to electric alternatives, particularly for older homes and low- to moderate-income households.
  • To prevent prohibitions or restrictions on natural gas, propane, or fuel oil appliances and to avoid requirements that forcedly remove or replace functioning combustion-based systems with electric ones.

Key provisions

1) Short title
- The act is known as the “Affordable Home Energy Protection Act.”

2) Legislative findings
- Asserts a right to energy choice, notes potential cost burdens and infrastructure strain from broad electrification, and cites concerns about prohibiting combustion-based appliances without sufficient consideration.

3) Prohibitions and protections
- Prohibits state agencies or local governments from adopting rules that:
- (a) prohibit or unduly restrict installation, connection, or use of natural gas, propane, or fuel-oil appliances/heating systems in residential or commercial buildings; or
- (b) require a property owner to remove a functioning combustion-based appliance/heating system or replace it with an electric alternative.
- Allows exceptions and clarifications:
- (1) voluntary installation of electric alternatives remains permitted.
- (2) the state or local governments may offer incentives or rebates to support energy-efficient technologies.
- (3) emergency safety orders restricting combustion-based appliances may be issued when a system is demonstrably unsafe.

4) Effective date
- The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Property owners, building owners, renters, and developers, who would maintain the option to use combustion-based appliances.
  • State agencies and local governments, which would be constrained from enacting certain energy-restriction or electrification mandates.
  • Energy policy stakeholders, utility companies, and incentive programs that support energy choices or safety actions.

Procedural and timeline notes

  • Status: Referred to LABOR; introduced in the Assembly on July 24, 2025.
  • Additional committee referrals include Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities (as indicated in the introduced version).
  • Related legislation includes S 4610 (companion) and A 7917 (prior-session).

Summary

A 5944 would enshrine energy-choice protections in New Jersey law by barring measures that disallow fossil-fuel appliances or compel replacement with electric systems, while permitting voluntary electrification, incentives, and emergency safety actions. The measure emphasizes affordability, feasibility, and consumer preference in residential and commercial energy choices.

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

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