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Bill

A 4389

Requires public institutions of higher education to enroll certain students impacted by automation in job training courses without payment of tuition.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Alex Sauickie and 1 co-sponsor

Expands tuition waivers for public higher education to cover workers displaced by automation, enabling eligible displaced workers to enroll in retraining without tuition.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4389

Summary of Bill A 4389 (Session 222, New Jersey)

Purpose and intent

  • Expands a existing tuition waiver policy for public higher education to include workers displaced specifically by automation.
  • The bill aims to reduce barriers to retraining for long-tenured workers who lose jobs due to automation by allowing them to enroll in job training courses without paying tuition, under certain conditions.

Key provisions and changes

  • Public institutions of higher education (including state colleges and universities) must:
    • Permit a person who has been in the labor market for at least two years and who is unemployed or has received a layoff notice due to factory/plant closing or automation to enroll in a job training course without paying tuition.
    • Ensure the individual is not eligible for any available State or federal student financial aid.
    • Confirm that there is available classroom space.
    • Ensure that tuition-paying students constitute the minimum number required for the course.
    • Allow, but do not require, an institution to charge a registration fee up to $20 per academic term.
  • The same requirement applies to public county colleges (community colleges) with similar conditions:
    • Two years in the labor market, unemployment or layoff due to automation or plant closing, not eligible for other aid, space available, and minimum enrollment of tuition-paying students.
    • A registration fee not to exceed $20 per term is permissible.
  • Effective date: The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Displaced workers who meet all of the following:
    • Have been in the labor market for at least two years.
    • Are unemployed or have received a layoff notice due to automation or plant/factory closing.
    • Are not eligible for any state or federal financial aid for education.
    • Are seeking enrollment in job training/career retraining courses at public higher education institutions (state colleges, universities, and county colleges).
  • Public institutions of higher education and county colleges that offer job training courses (subject to space and minimum enrollment requirements).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Passage is immediate in effect; the policy would apply to eligible applicants seeking enrollment after enactment.
  • Institutions retain the ability to charge a registration fee up to $20 per academic term, preserving some cost-shield for the institution.
  • The bill references and amends two existing statutes:
    • N.J.S.A. C.18A:64-13.2 (state colleges/universities)
    • N.J.S.A. C.18A:64A-23.2 (county colleges)
  • Legislative action history: Introduced February 19, 2026; referred to Assembly Higher Education Committee. (Sponsorship includes Co-sponsors Heather Simmons and Alex Sauickie.)

Context and rationale (as provided in the bill)

  • The bill responds to automation-driven displacement, expanding access to retraining for workers whose jobs are at high risk of automation.
  • Cites a 2020 ALICE report (United Way of New Jersey) noting substantial automation risk in NJ jobs, including for Ocean County, to justify the policy goal of facilitating retraining for affected workers.

Practical impact and considerations

  • Removes tuition barriers for eligible displaced workers pursuing retraining, potentially increasing enrollment in job training programs.
  • Institutions must assess space availability and maintain the minimum enrollment of paying students, which could influence which courses qualify for waivers.
  • Potential fiscal impact on public institutions would depend on the number of eligible applicants and course-specific enrollment dynamics, given the tuition waiver is contingent on space and minimum enrollment requirements.
  • The $20 registration fee option provides a modest cost-recovery mechanism for institutions while keeping tuition access broad for eligible individuals.

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

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