Bill Text: NJ A5343 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates long-term care workforce development program and advisory council.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-28 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee [A5343 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5343-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN BERGEN
District 26 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Creates long-term care workforce development program and advisory council.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a long-term care workforce development program and supplementing Titles 34 and 54 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Certified nursing assistant" means any individual who has fulfilled the Certified Nursing Aid requirements as established by the New Jersey Department of Health and maintains an active license as issued by that department.
"Certified home health aide" means a professional care giver responsible for helping individuals maintain their personal health and hygiene in a home setting. A certified home health aid has fulfilled the certification requirements established by the Department of Human Servies and is listed on the online directory of Certified Home Health Aides as maintained by the Division of Consumer Affairs.
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
"Department" means the Department of Labor and Workforce Development."
"Personal care assistant" means any individual who has fulfilled the Certified Nursing Aid requirements as established by the New Jersey Department of Health and maintains an active license as issued by that department.
"Qualified direct care worker" means a worker employed as a certified nursing assistant, certified home health aide, or personal care assistant for at least 720 hours in total during a tax year.
2. a. There is established in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development a Direct Health Care Worker Training Grant Program. The program shall provide up to $5,000 per worker toward the pursuit of certification as, or continuing education related to, the professions of certified nursing assistant, certified home health aide, or personal care assistant.
b. The program shall:
(1) provide an incentive to workers to pursue careers in the targeted fields;
(2) inform workers of the program established pursuant to this section; and
(3) be limited to a two-year duration per individual enrollee.
c. A worker subject to the provisions of this act may apply for the Direct Health Care Worker Training Grant established pursuant to this section in accordance with application procedures established by the commissioner.
d. The commissioner shall certify eligibility and program participation for the program established pursuant to this section, and shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to effectuate the purposes of this Direct Health Care Worker Training Grant, and to prevent the duplication of benefits across State workforce development programs.
3. a. For taxable years beginning in 2027, a taxpayer employed as a qualified direct care worker shall be allowed a credit against the New Jersey gross income tax due pursuant to N.J.S.54A:1-1 et seq. in an amount equal to $1,200. In the case of a qualified direct care worker filing a joint return with another resident individual who is also a qualified direct care worker, the credit shall be in an amount equal to $2,000.
b. The credit allowed by this section shall not be allowed to a taxpayer whose gross income exceeds:
(1) $75,000 in the case of a taxpayer who files a single return; or
(2) $100,000 in the case of a taxpayer who files a joint return.
c. A taxpayer shall apply in a form and manner to be determined by the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury for the tax credit provided pursuant to this section.
4. a. The New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development shall consult with each county college in the State to develop a standardized elder care certificate program. The certificate programs established by a county college shall be directly targeted to business and industry located in the region that have an identified and immediate need to hire employees with education and skills that are not being addressed through available training and educational opportunities.
b. (1) Under a certificate program, the county college shall develop the curriculum to ensure that it is directly aligned to the needs of those patients requiring elder care.
(2) The county college shall provide the faculty for the certificate program and shall make college facilities available for the program. Upon agreement with any elder care facility, certificate program classes may be provided on-site at the elder care facility.
(3) An employer may hire an individual enrolled in a certificate program prior to completion of the program with continued employment dependent upon successful completion. The county college shall issue a certificate to each individual who successfully completes the program to indicate that the individual has acquired the requisite knowledge and skills for employment in the identified field or occupation.
5. a. There is established within the Department of Labor and Workforce Development a Long-Term Care Advisory Council which shall:
(1) act as the advisory body on long-term care, home health care, elder care, and health care training and recruitment related to these healthcare fields to the Legislature and State departments, agencies, commissions, authorities, and private agencies that provide services to, or are charged with the care of, persons requiring long-term health care;
(2) conduct a thorough and comprehensive study of all issues relating to the quality of and access to services provided to long-term care patients;
(3) develop recommendations for best practice standards encompassing the most effective strategies for expanding training and recruitment for health care professionals in home health care in New Jersey; and
(4) identify and conduct, with assistance from the public, additional research related to long-term care, elder care, and home care.
b. The advisory council shall consist of 16 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioners of Education, Health, Human Services, and Labor and Workforce Development, or their designees, as ex officio members;
(2) two members of the public, one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate, which public members shall be a registered nurse or nurse practitioner licensed to practice in this State with experience in providing long-term care, home health care or elder care, or a physician licensed to practice in this State with expertise in providing long-term care, home health care or elder care;
(3) two members of the public, one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, which public members shall be a registered nurse or nurse practitioner licensed to practice in this State with experience in providing long-term care, home health care or elder care, or a physician licensed to practice in this State with expertise in providing long-term care, home health care or elder care; and
(4) eight public members to be appointed by the Governor, who shall include: a physician licensed to practice in this State who has expertise in long-term care, home health care, or elder care and is associated with the research department of an academic institution in this State; a representative of a general hospital or hospital system in this State recommended by the New Jersey Hospital Association; a representative of the health insurance industry recommended by the New Jersey Association of Health Plans; a pharmacist licensed in this State; a representative of the medical technology industry who has expertise in long-term care, home health care, or elder care and is recommended by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey; a representative of an elder care patient advocacy organization; a person, age 18 years or older, who has previously required long-term health care; and a caregiver or care partner for a patient requiring long-term health care.
c. Public members of the advisory council shall serve for a term of three years, except that of the initial appointments, four public members shall serve for one year, four public members shall serve for two years, and four public members shall serve for three years. Vacancies in the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. The public members of the council shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for traveling and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties within the limits of funds made available to the council for its purposes.
d. The advisory council shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of its public members, and the Governor shall select a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the council.
e. The advisory council shall meet a minimum of three times a year but may meet more often at the call of its chair. The council may hold hearings at the times and in the places it deems appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge. The council shall be entitled to call to its assistance, and avail itself of the services of the employees of, any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
f. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development shall maintain oversight of the advisory council. The department may issue a request, within 180 days after the effective date of this act, for proposals for a location for the advisory council to operate and for staff and resources to support the operations of the council. The department shall provide staff services to the advisory council if the proposals submitted to the department are not sufficient to meet the needs of the council.
g. The advisory council shall report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, no later than December 31st, on a biennial basis, starting in the second year next following the enactment of this act, on the activities of the advisory council and its findings and recommendations on issues relating to the quality of, and access to, long-term care, home health care, and elder care services in this State.
6. This act shall take effect six months from the date of enactment, except for the tax provisions of section 3 which shall take effect January 1, 2027.
STATEMENT
The bill creates several incentives and initiatives related to workforce development in the area of long-term healthcare. The bill establishes a Direct Health Care Worker Training Grant, which provides up to $5,000 per worker toward the pursuit of certification or continuing education related to the professions of certified nursing assistant, certified home health aide, or personal care assistant
The bill provides qualified direct care workers with a tax credit of up to $1,200 for single filers and up to $2,000 for joint filers against the New Jersey Gross Income Tax. Qualified direct care workers are defined as any worker employed as a certified nursing assistant, certified home health aide, or personal care assistant for at least 720 hours in total during a tax year. The tax credit is subject to gross income limits of $75,000 for a single filer and $100,000 for joint filers.
The bill establishes a standardized elder care certificate pathway through the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development. This will enable use of county college staff to design and implement the certificate program and make county college facilities available for the program. Upon agreement with any elder care facility, certificate program classes may be provided on-site at the elder care facility.
Lastly, the bill establishes the Long-Term Care advisory council to strengthen workforce development efforts in the fields of long-term care, home health care, and elder care. The council will consist of 16 members, 12 of whom are public members, and will provide periodic reporting related to findings and recommendations addressing the quality of, and access to, long-term care, home health care, and elder care services in the State.
