Bill Text: NJ S4288 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Care.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S4288 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4288-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RAJ MUKHERJI
District 32 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Care.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Care.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established the New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Care within the Department of Children and Families.
b. The commission shall consist of 13 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioners of Children and Families, Education, Human Services, and Labor and Workforce Development, and the Secretary of Higher Education, or their designee, who shall serve ex officio;
(2) four members of the public appointed by the Governor who have experience or expertise in child care or early childhood education, including: one representative of a licensed child care center; one licensed family child care provider; one representative of an early childhood advocacy organization; and one parent or guardian of a child currently enrolled in a child care program in the State.
(3) 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 Minority Leader of the Senate, which public members shall have experience in early childhood education policy or child care program administration, or child care workforce development; and
(4) 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 Minority Leader of the General Assembly, which public members shall have experience in early childhood education research or child development, or child care program operations or administration.
c. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled as provided for the original appointments.
d. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.
e. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the commission within the limits of funds made available to the commission for its purposes.
f. The commission 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 perform its duties.
g. The Department of Children and Families shall provide staff support to the commission.
2. a. The purpose of the commission shall be to develop a comprehensive, Statewide strategy to strengthen and stabilize the child care system in the State.
b. The commission's examination shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(1) conducting a comprehensive review of the State's child care system, including access to child care services, affordability for families, workforce compensation, facilities and infrastructure, and existing funding structures;
(2) identifying systemic challenges within the child care system and opportunities for reform;
(3) developing actionable policy and funding recommendations to strengthen and stabilize the State's child care system;
(4) developing a sustainable framework for coordination among stakeholders in the State's child care and early childhood education system;
(5) outlining State agency and municipal early childhood initiatives in order to support the development of equitable, high-quality child care and early education systems that address unmet needs, strengthen early care infrastructure, and improve health, educational, and economic outcomes in the State;
(6) developing recommendations concerning State and federal statutory and regulatory reforms to improve child care and early childhood education services, including recommendations to streamline funding sources and reduce statutory and regulatory burden; and
(7) developing an initial plan to support the implementation of the commission's recommendations.
3. The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations for legislative, executive, or any other action as may be appropriate to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 12 months after the commission organizes.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the 13-member "New Jersey Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Care in the Department of Children and Families, which will develop a comprehensive, Statewide strategy to strengthen and stabilize the child care system in the State.
The commission's examination will include, but is not limited to:
(1) conducting a comprehensive review of the State's child care system, including access to child care services, affordability for families, workforce compensation, facilities and infrastructure, and existing funding structures;
(2) identifying systemic challenges within the child care system and opportunities for reform;
(3) developing actionable policy and funding recommendations to strengthen and stabilize the State's child care system;
(4) developing a sustainable framework for coordination among stakeholders in the State's child care and early childhood education system;
(5) outlining State agency and municipal early childhood initiatives in order to support the development of equitable, high-quality child care and early education systems that address unmet needs, strengthen early care infrastructure, and improve health, educational, and economic outcomes in the State;
(6) developing recommendations concerning State and federal statutory and regulatory reforms to improve child care and early childhood education services, including recommendations to streamline funding sources and reduce statutory and regulatory burden; and
(7) developing an initial plan to support the implementation of the commission's recommendations.
The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations for legislative, executive, or any other action as may be appropriate to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than 12 months after the commission organizes.
