Bill Text: NJ S939 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Abolishes BPU; transfers responsibilities to Department of Treasury.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee [S939 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S939-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Senator DOUGLAS J. STEINHARDT
District 23 (Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Corrado
SYNOPSIS
Abolishes BPU; transfers responsibilities to Department of Treasury.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the Board of Public Utilities and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
"Board" means the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of the Treasury.
b. Notwithstanding any law, rule, regulation, or order to the contrary, the Board of Public Utilities, named pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 001-1994 and allocated in but not of the Department of the Treasury, is abolished, and all of its functions, powers, and duties are transferred to and continued in the department. This transfer shall be subject to the provisions of the "State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.). All records, equipment, personal property, appropriations, and unexpended balances of funds appropriated or otherwise available to the board shall be transferred to the department pursuant to the "State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.).
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill abolishes the Board of Public Utilities and transfers all of its functions, powers, and duties to the Department of the Treasury. Under the bill, the transfer is to be conducted pursuant to the "State Agency Transfer Act."
Electricity rates in New Jersey have begun to rapidly increase due to a variety of factors, raising affordability concerns among ratepayers. With this legislation, the sponsor intends to encourage the State to reassess its approach to energy policies, which may impact utility rates, and prioritize energy affordability and reliability for ratepayers.
