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A4193
ASSEMBLY, No. 4193
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires Business Action Center to establish
�Entrepreneur Learner�s Permit Pilot Program� for certain designated
industries.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
requiring the establishment of a pilot program to
assist first-time entrepreneurs
and supplementing P.L.1948, c.445
(C.52:16A-1 et seq.).
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a. No later than six
months after the effective date of
P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill) the Business Action Center within the
Department of State shall develop, establish, and implement a two-year
�Entrepreneur Learner�s Permit Pilot Program� that shall be administered by the
center over a period of two consecutive fiscal years.� The purpose of the pilot
program shall be to encourage and assist first-time entrepreneurs in starting
new businesses in designated industries by providing reimbursements to
qualifying entrepreneurs for State filing, permitting, or licensing fees
associated with the formation of a qualifying business in the State.
���� b.��� Prior to the formation
of the business for which the entrepreneur seeks reimbursement of the fees
described in subsection a. of this section, an applicant seeking to participate
in the pilot program shall submit an application for pilot program eligibility
to the center in a form and manner prescribed by the center.� The center shall
establish criteria for the review and approval of pilot program applications,
provided that the center shall:
���� (1)�� give priority to women�s
business applicants and minority business applicants; and
���� (2)�� approve for
participation in the pilot program only first-time business owners of
businesses in a designated industry.
���� c.���� The center shall
determine the manner in which to provide a reimbursement to a business
participating in the pilot program under this section, but the aggregate amount
of all reimbursements provided by the center shall not exceed $500,000 in any
one fiscal year.
���� d.��� The center shall adopt
regulations in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act"
P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) deemed necessary for the
implementation and enforcement of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before
the Legislature as this bill).
���� e.���� On or before February 1
of the pilot program�s second fiscal year, the center shall conduct a review of
the cumulative effectiveness of the pilot program.� The review shall include,
but not be limited to:
���� (1)�� the number and type of
New Jersey businesses that were formed in connection with the pilot program;
���� (2)�� the status of each
business formed in connection with the pilot program;
���� (3)�� the number of employees
employed by each business receiving a reimbursement under the pilot program;
���� (4)�� the economic impact to
the State from the pilot program;
���� (5)�� the satisfaction of
participants in the pilot program; and
���� (6)�� a recommendation
concerning whether the pilot program should be made permanent or continued for
additional fiscal years.
���� f.���� The center shall
compile a report based upon the review required pursuant to subsection e. of
this section and shall submit the report to the Governor and, in accordance
with section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.
���� g.��� For purposes of this
section:
���� �Center� means the Business
Action Center within the Department of State established pursuant to
Reorganization Plan No. 003-2011.
���� "Designated
industry" means a designated industry, as that term is defined in section
2 of P.L.1996, c.26 (C.34:1B-125).
���� �Minority business� means a
minority business as defined in section 2 of P.L.1985, c.386 (C.34:1B-48).
���� �Pilot program� means the
Entrepreneur Learner�s Permit Pilot Program administered by the Business Action
Center within the Department of State, as described in subsection a. of this
section.
���� �Women�s business� means a
women�s business as defined in section 2 of P.L.1985, c.386 (C.34:1B-48).
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the
Business Action Center (BAC) within the Department of State to establish an
�Entrepreneur Learner�s Permit Pilot Program� (pilot program) to reimburse
participating new business entrepreneurs for fees related to the establishment
of certain new businesses.
���� Under the bill, the BAC is
required to establish the pilot program within six months after the effective
date of the bill.� The pilot program is required to be administered by the BAC
over a period of two consecutive fiscal years and is intended to assist
first-time entrepreneurs in starting new businesses in designated industries by
providing reimbursements to qualifying entrepreneurs for State filing,
permitting, or licensing fees associated with the formation of a business in
the State.� Under the bill, in operation with existing law, designated
industries include the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, financial
services, transportation and logistics, advanced computing, advanced materials,
electronic device technology, environmental technology, and medical device
technology.
���� The bill requires the BAC to
establish criteria for the review and approval of pilot program applications,
including criteria to give priority to women�s and minority businesses and to
prohibit approval of applications by persons who are not first-time business
owners in designated industries.� The bill further provides that the BAC is to
determine the manner in which to provide reimbursements to participating
entrepreneurs and limits the aggregate amount of reimbursements under the pilot
program to not more than $500,000 in any one fiscal year.
���� The bill requires the BAC to
adopt rules to administer the pilot program and to complete a review of the
pilot program. The bill further requires the BAC to compile a report based on
its review and to submit the report to the Governor and to the Legislature.