Requires Internet capable room temperature reporting device installation in certain multiple dwellings.

A4303

ASSEMBLY, No. 4303

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires Internet capable room temperature reporting
device installation in certain multiple dwellings.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

requiring room temperature reporting device
installation in certain residential rental dwellings and supplementing P.L.1967,
c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.).

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� Each residential
rental unit of a multiple dwelling containing six or more units of dwelling
space shall be equipped with an Internet capable room temperature reporting
device, installed and maintained in accordance with rules and regulations adopted
by the commissioner.� Information made available by an Internet capable room
temperature reporting device installed pursuant to this section shall be
accessible to the property owner and tenant of the unit in which the device is
placed.� A device installed pursuant to this section shall be in operation from
at least October 31 through May 31.�

���� b.� A residential tenant
residing in a dwelling unit subject to the requirements of this section shall
have the option to refuse an Internet capable room temperature reporting device
from being installed in the tenant�s dwelling unit.� If a tenant refuses the
installation of a device, the owner shall provide notice of this refusal to the
department in accordance with the rules and regulations adopted by the
commissioner.�

���� c.� The rules and regulations
adopted by the commissioner to effectuate the requirements of this section
shall:

���� (1)� guide the appropriate
provision of notice to tenants regarding the requirements of this section,
including device installation, instructions on how to access recorded
information, and the tenant�s right of refusal;

���� (2)� guide multiple dwelling
owners on the appropriate locations and methods of device installation, and
methods of device maintenance; and

���� (3)� provide any other
necessary guidance for the effective implementation of the provisions of this
section.

���� d.� As used in this section,
an �Internet capable room temperature reporting device� or �device� means a
device that is capable of measuring the indoor air temperature not less than once
per hour and recording the temperature, along with the date and time of the
reading, for a period of time not less than the immediately preceding 90 days. �The
device shall be capable of making such information available through an
ordinary Internet connection or through other means when no ordinary Internet
connection is present.

���� 2.� The Commissioner of
Community Affairs,
in accordance with the
"Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.),
shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of
P.L.���
, c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) on or before
the first day of the fifth month next following enactment
.

���� 3.� This act shall take effect
on the first day of the thirteenth month next following enactment.�

STATEMENT

���� This bill would require the
installation of Internet capable room temperature reporting devices in certain
multiple dwellings in order to help prevent the deadly fires that are known
break out as a result of the use of space heaters.� Specifically, the bill
would supplement the �Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law,� (�HMDL�) N.J.S.A.55:13A-1
et seq. to require each residential rental unit of a multiple dwelling
containing six or more units of dwelling space to be equipped with an Internet
capable room temperature reporting device.� As used in the bill, an �Internet
capable room temperature reporting device� is a device capable of measuring the
indoor air temperature not less than once per hour and recording the
temperature, along with the date and time of the reading, for a period of no
less than the preceding 90 days. �The device would be capable of making such
information available through an ordinary Internet connection or other means
when no Internet connection is available.

���� The bill directs Internet
capable room temperature reporting devices to be installed and maintained in
accordance with rules and regulations to be adopted by the Commissioner of
Community Affairs.� The bill requires information made available by an Internet
capable room temperature reporting device to be accessible to the property
owner and tenant of the unit in which the device is placed.� The bill requires
devices to be in operation from October 31 through May 31 of each year.�

���� The bill provides a
residential tenant with the option to refuse an Internet capable room
temperature reporting device from being installed in the tenant�s unit.� If a
tenant refuses the installation, then the bill requires the owner to provide
notice of this refusal to the Department of Community Affairs in accordance
with the rules and regulations to be adopted by the commissioner, so that the
owner may avoid any potential penalty for an HMDL violation.�

���� The bill directs the
commissioner to adopt rules and regulations
to
effectuate the provisions of
the bill on or before the first day of the
fifth month next following the bill�s enactment
.�
These rules and regulations would
guide the appropriate provision of
notice to tenants regarding installations, instructions on how to access
recorded information, and the tenant�s right of refusal.� The rules and
regulations would also guide multiple dwelling owners on the appropriate
locations and methods of device installation and maintenance, and provide any
other necessary guidance for the effective implementation of the bill.�

���� The bill would take effect on
the first day of the thirteenth month next following enactment in order to
provide the department, and property owners, sufficient time to prepare for the
implementation of the bill.