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S282 1R SCS FISCAL ESTIMATE
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE, No. 282
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
DATED: JULY 2, 2026
SUMMARY
Synopsis:
Establishes �John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New
Jersey.�
Type of Impact:
Annual expenditure increase to the State; annual local
government expenditure and revenue increases.
Agencies Affected:
Department of Law and Public Safety; Department of State;
the Judiciary; local governments.
Office of
Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact
Annual
State Expenditure Increase
Indeterminate
Local Government Expenditure Increase
Indeterminate
Local Government Revenue Increase
Indeterminate
�
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that the bill will
result in annual indeterminate State expenditure increases to fund the
enforcement of voting rights in the State, administer the preclearance process
by the Office of the Attorney General, and provide local government
reimbursements for costs incurred regarding the language access requirements of
the bill.� The increase in responsibilities for the Division on Civil Rights in
the Department of Law and Public Safety will likely result in an increase in
revenue and expenditures for the Department of Law and Public Safety.
�
State expenditures will also increase by an indeterminate amount
due to requiring the Division of Elections to establish a publicly accessible
elections database and a centralized translation clearinghouse for ballot
terminology and requiring the Office of the Attorney General to assist local
governments with implementing language access requirements.
�
Additional annual State costs beyond these implementation costs
are likely to accrue to the Judiciary from an increased caseload to the extent
the bill results in additional litigation from alleged violations of voting
rights.
�
The OLS estimates that local governments will incur periodic
costs to provide language assistance to voters if it is not already provided.
�
Some local governments will incur indeterminate periodic costs if
found to have violated the bill�s provisions and ordered by the court to enact
remedies to address the violation and to reimburse plaintiffs for their work on
the matter.� Local governments found to have violated the voting rights of a
protected class going forward, and those meeting certain demographic criteria,
will incur additional administrative costs under the preclearance process.�
However, no compensatory or punitive damages will be awarded against a
political subdivision or local election office if the challenged action was
taken in good faith.
�
Some local governments may also incur indeterminate periodic revenues
if the courts find the actions taken against them to be frivolous,
unreasonable, or without foundation.
BILL DESCRIPTION
����� The bill provides certain protections regarding the
right to vote in New Jersey.� It specifically safeguards voting rights for
members of certain protected classes by establishing a series of tests to
determine when those rights have been infringed and by creating a standardized
mechanism for redressing violations.
����� The bill requires the Division on Civil Rights in the Department
of Law and Public Safety to oversee the implementation and enforcement of the
bill�s provisions.� Under the bill, the Office of the Attorney General will also
continue to provide representation, advice, and guidance to any political
subdivision or local election office that requests it, provided the Office of
the Attorney General establishes an appropriate firewall and safeguards to
protect against conflicts of interest.
����� Under the bill, aggrieved parties may notify local
government entities of perceived violations of the bill and demand
reimbursement for the cost of substantiating such claims up to $50,000.� The Department
of the Treasury will adjust the $50,000 cap biennially in proportion to the
percent change in the Consumer Price Index over a 24-month period. Any
adjustment will become effective in January of an odd-numbered year for the two
calendar years following the determination and will not exceed a 2 percent
increase.
����� In addition, the bill provides that no compensatory or
punitive damages will be awarded against a political subdivision or local
election office where the challenged action was taken in good faith.
����� The bill also requires local governments to provide
physical voting materials, which may also be made available online, in
languages other than English when the local electorate meets certain criteria
regarding limited English language proficiency. The bill requires the State to
adhere to this requirement if it produces or disseminates such materials on
behalf of a local government unit.
����� The bill also requires the Division of Elections to
create and maintain a publicly accessible elections database and a centralized
translation clearinghouse for ballot terminology to assist local governments
with implementing language access requirements. Furthermore, the bill requires
the division to establish and maintain a publicly accessible Internet database
to serve as a centralized source of election information and data for the
public.
����� Under the bill, the Office of the Attorney General may
also engage in public education efforts as necessary to inform the voting
eligible population of their voting rights under the bill, subject to available
funds.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
����� � None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
����� The OLS finds that the bill will result in annual
indeterminate State expenditure increases to fund the enforcement of voting
rights in the State, administer the preclearance process by the Office of the Attorney
General, and provide local government reimbursements for costs incurred
regarding the language access requirements of the bill.� The increase in
responsibilities for the Division on Civil Rights will likely result in an
increase in revenue and expenditures for the Department of Law and Public
Safety.
����� State expenditures will also increase by an
indeterminate amount due to requiring the Division of Elections to establish a
publicly accessible elections database and a centralized translation
clearinghouse for ballot terminology and requiring the Office of the Attorney
General to assist local governments with implementing language access
requirements.
����� Additional annual State costs beyond these
implementation costs are likely to accrue to the Judiciary from an increased
caseload to the extent the bill results in additional litigation from alleged
violations of voting rights.
����� Furthermore, the OLS finds that local governments will
experience an indeterminate increase in expenditures, but the extent to which
local government expenditures will increase cannot be reliably estimated. The
OLS anticipates that, to the extent local governments incur additional costs as
a result of the bill�s language access provisions, such costs will be
reimbursed by the State.
����� Some local governments will incur indeterminate
periodic costs if found to have violated the bill�s provisions and ordered by
the court to enact remedies to address the violation and to reimburse
plaintiffs for their work on the matter.� Local governments found to have
violated the voting rights of a protected class going forward, and those
meeting certain demographic criteria, will incur additional administrative
costs under the preclearance process.� However, no compensatory or punitive
damages will be awarded against a political subdivision or local election
office if the challenged action was taken in good faith.
����� Some local governments may also incur indeterminate
periodic revenues if the courts find the actions taken against them to be
frivolous, unreasonable, or without foundation.� The extent to which local
government expenditures and revenues will increase cannot be reliably
estimated.
Section:
State Government
Analyst:
Anna Harris
Associate Fiscal Analyst
Approved:
Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the
Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to
respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980,
c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).