Merit Institute Merit

The New Jersey Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (NJ-ACSA)

New Jersey state companion to ACSA. Extends licensure recognition under N.J.S.A. Title 45, NJ Community Colleges, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and N.J.S.A. 54:10A corporation business tax credits, with labor-protective provisions.

THE NEW JERSEY WORKER-MERIT CREDENTIALING ACT (NJ-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. New Jersey Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to Assembly / Senate Higher Education / Labor / Budget and Appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “New Jersey Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (NJ-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that New Jersey occupational licensure operates under N.J.S.A. Title 45 and related professional statutes; that the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education operates under N.J.S.A. 18A:3B-1 et seq.; that the New Jersey Council of County Colleges operates under N.J.S.A. 18A:64A; that the Department of Labor and Workforce Development operates under N.J.S.A. Title 34; that N.J.S.A. 54A (Gross Income Tax) and N.J.S.A. 54:10A (Corporation Business Tax) authorize tax credits; and that N.J.S.A. 34:11 (wage and hour) and N.J.S.A. 10:5 (Law Against Discrimination) apply. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH NEW JERSEY LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “New Jersey Recognized Merit Credential” or “NJRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Secretary of Higher Education in coordination with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means a board under N.J.S.A. Title 45.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing New Jersey Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • N.J.S.A. Title 45 (licensed professions).
  • N.J.S.A. 18A:3B-1 et seq. (OSHE).
  • N.J.S.A. Title 34 (Labor).
  • N.J.S.A. 54A; 54:10A (taxation).
  • N.J.S.A. 34:11; 10:5 (labor protections).

TITLE II — NEW JERSEY RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Secretary of Higher Education, in coordination with the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, shall maintain a New Jersey Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“NJRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) The Civil Service Commission, acting under N.J.S.A. Title 11A, shall apply classifications so that an NJRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by New Jersey statute.

TITLE III — WORKFORCE-TRAINING TAX CREDIT (Worker-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 301. Skills-Based Hiring Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to N.J.S.A. 54A and 54:10A equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to a New Jersey-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is an NJRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Credit availability is conditioned on compliance with N.J.S.A. 34:11 and 10:5.
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Division of Taxation administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting NJRMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience, subject to public health and safety requirements.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other New Jersey bills: NJ-MEWRA, NJ-GT&P, NJ-AI-Workforce.