The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey Bill A311 Requires Legal Presence Certification for State Contracts, Loans, and Licenses
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations CommitteeSponsors: Paul Kanitra and 5 others
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
Assembly Bill 311 prohibits any person from receiving a state contract, loan, tax benefit, grant, subsidy, , certification, or license from New Jersey unless they certify lawful presence under federal law or, as an employer, confirm good-faith verification of employee work eligibility. The measure takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Residents, business owners, and employers seeking state financial assistance, licenses, or contracts must execute a formal written certification regarding federal compliance or risk the termination and revocation of those state-granted privileges.
- Assembly Bill 311 was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2026 legislative session cycle in New Jersey. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State Contractors and Employers
Must submit written certifications confirming lawful presence or employee work eligibility verification to obtain or maintain state contracts, grants, and licenses.
Department of Labor
Must prepare, maintain, and distribute standard certification forms to all principal departments and state instrumentalities.
State Agencies and Authorities
Must incorporate certification language into their existing application and contract documents for loans, grants, licenses, and tax benefits.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who must complete the certification under Assembly Bill 311?
What is the penalty for submitting a false certification?
Which agency is responsible for creating the certification form?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 1 more sponsor
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Integration into Existing Procedures
The legislation explicitly avoids creating a separate filing system, instead mandating that agencies embed certification language into current application and contract workflows.
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools