All Roll Calls
Yes: 223 • No: 46
New JerseyS2996221st Legislature (2026-2027)SenateWALLET
Eliminates certain practice restrictions for advanced practice nurses.
Sponsored By: Katie Brennan (Democratic), Annette Quijano (Democratic), Troy Singleton (Democratic), William W. Spearman (Democratic), Joseph F. Vitale (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Nurse signatures count on required documents
New Jersey laws and rules requiring a physician’s signature also accept an advanced practice nurse’s signature within the nurse’s scope. This also covers required stamps, verifications, sworn statements, and endorsements. Patients can use these nurse-approved documents without needing a physician’s approval for the same act.
Qualified nurses can independently authorize medical cannabis
Qualifying New Jersey advanced practice nurses can authorize medical cannabis and issue written instructions without a physician agreement. They need more than 5,000 licensed, active practice hours in an approved family, lifespan, adult-gerontology, pediatric, women’s-health, or behavioral-health focus. They must provide primary or behavioral health care, excluding general obstetrics and elective aesthetic or cosmetic services. Behavioral health care requires documented assessments and timely referral, transfer, or admission when higher-level care is needed. Patients and nurses must still follow the state’s medical cannabis requirements.
Experienced nurses can provide independent care
Beginning March 30, 2026, qualifying New Jersey advanced practice nurses can provide primary or behavioral health care without a physician agreement. Nurses need more than 5,000 licensed, active practice hours in their approved focus. Approved focuses are family or lifespan care, adult-gerontology, pediatrics, women’s health, and behavioral health. This authority excludes general obstetrics and elective aesthetic or cosmetic services. For behavioral health care, nurses must document assessments and arrange timely referral, transfer, or admission when higher-level care is needed.
Nurses gain more addiction treatment authority
Beginning March 30, 2026, advanced practice nurses can decide whether substance use treatment is medically needed and prescribe treatment services. A physician agreement generally applies, except for nurses covered by the law’s independent-practice or transition exemptions. Nurses meeting federal training and registration requirements can also dispense narcotic medicines for maintenance or detoxification treatment. When an agreement applies and the physician lacks those federal qualifications, it must include the physician’s written approval.
Transition preserves nurses’ independent prescribing authority
Beginning March 30, 2026, nurses covered by Executive Order No. 13 (2026) retain temporary independent medicine and device ordering authority. Nurses on track to reach 5,000 practice hours within 12 months can continue without a physician agreement during that transition. Nurses who will remain below 5,000 hours during that period can continue for six months, then need an agreement. Hours worked without an agreement count toward the experience requirement.
Independent nurse prescribing brings new safeguards
Nurses who qualify for independent practice can order medicines and devices without a physician agreement. Prescriptions must use a New Jersey Prescription Blank and include required identifying and patient information. Nurses need 14 hours of controlled-drug training, including eight beyond existing certification education, and 10 pharmacology hours every two years. They must meet independent-provider care standards and carry malpractice insurance at least equal to the minimum required for physicians. If insurance is unavailable, a qualifying letter of credit must cover that minimum. Nurses must report their insurer or credit issuer to the Board of Nursing and immediately report specified health, criminal, malpractice, misconduct, licensing, or certification matters. Nurses not serving Medicare patients must display the required office notice when applicable and notify the board in writing.
State oversight protects patients and limits nurses
The Board of Nursing can limit, deny, suspend, or revoke nurses’ licenses or prescribing and dispensing authority. Grounds include unsafe medicine practices, work outside the nurse’s role or focus, and violations of medicine-related laws. State agencies must adopt controlled-drug physician-agreement standards within 180 days of the law’s March 30, 2026 approval. Physician-agreement rules and inpatient chart-review deadlines cannot be stricter than the referenced 1991 nursing law allows. The Board of Nursing and health commissioner must issue implementation rules, including a process to verify practice hours. These rules face the statutory limits, take effect upon proper filing, and last at most 18 months before further rulemaking must follow the Administrative Procedure Act.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Katie Brennan
Democratic • House
Annette Quijano
Democratic • House
Troy Singleton
Democratic • Senate
William W. Spearman
Democratic • House
Joseph F. Vitale
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Carmen F. Amato Jr.
Republican • Senate
James Beach
Democratic • Senate
Renee C. Burgess
Democratic • Senate
Kristin M. Corrado
Republican • Senate
Nilsa I. Cruz-Perez
Democratic • Senate
Joseph P. Cryan
Democratic • Senate
Patrick J. Diegnan Jr.
Democratic • Senate
Aura K. Dunn
Republican • House
Dawn Fantasia
Republican • House
Linda R. Greenstein
Democratic • Senate
Owen Henry
Republican • Senate
James W. Holzapfel
Republican • Senate
Gordon M. Johnson
Democratic • Senate
Vincent M. Kearney
Democratic • House
John F. McKeon
Democratic • Senate
Angela V. McKnight
Democratic • Senate
Paul D. Moriarty
Democratic • Senate
Raj Mukherji
Democratic • Senate
Declan J. O'Scanlon Jr.
Republican • Senate
Chigozie U. Onyema
Democratic • House
Ellen J. Park
Democratic • House
Verlina Reynolds-Jackson
Democratic • House
M. Teresa Ruiz
Democratic • Senate
Gerry Scharfenberger
Republican • House
Parker Space
Republican • Senate
Shanique Speight
Democratic • House
Brian P. Stack
Democratic • Senate
Douglas J. Steinhardt
Republican • Senate
Michael L. Testa Jr.
Republican • Senate
Britnee N. Timberlake
Democratic • Senate
Shirley K. Turner
Democratic • Senate
Benjie E. Wimberly
Democratic • Senate
Andrew Zwicker
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
3RDG FINAL PASSAGE
Yes: 90 • No: 14 • Other: 16
House vote • 3/23/2026
MOTION TAB MOTION
Yes: 43 • No: 18
House vote • 3/23/2026
3RDG FINAL PASSAGE
Yes: 58 • No: 9 • Other: 1
Senate vote • 3/23/2026
3RDG FINAL PASSAGE
Yes: 32 • No: 5
Actions Timeline
Governor: APP
3/30/2026GovernorApproved by Governor — P.L.2026, c.6.
3/30/2026GovernorPassed Assembly, PBH — (58-9-1)
3/23/2026HouseMOTION — To Table (Greenwald) (43-18-0)
3/23/2026HouseMOTION — To Aa (Fantasia)
3/23/2026HouseSubstituted for A4052 (ACS)
3/23/2026HouseReceived in Assembly, Without Reference, 2nd Reading in Assembly
3/23/2026HousePassed Senate — (32-5)
3/23/2026SenateREP/SCS, 2nd Reading in Senate
3/19/2026SenateTRANS Senate Judiciary Committee
3/19/2026SenateIntroduced, 1st Reading in Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
1/13/2026Senate
Bill Text
Version PL2026
9/17/2026
Version AL2026
8/13/2026
Senate Judiciary (3/19/26 SCS)
3/24/2026
Senate Judiciary Substitute (3/19/26 SCS)
3/20/2026
As Introduced
2/10/2026
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