S 533 — Concerns training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs.

S533 1R2R [First[Second Reprint] SENATE, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reportedamended by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 4,18, 2026,2026. with amendments.

            1.  1.    a.  Any employer who has one or more employees 1or agents1 who serve customers or other individuals in a place of public accommodation or other public facility, or who otherwise have the ability to provide or deny access to the place or facility, shall provide training to those employees 1[in accordance with the training requirements set forth in the pamphlet produced by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development pursuant to subsection b.

          b.

The The division also shall create and make available at no cost on its website a recorded training that an employer may utilize to satisfy the training requirements of this section.1 An An employer may 1alternatively1 satisfy the training requirements of this section by utilizing training 1or training materials1 that may be provided 1[at no cost]1 by the 1[Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety] United States Department of Justice1, the New Jersey State Bar Association, or any other entity, 1[or] that provides training which meets the minimum standards set by the division.

An employer1 may, at its discretion, 1[implement] alternatively or in addition to utilizing other trainings or training materials, satisfy the training requirements of this section by implementing1 a training program at its own cost.  The provisions of this section shall be administered and enforced by the division pursuant to the authority vested in it by the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.).  1[The division shall set minimum standards for the training and make those standards available upon request.] The training shall be provided to all new employees and agents within 30 days of initial hire and all employees and agents at least once every two years.1      2The training may be provided in conjunction with new employee orientation, onboarding, or periodic employee training, provided that the training satisfies the minimum standards established by the division.2      1[b.  The commissioner shall prepare a pamphlet that provides information concerning the rights of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in a place of public accommodation or other public facility pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1971, c.130 (C.10:5-29 et seq.), P.L.1977, c.456 (C.10:5-29.1 et seq.), and the “Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,” Pub.L.101-336 (42 U.S.C.

of this section.  The pamphlet shall be made available electronically on the Internet website of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.]1            c.  c.     1[An employer who is required to provide training pursuant to subsection a.

of this section shall distribute to each employee a paper copy of the pamphlet.            d.  d.    The employee shall sign and return to the employer a form acknowledging that the employee received and reviewed the pamphlet.  The form shall be made available for inspection by the commissioner upon request.  The employer shall retain the form during the period of employment and for a period of three years following any termination of employment] Notwithstanding any other provision of P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.), nothing in this section shall be construed to permit a person to file a complaint with the division or initiate an action in Superior Court alleging any failure to comply with the provisions of this section.  The Attorney General or the director may enforce violations of this section and may pursue any penalty or remedy available under P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.) in doing so1.

P.L.2005, c.258, s.1)         1[2.] 5.1  .This This act shall take effect 1[immediately] on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment, provided that the director may take such anticipatory action as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act1.