S 679 — "Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act"; requires certain business entities to publicize annual greenhouse gas emissions data.

S679 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

SenatorSenators Greenstein and Mukherji         SYNOPSIS      "Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act";

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingreported Technicalby Reviewthe bySenate LegislativeEnvironment Counsel.and Energy Committee on February 12, 2026, with amendments.

       1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act."             2.  The Legislature finds and declares that:

          a.a.  New Jersey has demonstrated leadership in the battle against climate change and the climate actions of the State have inspired and contributed to bold actions in other states and across the globe.

      b.  New JerseyJerseyans hasare demonstratedalready leadershipfacing indevastating thewildfires, battlesea againstlevel rise, excessive rainfall, and other impacts associated with climate change andthat threaten the climatehealth actionsand safety of New Jerseyans, undermines the Statesustainability haveof inspiredour andcommunities, contributedparticularly tothose boldcommunities actionsmost inaffected otherby statesthe negative effects of climate change, and acrossthe economic well-being of the globe.State and its residents, including threatening many of the State’s largest industries.

          b. c.  NewClimate Jerseyanschange arealso alreadyposes facinga devastatingsignificant wildfires,risk seato levelcompanies’ rise,long-term excessiveeconomic rainfall,success and otherdisrupts impacts associated with climate change that threaten the healthvalue andchains safetyon ofwhich Newthey Jerseyans,rely.  underminesManaging thethese sustainabilityrisks ofrequires ourinvestments communities,in particularlydecarbonization thosestrategies communitiesthat mostlead affectedto byemissions thereductions negative effects of climate change, and theprovide economic well-beingbenefits offor theNew StateJerseyans and its residents, including threatening many of the State'sState largesteconomy. industries.

          c. d.  ClimateNew changeJersey alsohas posesdoubled aits significantreal riskgross domestic product growth rate since 2018, is on track to companies'be long-termthe economic31st successlargest andeconomy disruptsin the valueworld, chainsand onis whicha theyhighly rely.desirable market for the globe’s most profitable companies.

 Managing      thesee.  risksNew requiresJersey investmentsinvestors, inconsumers, decarbonizationand strategiesother thatstakeholders leaddeserve totransparency emissionsfrom reductionscompanies andregarding providetheir economicgreenhouse benefitsgas foremissions Newto Jerseyansinform andtheir thedecision-making. State economy.

          d. f.  NewUnited JerseyStates hascompanies doubledthat itshave realaccess grossto domesticNew productJersey’s growthtremendously ratevaluable sinceconsumer 2018,market isby onvirtue trackof toexercising betheir thecorporate 31stfranchise largest economy in the world,State andalso isshare aresponsibility highlyfor desirabledisclosing markettheir forcontributions theto globe'sglobal mostgreenhouse profitablegas companies.emissions.

          e. g.  NewCompanies Jerseycan investors,increase consumers,the andState’s otherclimate stakeholdersrisk deservethrough transparencyemissions fromactivities companiesthat regardinginclude, theirbut greenhouseare gasnot emissionslimited toto, informcompany theiroperations, decision-making.supply chain activities, employee and consumer transportation, goods production and movement, construction, land use, and natural resource extraction.

          f. h.  UnitedAccurate Statesand companiescomprehensive data that haveis accesssubject to Newan Jersey'sassurance tremendouslyengagement valuableby consumeran marketindependent bythird-party virtueassurance ofprovider exercisingis theirrequired corporateto franchisedetermine ina thecompany’s Statedirect and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, also shareknown responsibilityas forits disclosingcarbon theirfootprint, contributionsand to globaleffectively greenhouseidentify gasthe sources of the emissions and develop means to reduce the emissions.

          g. i.  CompaniesThe cancurrent increaseapproach for the State'sdisclosure of climate riskemissions throughfrom emissionspublic activitiesand thatprivate include,corporate butenterprises arerelies notlargely limitedon to,voluntary companyreporting operations,of supplygreenhouse chaingas activities,inventories, employeegoals, commitments, and consumeragreements, transportation,and goodslacks productionthe full transparency and movement,consistency construction,needed landby use,residents and naturalfinancial resourcemarkets extraction.to fully understand these climate risks.

          h. j.  AccurateThe andpeople, comprehensivecommunities, dataand thatother isstakeholders subjectin toNew anJersey, assurancefacing engagementthe byexistential anthreat independentof third-partyclimate assurancechange, providerhave isa requiredright to determineknow aabout company'sthe directsources andof indirectcarbon greenhousepollution, gasas emissions,measured alsoby knownthe ascomprehensive itsgreenhouse carbongas footprint,emissions anddata toof effectivelythose identifycompanies thebenefiting sourcesfrom ofdoing thebusiness emissionsin andthe developState, meansin order to reducemake theinformed emissions.decisions.

          i. k.  The currentGreenhouse approachGas forProtocol is the disclosureglobally ofrecognized climategreenhouse gas emissions fromaccounting public and privatereporting corporatestandard enterprisesdeveloped reliesand largelyupdated onby voluntarythe reportingWorld ofResources greenhouseInstitute gasand inventories,the goals,World commitments,Business andCouncil agreements,for Sustainable Development and lacksprovides the fullframework transparencyfor corporate greenhouse gas emissions accounting and consistencyreporting.  neededThe byframework residentsdefines and financialcategorizes marketsemissions toas fullyscopes understand1, these2, climateand risks.emissions.

     j.  The people, communities, and other stakeholders in New Jersey, facing the existential threat of climate change, have a right to know about the sources of carbon pollution, as measured by the comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions data of those companies benefiting from doing business in the State, in order to make informed decisions.

     k.  The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the globally recognized greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting standard developed and updated by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and provides the framework for corporate greenhouse gas emissions accounting and reporting.

 The framework defines and categorizes emissions as scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

          l.  Mandating annual,annual full-scope1[, full-scope]1 greenhouse gas emissions data reporting to the emissions reporting organization for all United States companies with total annual revenues in excess of $1 billion that do business in New Jersey, as well as ensuring public access to the data in a manner that is easily understandable and accessible, will inform investors, empower consumers, and activate companies to improve risk management in order to move towards a net-zero carbon economy and is a critical next step that New Jersey must take to protect the State and its residents.

            3.  As used in this act:

          "Assurance“Assurance engagement"engagement” means a report, produced by an assurance provider, which certifies the accuracy of a greenhouse gas emissions report.

          "Assurance“Assurance provider"provider” means an environmental consultant or other entity with expertise and experience in measuring and verifying scope 1,1 1[,] and1 scope 2,2 1[, and scope 33]1 emissions of reporting entities or other, similar organizations.

          "Department"“Department” means the Department of Environmental Protection.

          "Emissions“Emissions reporting organization"organization” means a nonprofit emissions reporting organization contracted by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to section 6 of this act that currently operates a greenhouse gas emission reporting organization for organizations operating in the United States, and has experience with greenhouse gas emissions disclosure by entities operating in New Jersey.

          "Limited“Limited assurance level"level” means the degree of verification of greenhouse gas emissions data that may reasonably be obtained by an assurance provider using exclusively data that is provided by the reporting entity.

          "Reasonable“Reasonable assurance level"level” means the degree of verification of greenhouse gas emissions data that may reasonably be obtained by an assurance provider that validates data provided by a reporting entity.

          "Reporting“Reporting entity"entity” means a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other business entity formed under the laws of this State, the laws of any other state of the United States or the District of Columbia, or under an act of the Congress of the United States, which has total annual revenues in excess of $1 billion and that does business in New Jersey.

          "Scope“Scope 1emissions” emissions" means all direct greenhouse gas emissions that stem from sources that a reporting entity owns or directly controls, regardless of location, including, but not limited to, fuel combustion activities.

          "Scope“Scope 2emissions” emissions" means indirect greenhouse gas emissions from consumed electricity, steam, heating, or cooling purchased or acquired by a reporting entity, regardless of location.

          "Scope1[“Scope 3 emissions"emissions” means indirect upstream and downstream greenhouse gas emissions, other than scope 2 emissions, from sources that the reporting entity does not own or directly control and may include, but are not limited to, purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commutes, and processing and use of sold products.products.]1          4.  a.  (1) Commencing three years after the effective date of this act, a reporting entity shall annually disclose to the emissions reporting organization and the department all of the reporting entity’s scope 1 1[,] and1 scope 2 1[, and scope 3 ]1 emissions for the prior fiscal year.        (2) Commencing four years after the effective date of this act, a disclosure of scope 1 or scope 2 emissions made pursuant to this subsection shall include an assurance engagement performed by an independent third-party assurance provider, which verifies the accuracy of the reported emissions.  The reporting entity shall ensure that a copy of the complete assurance provider’s report on the greenhouse gas emissions inventory, including the name of the third-party assurance provider, is provided to the emissions reporting organization as part of or in connection with the reporting entity’s disclosure.  The assurance engagement for scope 1 emissions and scope 2 emissions shall be performed at a limited assurance level until eight years after the effective date of this act, and at a reasonable assurance level thereafter.

           1[(3)  4. No a. later (1)than Commencingfour three years after the effective date of this act, athe reportingdepartment entity shall annuallyreview disclose to the emissions reporting organization and theevaluate departmenttrends allin ofthird-party theassurance reportingrequirements entity'sfor scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissionsemissions.  forNo thelater priorthan fiscalfive year.       (2) Commencing four years after the effective date of this act, athe disclosuredepartment ofmay scopeadopt, 1in oraccordance scopewith 2the emissions“Administrative madeProcedure pursuantAct,” toP.L.1968, thisc.410 subsection(C.52:14B-1 shallet includeseq.), anrules assuranceand engagementregulations performedas bynecessary anto independentimplement third-partyan assurance provider,requirement whichfor verifiesthird-party theassurance accuracyengagements of thescope reported3 emissions. emissions, Theprovided reportingthat entitythe shallrules ensureand thatregulations arequire copythat of the complete assurance provider'sengagements reportfor onscope the3 greenhouse gas emissions inventory,be includingperformed theat namea oflimited theassurance third-partylevel assuranceand provider,commence iseight providedyears toafter the emissionseffective reportingdate organization as part of orthis inact.]1 connection      withb.  theCommencing reportingfour entity'syears disclosure. after Thethe assuranceeffective engagementdate forof scopethis 1act, emissions and scopeeach 2year emissionsthereafter, shall be performed at a limitedreporting assuranceentity levelshall untilpublicly eightdisclose yearsall afterof the effectivereporting dateentity’s ofscope this1 act, and atscope a2 reasonableemissions assurancefor levelthe thereafter.prior fiscal year.

          (3) c.  No1[Commencing laterfive than four years after the effective date of this act, the department shall review and evaluateeach trendsyear inthereafter, third-partya assurancereporting requirementsentity forshall scopepublicly 3disclose emissions. all No later than five years after the effective date of this act, the departmentreporting mayentity’s adopt,scope in3 accordanceemissions withno thelater "Administrativethan Procedure180 Act,"days P.L.1968,after c.410its (C.52:14B-1scope et1 seq.),emissions rules and regulations as necessary to implement an assurance requirement for third-party assurance engagements of scope 32 emissions,emissions providedare thatpublicly thedisclosed rulesto and regulations require that the assurance engagements for scope 3 emissions bereporting performedorganization atfor a limited assurance level and commence eight years after the effectiveprior datefiscal ofyear. this act.

          b. d.]1  CommencingA fourpartnership, yearscorporation, afterlimited theliability effectivecompany, dateor ofother thisbusiness act,entity andshall eachannually yearcalculate thereafter,its arevenue reportingfor entitythe shallprior publiclyfiscal discloseyear allin oforder theto reportingdetermine entity'sif scopeit 1qualifies andas scopea emissionsreporting forentity thepursuant priorto fiscalthis year.act.

          c. 1[e.  (1) Commencing fivefour years after the effective date of this act, and each year thereafter, a reporting entity shall publiclymeasure discloseand allreport its emissions of greenhouse gases in conformance with the reportingGreenhouse entity'sGas scopeProtocol 3standards emissionsand noguidance, laterincluding thanthe 180Greenhouse daysGas afterProtocol itsCorporate scopeAccounting 1and emissionsReporting Standard and scopethe 2Greenhouse emissionsGas areProtocol publiclyCorporate disclosedValue toChain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard developed by the emissionsWorld reportingResources organizationInstitute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and including guidance for scope 3 emissions calculations that detail the prioracceptable fiscaluses year.of both primary and secondary data sources, including the use of industry average data, proxy data, and other generic data in scope 3 emissions calculations.

          d. (2) ACommencing partnership,10 corporation,years limitedafter liabilitythe company,effective ordate otherof businessthis entityact and every five years thereafter, the department may survey and assess currently available greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards.   This assessment shall annuallyinclude calculateconsultation itswith revenueappropriate forindustry stakeholders.  At the priorconclusion fiscalof yearthis assessment, the department may adopt, in orderaccordance towith determinethe if“Administrative itProcedure qualifiesAct,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as necessary to implement a globally recognized alternative accounting and reporting entitystandard pursuantif toit determines its use would more effectively further the goals of this act.act.        f.  No later than eight years after the effective date of this act, the department shall update, as necessary, the public disclosure deadlines established in subsection c.

     e.  (1) Commencing four years after the effective date of this act, a reporting entity shall measure and report its emissions of greenhouse gases in conformance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards and guidance, including the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and including guidance for scope 3 emissions calculations that detail the acceptable uses of both primary and secondary data sources, including the use of industry average data, proxy data, and other generic data in scope 3 emissions calculations.

     (2) Commencing 10 years after the effective date of this act and every five years thereafter, the department may survey and assess currently available greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards.

  This assessment shall include consultation with appropriate industry stakeholders.  At the conclusion of this assessment, the department may adopt, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations as necessary to implement a globally recognized alternative accounting and reporting standard if it determines its use would more effectively further the goals of this act.

       f.  No later than eight years after the effective date of this act, the department shall update, as necessary, the public disclosure deadlines established in subsection c.

          g. g.] d.1  A reporting entity shall format a public disclosure made pursuant to this section in such a way as to maximize access for consumers, investors, and other stakeholders to comprehensive and detailed greenhouse gas emissions data across scopes1[scopes 1, 2, and 3 emission,emission] scope 1 and scope 2 emissions1 , and in a manner that is easily understandable and accessible.  A reporting entity'sentity’s public disclosure shall include the name of the reporting entity and any fictitious names, trade names, assumed names, and logos used by the reporting entity.