S 2194 — Establishes pilot program providing tuition fee waiver for certain apprenticeship courses.*

S2194 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

Senators Testa, Singleton and Greenstein         SYNOPSIS      ProvidesEstablishes pilot program providing tuition fee waiver for certain apprenticeship courses.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingreported Technicalby Reviewthe bySenate LegislativeLabor Counsel.Committee on February 5, 2026, with amendments.

     “Eligible person” means an individual 1who has not previously completed a pre-apprenticeship program and1 whose gross aggregate household income at the time of admission to a New Jersey public institution of higher education or county vocational school providing post-secondary vocational education is1[is below the State household median income.income] does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level1.

       2.    a.  An1[An] There is established a two-year tuition-free apprenticeship pilot program under which an1 eligible person shall be permitted to attend, tuition-free, courses available at any public institution of higher education or county vocational school which are qualified to serve as the classroom training or education component of a registered apprenticeship program in which the person is participating as a registered apprentice if:

     (2)   the person completes a 1New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application or a1 Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year within the established deadlines and has exhausted all financial aid assistance;

and1[and]1      (3)   the person retains employment as an active registered apprentice under the registered apprenticeship program and maintains satisfactory academic progress to qualify for renewal of the tuition waiver.waiver 1;

and      b.   (4)   Thethe Stateperson shallcompletes reimburseeach acourse publiceligible institution of higher education or county vocational school for thea tuition costwaiver ofunder eachthis eligiblesection personwith whoa enrollspassing ingrade1. the institution pursuant to the provisions of this section.

       3.   b.    ThisThe act1[State] shallDepartment takeof effectLabor immediately and Workforce Development1 shall first1[reimburse applya public institution of higher education or county vocational school] provide funding in an amount not to exceed $500,000 per year to public institutions of higher education or county vocational schools1 for the firsttuition fullcost academicof year1[each]1 followingeligible 1[person] persons1 who 1[enrolls] enroll1 in the dateinstitution pursuant to the provisions of enactment.this section.

  1The  department STATEMENTshall  use      any Thisavailable billfunds requiresprovided public institutions of higher education to waive the tuitionState feesunder of certain courses which are qualified to serve as the classroomWagner-Peyser trainingAct or(29 educationU.S.C. component of a registered apprenticeship for eligible persons whose gross aggregate household income is below the State’s median annual income.

     s.49 Underet theseq.), bill,or anfrom eligiblefunds personthat ismay anbe individualavailable whosefrom grossthe aggregate$27,500,000 householdwhich incomewas atappropriated pursuant to the timeannual ofappropriations admissionact tofor aState Newfiscal Jerseyyear public2026 institutionfrom ofthe higherWorkforce educationDevelopment orPartnership countyFund vocationalfor schoolthe ispurpose belowof funding the StateNJ householdApprenticeship medianNetwork, incomethe asCareer determinedAccelerator byInternship Program, the UnitedWorkforce StatesDevelopment CensusPolicy Bureauand AmericanEvaluation CommunityLab, Survey. the TheNJ personCareer isNetwork, toand besuch deemedother eligiblepriority forworkforce ainitiatives tuitionrecommended feeby waiverthe if:Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development.

        1.  c.     tuitionNo costslater arethan six months following the conclusion of the pilot program, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development shall submit a report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the results of the pilot program.  The report shall include, but not coveredbe limited to, information on the number of individuals served, total program spending, program spending by public institution of higher education and county vocational school, and a recommendation regarding the employercontinuation throughof employmentthe benefits;pilot program.1        3.    This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year following the date of enactment.

      2.   the person completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year and has exhausted all financial aid assistance;

and       3.   the person retains employment as an active registered apprentice under the registered apprenticeship program and maintains satisfactory academic progress to qualify for renewal of the tuition waiver.

      The bill requires the State to reimburse public institutions of higher education and county vocational schools for the cost of the tuition waivers.