TRENTON, N.H.–The New Jersey Assembly is fast-tracking a measure that would enable the governor to put a temporary moratorium on evictions during a public health or other state of emergency.
The bill (A3859) as drafted provides that whenever a public health emergency or a state of emergency is declared by the governor and is in effect, the governor may issue an executive order to declare that a lessee, tenant, homeowner or any other person shall not be removed from a residential property as the result of an eviction or foreclosure proceeding.
As proposed, the executive order would remain in effect for no longer than two months following the end of the public health emergency or state of emergency.
In addition, the bill would permit eviction and foreclosure proceedings to be initiated or continued during the time of the executive order, but all judgments for possession, warrants of removal, writs of possession, and other grants of authority to remove individuals from their homes would be stayed.
The measure was scheduled to be heard on Monday morning before the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee and by the full Assembly on Monday afternoon.