--- alias: - New Jersey UAP Research Law - P.L. 2025, c.269 - P.L. 2025 c.269 - S4432 - S-4432 - A5712 - A-5712 - New Jersey S4432 - Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program Act - New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative - NJ AT-CTI - Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena category: UFO & Anomalous Phenomena created: 2026-10-04 location: Trenton, New Jersey relations: - fn: 14 reverse: true role: prime sponsor of S4432 (introduced May 19, 2025, District 32, Hudson), listed as a primary sponsor of A5712 in its third reprint, and sponsor of the 2022 predecessor bill A4060 start: 2025-05-19 type: participant_in with: '[[Raj Mukherji]]' - fn: 6 reverse: true role: added as a sponsor on the second reprint of S4432 and listed as a primary sponsor of A5712 in its third reprint, both reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on December 15, 2025 start: 2025-12-15 type: participant_in with: '[[Vincent Polistina]]' - fn: 15 reverse: true role: prime sponsor of A5712 (introduced May 22, 2025, District 19, Middlesex) start: 2025-05-22 type: participant_in with: '[[Craig Coughlin]]' - fn: 1 reverse: true role: governor; A5712 (3R) approved January 12, 2026 as P.L.2025, c.269 according to the Legislature's bill history start: 2026-01-12 type: signed_by with: '[[Phil Murphy]]' - fn: 21 role: $1,500,000 award announced by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education under the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative; the announcement states that the university will house a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and create a UAP-Drone Research Center at its Skylands campus start: 2026-07-07 type: funded with: '[[Kean University]]' - fn: 21 role: $1,500,000 award announced by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education under the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative start: 2026-07-07 type: funded with: '[[Atlantic Cape Community College]]' - fn: 21 role: $500,000 award announced by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education under the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative start: 2026-07-07 type: funded with: '[[Warren County Community College]]' start: 2025-05-19 summary: New Jersey law approved January 12, 2026 that pairs an air traffic controller loan redemption program with aviation grants supporting a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, which Kean University is to house. tags: - Legislation - UAP - NewJersey - StateGovernment - HigherEducation - Aviation - Drones updated: 2026-10-04 --- [New Jersey](/places/new-jersey/) Senate Bill 4432 and Assembly Bill 5712 of the 221st Legislature are identical companion bills. The New Jersey Legislature's bill history for A5712 records that on December 22, 2025 it was substituted for S4432 (2R), passed both houses, and was "Approved P.L.2025, c.269" on January 12, 2026; the history for S4432 ends with "Substituted by A5712 (3R)" on December 22, 2025.[^1][^2] The Senate Democratic release of January 13, 2026 identifies the bill signed as S-4432, and the Senate Republican office linked the text of "S-4432/A-5712."[^3][^4] The synopsis of S4432 as introduced on May 19, 2025 reads: "Establishes Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program; establishes partnership program between public institution of higher education and federal Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative; establishes Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena; appropriates $3.5 million."[^5] The synopsis on the second reprint and on the enacted third reprint of A5712 changes the middle clause to "supports partnership between public institution of higher education and federal Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative and establishment of Center for Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena."[^6][^7] ### Text of the act Section 4(a) of the enacted text (A5712, third reprint) directs the Secretary of Higher Education, "in consultation with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and any other State agencies as deemed appropriate," to establish a program of aviation grants to public institutions of higher education that participate in the federal Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative created by section 631 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The listed purposes are to support an institution's participation in that initiative; to "support the establishment of a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena"; to facilitate non-engineering aviation degrees that teach basic courses in air traffic control and aviation administration; and to encourage an institution to join the Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiatives Program.[^7] An applicant's submission must include confirmation of the institution's "active participation in, or planned participation in," the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative, "the institution's capacity to support a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," whether it offers or plans non-engineering aviation degrees, and whether it participates in the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiatives Program. The Secretary "shall give preference to an institution of higher education located in a county of the first class" and awards "on an annual basis a total of $2,500,000 in grants to public institutions of higher education." The Secretary was to make applications available no later than 120 days after the effective date.[^7] The introduced bill provided that one four-year public institution would be selected for a single grant "in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000," with a fallback in which county colleges could apply for grants of up to $1,000,000 each if no four-year institution qualified, and in which a county college "shall not be required to support a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena." The first reprint, reported by the Senate Higher Education Committee on November 17, 2025, struck the single-institution grant, the four-year limitation and the county college fallback. The same amendments had been made to A5712 by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on June 19, 2025.[^5][^8][^9] Sections 1 through 3 establish the Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program in the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) fiscal estimate describes redemption of qualifying student loans of 16 percent for a first full year of service at an approved site (up to $16,000), an additional 26 percent for a second year (up to $26,000), an additional 28 percent for a third (up to $28,000) and an additional 30 percent for a fourth (up to $30,000), to a total of $100,000 per participant.[^10] An "eligible air traffic controller" is one who "commences employment with the Federal Aviation Administration following the effective date" of the act, and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee amendment of December 15, 2025 expanded "approved site" to include a Terminal Radar Approach Control, an Air Route Control Center or any similar Federal Aviation Administration facility serving an airport in the State.[^7][^11] Section 6 appropriates from the General Fund "$1,000,000" to HESAA for the loan program, "of which sum no more than five percent may be dedicated to the administrative costs of the program," and "$2,500,000" to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education for the section 4 program. Section 7 provides that the act "shall take effect immediately."[^7] ### Appropriations and fiscal estimate The OLS fiscal estimate on the first reprint is dated December 16, 2025 and gives the state cost as "Up to $3.5 million" and the revenue increase for certain institutions of higher education as "Up to $2.5 million." It states that "The bill's appropriations would be in addition to the $1 million appropriations provided for both of the programs in the FY 2026 Appropriations Act." On the loan program, it computes a first-year cohort of between nine and ten controllers from the bill's appropriation and between 18 and 20 when the FY 2026 Appropriations Act money is added, and cites May 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics data of 190 air traffic controllers in New Jersey.[^10] On the grant program, the estimate states: "According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration, as of May 2025, there are three public institutions of higher education that participate in the federal program, namely: Atlantic Cape Community College; Warren Community College; and Kean University." The Executive Branch section reads "None received," and the estimate closes with the sentence "This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note."[^10] The OLS fiscal estimates on A5712 are dated June 23, 2025 (first reprint), July 1, 2025 (second reprint) and December 24, 2025 (third reprint), the last carrying the same figures.[^12] The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education states that its two programs "are funded through P.L. 2025, c.269 and the state's Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Act."[^13] ### Committee history S4432 was introduced on May 19, 2025 by Senator Raj Mukherji (D, District 32, Hudson)[^14] and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee, which reported it with amendments on November 17, 2025. The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reported it with amendments on December 15, 2025, producing the second reprint that lists Senator Vincent Polistina (R, District 2, Atlantic) as a second sponsor. On December 22, 2025 it was substituted by A5712 (3R).[^2][^5][^6][^8][^11] A5712 was introduced on May 22, 2025 by Assemblyman Craig Coughlin (D, District 19, Middlesex), Assemblywoman Linda Carter (D, District 22, Somerset and Union) and Assemblywoman Shama Haider (D, District 37, Bergen). The Assembly Higher Education Committee reported it with amendments on June 12, 2025 (7 yes, 0 no) and the Assembly Appropriations Committee did so on June 19, 2025 (10 yes, 1 no). The Assembly passed it on June 30, 2025 with 71 yes votes, 5 no votes, 2 not voting and 2 abstaining. It was received in the Senate on October 20, 2025 and referred to the Senate Higher Education Committee, which reported it without amendments on November 17, 2025 (4 yes, 0 no, 1 not voting). The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reported it with amendments on December 15, 2025 (13 yes, 0 no), and the third reprint lists Senators Mukherji and Polistina among its primary sponsors. On December 22, 2025 the Senate substituted it for S4432 (2R) by voice vote and passed it 37 to 0 (3 not voting), and the Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments, 66 yes votes to 3 no votes (9 not voting, 2 abstaining), passing both houses. The second and third reprints list as co-sponsors Assemblywomen Ramirez, McCoy, Murphy and Speight, Assemblyman Freiman and Assemblywoman Drulis.[^1][^15][^16][^17][^9][^18][^7] ### Signing The Legislature records "1/12/2026 Approved P.L.2025, c.269."[^1] The Senate Democratic office posted on January 13, 2026 that legislation "sponsored by Senator Raj Mukherji and Republican Senator Vincent Polistina ... was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy," and identified it as S-4432. The Senate Republican office posted on January 12, 2026 that "Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation sponsored by Senator Vince Polistina (R-2)" and linked to the text of "S-4432/A-5712." HESAA's page for the loan program states: "On January 12, 2026, a bill was signed into law to establish the Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program in New Jersey."[^3][^4][^19] The Senate Democratic release quotes Mukherji: "not a single New Jersey college currently participates in the FAA's Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program, the primary pipeline for producing and retaining new air traffic controllers." It also quotes him: "Importantly, this bill is also making it possible for New Jersey researchers to contribute to the growing body of scientific scholarship around UAPs, especially in light of credible reports of objects moving faster than the speed of sound without a sonic boom. We should be humble enough, as a species, to recognize that we don't know what we don't know - and not arrogant enough to assume we are the only sentient beings in the universe. In any event, encouraging rigorous study of these phenomena - an area of increasing national attention - is both intellectually honest and essential for aviation safety." Murphy is quoted: "Our student loan redemption programs have proven to be incredibly valuable in drawing high-quality candidates to in-need fields."[^3] The Senate Republican release quotes Polistina on the controller shortage and the loan program and describes the grant program as one that "support[s] drone-training initiatives, aviation degree development, participation in FAA training programs, and related research."[^4] ### Notice of grant opportunity and awards The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education posted a notice of grant opportunity on April 13, 2026 for the New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (NJ AT-CTI): "A total of $3,500,000 is available to foster partnerships between the selected higher education institutions and the federal Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative, as well as to establish the Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena." The term ran from June 1, 2026 to September 1, 2027; applications were due May 6, 2026 at 5 p.m.; "The State anticipates funding two awards. Individual institutions can apply for up to $1,500,000 and partnerships can apply for up to $2,000,000." One of the listed eligibility requirements is to "Have capacity to support the Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena."[^13][^20] On July 7, 2026 the office announced that "Atlantic Cape Community College and Kean University are each awarded $1.5 million, and Warren County Community College is awarded $500,000." The three awards sum to the $3,500,000 stated in the notice. The release describes the Kean project: "Kean University will leverage the grant to create a new FAA-aligned Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, expand its drone minor into a Drone Operations major and will house a Center for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Additionally, the university will create a UAP-Drone Research Center at Kean's Skylands campus and, in partnership with government agencies and K-12 schools, develop a pre-college aviation and drone pipeline program." Kean University president Lamont Repollet is quoted: "This grant will position Kean University as a regional leader in aviation and emerging aerospace technologies."[^21] For Atlantic Cape Community College, the release states that the funds will upgrade its partnership to an Enhanced AT-CTI partner; its president Jason Abreu describes the college as a member of the National Consortium for Advanced Aerospace Transportation, Technology and Training with more than fifteen years of air traffic control education. For Warren County Community College, the funds will develop an air traffic control certificate program connecting students to other FAA-certified programs, including Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; its president Will Austin is identified as the founder of the college's WarrenUAS program. Acting Secretary of Higher Education Margo Chaly is quoted on the awards. The release states that HESAA separately offers the loan program, under which up to $100,000 in student loans may be redeemed.[^21] ### 2022 predecessor bill On May 19, 2022, three years to the day before S4432, Assemblyman Raj Mukherji (D, District 33, Hudson) and Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D, District 7, Burlington) introduced A4060 in the 220th Legislature. Its synopsis reads: "Establishes scholarship program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers studying unidentified aerial phenomenon and extraterrestrial technological signatures; requires Secretary of Higher Education to establish grant program; appropriates $250,000."[^22] The bill directed HESAA to award ten scholarships of $12,500 each, conditioned on matching scholarships from the recipient's institution, with a goal of transforming "the search of UAP and ETCs from a subject of ridicule and anecdotal evidence into a mainstream, transparent, and scientifically-verifiable field of research." It directed the Secretary of Higher Education to grant one four-year institution funds to purchase "calibrated instrumentation, sensors, cameras, telescopes, and computer hardware and software," with applicants to submit plans to "(1) obtain high-resolution images of UAP using multiple detectors to discover their nature; (2) conduct in-depth research on unexplained interstellar objects and phenomena; and (3) search for potential ETC satellites." The statement attached to the bill cites the [Office of the Director of National Intelligence](/organizations/director-of-national-intelligence/) report "Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon" of June 25, 2021. Two appropriations of $125,000 each (to HESAA and to the Secretary of Higher Education) account for the $250,000 total.[^22] ### 2024 drone sightings On December 19, 2024 the New Jersey General Assembly adopted AR173 urging the federal government to investigate unidentified drones reported in New Jersey airspace, "in over a dozen counties, including near critical infrastructure and military installations." Majority Leader Louis Greenwald is quoted: "The unexplained presence of these drones threatens our security and our peace of mind." "The federal government must act decisively, transparently, and with all deliberate speed to uncover the truth."[^23] A joint statement of the [Department of Homeland Security](/organizations/department-of-homeland-security/), the [Federal Bureau of Investigation](/organizations/federal-bureau-of-investigation/), the Federal Aviation Administration and the [Department of Defense](/organizations/department-of-defense/), dated Tuesday, December 17, 2024 on the FAA's site, stated that the FBI "has received tips of more than 5,000 reported drone sightings in the last few weeks with approximately 100 leads generated," and that "the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones." It continues: "We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast." It adds that "there have been a limited number of visual sightings of drones over military facilities in New Jersey and elsewhere, including within restricted air space. Such sightings near or over DoD installations are not new."[^24] Related page: 2024 New Jersey drone sightings. [^1]: A5712, Bill Search, "Bills and Joint Resolutions Signed by the Governor," history, committee voting and session voting, New Jersey Legislature, https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5712. [^2]: S4432, Bill Search, "Substituted by another Bill," history, New Jersey Legislature, https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S4432. [^3]: "Mukherji Legislation Establishing Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program Signed Into Law," New Jersey Senate Democrats, posted January 13, 2026, https://www.njsendems.org/CivicAlerts.asp?AID=1206. [^4]: "Polistina Bill Addressing Air Traffic Controller Shortage Becomes Law," New Jersey Senate Republican Office, posted January 12, 2026, https://www.senatenj.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=988. [^5]: S4432 (introduced text), New Jersey Legislature, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_I1.HTM. [^6]: S4432 2R (second reprint), "As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on December 15, 2025, with amendments," New Jersey Legislature, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_R2.HTM. [^7]: A5712 3R (third reprint), "As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on December 15, 2025, with amendments," New Jersey Legislature, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_R3.HTM. [^8]: Senate Higher Education Committee Statement to S4432, November 17, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_S1.HTM. [^9]: Assembly Appropriations Committee Statement to A5712 1R, June 19, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_S2.HTM. [^10]: Office of Legislative Services, Legislative Fiscal Estimate, S4432 1R, dated December 16, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_E1.HTM. [^11]: Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Statement to S4432 1R, December 15, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_S2.HTM. [^12]: Office of Legislative Services, Legislative Fiscal Estimates, A5712 1R (June 23, 2025), 2R (July 1, 2025) and 3R (December 24, 2025), https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_E1.HTM, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_E2.HTM, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_E3.HTM. [^13]: "Notice of Grant Opportunity: New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative," New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, April 13, 2026, https://www.nj.gov/highereducation/broadcasts/2026/04132026.shtml. [^14]: S4432, 221st Legislature, introduced May 19, 2025, "Sponsored by: Senator RAJ MUKHERJI District 32 (Hudson)," New Jersey Legislature, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S4500/4432_I1.HTM; A4060 (2022), https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2022/A4500/4060_I1.HTM. [^15]: A5712, 221st Legislature, introduced May 22, 2025, New Jersey Legislature, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_I1.HTM. [^16]: Assembly Higher Education Committee Statement to A5712, June 12, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_S1.HTM. [^17]: A5712 2R (second reprint), "As reported by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on June 19, 2025, with amendments," https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_R2.HTM. [^18]: Senate Higher Education Committee Statement to A5712 2R, November 17, 2025, https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/A6000/5712_S3.HTM. [^19]: "Air Traffic Controller Loan Redemption Program," Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, https://hesaa.org/Pages/ATCLRP.aspx. [^20]: Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, Notice of Grant Opportunity, New Jersey Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (PDF), https://nj.gov/highereducation/documents/pdf/OSHE-NGO-FY26-NewJerseyAirTrafficCollegiateTrainingInitiative.pdf. [^21]: "New Jersey Awards $3.5 Million to Build Pipeline of Air Traffic Controllers, Address National Workforce Shortage," New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, July 7, 2026, https://nj.gov/highereducation/news/press/2026/07072026.shtml. [^22]: A4060, 220th Legislature, introduced May 19, 2022, "Sponsored by: Assemblyman RAJ MUKHERJI District 33 (Hudson), Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR. District 7 (Burlington)," https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2022/A4500/4060_I1.HTM. [^23]: "General Assembly Calls for Federal Probe as Alarming Drone Sightings Continue to Disrupt New Jersey," New Jersey Assembly Democrats, December 19, 2024, https://www.assemblydems.com/CivicAlerts.asp?AID=12423. [^24]: "DHS, FBI, FAA & DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings," Federal Aviation Administration, December 17, 2024, https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/dhs-fbi-faa-dod-joint-statement-ongoing-response-reported-drone-sightings.