In one paragraph
New Jersey's FAIR Act (Forbidding the Algorithmic Inflation of Rent) makes it unlawful, and a violation of the New Jersey Antitrust Act, to use rent-pricing software to coordinate residential rents. It bars owners from paying for or subscribing to a coordinator's services, bars coordinators from facilitating restraints on competition, and bars parallel pricing coordination. Enacted through the identical A3497, approved July 20, 2026 (P.L.2026, c.43); takes effect July 1, 2027.
Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.
What it means for business
Landlords and their agents must not pay for or subscribe to a coordinator's rent-coordination services; coordinators and anyone performing a coordinating function face Antitrust Act enforcement.
Key provisions
- Sec. 3: Defines 'algorithmic device', 'coordinator', 'coordinating function', 'competitively sensitive information', 'parallel pricing coordination' and 'rental property owner'; spreadsheets needing human analysis and databases only querying unprocessed data are excluded from 'algorithmic device'.
- Sec. 4(a): It is unlawful for a rental property owner or its agent, representative or subcontractor to receive, subscribe to, contract for or exchange any consideration for the services of a coordinator.
- Sec. 4(b)-(e): Unlawful for a coordinator to facilitate agreements restricting competition, for two or more persons to engage in or facilitate parallel pricing coordination, for a coordinator's agent or subcontractor to do so, or for any person to perform a coordinating function.
- Sec. 4-5: Each prohibited act is unlawful and a violation of the New Jersey Antitrust Act; the act does not limit the application of sections 6 through 17 of that act (C.56:9-6 to 9-17) and sets no separate dollar penalties.
- Sec. 6-8: Municipal ordinances that conflict are barred; the Attorney General must provide a complaint location on the Department of Law and Public Safety website and may adopt rules.
- Sec. 9: Takes effect on the first day of the twelfth month after enactment (July 1, 2027); approved July 20, 2026 as P.L.2026, c.43.
Latest legislative action
Jul 20, 2026. Substituted by A3497 (ACS/1R); A3497 approved July 20, 2026 as P.L.2026, c.43
Sponsors (showing 5 of 17)
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Addiego, Dawn Marie | Primary |
| Doherty, Michael J. | Primary |
| Holzapfel, James W. | Primary |
| O'Scanlon, Declan J. | Primary |
| Ruiz, M. Teresa | Primary |
Roll call votes
S Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee: Reported with Amendments Mar 5, 2026
3 yea2 nayPassed
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This page is general information, not legal advice. Summaries are AI-assisted and may contain errors; read the statute for the controlling text and talk to a lawyer about your situation. Full disclaimer · Report an error