NJ Forbidding the Algorithmic Inflation of Rent (FAIR) Act

N.J. P.L.2026, c.43 (A3497 1R ACS, substituted for S451; C.56:9-20 to 56:9-26), approved July 20, 2026. Assembly passed 57-22 and Senate 33-4 on June 30, 2026. Sec. 4: unlawful and a violation of the New Jersey Antitrust Act (P.L.1970, c.73, C.56:9-1 et seq.) for (a) a rental property owner or agent to exchange consideration for the services of a coordinator; (b) a coordinator to facilitate an agreement restricting competition, including by performing a coordinating function; (c)-(d) parallel pricing coordination; (e) any person to perform a coordinating function. 'Coordinating function' covers collecting two or more owners' competitively sensitive (nonpublic) information to set/recommend rents, lease terms or occupancy, setting prices from another owner's such data, or recommending prices to multiple owners via the same or a substantially similar algorithm; excludes research-only use, free public rent estimates, equal-terms brokerage listing databases, and government affordability controls. Sec. 5: Antitrust Act remedies (C.56:9-6 through 9-17) apply. Sec. 6(b): conflicting municipal ordinances prohibited. Sec. 7: AG complaint portal; Sec. 8: AG rulemaking. Sec. 9: effective first day of the twelfth month after enactment (July 1, 2027).