---
type: "Bill"
title: "Requires initial determination of unemployment benefits to be made within three weeks of filing of claim."
description: "Requires initial determination of unemployment benefits to be made within three weeks of filing of claim."
jurisdiction: "us/states/nj"
legislature: "New Jersey Legislature"
session: "217"
identifier: "A 3438"
citation: "New Jersey A 3438 (217)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["UNEMPL COMP"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Beach, James", "Danielsen, Joe", "DeAngelo, Wayne P.", "Downey, Joann", "Holley, Jamel C.", "Houghtaling, Eric", "Quijano, Annette", "Turner, Shirley K.", "Wimberly, Benjie E."]
version_count: 2
action_count: 9
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2016-03-07T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2017-07-21T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/959bc218-9d72-4429-a690-59c15047c855"
source_url: "http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/downloads.asp"
source_hash: "d17702ce2cb627c8735ca54b6b5722bf87227b63c15d42638d6f037b26f6e6d9"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-nj"]
---

# New Jersey A 3438 (217) — Requires initial determination of unemployment benefits to be made within three weeks of filing of claim.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/A3500/3438_I1.HTM)
2. **Reprint** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2016/Bills/A3500/3438_R1.HTM)

## Votes

- Reported favorably out of committee — **6–2** (pass) · legislature
- Reported out of Assembly committee with amendments — **7–2** (pass) · legislature
- Reported favorably out of committee — **13–0** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Beach, James — primary (person)
- Danielsen, Joe — primary (person)
- DeAngelo, Wayne P. — primary (person)
- Downey, Joann — primary (person)
- Holley, Jamel C. — primary (person)
- Houghtaling, Eric — primary (person)
- Quijano, Annette — primary (person)
- Turner, Shirley K. — primary (person)
- Wimberly, Benjie E. — primary (person)
- Caputo, Ralph R. — cosponsor (person)
- Egan, Joseph V. — cosponsor (person)
- Lampitt, Pamela R. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2016-03-07T05:00:00+00:00** Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2016-06-06T04:00:00+00:00** Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee `referral-committee`
- **2016-12-15T05:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2017-02-15T05:00:00+00:00** Passed Assembly (66-4-0) `passage`
- **2017-02-27T05:00:00+00:00** Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee `referral-committee`
- **2017-06-01T04:00:00+00:00** Reported out of Senate Committee, 2nd Reading `committee-passage`
- **2017-06-22T04:00:00+00:00** Substituted for S1564 (1R)
- **2017-06-22T04:00:00+00:00** Passed Senate (Passed Both Houses) (36-1) `passage`
- **2017-07-21T04:00:00+00:00** Approved P.L.2017, c.163. `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/959bc218-9d72-4429-a690-59c15047c855`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official New Jersey legislature records).