The Northeastern United States is no stranger to extreme weather events, such as Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and Hurricane Ida in 2021. For homeowners struggling to rebuild their lives after such a loss, having a trustworthy home contractor is critical. However, some unscrupulous contractors prey on vulnerable families and individuals by making promises they have little or even no intention of keeping. 

The New Jersey Assembly has a bill in the works–Assembly Bill No. 2138–that would create a board specifically for oversight of both home improvement and home elevation contractors (collectively, "contractors") in New Jersey. This board would be responsible for establishing the requirements and standards for contractor education, examination, and licensing as well as creating a contractor registry and even a code of ethics. The board would also set standards requiring licensed contractors to complete a certain number of continuing education hours during each licensing period.