This bill prohibits institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions in New Jersey from including questions about an applicant's criminal history, including juvenile records, on their admission applications, with the exception of law schools. The legislation establishes a Universal College Application Development Task Force tasked with creating a standard application that can be used by all public and independent institutions, which will also not inquire about criminal history except for specific egregious offenses such as homicide, human trafficking, and sexual assault.

The bill outlines that if an institution denies admission based on a conviction for one of the specified offenses, the applicant must be notified and given the opportunity to appeal the decision. Additionally, while institutions may not ask about criminal history on applications, they are permitted to inquire about it after acceptance for purposes of providing counseling and determining participation in campus life. The task force is required to submit a final report, including the developed application, within one year of its formation, and the bill will take effect immediately upon passage.