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 for admission that aligns with these provisions. The standard application will not inquire about criminal history, except for specific egregious offenses such as criminal homicide, human trafficking, and sexual assault, which are outlined in the bill.

Additionally, the bill allows institutions to accept the Common Application if it does not include questions about criminal history, and mandates that if an applicant is denied admission based on a conviction for the specified offenses, they must be notified and given the opportunity to appeal. Institutions may inquire about criminal history after acceptance for purposes of providing counseling and determining participation in campus life, while considering factors such as the nature of the offense, time elapsed since the offense, the applicant's age at the time, and evidence of rehabilitation. The task force is required to submit its findings and the standard application within one year of its formation.