Legislation known as the Tariff Transparency Act is moving forward in New Jersey, sparking concern among business groups. The bill would require retailers with annual revenues over $500,000 to disclose what portion of a product’s price comes from tariffs.
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-20), who sponsors the bill (A-5922), described it as a “simple disclosure” for businesses. However, Christopher Emigholz, Chief Government Affairs Officer at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), disagrees.
“Look, we know tariffs have been difficult for our job creators, and we understand the intent of this bill,” said Emigholz. “But at the end of the day, this is a very unrealistic and unworkable bill that is extremely burdensome for business.”
“There is no other state in the nation seeking to place such a burden on its businesses. So, it becomes yet another mandate that makes it harder to business in New Jersey.”
Retailers could face fines of $500 per sale if they fail to itemize tariff costs or if their breakdowns are inaccurate. Emigholz noted that errors could easily occur due to the complexity of tariffs.
“Given the uncertainty and complexity surrounding tariffs, an unintentional error could easily be made,” he said.
He also pointed out challenges stemming from complicated supply chains and pricing structures: “As an example, you have indirect facility costs, shipping costs and healthcare costs that all could be impacted by tariffs. Some of those costs are passed on down through the supply chain in whole, some in part and some are absorbed by the landlord or shipper or healthcare provider.”
“More directly, products have complicated supply chains with tariffs impacting pieces in different ways with some passing down all extra costs and some absorbing some of the added costs.”
“These complicated pricing decisions are made every day in a free market, and the final retailer at the end has no way of exactly knowing what costs were from tariffs, what costs came from inflation, tax increases, energy cost increases, wage increases, rent increases or legal costs.”
“While the intent here may be simple, what is factored into the cost of a retail item is often quite complicated,” Emigholz said.
The NJBIA has previously criticized recent federal tariff policies introduced by former President Trump’s administration in 2025. According to NJBIA’s latest Business Outlook Survey—the organization’s 67th—tariffs affected nearly half of respondents’ supply chains during 2025. Among those affected by tariffs:
– 88% reported increased prices from their suppliers,
– 36% sought new suppliers,
– 23% reduced inventory quality,
– And 81% lacked confidence they could absorb higher input prices without passing them onto consumers.
The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee advanced the bill on Thursday; Assemblyman Mike Inganamort (R-24) was alone in voting against it. He proposed an amendment requiring New Jersey to inform each business about every tax and fee imposed upon them—a suggestion highlighting his concerns about regulatory burdens.
“If the cost of one tax is important, then the cost of all taxes are important,” Inganamort said in a statement. “Except the onus should not be on the businesses paying those costs, it should be on the government imposing them.”
“The advertisement would read: ‘OUR PRICES WOULD BE LOWER IF THE STATE DID NOT CHARGE US $[TOTAL AMOUNT]. SEE HOW IT ALL ADDS UP: [LIST OF EVERY TAX,FEE AND REGULATORY COST].’”
