Authorizes Division of Travel and Tourism to accept gifts and grants to promote NJ tourism.

A1085

ASSEMBLY, No. 1085

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman ROBERT D. CLIFTON

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Authorizes Division of Travel and Tourism to accept
gifts and grants to promote NJ tourism.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

concerning the promotion of tourism in New
Jersey and amending P.L.1977, c.225.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 9 of P.L.1977,
c.225 (C.34:1A-53) is amended to read as follows:�

���� 9.��� In the pursuance and
promotion of a State policy on tourism, the division, at the direction of the
Secretary of State, shall:

���� a.���� Provide and promote
adequate opportunities for county and municipal participation, federal agency
participation, and private citizens' involvement in the decision-making process
of tourism planning and policy formulation;

���� b.��� Encourage all State,
county, and municipal governmental and private agencies to do their utmost to
assure the personal safety of residents and tourists both within and without
tourist destination areas;

���� c.���� Take whatever
administrative, litigable, and legislative steps as are necessary to minimize
the problems of tourists in not receiving contracted services, including
transportation, tours, hotels;

���� d.��� Attempt to reconcile and
balance the activities and accommodations of the tourist with the daily
pursuits and lifestyles of the residents;

���� e.���� Develop an
understanding among all citizens of the role of tourism in New Jersey, both in
terms of its economic and social importance and the problems it presents,
through appropriate formal and informal learning experiences;

���� f.���� Cooperate with the
Department of Education to promote throughout the educational system of New
Jersey an awareness of New Jersey history and culture;

���� g.��� Ensure that the growth
of the tourist industry is consistent with the attainment of economic, social,
physical, and environmental objectives in any State plan and county plans that
are adopted;

���� h.��� Continuously monitor and
evaluate the social costs of growth of the tourist industry against the social
benefits;

���� i.���� Emphasize in the
State's tourism promotional efforts the high quality of the State's natural and
cultural features;

���� j.���� Promote the tourist
industry through such activities as Visitors Bureaus and similar county and
municipal agencies, and assure that the tourist industry contributes its fair
share of the cost of such promotion;

���� k.��� Request and receive from
any department, division, board, bureau, commission, or other agency of the
State, or any political subdivision or public authority thereof, such
assistance and data as may be necessary to enable the division to carry out its
responsibilities under this act;

���� l.���� In consultation with
the council, review annually and, if necessary, revise or update the 10-year
master plan developed pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-52),
and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature containing an evaluation
of the preceding year's activities and developments in tourism and the
revisions recommended in the master plan;

���� m.�� At the direction of the
council, operate the division's Travel and Tourism Cooperative Marketing
Campaign Program;
[
and
]

���� n.��� Establish and operate
the division's Travel and Tourism Advertising and Promotion Program
; and

����
o.��� Accept, through the
director as an agent of the State of New Jersey, and expend, any gift or grant
for any of the purposes of promoting New Jersey as a visitor destination,
including the promotion of arts, cultural, entertainment, historical, and
tourist and visitor attractions, events, and venues in the State
.

(cf: P.L.2007, c.253, s.6)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would authorize the
Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism to accept and expend any gift or
grant for any of the purposes of promoting New Jersey as a visitor destination,
including the promotion of arts, cultural, entertainment, historical, and
tourist and visitor attractions, events, and venues in the State.

���� A number of State departments
and authorities are statutorily authorized to receive gifts and grants.� This
concept is also referenced in the report �Elements of a Plan for the Creation
of a Structure to Better Promote Tourism in the State of New Jersey,� issued
March 13, 2012 by the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory
Commission, and providing the statutory authority to receive gifts and grants
is recommended by the commission as a mechanism to increase contributions for
such purposes.