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A2019
ASSEMBLY, No. 2019
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHAMA A. HAIDER
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY
District 18 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Sampson
SYNOPSIS
���� "Penny's Law"; requires DEP to develop
beach accessibility guidelines for persons with disabilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning guidelines for beach accessibility for
persons with disabilities, designated as Penny's Law, and supplementing Title
13 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� Within one year
after the effective date of this act, the Department of Environmental
Protection shall, in consultation with the Department of Human Services,
develop guidelines for specific facilities and accommodations necessary to
provide accessibility to beaches for persons with disabilities.� The guidelines
shall include recommendations for ramps, restrooms, showers, boardwalks, surf
chairs, parking, and any other facilities deemed appropriate.
���� �b.�� When developing the
guidelines pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the Department of
Environmental Protection shall:
���� (1)� consult with persons and
organizations that have knowledge and experience in assisting individuals with
intellectual or developmental disabilities.� The Department of Human Services
shall establish a process by which such persons and organizations will be
informed of their ability to provide input and recommendations in association
with the development of beach accessibility guidelines under this section; and
���� (2)� consider, as appropriate,
the guidelines for beach access routes and facilities on federal lands, which
have been adopted by the United States Access Board.�
���� �c.�� Upon adoption of the
guidelines pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the Department of
Environmental Protection shall publish the guidelines on its Internet website
and distribute the guidelines to every county and municipality with
publicly-owned beach or waterfront property.�
���� �d.�� The Department of
Environmental Protection shall design a uniform promotional label or sign that
may be displayed by a State or local government at any beach that complies with
the guidelines adopted pursuant to subsection a. of this section.�
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill, designated as
"Penny's Law," would require the Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Human Services (DHS),
to develop guidelines for specific facilities and accommodations necessary to provide
accessibility to beaches for persons with disabilities.� The guidelines would
be required to include recommendations for ramps, restrooms, showers,
boardwalks, surf chairs, parking, and any other facilities deemed appropriate.�
The bill requires the DEP, when developing the guidelines, to consult with any
persons or organizations with knowledge and experience in assisting individuals
with intellectual or developmental disabilities.� The bill requires the DHS to
establish a process by which such persons and organizations will be informed of
their ability to provide input and recommendations in association with the
development of beach accessibility guidelines.� The DEP is also required to
consider, as appropriate, the guidelines for beach access routes and facilities
on federal lands that have been adopted by the United States Access Board.� The
bill requires the DEP to publish the guidelines on its Internet website and to
distribute the guidelines to every county and municipality with publicly-owned
beach or waterfront property.
���� This bill also requires the
DEP to design a uniform label or sign that may be displayed by a State or local
government at any beach that complies with the accessibility guidelines
developed under the bill.