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A2328
ASSEMBLY, No. 2328
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LUANNE M. PETERPAUL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
���� Appropriates $55 million from constitutionally
dedicated CBT revenues for recreation and conservation purposes and various
Green Acres funds to DEP for State capital and park development projects.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
appropriating $55 million from constitutionally
dedicated corporation business tax revenues for the development of lands by the
State for recreation and conservation purposes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� a.� For the purposes of
this section, "Green Acres bond act" means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007,
c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, and P.L.1989, c.183.
���� b.� There is appropriated the
sum of $50,300,000 from dedicated corporation business tax revenues pursuant to
Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution in the
�Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,� established pursuant to section 6 of
the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48), to the Department
of Environmental Protection for the development of lands by the State for
recreation and conservation purposes in accordance with the provisions of the
�Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).� Of the amount
appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the sum of $9,100,000 is available
due to interest earnings on the dedicated corporation business tax revenues
pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State Constitution.
���� c.� There is appropriated
$4,700,000 from the funds established pursuant to any Green Acres bond act and
the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, established pursuant to the
"Garden State Preservation Trust Act," P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et
seq.), to the Department of Environmental Protection for the development of
lands by the State for recreation and conservation purposes in accordance with
the provisions of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et
seq.).� Of the amount appropriated pursuant to this subsection, the sum of $4,700,000
is available due to interest earnings.
���� d.� The funds appropriated
pursuant to subsections b. and c. of this section shall be allocated as
follows:
Project��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������� ��������������� �����
Amount
BOATING & FISHING ACCESS
����� Access Facilities������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���
1,000,000
CAMPING DEVELOPMENT
����� Camping, Cabin/Shelter Program����������������������������������������������������������� ���
3,000,000
����� Sanitary Facilities���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���
3,000,000
HABITAT ENHANCEMENT & ACCESS
����� Habitat Enhancements & Access������������������������������������������������������������ ���
2,500,000
INFRASTRUCTURE
����� Bridge Repairs ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ����2,000,000
����� Building Repairs and Renovations��������������������������������������������������������� ���
5,200,000
����� Dam Inspections, Repairs, Removals���������������������������������������������������� ���
2,000,000
����� Health and Life Safety Projects��������������������������������������������������������������� �
10,000,000
����� Historic Structure Stabilization and Repairs���������������������������������������� ���
6,000,000
����� Recreational Development������������������������������������������������������������������������ �
13,200,000
����� Road Repairs������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ ���
2,000,000
IN-HOUSE PROJECTS������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������� ������
525,000
PALISADES INTERSTATE PARK COMMISSION������������������������������� �����
800,000
OTHER
����� Contingency Fund for Repairs����������������������������������������������������������������� ���
2,525,000
����� Administration���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���
1,250,000
TOTAL
�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������
$55,000,000
���� e.���� Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection e. of section 6 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48) or any
other law to the contrary, the expenditure of funds pursuant to this section
shall not require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, or its
successor.� The department may reallocate funds among the projects identified
in subsection d. of this section, subject to the approval of the Director of
the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.� The
department shall send written notification of any such reallocation of funds to
the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, the
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, the Joint Budget Oversight Committee,
or its successor, and the Chairs of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee
and Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, or their respective
successor committees.
���� 2.� There is appropriated from
the General Fund to the �Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund,� established
pursuant to section 6 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12
(C.13:8C-48), the sum of $41,200,000
to implement the provisions of
section 1 of this act.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill appropriates the sum
of $55 million to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide
funding for capital projects and park development projects on lands
administered by the DEP for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to
the �Preserve New Jersey Act,� P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).�
���� The funding in this bill is
provided from constitutionally dedicated corporation business tax (CBT)
revenues pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 6 of the State
Constitution, approved by the voters of the State in November 2014.� The
�Preserve New Jersey Act� implements the constitutional dedication of CBT
revenues for open space, farmland, and historic preservation.� The act provides
that a certain amount of the portion of dedicated CBT revenues allocated each
year for the Green Acres program is to be used for:� the acquisition of lands
for open space, including Blue Acres projects, and development projects on
lands administered by the State for recreation and conservation purposes;
grants and loans to fund local government open space acquisition and
development projects; and grants to nonprofit entities to acquire or develop
lands for recreation and conservation purposes.� Additional funding in this
bill is provided from the accumulated interest earnings in the Garden State
Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund, established pursuant to the �Garden State
Preservation Trust Act,� P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), and the funds
established pursuant to Green Acres bond acts.
���� This bill appropriates funds
for capital and park development projects on State lands administered by the
DEP�s State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites program and Fish and Wildlife
program.� These programs were formerly known, respectively, as the Division of
Parks and Forestry and Division of Fish and Wildlife, prior to the DEP�s
current reorganization.� The �Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund� was
established by section 6 of the �Preserve New Jersey Act.�
���� The projects and
appropriations listed in this bill have been approved by the DEP and the Garden
State Preservation Trust.