Expands "New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program."

A4066

ASSEMBLY, No. 4066

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Expands �New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant
Program.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the �New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant
Program� and amending P.L.2021, c.439.

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

���� 1.��� Section 3 of P.L.2021,
c.439 (C.App.A:9-89) is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� a.� There is hereby
established the "New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program"
(NJNSGP) in the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, which shall
provide grants to eligible nonprofit organizations at greatest risk of attack
as annually appropriated (1) to hire permanent or temporary security personnel
limited to federal, State, county, or municipal law enforcement officers,
special law enforcement officers appointed pursuant to P.L.1985, c.439
(C.40A:14-146.8 et seq.), or security officers registered pursuant to P.L.2004,
c.134 (C.45:19A-1 et seq.), and (2) for acquisition of target-hardening
equipment for the purpose of preparedness against threats, attacks, and other
violent acts.

���� b.��� The director shall
administer the New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program.� There shall
annually be distributed to approved eligible nonprofit organizations a maximum
grant of up to
[
$10,000
]

$50,000

per approved application for personnel
or security-related training or
planning,
and a maximum grant of up to
[
$50,000
]

$150,000

for target-hardening equipment.� The director may adjust these amounts based
upon the final availability of funds, analytical trends, and emerging threats.

���� c.���� An eligible nonprofit
organization shall apply to the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to
receive a grant under the program, for
[
either
]
costs of
security personnel
[
or
]
, security-related
training or planning,
acquisition of target-hardening equipment, or
[
both
]

all the
foregoing

[
;
however, an applicant only may be awarded funds for either personnel or for
equipment in a fiscal year
]
.�
The Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness first shall evaluate all
applications as to whether they are at high-risk of terrorist attack, threats,
domestic extremism, and other violent acts.� The costs of hiring security
personnel shall include the cost of hiring security personnel for an event
within the geographic boundaries of the State primarily organized by the
applicant away from the applicant's physical location as recorded on the grant
application and for which the applicant bears legal liability.� The funds
distributed under the program shall be utilized solely for security investments
made within this State.� No funds shall be utilized to support security needs
while traveling outside of this State.

���� Applicants may apply annually
for a disbursement of funds for costs of security personnel
or security-related
training or planning,
and may be awarded grants in successive years.� The
Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness shall assign a preference for
applicants who have not received a federal security grant that includes funding
for hiring security personnel in the last two federal grant cycles.

���� Applicants may apply annually
for grant funds for acquisition of target-hardening equipment.� The Office of
Homeland Security and Preparedness shall assign a preference for applicants who
have not received either a federal or State security grant for target-hardening
equipment in the last two grant cycles.

���� d.��� The Office of Homeland
Security and Preparedness shall request annually as part of its annual budget
proposal a minimum of
[
$2,000,000
]

$10,000,000

to fund the grants authorized pursuant to this section.� The office also shall
pursue and develop, with the Department of Law and Public Safety, the United
States Department of Homeland Security, and any other applicable State or
federal agency, any available federal, State, local, and private funding for
the grants authorized pursuant to this section.

���� e.���� Of the amount
appropriated to the program, five percent shall be allocated to the Office of
Homeland Security and Preparedness to be used to administer the program.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.439, s.3)

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

STATEMENT

���� The bill expands the �New
Jersey Security Grant Program� (NJNSGP) coordinated by the Office of Homeland
Security and Preparedness (OHSP).

���� This program supports certain
nonprofits by providing grants for both security personnel and target hardening
equipment.� This bill expands the program to include security-related training
and planning and increases the recommended funding for all grants.� The bill
also permits applicants to qualify for all categories of grants in a grant
cycle.

���� Currently, the �New Jersey
Nonprofit Security Grant Program� (NJNSGP) provides grants from annually
appropriated funds to eligible nonprofit organizations to: (1) hire certain
permanent or temporary security personnel, up to $10,000; and (2) acquire target-hardening
equipment, up to $50,000.

���� The bill increases the maximum
grant from $10,000 to $50,000 per approved application for personnel or
security-related training or planning, and from $50,000 to $150,000 for
target-hardening equipment.

���� The bill also requires the Office
of Homeland Security and Preparedness to annually request, as part of its
annual budget proposal, a minimum of $10 million to fund the grants authorized
pursuant to this section.� Currently, the annual request amount in statute is
$2 million.

���� According to the sponsor,
there is an increased need to protect nonprofit organizations, mostly religious
nonprofits, from threats and attacks.� The current law limits the number and
type of grants that may be requested.� It also does not take into account the
impact of inflation on the cost of personnel and equipment.� As tensions grow
domestically and worldwide, it is imperative to expand the program. This
expansion will allow more flexibility and enable a rapid response to threats to
our New Jersey communities.