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S3415 • 2026

Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.

Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.

Energy
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Holzapfel, James W.
Last action
2026-02-09
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.

Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.
  • Topic: Environment and Energy Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-09 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee

Official Summary Text

Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before opening sales to non-residents.
Topic:
Environment and Energy
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S3415

SENATE, No. 3415

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 9, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL

District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires DEP to establish resident-only priority
registration period for sale of permits at Island Beach State Park before
opening sales to non-residents.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning registration� for certain State park permits
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.� As used in this act:

���� �Department� means the
Department of Environmental Protection.

���� �Eligible permit� means any
annual, seasonal, or short-term mobile sport fishing vehicle permit,
beach-driving permit, or other motor-vehicle access permit issued by the
department for use at Island Beach State Park.

���� �Priority registration period�
means the time period established by the department during which only residents
may apply for or purchase eligible permits.

���� �Resident� means a person
legally domiciled within the State of New Jersey for a minimum period of six
months.

���� b.� The department shall
establish, for each permit issuance cycle for Island Beach State Park, a
priority registration period during which only residents may apply for or
purchase eligible permits.

���� c.� The department shall
determine a reasonable length and start date for the priority registration
period.

���� d.� During the priority
registration period, the department shall:

���� (1) restrict access to online
and in-person eligible permit application systems exclusively to residents;

���� (2) require proof of residency
at the time of application or purchase, in the form of a New Jersey driver�s
license or other State-issued identification; and

���� (3) deny, defer, cancel, or
void any application submitted by a non-resident during the priority
registration period.

���� e.� Upon conclusion of the
priority registration period, any remaining eligible permits shall be made
available to non-residents under the same procedures used by the department for
general permit sales.

���� 2.��� The Commissioner of
Environmental Protection shall, in accordance with the "Administrative
Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and
regulations as necessary to implement this act.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill would require the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to establish a priority
registration period during which only New Jersey residents may apply for or
purchase certain Island Beach State Park motor-vehicle access permits,
including mobile sport fishing and beach-driving permits.

���� During the priority
registration period for eligible permits, the DEP would be required to restrict
permit application systems exclusively to State residents and verify residency
through a New Jersey driver�s license or other State-issued identification.�
Any applications submitted by non-residents during this period would be denied,
deferred or voided.� After the priority registration period ends, any remaining
permits are to be made available to non-residents under existing permit
application procedures.