Read the full stored bill text
S3607
SENATE, No. 3607
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires State to use certain energy-efficient
outdoor lighting fixtures.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
regulating certain outdoor lighting fixtures and
supplementing chapter 34 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that:
���� a.���� Unnecessary outdoor
lighting squanders money and energy.
���� b.��� Unshielded outdoor
lights are responsible for emitting pollutants, including carbon dioxide and
wasted light.
���� c.���� Over-lighting during
non-daylight hours neither improves visibility nor increases nighttime safety.
���� d.��� Removing unnecessary
lighting and utilizing efficient light sources saves money and improves the
nighttime environment, often at minimal expense.
���� e.���� It is in the public
interest to minimize misdirected and upward light from luminaires to promote
the State's fiscal health and to preserve New Jersey's natural nighttime
environment.
���� f.���� It is necessary to
regulate the State's outdoor lighting to conserve energy and resources to the
greatest extent possible while permitting reasonable uses of outdoor lighting
for nighttime safety, utility, security, commerce, and enjoyment.
���� 2.��� As used in P.L.��� ,
c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
���� "Cutoff luminaire"
means a luminaire whose luminous intensity in candelas at or above an angle of
90 degrees above nadir does not numerically exceed 2.5 percent of the luminous
flux, in lumens, of the lamp or lamps in the luminaire, and the luminous
intensity, in candelas, at or above a vertical angle of 80 degrees above nadir
does not numerically exceed 10 percent of the luminous flux of the lamp or
lamps in the luminaire.
���� "Energy
conservation" means the reduction of energy costs and resources by use of
methods
including, but not limited to, the use of light fixtures with the lowest
feasible wattage or a photo-sensitive or timer switch.
���� "Lumen" means an
international standard unit of luminous flux representing the quantity of
visible light output.
���� "Luminaire" means
the complete lighting unit fixture consisting of a lamp, or lamps and ballasts,
together with the parts designed to distribute light, including, but not
limited to, a reflector, lens, and diffuser, to position and protect the lamps,
and to connect the lamps to the power supply.
���� "Luminous flux"
means the measure of the perceived power of the light in lumens.
���� "Outdoor lighting
fixture" means any type of fixed or movable lighting equipment that is
designed or used for illumination outdoors, including street lights,
searchlights, and area lighting. �Outdoor lighting fixture� shall not include
lighting equipment that is required by law to be installed on motor vehicles,
lighting required for the safe operation of aircraft, or lighting used for
advertising purposes.
���� "State" means the
State of New Jersey and any office, department, division, bureau, board,
commission, authority, agency, or instrumentality of the State, but does not
include counties, municipalities, school districts, and county or municipal
authorities.
���� 3.��� a.� The State shall
install, replace, or maintain an outdoor lighting fixture by using State funds
only if:
���� (1)�� any outdoor lighting
fixture with a rated output greater than 1,800 lumens is installed or replaced
with a cutoff luminaire;
���� (2)�� the minimum illuminance
adequate for the intended purpose is used with consideration given to
nationally recognized standards;
���� (3)�� for lighting of a
designated highway of the State highway system, the Department of
Transportation determines that the purpose of the outdoor lighting fixture
cannot be achieved by the installation of reflective road markers, lines,
warning or informational signs, or other effective passive methods; and
���� (4)�� full consideration has
been given to energy conservation, reducing glare, minimizing light pollution,
and preserving the natural night environment.
���� b.��� Subsection a. of this
section shall not apply if:
���� (1)�� the outdoor lighting
fixture is used on a temporary basis because emergency personnel require
additional illumination for emergency procedures;
���� (2)�� the outdoor lighting
fixture is used on a temporary basis for nighttime work;
���� (3)�� the outdoor lighting
fixture is used for a special event or situation requiring additional
illumination that cannot be produced by another method;
���� (4)�� a compelling safety
interest exists that cannot be addressed by another method;
���� (5)�� the replacement of
outdoor lighting fixtures constitutes less than 30 percent of an entire outdoor
lighting system at a New Jersey Transit Corporation facility, or an outdoor
lighting fixture at a New Jersey Transit Corporation facility that was approved
by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office in the Department of
Environmental Protection;
���� (6)�� a federal law supersedes
or is inconsistent with the requirements of subsection a. of this section ; or
���� (7)�� the outdoor lighting
fixture is used on a historic property as that term is defined in section 3 of
P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-3) or any building, site, or area designated historic
by a historic preservation commission pursuant to sections 21 through 26 of
P.L.1985, c.516 (40:55D-107 et seq.).
���� c.���� This section shall not
be construed to require the State to replace properly functioning outdoor
lighting fixtures and shall only apply to the replacement of deficient outdoor
lighting fixtures or the installation of outdoor lighting fixtures constructed
on or after the effective date of P.L.��� , c.� (C.����� ) (pending before the
Legislature as this bill).
���� d.��� The provisions of
section 9 of P.L.2009, c.4 (C.52:34-25) shall apply to P.L.��� , c.� (C.����� )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill) if the State, as part of
implementing an energy savings improvement program, enters into an energy
savings services contract with an energy services company to install, replace,
or maintain an outdoor lighting fixture.
���� 4.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the thirteenth month next following the date of
enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the State
to install, replace, or maintain outdoor lighting fixtures that comply with
design requirements stated in the bill that are intended to minimize wasted
light and State funds.� The bill does not require the State to replace outdoor
lighting fixtures that function properly as of the bill's effective date, but
only applies to the replacement of deficient outdoor lighting fixtures.
���� Under the bill, the State is
to install, replace, or maintain an outdoor lighting fixture if: an outdoor
lighting fixture with a rated output greater than 1,800 lumens is installed or
replaced with a cutoff luminaire; the minimum illuminance adequate for the
intended purpose is used with consideration given to nationally recognized
standards; for fixtures used for lighting a designated highway of the State
highway system, the Department of Transportation determines that that purpose
of the outdoor lighting fixture cannot be achieved by the installation of
reflective road markers, lines, warning or informational signs, or other
effective methods; and full consideration has been given to energy
conservation, reducing glare, minimizing light pollution, and preserving the
natural light environment.
���� Under this bill, the State is
not required to install, replace, or maintain an outdoor lighting fixture if:
the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis because emergency
personnel require it; the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a temporary basis
for nighttime work; the outdoor lighting fixture is used for a special event or
situation; a compelling safety interest exists; the replacement of outdoor
lighting fixtures constitutes less than 30 percent of an entire outdoor
lighting system at a New Jersey Transit �(NJT) Corporation facility, or an
outdoor lighting fixture at a NJT Corporation facility was approved by the New
Jersey Historic Preservation Office; a federal law supersedes or is
inconsistent with the bill; or the outdoor lighting fixture is used on a historic
property or any building, site, or area designated historic by a historic
preservation commission.