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S3956 • 2026

Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.

Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.

Budget
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Burzichelli, John J.
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth 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.

Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.

Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.

What This Bill Does

  • Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.
  • Topic: Economic Growth Fiscal note: This bill has 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. 2026-03-19 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Economic Growth Committee

Official Summary Text

Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriation.
Topic:
Economic Growth
Fiscal note:
This bill has been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S3956

SENATE, No. 3956

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� JOHN J. BURZICHELLI

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Senator� ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

SYNOPSIS

���� Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes
appropriations.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning public broadcasting funding, supplementing
Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, and making appropriations.

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

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that:�

���� a.���� Until 2011, the New
Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (authority) owned and operated New Jersey
Network Public Television and Radio (NJN), which provided New Jersey public
affairs and cultural programming.

���� b.��� In
2010, through the �New Jersey Public Broadcasting System Transfer Act� (act), the
State authorized the divestiture of NJN, permitting a non-State entity or
entities to take control of NJN�s operations and allowing for the transfer of certain
authority assets and radio operating licenses to that entity or entities.

���� c.���� The
act also created the �Trust Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting� (trust
fund) to hold monies appropriated to the entity or entities selected to operate
the public broadcasting system serving New Jersey.

����
d.��� In 2011, Public Media NJ,
Inc., commonly known as New Jersey Public Broadcasting (NJPBS) entered into an
agreement to provide public television programming and services in New Jersey.

����
e.���� In 2017, the trust fund
was slated to receive over $321 million from the sale of certain NJN assets through
the Federal Communications Commission Spectrum Auction.

���� f.���� However,
pursuant to the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Act, the monies from the sale
of the NJN assets were moved to the State General Fund.

���� g.��� If
the proceeds from the sale of NJN assets had been deposited in the trust fund,
the monies would have accrued yearly interest estimated at approximately $9.6
million, based on accrual in similar funds.

���� 2.��� Beginning in State
Fiscal Year 2026, and in each fiscal year thereafter, each annual
appropriations act shall include an appropriation from the General Fund to the �Trust
Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting,� established by section 22 of
P.L.2010, c.104 (C.48:23-29), in the amount of $9,600,000 for the purpose of
supporting public broadcasting.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Legislature to annually appropriate $9.6 million to the �Trust Fund for the
Support of Public Broadcasting� (trust fund).� The trust fund is a restricted, nonlapsing,
revolving fund within the Department of the Treasury that holds monies
appropriated to the entity or entities that operate the public broadcasting
system serving New Jersey.� Since 2011, Public Media NJ, Inc., commonly known
as New Jersey Public Broadcasting operated the State�s public broadcasting
system.