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S4051 • 2026

Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.

Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Amato, Carmen F., Jr.
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation 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.

Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.

Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.

What This Bill Does

  • Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.
  • Topic: State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation 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. 2026-03-23 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee

Official Summary Text

Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State Candy.
Topic:
State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S4051

SENATE, No. 4051

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MARCH 23, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� CARMEN F. AMATO, JR.

District 9 (Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates salt water taffy as New Jersey State
Candy.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
designating salt water taffy as the New Jersey State
Candy.

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

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

���� a.�
With over 125 miles of coastline in New Jersey, traveling to the Jersey Shore
has become a part of family traditions for many New Jersey residents and
tourists for generations.

���� b.�
Created in Atlantic City in the 1880s, salt water taffy has been enjoyed for
over 125 years by visitors to the New Jersey coastline and the State.

���� c.�
According to local legend, the treat was created after salt water from an
evening storm flooded the candy shop and damaged the taffy supply of candy
maker David Bradley, who, at the request of a persistent customer, sold the
first salt water taffy and made the accidental creation a household name.

���� d.�
Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the development of shore
communities, such as Atlantic City and Ocean City, confectioners Enoch James,
Joseph Fralinger, and William Shriver came to dominate the salt water taffy
industry along the boardwalks of the Jersey Shore.� The 1928 opening of
Jenkinson�s Pavilion reflected a northward growth, transforming the Point
Pleasant Beach boardwalk with a landmark candy shop where salt water taffy
became a centerpiece attraction.

���� e.�
As New Jersey is widely recognized as the home and birthplace of the salt water
taffy, it serves as the ideal symbol for the official State candy.

���� 2.��� The
salt water taffy is designated as the New Jersey State Candy.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill designates the salt
water taffy as the New Jersey State Candy.� According to local legend, the
treat was created after salt water from a storm damaged the taffy supply of
candy maker David Bradley, who, at the request of a customer, sold the first
salt water taffy and made the accidental creation a household name.

����
Throughout
the late 1800s and early 1900s, with the development of shore communities,
confectioners Enoch James, Joseph Fralinger, and William Shriver founded the
world-famous James Candy Company, Fralinger�s Salt Water Taffy, and Shriver�s.�
The 1928 opening of Jenkinson�s Pavilion reflected a northward growth, as salt
water taffy became a centerpiece attraction of the Point Pleasant Beach
boardwalk.� As New Jersey is the home and birthplace of salt water taffy, it
serves as an ideal symbol for the official State candy.