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S4428
SENATE, No. 4428
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED JUNE 8, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes EDA grant program to support increased
business expenses incurred by certain businesses impacted by emergency bridge
projects; appropriates $1 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
providing for grants to certain businesses impacted by
an emergency bridge project, supplementing Title 34 of the Revised Statutes,
and making an appropriation.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� As used in
P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill):
���� "Applicant" means a
retail business establishment seeking a grant pursuant to
P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� "Authority" means
the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, established pursuant to section
4 of P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-4).
���� "Business day" means
a calendar day during which a retail business establishment incurs business
expenses.
���� "Business expenses"
means the costs incurred by a retail business establishment necessary for the
day-to-day operation of the retail business establishment, including, but not
limited to, the transportation of goods or the provision of services.
���� "Emergency bridge
project" or "project" means any infrastructure project that
involves the construction, improvement, or maintenance of a bridge over which
individuals regularly travel in motor vehicles, which project results in a
temporary closure of that bridge.� "Emergency bridge project"
includes, but is not limited to, the closure of a bridge at the direction of
the Department of Transportation prior to the commencement of construction,
improvement, or maintenance.
���� "Impacted emergency
closure zone" means any area immediately surrounding an emergency bridge
project, within which area the occurrence of the emergency bridge project
impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable flow of traffic, or otherwise
restricts access to business establishments located within the area.
���� "Relief period"
means the period of time between the date on which an emergency bridge project
commences and the date on which the project concludes.
���� "Retail business
establishment" means a small business that maintains a fixed permanent
location where goods are exhibited or services are offered on an appointment or
walk-in basis.
���� "Small business"
means a business that has no more than 50 full-time employees, is independently
owned and operated, has its principal place of business in the State of New
Jersey, and is not delinquent or deficient with respect to the payment of any
State tax.
���� 2.��� a. The authority shall
establish and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to offset
the costs of increased business expenses incurred during a relief period by a
retail business establishment that operates within an impacted emergency
closure zone, as a direct result of an emergency bridge project taking place in
that impacted emergency closure zone.
���� b.��� An applicant seeking a
grant pursuant to this section shall submit an application to the authority in
such form and manner as the authority may require.� In addition to any other
information or documentation that the authority shall deem necessary, an application
for a grant pursuant to this section shall include:
���� (1)�� evidence that the
applicant is a retail business establishment that meets the criteria set forth
in subsection a. of this section;
���� (2)�� documentation of the business
expenses regularly incurred by the applicant prior to the relief period, which
documentation shall demonstrate the business expenses incurred during a period
containing an equal number of business days to the relief period for which a
grant is sought pursuant to this section; and
���� (3)�� documentation of the
increased business expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period
as a direct result of the emergency bridge project, which documentation shall
include the number and dates of business days for which a grant is sought
pursuant to this section.
���� c.���� The authority shall
review and approve applications for the grant program on a rolling basis,
subject to the availability of funds for the program.� Upon the approval of an
application, the authority shall issue a grant to the approved applicant in an
amount equal to the difference between the increased business expenses incurred
by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the emergency
bridge project, and the business expenses regularly incurred by an applicant
prior to the relief period, as demonstrated to the authority�s satisfaction in
an application submitted pursuant to subsection b. of this section.� The
amounts used in the calculation of a grant award pursuant to this section shall
represent the business expenses for an equal number of business days prior to
and during the relief period.
���� d.��� To assist the authority
in the review of applications under this section, upon the commencement or
completion of an emergency bridge project, the Commissioner of Transportation
shall provide written notice to the authority attesting to the commencement or
completion of the project, as applicable.� Within 30 days following the
effective date of P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), the commissioner shall provide
written notice to the director attesting to each ongoing emergency bridge
project within the State.
���� 3.��� Notwithstanding the
provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410
(C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the authority may adopt, immediately,
upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law, such rules and regulations
as the authority deems necessary to implement the provisions of P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill), which regulations shall be
effective for a period not to exceed 180 days from the date of the filing.�
Thereafter, the authority shall amend, adopt, or readopt any regulations issued
pursuant to this subsection in accordance with the requirements of the "Administrative
Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
���� 4.��� There is appropriated $1,000,000
from the General Fund to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to
support the provision of grants pursuant to the program established pursuant to
P.L. ,
c. (C. )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
���� 5.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires the New
Jersey Economic Development Authority (authority) to establish and administer a
grant program to provide financial assistance to reimburse certain retail
business establishments for the cost of any increased business expenses incurred
due to an emergency bridge project.
���� Under the bill, the grant
program is to reimburse a retail business establishment operating within an
impacted emergency closure zone for any increase in business expenses incurred
during a relief period.� The bill defines "relief period" to mean the
period of time between the date on which an emergency bridge project commences
and the date on which the project concludes.� "Emergency bridge
project" or "project" means any infrastructure project that
involves the construction, improvement, or maintenance of a bridge over which
individuals regularly travel in motor vehicles, which project results in a
temporary closure of that bridge.� "Emergency bridge project"
includes, but is not limited to, the closure of a bridge at the direction of
the Department of Transportation prior to the commencement of construction,
improvement, or maintenance.� "Impacted emergency closure zone" means
any area immediately surrounding an emergency bridge project, within which area
the occurrence of the emergency bridge project impedes or blocks the normal and
reasonable flow of traffic or otherwise restricts access to business
establishments located within the area.
���� In addition to any other
information or documentation that the authority deems necessary, the bill
requires an application for a grant to include:� (1) evidence that an applicant
is a retail business establishment that is qualified under the grant program;
(2) documentation of the business expenses regularly incurred by the applicant
prior to the relief period; and (3) documentation of the increased business
expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result
of the emergency bridge project. �An applicant�s documentation of business
expenses prior to and during the relief period, respectively, is required to
demonstrate the business expenses incurred by the applicant for an equal number
of calendar days.
���� The bill directs the authority
to review and approve applications for the grant program on a rolling basis,
subject to the availability of funds for the program.� Upon the approval of an
application, the grant issued to an approved applicant is required to be in an
amount equal to the difference between: �(1) the increased business expenses
incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the emergency
bridge project; and (2) the business expenses regularly incurred by the
applicant prior to the relief period.� These amounts are to represent the business
expenses for an equal number of days during which an applicant incurred business
expenses.
���� To assist the authority in the
review of applications under the program, the bill requires the Commissioner of
Transportation to notify the authority of the commencement or completion of
emergency bridge projects.� The Commissioner of Transportation is also required
to notify the authority of each ongoing emergency bridge project within the
State within 30 days after the bill�s effective date.
���� The bill appropriates $1
million to the authority to support the costs of administering the grant
program.