ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2857

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 27, 2023

      The Assembly Budget Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2857 (1R).

      This bill, as amended, establishes the “Sustainable New Jersey Fund” (fund) in the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), makes an appropriation of $1 million to the fund for the current fiscal year, and directs the Legislature to annually appropriate additional moneys to the fund.

      Under the bill, the DEP is required to annually distribute money in the fund to a public institution of higher education that has an existing contractual relationship with a qualified nonprofit organization, as defined in the bill, that offers certifications and grants to municipalities and public schools across the State in support of efforts to realize environmental, economic, and social sustainability.  The public institution of higher education is to be required to distribute the funds to the qualified nonprofit organization to support the provision of the certification and grants.  Under the bill, the fund is required to be annually credited with money appropriated by the Legislature, which moneys are required to be disbursed to the public institution of higher education partnered with a qualified nonprofit organization.

      Under the bill, the qualified nonprofit organization that receives moneys pursuant to the provisions of the bill is to be treated as that public institution of higher education for the purposes of complying with the public bidding requirements of the “Local Public Contracts Law,” P.L.1971, c.198 (C.40A:11-1 et seq.) or the “Public School Contracts Law,” N.J.S.18A:18A-1 et seq., when contracting with a municipality, school, school district, and other State or local government contracting agency for services, certification processes, support initiatives, or grants under the bill.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No.2857 (1R) is identical to Assembly Bill No. 4167 (1R), which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to change the agency administering the Sustainable New Jersey Fund and awarding the grants from the Department of Community Affairs to the Department of Environmental Protection. 

FISCAL IMPACT:

      Fiscal information is currently unavailable.