ASSEMBLY TOURISM, GAMING AND THE ARTS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1447

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  NOVEMBER 14, 2024

      The Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1447.

This bill statutorily transfers the New Jersey Historic Trust, which advances historic preservation in the State through several programs, from an entity in but not of the Department of State to an entity in but not of the Department of Community Affairs, and makes certain changes related to trustee qualifications and entity powers

     The New Jersey Historic Trust was created by legislation in 1967 and became affiliated with the Department of Community Affairs in 2002.  This bill makes the statutory law consistent with its current affiliation with the Department of Community Affairs.

     The bill also provides that members of the New Jersey Historic Trust board of trustees, to include the Commissioner of Community Affairs or a designee, are required to possess a minimum of five years’ experience in at least one of the following areas: historic preservation, fundraising, redevelopment and financing, architecture, planning, archaeology, or cultural nonprofit management.  The bill also expands the New Jersey Historic Trust’s authorization to collect fees for admittance to workshops or other education initiatives and allows the New Jersey Historic Trust to determine the amount of a fee to be collected for an application for a loan through the “Historic Preservation Revolving Loan Fund.”

      As reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 1447 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 1447, which was also reported by the committee on this date.