SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3440

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

      The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3440.

      As amended, this bill allows monies from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and municipal development fee trust fund to be used for the planning and construction of licensed child care centers that are co-located with low- or moderate-income housing.

      Specifically, the bill permits funds from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established pursuant to section 20 of P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-320), and the municipal development fee trust funds of a municipality, pursuant to section 8 of P.L.2008, c.46 (C.52:27D-329.2), to be used for the planning and construction of licensed child care centers that are co-located with low- or moderate-income housing.  The bill requires that the licensed child care centers, if funded through trust fund monies, be located in the same building, on the same site, or adjacent to the building or site providing the low- or moderate-income housing.  The bill also requires that the licensed child care centers give priority for vacancies to low- and moderate-income households that reside in the housing co-located with the licensed child care centers and, if vacancies remain, to other low- and moderate-income households.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  require that priority for vacancies in the licensed child care centers are to be given to low- and moderate-income households that reside in the housing co-located with the licensed child care centers and, if vacancies remain, to other low- and moderate-income households;

      (2)  direct the Commissioner of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Commissioner of Children and Families, to adopt the rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill; and

      (3)  make technical changes.