LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
SENATE, No. 4632
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 27, 2025
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Establishes grant program in DOE for public schools to install filtered drinking water stations and filtered faucets. |
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Type of Impact: |
Annual State expenditure increase; annual revenue and expenditure increases for certain public schools. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Education. Public schools. |
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Office of Legislative Services Estimate |
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Fiscal Impact |
Annual |
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State Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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School District Revenue Increase |
Indeterminate |
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School District Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill will lead to an indeterminate increase in annual State costs to fund grants to public schools for the purchase and installation of filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets. Public schools selected for grants would experience a related revenue and expenditure increase.
· The bill may lead to an indeterminate increase in administrative costs to the Department of Education if the department develops and disseminates guidance to public schools to assist in the development of plans for installing filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets. In addition, the department may incur increased one-time costs to produce a report on the implementation of the grant program following the 2025-2026 school year.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a program to provide grants, subject to available appropriations, for the purchase and installation of filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets in public schools. The bill requires the department, in approving applications, to give priority to public schools that demonstrate significant water quality issues and to public schools that have not already installed filtered bottle-filling stations or filtered faucets.
The bill permits the department to develop and disseminate guidance to public schools to assist in the development of plans for installing filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets. The resources may include information on factors that a school should consider when selecting filtered bottle-filling stations, filtered faucets, and filter cartridges.
The bill requires the department to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The report is to contain information on the implementation of the grant program and information on the number of grants applied for, the number of grants awarded, and the department’s recommendation as to how much additional funding would be needed to match total demand in all public schools.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS concludes that this bill will lead to an indeterminate increase in annual State costs due to the provision of grants to public schools for the purchase and installation of filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets. Public schools selected for grants would experience a related revenue and expenditure increase. Pursuant to the bill, the provision of grants to public schools is subject to available appropriations, but the bill itself does not include a program appropriation.
By way of background, the OLS notes that public information suggests that the average estimated costs of installing and maintaining a bottle filling station for one year is $3,450. Meanwhile, the costs for purchasing and installing a filtered faucet will likely be less than the costs of purchasing and installing bottle filling stations.
The bill may also lead to an indeterminate increase in administrative costs to the Department of Education if the department develops and disseminates guidance to public schools to assist in the development of plans for installing filtered bottle-filling stations and filtered faucets. In addition, the department may incur increased one-time costs to produce a report on the implementation of the grant program after the 2025-2026 school year. The OLS, however, has no insights into whether the department would rely on existing staff to develop the guidance and report or incur increased costs to hire additional staff or contract with a vendor to accomplish these tasks.
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Section: |
Education |
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Analyst: |
Senior Fiscal Analyst |
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Approved: |
Thomas Koenig Legislative Budget and Finance Officer |
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).