SENATE, No. 896
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Senator TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Steinhardt, Space, Amato, A.M.Bucco, Ruiz and Mukherji
SYNOPSIS
Establishes “Civil Air Patrol Fund” to be supported by annual appropriations of $275,000; appropriates $275,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee on February 19, 2026, with amendments.
An Act establishing the 1“1Civil Air Patrol Fund 1[; making an appropriation, and] ,”1 supplementing Title 38A of the New Jersey Statues 1, and making an appropriation1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is hereby created in the Department of Military Affairs a non-lapsing fund known as the “Civil Air Patrol Fund,” which shall be held separate and apart from all other funds of the State. All monies appropriated annually for the Civil Air Patrol by the Legislature, federal and other grants received by the State and any other monies as may thereafter be donated by members of the public shall be credited to the fund. The monies in the fund shall be administered by the State Treasurer, to be held in the fund until appropriated by law. Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this act, and periodically thereafter, the State Treasurer shall certify to the Legislature the total amount of monies in the fund.
b. Monies in the “Civil Air Patrol Fund” shall be used by the Department of Military Affairs to provide support and funding to the Civil Air Patrol Wing in the State, which may include but need not be limited to:
(1) cadet programs that focus on STEM, aviation and space career fields, search and rescue training, disaster relief training, cyber training, or flight training;
(2) training and preparation of Emergency Services qualified volunteers to further their search and rescue training, and disaster relief mission readiness;
(3) the purchase of a Redbird Simulator;
(4) ongoing maintenance and hanger space rental;
(5) ongoing First Aid/CPR training;
(6) mobile disaster relief mission base equipment;
(7) American Red Cross shelter manager training; and
(8) Incident Command System training courses.
c. There shall be appropriated annually from the General Fund to the Department of Military Affairs the sum of 1[$100,000] $275,0001 for deposit in the “Civil Air Patrol Fund” to effectuate the purposes and objectives of this section. Any unspent monies in the fund shall be carried forward.
2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Military Affairs the sum of 1[$100,000] $275,0001 for deposit in the “Civil Air Patrol Fund” to effectuate the purposes and objectives of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. This act shall take effect immediately.