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Bill > A3149
NJ A3149
NJ A3149Changes entity responsible for management of NJ School of Conservation to nonprofit organization, and directs DOE to request funding for center annually.
summary
Introduced
03/07/2022
03/07/2022
In Committee
06/27/2022
06/27/2022
Crossed Over
10/03/2022
10/03/2022
Passed
10/17/2022
10/17/2022
Dead
Vetoed
09/15/2022
09/15/2022
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
10/21/2022
10/21/2022
Introduced Session
2022-2023 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill would change the management of the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC), located in Stokes State Forest, Sussex County, from Montclair State University to the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation, a nonprofit organization. The bill would also direct the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation to submit financial figures and a request for State funding to the Department of Education (DOE) no later than January 15 of each year. The bill would also direct the DOE to include an appropriate amount to maintain the operations of the NJSOC in the school aid portion of its annual budget request. Finally, the bill would repeal the sections of law that require the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University to request and expend funding for the NJSOC. Originally established in 1949, the NJSOC is the oldest and the largest university-based environmental education facility in the nation, and some of its buildings were constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It has served as a school for environmental field studies for K-12 students, college students, graduate students, and teachers. In 1981, Governor Brendan Byrne enacted a law that permanently designated the NJSOC as a school for environmental field study under the direction of the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University. However, in May 2020, Montclair State announced that it was no longer financially viable for the university to administer the school due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it would transfer all control of the grounds back to the DEP.
AI Summary
This bill would change the management of the New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC), an environmental education facility, from Montclair State University to a nonprofit organization called the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation. It would require the Friends of the NJSOC to submit annual financial figures and a request for state funding to the Department of Education (DOE), and direct the DOE to include appropriate funding to maintain the NJSOC's operations in its annual budget request. The bill would also repeal the sections of law that require Montclair State University to request and expend funding for the NJSOC, which was originally established in 1949 and has served as a school for environmental field studies.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance
Sponsors (10)
Daniel Benson (D)*,
Richard Codey (D)*,
John McKeon (D)*,
Bob Smith (D)*,
Nia Gill (D),
Mila Jasey (D),
Gordon Johnson (D),
Angela Mcknight (D),
Teresa Ruiz (D),
Andrew Zwicker (D),
Last Action
Approved P.L.2022, c.116. (on 10/21/2022)
Official Document
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