Bill > A5688

This bill establishes a $3 per day surcharge on hotel room occupancies in specific municipalities, specifically those with a first-class city containing an international airport. The surcharge will be collected by the Director of the Division of Taxation and distributed monthly to the municipality where the hotel is located. The collected funds must be deposited into a dedicated fire services trust fund and used exclusively for firefighting services, which includes hiring, training, and retaining fire service employees, acquiring equipment, and making capital improvements. The bill includes restrictions on how the funds can be used: municipalities can only add the trust fund revenue to their budget if their firefighting services budget is higher than the previous year, and from 2026 to 2028, no more than 37% of the surcharge revenue can be used for employee hiring and retention. After 2028, the Director of Local Government Services will determine the maximum percentage for employee-related expenses. The bill defines key terms such as "fire service," "firefighting services," and "occupied room," and will take effect on the first day of the second month following its enactment.

Government Affairs

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5688