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Bill > S4588
NJ S4588
NJ S4588Appropriates $3 million annually to Freedom Schools in New Jersey using funds collected under Social Equity Excise Fee.
summary
Introduced
06/05/2025
06/05/2025
In Committee
06/05/2025
06/05/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026
01/12/2026
Introduced Session
2024-2025 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill appropriates $3 million annually, from funds collected from the Social Equity Excise Fee that is assessed on cannabis, to the Department of State to support funding for Freedom Schools in New Jersey. The Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund is the repository of several revenues the State collects within the confines of the regulated cannabis retail program. One of the revenues, the Social Equity Excise Fee, is the particular revenue stream to which the Freedom Schools appropriation would be charged. The New Jersey Office of Faith Based Initiatives Freedom School Project support New Jersey Freedom Schools. Freedom Schools provide education and character-building support to K-12 students and their families by implementing an intensive academic summer program as well as continuous follow up, homework, and tutoring services throughout the academic school year.
AI Summary
This bill appropriates $3 million annually from the Social Equity Excise Fee—a revenue stream collected from the state's regulated cannabis retail program—to the Department of State to support Freedom Schools in New Jersey. Freedom Schools are educational programs that provide comprehensive academic and character-building support to K-12 students and their families through intensive summer programs and year-round tutoring and homework services. The bill specifically directs that this funding will be allocated each fiscal year, subject to approval from the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, and overrides any existing laws or regulations that might otherwise restrict such appropriation. By leveraging cannabis-related revenue to fund these educational initiatives, the bill aims to support educational opportunities, particularly in communities that may have been disproportionately impacted by previous cannabis-related policies.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 06/05/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S4588 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S5000/4588_I1.HTM |
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