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Bill > S313


NJ S313

NJ S313
Requires businesses that violates State environmental laws to forfeit economic development subsidies under certain circumstances.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill requires a business that has been awarded an economic development subsidy by a State public body and is found to be in violation of the State's environmental laws to forfeit a portion of the economic development subsidy provided to the business or provide a payment to the State. The bill provides that if the Commissioner of Environmental Protection determines that a recipient business is responsible for an environmental incident, the business is required to forfeit the economic development subsidy or provide a payment to the State equal to the greater of: (1) 20 percent of the economic development subsidies awarded to the business recipient for the tax year in which a determination is made under the bill or (2) the total costs to address the environmental incident. Under the bill, these costs include, but are not limited to, costs of environmental remediation necessary to contain and remediate the impact of the incident, housing relocation costs for impacted residents, the installation of air filtration and fire suppression systems within impacted buildings or structures, and the costs of psychological or mental health counseling for impacted residents. The bill directs the commissioner, in consultation with the State Treasurer and the chief executive officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), and any other State officials the commissioner deems appropriate, to determine the amount of costs necessary to address the environmental incident. The bill requires the commissioner to provide written notice to the recipient business of the amount of the economic development subsidies to be forfeited or the payment to be made to the State. The bill directs the State Treasurer, in consultation with the chief executive officer of the EDA, to provide a written notice to the recipient business certifying the amount of economic development subsidies to be forfeited or payment to be made to the State. A recipient business may choose to either forfeit economic development subsidies or make a payment to the State. The bill requires any payments received by the State to be deposited into a new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund established by the bill and appropriated to provide reimbursement payments to residents of communities impacted by an environmental incident for costs incurred to address the environmental incident. The bill provides that if a recipient business fails to forfeit its economic subsidy or provide a payment to the State, the recipient business is required to forfeit all economic development subsidies awarded to the recipient business and its affiliates until the requirements of the bill are satisfied. The bill also requires future economic development subsidy agreements entered into by the authority to include a provision specifying that a recipient business is subject to the provisions of the bill.

AI Summary

This bill requires businesses that receive state economic development subsidies (financial assistance or funds valued over $25,000 from a state public body like the state itself or its agencies, excluding local governments) and are found responsible for an environmental incident (a violation of state environmental laws causing a discharge with adverse environmental impact) to forfeit a portion of those subsidies or make a payment to the state. The amount forfeited or paid will be the greater of 20% of the subsidy received for that tax year or the total costs to address the environmental incident, which can include remediation, housing relocation, installation of safety systems, and mental health counseling for affected residents. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection, in consultation with the State Treasurer and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), will determine these costs. Businesses will have the option to forfeit subsidies or make a payment, with payments going into a new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund to reimburse impacted residents. If a business fails to comply, it will forfeit all future subsidies until requirements are met, and all future subsidy agreements will include a provision acknowledging these obligations.

Committee Categories

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Sponsors (2)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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