Bill > A1635

Introduced Session

This bill requires the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to establish and administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to reimburse retail business establishments for the cost of any increased business expenses incurred due to a public highway project. Under the bill, the grant program is to reimburse a retail business establishment operating within an impacted construction zone for any increase in business expenses incurred during a relief period. The bill defines "relief period" to mean the period of time between the date on which a public highway project commences and the date on which the project concludes. "Public highway project" means any infrastructure project that involves the construction, improvement, or maintenance of a State, county, or municipal highway, road, or street, including, but not limited to, the repair or reconstruction of any highway, road, or street that has suffered serious damage as a result of a natural disaster or catastrophic failure from any external cause. "Impacted construction zone" means any area immediately surrounding a public highway project, within which area the occurrence of the public highway project impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable flow of traffic or otherwise restricts access to business establishments located within the area. In addition to any other information or documentation that the EDA deems necessary, the bill requires an application for a grant to include: (1) evidence that an applicant is a retail business establishment that is qualified under the grant program; (2) documentation of the business expenses regularly incurred by the applicant prior to the relief period; and (3) documentation of the increased business expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the public highway project. An applicant's documentation of business expenses prior to and during the relief period, respectively, is required to demonstrate the business expenses incurred by the applicant for an equal number of business days. The bill directs the EDA to review and approve applications for the grant program on a rolling basis, subject to the availability of funds for the program. Upon the approval of an application, the grant issued to an approved applicant is required to be in an amount equal to the difference between: (1) the increased business expenses incurred by the applicant during the relief period as a direct result of the public highway project; and (2) the business expenses regularly incurred by the applicant prior to the relief period. These amounts are to represent the business expenses for an equal number of days during which an applicant incurred business expenses. Under the bill, "business expenses" means the costs incurred by a retail business establishment that are necessary for the day-to-day operation of the retail business establishment. "Business expenses" may include, during a relief period, lost revenues, including, but not limited to, profit loss due to the public highway project. To assist the authority in the review of applications under the program, the bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to notify the EDA of the commencement or completion of public highway projects. The Commissioner of Transportation is also required to notify the EDA of each ongoing public highway project within the State within 30 days after the bill's effective date. The bill appropriates $1 million to the EDA to support the costs of administering the grant program.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sean Kean (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document