Bill
Bill > A3223
NJ A3223
NJ A3223Establishes procedure for notification to, and review by, municipalities of certain grant and loan applications for acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill would establish a procedure for notification to municipalities concerning certain grant and loan awards for the acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The bill would require the State, and the governing body of a county, to provide written notification to the governing body of a municipality of any grant or loan application seeking monies for the acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, which application is submitted to the State or the county, as applicable, within that municipality. Within 30 days after receipt of this notification, the governing body of the municipality may evaluate the application to determine if the governing body finds that the land is appropriate for acquisition or development for recreation and conservation purposes, and submit the results of this evaluation in writing to the State or the county, as applicable. The State or county, as applicable, would then review and consider the municipality's evaluation when making its decision on the application and would notify the municipality of its intention to approve or deny the application. If the State or the county, as applicable, does not receive an evaluation from the governing body of the municipality within 30 days after providing the notification required by the bill, then the State or the county, as applicable, would be able to proceed with its decision on the application without further notification to the municipality. This bill would provide the opportunity for the governing body of a municipality to provide input to the State, or county, as applicable, on grant or loan applications for monies for the acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes within that municipality. The State, or county, as applicable, would then take this input into consideration when making a decision on the grant or loan application.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a process for municipalities to be notified of and review applications for grants or loans intended for acquiring or developing land for recreation and conservation purposes within their borders. Specifically, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) must notify a municipality when it receives an application for such funding from another local government or a non-profit organization, using state funds like Green Acres money. Similarly, county governments must notify municipalities when they receive applications from charitable conservancies for funds from county open space trusts. In both cases, the municipality will have 30 days to evaluate the application and provide its findings to the DEP or county, which will then consider this input before making a final decision on the application. If the municipality doesn't respond within 30 days, the DEP or county can proceed without their input. This ensures that local governments have a voice in decisions about land use for recreation and conservation within their communities.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee (on 01/13/2026)
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/2026/A3223 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A3500/3223_I1.HTM |
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