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Bill > A324


NJ A324

NJ A324
Prohibits setting of snares or cable restraint traps on certain National Guard property; establishes penalties.


summary

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

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill amends existing law to prohibit the setting of a snare or cable restraint on any National Guard property that is 150 acres or more in size, and is located in a municipality with a population density of at least 1,500 persons per square mile according to the 2020 decennial census. The bill establishes a civil penalty of $100 to $200 for the first offense, and $200 to $500 for each subsequent offense. Each snare or cable restraint set would constitute a separate offense. The bill authorizes the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to enforce the bill's provisions, and collect penalties, costs and fines pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999". The bill provides that the Superior Court and the municipal court would have jurisdiction to enforce the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999" in connection with this bill's provisions. This bill addresses reports of trapping and killing local fox populations on lands owned by the New Jersey National Guard Training Center and the State Police Academy. The foxes were being trapped and euthanized to protect local nesting areas of piping plover.

AI Summary

This bill prohibits the use of snares or cable restraint traps on specific National Guard properties that are at least 150 acres in size and located in densely populated areas (at least 1,500 people per square mile based on the 2020 census), aiming to address concerns about the trapping and killing of foxes on these lands, which were reportedly being done to protect piping plover nesting sites. Violators will face civil penalties, with fines ranging from $100 to $200 for a first offense and $200 to $500 for subsequent offenses, with each trap set counting as a separate violation. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection is authorized to enforce these provisions and collect penalties, with enforcement handled through the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," a law that outlines how civil penalties are collected, and jurisdiction for these cases will lie with both the Superior Court and municipal courts.

Committee Categories

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee (on 01/13/2026)

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