Bill Text: NJ S1133 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires State parks, forests, and other natural and historic areas to remain open to public for seven days if emergency is declared due to failure to enact general appropriation law as prescribed by NJ Constitution.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S1133 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1133-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires State parks, forests, and other natural and historic areas to remain open to public for seven days if emergency is declared due to failure to enact general appropriation law as prescribed by NJ Constitution.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the continued operation of certain State parks, sites, and areas, and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall develop a plan for the continued operation of all State parks and forests, State recreation areas, State historic sites, State natural areas, and State wildlife management areas during a state of emergency that is declared due to the failure to enact a general appropriation law by the deadline prescribed by Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 2 of the New Jersey Constitution. The plan shall designate the State employees that are essential to provide for the services at each State park and forest, State recreation area, State historic site, State natural area, and State wildlife management area.
b. In the event that a state of emergency is declared due to the failure to enact a general appropriation law by the deadline prescribed by Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 2 of the New Jersey Constitution, the operation of State parks and forests, State recreation areas, State historic sites, State natural areas, and State wildlife management areas shall continue and all such locations shall be open to the public for a period not to exceed seven calendar days. All State employees that have been designated as necessary to provide for the government services at each State park and forest, State recreation area, State historic site, State natural area, and State wildlife management area shall be considered essential personnel.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require that State parks and forests, State recreation areas, State historic sites, State natural areas, and State wildlife management areas would continue to be open to the public for a period not to exceed seven calendar days if a state of emergency is declared due to the failure to enact a general appropriation law by the deadline prescribed by Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 2 of the New Jersey Constitution. The Department of Environmental Protection would be required to develop a plan for the continued operation of those locations if such a state of emergency is declared which would designate those State employees necessary to continue to provide services.
