Bill Text: NJ S2432 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Provides for inclusion of alcohol manufacturers on highway signs; provides for internet site for alcohol manufacturers in New Jersey.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-29 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S2432 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S2432-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Provides for inclusion of alcohol manufacturers on highway signs; provides for internet site for alcohol manufacturers in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning tourist directional signs for alcohol manufacturers and supplementing Title 27 of the Revised Statutes and P.L.1977, c.225 (C.34:1A-45 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Transportation, in coordination with and subject to the approval of the Federal Highway Administration, shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), amendments to the rules governing the procedures and standards for participation in the Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) Program adding cideries, distilleries, and meaderies as eligible facilities that qualify for participation in the TODS program. The purpose of the rule amendments adopted pursuant to this section shall be to provide awareness of and directional guidance to alcohol manufacturers in the State through roadway signs, and support a trail-like path through signage which allows persons to find and visit alcohol manufacturers in an efficient and reasonable manner, and promote these locations within New Jersey. The rule amendments adopted pursuant to this section shall require, as a condition of eligibility to participate in the TODS program, wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies to: (1) be located within 15 miles of the State highway on which the intersection approach sign is erected; (2) be open a minimum of six hours each day, three days a week including Saturday and Sunday; (3) produce wine, cider, mead, beer, or distilled alcoholic beverages on the premises; (4) have a tasting area on the premises; (5) conduct scheduled public tours; (6) market the product on the premises for retail sale; and (7) be appropriately licensed by the State of New Jersey.
b. The Department of Transportation, in coordination with and subject to the approval of the Federal Highway Administration, shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), amendments to the rules governing the procedures and standards for the implementation of the Specific Service Sign (Logo) Program adding cideries and meaderies as eligible attractions for the purpose of applying for the installation of a business logo panel on the blue motorist service signs along designated freeways and interstate highways.
2. a. The Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, in consultation with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in the Department of Law and Public Safety, shall develop and maintain an Internet website providing information on brewery, cidery, distillery, and meadery locations in the State. The purpose of the Internet website shall be to provide awareness of, and directional guidance to, alcohol manufacturers in the State and to allow persons to find and visit breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies in an efficient and reasonable manner, and promote these locations within New Jersey.
b. The information on the Internet website shall be searchable and available as a list and as an interactive map. The Internet website shall: (1) specify the location of each facility and provide driving directions from the north, south, east, and west, as well as directions by public transit where applicable; (2) provide information about whether a facility offers guided tours, the frequency of the tours, and the hours during which the tours are conducted; (3) display photographs of each facility; and (4) provide contact information for the owner or operator of each facility, including the telephone number and Internet web address of the facility, and any other information provided by the facility that the Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism deems appropriate for inclusion on the Internet website.
c. A holder of a license issued pursuant to R.S.33:1-10 may apply to the Division of Travel and Tourism to have its location included on the Internet website. The holder of the license shall be responsible for providing the information that is to be included on the Internet website pursuant to this section.
d. The Division of Travel and Tourism may accept information for inclusion on the Internet website from the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, local government officials, owners or operators of breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies in the State, and entities that identify and compile data on such facilities.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a change in the rules governing the procedures and standards for participation in highway sign programs to allow local alcohol manufacturers to be included in the signage.
Specifically, the Department of Transportation (DOT), in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), will adopt amendments to the Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) Program and the Specific Service Sign (Logo) Program to add cideries, distilleries, and meaderies to the list of eligible facilities for participation in the programs. This will provide awareness of and directional guidance to alcohol manufacturers in the State through roadway signs and will support a trail-like path. This will allow a person to find and visit alcohol manufacturers efficiently and promote these locations within New Jersey. The following conditions of eligibility will apply to wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, and meaderies participating in the TODS Program:
(1) be located within 15 miles of the State highway on which the intersection approach sign is erected;
(2) be open a minimum of six hours each day, three days a week including Saturday and Sunday;
(3) produce wine, cider, mead, beer, or distilled alcoholic beverages on the premises;
(4) have a tasting area on the premises;
(5) conduct scheduled public tours;
(6) market the product on the premises for retail sale; and
(7) be appropriately licensed by the State of New Jersey.
The Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State, in consultation with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in the Department of Law and Public Safety, will develop and maintain an Internet website providing information on brewery, cidery, distillery, and meadery locations in the State. The purpose of the website will be to provide awareness of, and directional guidance to, alcohol manufacturers in the State and to allow people to find and visit alcohol manufacturers efficiently and promote them within New Jersey. The website will be searchable and will be available as both a list and as an interactive map. The website will:
(1) specify the location of each facility and provide driving directions from the north, south, east, and west, as well as directions by public transit where applicable;
(2) provide information about whether a facility offers guided tours, the frequency of the tours, and the hours during which the tours are conducted;
(3) display photographs of each facility; and
(4) provide contact information for the owner or operator of each facility, including the telephone number and web address of the facility, and any other information provided by the facility that the Director of the Division of Travel and Tourism deems appropriate for inclusion on the website.
