Sponsored by:
Senator NILSA I. CRUZ-PEREZ
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Provides exemption from State permit fees to owners of commercial farms rebuilding from natural disaster.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the payment of State permit fees under certain circumstances and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, commencing on the effective date of this section, no State agency shall charge a fee to the owner of a commercial farm, as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1983, c.31 (C.4:1C-3), for any permit, approval, or other authorization necessary to repair any damage, including the reconstruction of any building, sustained at the commercial farm due to a natural disaster.
b. To be eligible for the fee exemption provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the owner of a commercial farm shall demonstrate to the State agency, in a form and manner as determined by the agency, that the permit, approval, or other authorization is necessary to repair damage sustained due to a natural disaster.
c. No later than 90 days after the effective date of this section, each State agency shall publish a notice in the New Jersey Register, and post in a prominent location on the agency's Internet website, the form and manner for a commercial farm to apply for the fee exemption provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section. Each State agency shall also provide this information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Agriculture shall compile the information for distribution to commercial farmers following a natural disaster.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits State agencies from charging a fee to the owner of a commercial farm, as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1983, c.31 (C.4:1C-3), for any permit, approval, or other authorization necessary to repair any damage, including the reconstruction of any building, sustained at the commercial farm due to a natural disaster.
To be eligible for the fee exemption provided by the bill, the owner of a commercial farm would be required to demonstrate to the State agency, in a form and manner as determined by the agency, that the permit, approval, or other authorization is necessary to repair damage sustained due to a natural disaster.
The bill would require, no later than 90 days after the bill is enacted into law, each State agency to publish a notice in the New Jersey Register, and post in a prominent location on the agency's Internet website, the form and manner for a commercial farm to apply for the fee exemption provided by the bill. Lastly, the bill would also require each State agency to provide this information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Agriculture would be required to compile the information for distribution to commercial farmers following a natural disaster.