Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Bateman
SYNOPSIS
Requires NJ Historical Commission to establish program for commemorations and observance of 250th anniversary of United States; permits commission to enter into public-private partnership agreement in preparation of anniversary; appropriates $500,000.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the New Jersey Historical Commission commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The New Jersey Historical Commission shall formulate and implement a program for the observance of the historical aspects of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States and of the first Constitution of this State, including but not limited to: historical activities; the creation and publication of historical documents and studies; cooperation with agencies responsible for the preservation or restoration of historic sites, buildings, art, and artifacts; establishing statewide wayfinding signage for Revolutionary Era sites and markers and establishment of a State American Revolution visitor center; the arrangement of appropriate public ceremonies; planning for commemorative events, supported by a comprehensive marketing and tourism campaign, from calendar year 2024 through calendar year 2033; and the dissemination of public information regarding New Jersey’s involvement in the American Revolution.
b. As part of the implementation of a program in accordance with subsection a. of this section, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the commission may enter into a contract with a private entity, to be referred to as a public-private partnership agreement, to coordinate and plan the programs and observance of the State’s semiquincentennial celebration of the founding of the United States, and to ensure that the State is appropriately recognized for its role in the American Revolution. A private entity will be eligible to enter into the public-private partnership with the commission if:
(1) it is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization as defined in this section; and
(2) it is responsible for the maintenance and administration of a national heritage area dedicated to the history of the American Revolution as it relates to New Jersey.
Any partnership agreement between the commission and a private entity shall establish an advisory council to support and guide the work of the partnership. In addition to funds appropriated to the commission or the private entity related to the commemoration of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the founding of the United States, the advisory council shall undertake fundraising efforts and seek out sources of revenue for the partnership’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The advisory council shall also develop collaborative activities with the Division of Parks and Forestry and the Division of Travel and Tourism for the planning and promotion of semiquincentennial programs and activities.
c. Any partnership agreement entered into between the commission and a private entity pursuant to this section, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall expire no later than December 31, 2033.
d. As used in this act:
“Public-private partnership agreement” means an agreement entered into by the New Jersey Historical Commission and a private entity pursuant to subsection b. of this section, P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
“Tax-exempt nonprofit organization” means a nonprofit organization that is exempt from federal taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3).
2. Beginning in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019 and ending in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028, there shall be appropriated from the General Fund on an annual basis $500,000, $200,000 of which is to be dedicated to the New Jersey Historical Commission for the purpose of supporting semiquincentennial programs and staffing, and $300,000 of which is to be dedicated to the private entity that enters into the public-private partnership agreement with the commission to make statewide upgrades to historical sites, for staffing, and for efforts to undertake significant capital improvements, in accordance with section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the New Jersey Historical Commission to formulate and implement a program for the observance of the historical aspects of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States and of the first Constitution of this State. As part of that program, the commission may enter into a public-private partnership agreement with a private entity for the planning and undertaking of semiquincentennial programs and activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States and New Jersey’s significant role in the American Revolution. New Jersey hosted more battles than any other state during the revolution, and George Washington spent much of his time as Commander-in-Chief in the State.
A private entity would be eligible to enter into a public-private partnership agreement with the commission if it is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, and it is responsible for the maintenance and administration of a national heritage area dedicated to the history of the American Revolution as it relates to New Jersey. The agreement would include the creation of an advisory council to guide the work of the commission and the private entity in the planning of these celebrations and observations. This agreement will ensure that New Jersey is adequately recognized for its historical significance relating to the American Revolution.
To effectuate the purposes of this bill, $500,000 would be appropriated annually from the General Fund beginning in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.