[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5444

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 8, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  VINCENT MAZZEO

District 2 (Atlantic)

Assemblyman  P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblyman  PEDRO MEJIA

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Assemblyman  LOUIS D. GREENWALD

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Senator  VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

Senator  JOSEPH A. LAGANA

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Benson, Assemblywomen Vainieri Huttle, Reynolds-Jackson, Assemblymen Zwicker, Verrelli, Johnson, Moen, Caputo, Armato, Assemblywoman McKnight, Assemblyman Stanley, Assemblywomen Lampitt, Swain, Assemblyman Wirths, Assemblywoman DiMaso, Assemblymen Houghtaling, Freiman, Assemblywoman Lopez, Senators Thompson, Addiego, Cunningham, Cruz-Perez, Diegnan, Greenstein, Oroho, O'Scanlon, Ruiz, Sarlo, Singleton, Testa, Brown, A.M.Bucco, Pou and Turner

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Makes $35 million in federal funds available to EDA to support food and beverage establishments in need.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on March 17, 2021, with amendments.

 


1[A Supplement to the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations act, P.L.2020, c.97] An Act making federal funding available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to support food and beverage establishments in need1.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1[1.    In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2020, c.97, the annual appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2021, there is appropriated the following sum/sum for the purpose specified:

 

82 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

50 Economic Planning, Development, and Security

51 Economic Planning and Development

 

GRANTS-IN-AID

38-2043

Economic Development  ........................................................

$35,000,000

 

Total Grants-in-Aid Appropriation,                          

Economic Planning and Development………………………..

$35,000,000

Grants-in-Aid:

 

 

38

Coronavirus Relief Fund – Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA............

($35,000,000)

 

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for Coronavirus Relief Fund –Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA shall be allocated from a portion of federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal “Coronavirus Relief Fund” established pursuant to the federal “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act),” Pub.L.116-136, or any other federal funds made available to the State in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for Coronavirus Relief Fund – Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA shall be allocated by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to restaurants and dining establishments at which 100 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State, and to bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries, or other establishments serving alcoholic beverages on its premises at which 100 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall establish minimum grant eligibility criteria and the size of the grant awards to meet the needs of the grantee entities in responding to the public health crisis.]1

        11.  a.  Subject to the availability of federal funds provided or made accessible to the State via federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal “Coronavirus Relief Fund” established pursuant to the federal “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act),” Pub.L.116-136, or any other federal funds made available to the State in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, $35,000,000 from such federal funds shall be made available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for the purposes set forth in subsection b. of this section.

      b.   2(1)2 The funds made available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be reserved by the authority to provide financial support, by way of grants, to eligible food and beverage establishments.  2The authority may use not more than five percent of the funds to defray any administrative expenses incurred in the implementation of this section.

      (2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection to the contrary, the authority may transfer the uncommitted balance of any funds made available pursuant to this section to any program established pursuant to P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5443 or Senate Bill No. 3523 of 2021), P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5445 or Senate Bill No. 3520 of 2021), P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5446 or Senate Bill No. 3519 of 2021), or P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5447 or Senate Bill No. 3521 of 2021).  The authority shall submit notice to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee no less than five calendar days before the date of the transfer.  At minimum, the notice shall indicate the amount of the transferred funds and the purpose for which the funds are transferred.2

      c.   The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall establish the size of the awards and eligibility of entities in subsection b. of this section to meet the needs of the eligible food and beverage establishments in responding to the public health crisis.  

      d.   As used in this section “eligible food and beverage establishments” means restaurants and dining establishments at which 2[100] 502 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State, and bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries, or other establishments serving alcoholic beverages on its premises at which 2[100] 502 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State.1

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.