ASSEMBLY, No. 5904

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 16, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  GORDON M. JOHNSON

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman  VINCENT MAZZEO

District 2 (Atlantic)

Assemblyman  ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Wirths, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblymen Karabinchak, Caputo, Assemblywomen Vainieri Huttle, Reynolds-Jackson, Lopez, Assemblymen Freiman, Tully and Assemblywoman Swain

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Makes $135 million in federal funds available to EDA to support eligible entities impacted by COVID-19 pandemic.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act making federal funds available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to support eligible entities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

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

 

     1.    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 State Fiscal Recovery Fund,” established pursuant to the federal “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021,” Pub.L.117-2, $135,000,000 from such federal funds shall be made available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for the following purposes:

     (1)   $55,000,000 to provide financial assistance to eligible microbusinesses, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.42;

     (2)   $10,000,000 to provide financial assistance to eligible arts and culture for-profit organizations, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.43;

     (3)   $15,000,000 to provide financial assistance to eligible food and beverage establishments, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.45;

     (4)   $45,000,000 to provide financial assistance to eligible businesses and nonprofit organizations, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.46; and

     (5)   $10,000,000 to provide financial assistance to eligible child care providers, pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.47.

     b.    Notwithstanding any provision of this section 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.2021, c.42, P.L.2021, c.43, P.L.2021, c.45, P.L.2021, c.46, P.L.2021, c.47, or P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5708 of 2021 and Senate Bill No. 3795 of 2021); provided, however, that the authority shall submit notice to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee no less than five calendar days before the date of the transfer.  At a minimum, the notice shall indicate the amount of and purpose for the transferred funds.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill makes $135 million in federal funds available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support eligible entities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

     Under the bill, these federal funds would be made available for the following purposes: (1) $55 million for eligible microbusinesses, as provided under P.L.2021, c.42; (2) $10 million for eligible arts and culture for-profit organizations, as provided under P.L.2021, c.43; (3) $15 million for eligible food and beverage establishments, as provided under P.L.2021, c.45; (4) $45 million for eligible businesses and nonprofit organizations, as provided under P.L.2021, c.46; and (5) $10 million for eligible child care providers, as provided under P.L.2021, c.47. 

     Specifically, these monies would be made available from the amounts allocated to the State under the federal “Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund,” established pursuant to the federal “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.”  The bill also allows the EDA to transfer uncommitted funds to other programs administered by the authority to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.