Approp.

 


P.L. 2021, CHAPTER 116, approved June 22, 2021

Assembly, No. 5709

 

 


A Supplement to the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations act, P.L.2020, c.97.

 

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

 

     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 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 ……................................

$10,000,000

 

Total Grants-in-Aid Appropriation, Economic Planning and Development ...............................

$10,000,000

Grants-in-Aid:

 

 

38

Sustain and Serve NJ Program, EDA............................................

($10,000,000)

 

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for the Sustain and Serve NJ Program, EDA, shall be allocated to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to support the Sustain and Serve NJ Program.  The authority may transfer the uncommitted balance of any funds hereinabove appropriated for the Sustain and Serve NJ Program, EDA, for the purposes of any program established pursuant to P.L.2021, c.42, P.L.2021, c.43, P.L.2021, c.45, P.L.2020, c.46, or P.L.2021, c.47, as well as the Startup Business and Nonprofit Assistance Program, established pursuant to 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.

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for the Sustain and Serve NJ Program, EDA, is conditioned upon the submission of a report by the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), detailing the expenditure of program funds.  At a minimum, the report shall indicate the number of organizations that applied for financial assistance; the number of organizations that received financial assistance; the amount of financial assistance provided to each recipient; and a brief description of each recipient.

 

Of the amounts appropriated to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, Assistance to Businesses and Nonprofits, Assistance to Child Care Providers, Assistance to Microbusinesses, the Sustain and Serve NJ Program, and the Startup Business and Nonprofit Assistance Program, the authority may retain not more than $1,000,000 to defray administrative expenses.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to support the Sustain and Serve NJ Program.

     In November 2020, the EDA established the Sustain and Serve NJ Program.  Under the program, the EDA provides grants to organizations to support the bulk purchase of meals from local restaurants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Participating organizations are then required to distribute the meals, free of charge, to State residents.  As such, the program is designed to support local restaurants, while also providing free meals for the public. 

     In February 2021, the EDA announced that $14 million in grants were expected to be awarded through the Sustain and Serve NJ Program.  According to the EDA, this funding is expected to result in the purchase of approximately 1.5 million meals.  By appropriating an additional $10 million for the program, roughly one million more meals will be purchased from local restaurants and distributed to needy populations. 

     Additionally, the bill allows the EDA to transfer uncommitted funds to other programs administered by the authority to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The bill also allows a portion of these funds to be used for administrative expenses.

     As a condition of receiving State funds, the bill also requires the EDA to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing the expenditure of program funds.  At a minimum, the report would be required to indicate the number of organizations that applied for financial assistance; the number of organizations that received financial assistance; the amount of financial assistance provided to each recipient; and a brief description of each recipient. 

                                

 

     Appropriates $10 million from General Fund to EDA to support Sustain and Serve NJ Program.