LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2236

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: NOVEMBER 12, 1996

      Assembly Bill No. 2236 of 1996 repeals the $2.00 per bushel surcharge on clams harvested through the depurated hard and soft clam and hard clam relay programs in Monmouth County. The surcharge was imposed pursuant to P.L.1995, c.335 (C.58:24-11 et seq.), with fee revenues required to be deposited into the Monmouth County Clam Depuration and Relay Program Fund for the purpose of implementing these programs in Monmouth County. Although the bill repeals the surcharge, it does maintain the Fund as the repository for any monies that may be appropriated to it for the purposes set forth in the act. For example, $150,000 was appropriated to the Fund in the FY 1997 Appropriations Act for these particular activities. The Department of Environmental Protection is responsible for administering the Fund.

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that, in light of the current fiscal year appropriation for this program, the repeal of the surcharge should have little or no adverse effect on its short-range implementation. The OLS notes, however, that without the surcharge provision, the program will have to depend on similar General Fund appropriations in future years for its continued operation unless other non-State funding sources can be found.

      In a Fiscal Estimate prepared for Assembly Bill No. 3023 (1R) of 1995 (which was enacted as P.L. 1995, c. 335), the OLS estimated that $162,000 to $202,000 would be generated annually from the proposed surcharge on depurated and relayed hard clams. Data on soft clams were not available at that time.

      This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.