LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 1263

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JULY 24, 1996

      Senate Bill No. l263 (1R) of 1996 requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in cooperation with the Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of Commerce and Economic Development, to establish a natural resources inventory, using the Geographic Information System, for the purposes of promoting ecologically-based tourism and recreation in New Jersey. This inventory would contain information on New Jersey's natural, historic, and recreational resources. The bill requires the DEP to publish and make available to the public at all state offices, within one year of the date of enactment, a pamphlet describing these resources. The pamphlet would contain information on the location, available facilities and activities, operating hours, admission fees, parking fees, and phone numbers, together with any maps or indexes and any other information deemed helpful to facilitate the use of these areas.

      The bill also requires the DEP to make the information in the pamphlet available on the Internet within one year of the pamphlet's publication. An appropriation of $20,000 is included in the bill to implement its provisions.

      The Office of Legislative Services estimates that the bill's appropriation amount, along with existing staff and resources in the two affected State departments, will be sufficient to carry out the bill's objectives. In addition, the bill could have a positive, long-range fiscal impact on the State's economy if more revenues from ecotourism are generated as a result of the information provided to the public concerning the State's natural resources.

      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.