SENATE, No. 1939

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 20, 1997

 

 

By Senators MARTIN, KENNY and Kyrillos

 

 

An Act concerning certain criteria used by the State Council on the Arts in awarding grants and supplementing P.L.1966, c.214 (C.52:16A-26).

 

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

 

    1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created pursuant to P.L.1966, c.214 (C.52:16A-25 et seq.), shall not deny any grant from a bond fund or any other funding source, for any purpose, to any organization, institution or association with an affiliation with any particular religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs because that organization, institution or association expresses or in any way supports that particular religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs or because that organization, institution or association is supported by or affiliated with other organizations, institutions or associations expressing the same religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs.

 

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the New Jersey State Council on the Arts from denying any grant from a bond fund or any other funding source, for any purpose, to any organization, institution or association with an affiliation with any particular religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs because that organization, institution or association expresses or in any way supports that particular religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs or because that organization, institution or association is supported by or affiliated with other organizations, institutions or associations expressing the same religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs.


                             

Prohibits State Council on the Arts from denying grants to any organization, institution or association affiliated with any particular religion, spiritual creed or system of beliefs.