A4769

An Act establishing the Shark River Bridge Study Commission and the Shark River Bridge Impacted Business Aid Program and supplementing P.L.1974, c.80 (C.34:1B-1 et seq.).

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

1. a. There is established the "Shark River Bridge Study Commission."

b. The study commission shall analyze and develop recommendations concerning the potential economic impact caused by the closure of the Shark River Bridge by the Department of Transportation. The study shall determine the number of businesses impacted by the closure of the bridge, the appropriate size of potential future grant issuances to businesses affected by the closure of the bridge, and the total dollar amount that should be appropriated for any such future grant program.

c. The study shall consist of eight members as follows:

(1) a representative of the General Assembly, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly;

(2) a representative of the Senate, who shall be appointed by the Senate President;

(3) the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, ex officio, or a designee;

(4) the Commissioner of Transportation, ex officio, or a designee;

(5) a representative of the local businesses in the Shark River Bridge area, who shall be appointed by the Governor;

(6) a Borough of Belmar business owner appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly;

(7) a Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea business owner appointed by the Senate President; and

(8) a representative of the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners appointed by the Governor.

d. The members of the study commission shall be appointed within 60 days following the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The study commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members. The presence of three members of the study commission shall constitute a quorum. The study commission may conduct business without a quorum but shall only vote on the issuance of the report required to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) when a quorum is present.

e. The members of the study commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that such funds are made available for that purpose.

f. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistance and professional staff as the study commission requires to carry out its work. The study commission also shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.

2. The study commission shall prepare and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature no later than 18 months after the organizational meeting of the study commission.

3. a. No later than 18 months after the submission of the report required pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall establish the “Shark River Bridge Impacted Business Aid Program” to award grants to support businesses impacted by the closure of the Shark River Bridge by the Department of Transportation.

b. A business impacted by the closure of the Shark River Bridge may use a program grant to cover operational costs necessary to sustain the business during the closure of the bridge.

c. Businesses may submit an application to the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for a program grant, provided that the application shall be submitted in a form and manner prescribed by the chief executive officer. In addition to any other information that the chief executive officer may deem appropriate, the application shall require the applicant to submit:

(1) the name and address of the business;

(2) a description of the impact the closure of the Shark River Bridge has had or will have on business operations;

(3) a plan detailing how the grant will be used to sustain the operations of the business; and

(4) any other information the chief executive officer deems necessary.

d. The chief executive officer shall approve applications for the program on a competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds. The chief executive officer may award grants to approved applicants in such amounts as the chief executive officer deems appropriate, consistent with the findings of the report submitted by the “Shark River Bridge Study Commission” pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

e. Within one year of the establishment of the “Shark River Bridge Impacted Business Aid Program,” the authority shall submit a written report to the Governor and to Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), detailing the operations of the program. At a minimum, the report shall describe each business for which a program grant was awarded, specify the amount of each grant award, and assess the performance of the program.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill creates the "Shark River Bridge Study Commission." The study commission is required to analyze and develop recommendations concerning the potential economic impact caused by the closure of Shark River Bridge by the Department of Transportation. The study is to determine the number of businesses impacted by the closure of the bridge, the appropriate size of potential future grant issuances to businesses affected by the closure of the bridge, and the total dollar amount that should be appropriated for any such future grant program.

The study commission is to consist of eight members: (1) a representative of the General Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; (2) a representative of the Senate, appointed by the Senate President; (3) the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority or a designee; (4) the Commissioner of Transportation or a designee; (5) a representative of the local businesses in the Shark River Bridge area, appointed by the Governor; (6) a Borough of Belmar business owner appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; (7) a Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea business owner appointed by the Senate President; and (8) a representative of the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners appointed by the Governor.

The members of the study commission are required to be appointed within 60 days following the effective date of the bill, and the study commission is further required to organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members. The presence of three members of the study commission constitutes a quorum, and the study commission may conduct business without a quorum; however, the members may only vote on the issuance of the report required to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature when a quorum is present.

The members of the study commission are to serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the extent that such funds are made available for that purpose. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) is to provide professional staff and stenographic, clerical, and administrative assistance to the study commission.

The study commission is required to prepare and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislature no later than 18 months after the organizational meeting of the study commission.

Additionally, the bill requires the EDA, no later than 18 months after the submission of the study commission’s report to establish the “Shark River Bridge Impacted Business Aid Program” in order to award grants to support businesses impacted by the closure of the Shark River Bridge by the Department of Transportation. Businesses impacted by the closure are permitted to use grants from the program to cover operational costs necessary to sustain the business during the closure of the bridge and are required to submit an application to the Chief Executive Officer of the EDA for a program grant in a form and manner prescribed by the chief executive officer. In addition to any other information that the chief executive officer may deem necessary, the bill requires applicants to submit: (1) the name and address of the business; (2) a description of the impact the closure of the Shark River Bridge has had or will have on business operations; and (3) a plan detailing how the grant will be used to sustain operations.

Applications are to be approved by the chief executive officer on a competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds and the chief executive officer may award grants to approved applicants in such amounts as the chief executive officer deems appropriate, consistent with the findings of the report submitted by the “Shark River Bridge Study Commission.” Within one year of the establishment of the “Shark River Bridge Impacted Business Aid Program,” the EDA is required to submit a written report to the Governor and to Legislature detailing the operations of the program. At a minimum, the report is required to describe each business for which a program grant was awarded, specify the amount of each grant award, and assess the performance of the program.