Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Senator ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns public broadcasting funding; makes appropriations.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning public broadcasting funding, supplementing Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, and making appropriations.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Until 2011, the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (authority) owned and operated New Jersey Network Public Television and Radio (NJN), which provided New Jersey public affairs and cultural programming.
b. In 2010, through the “New Jersey Public Broadcasting System Transfer Act” (act), the State authorized the divestiture of NJN, permitting a non-State entity or entities to take control of NJN’s operations and allowing for the transfer of certain authority assets and radio operating licenses to that entity or entities.
c. The act also created the “Trust Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting” (trust fund) to hold monies appropriated to the entity or entities selected to operate the public broadcasting system serving New Jersey.
d. In 2011, Public Media NJ, Inc., commonly known as New Jersey Public Broadcasting (NJPBS) entered into an agreement to provide public television programming and services in New Jersey.
e. In 2017, the trust fund was slated to receive over $321 million from the sale of certain NJN assets through the Federal Communications Commission Spectrum Auction.
f. However, pursuant to the Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations Act, the monies from the sale of the NJN assets were moved to the State General Fund.
g. If the proceeds from the sale of NJN assets had been deposited in the trust fund, the monies would have accrued yearly interest estimated at approximately $9.6 million, based on accrual in similar funds.
2. Beginning in State Fiscal Year 2026, and in each fiscal year thereafter, each annual appropriations act shall include an appropriation from the General Fund to the “Trust Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting,” established by section 22 of P.L.2010, c.104 (C.48:23-29), in the amount of $9,600,000 for the purpose of supporting public broadcasting.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Legislature to annually appropriate $9.6 million to the “Trust Fund for the Support of Public Broadcasting” (trust fund). The trust fund is a restricted, nonlapsing, revolving fund within the Department of the Treasury that holds monies appropriated to the entity or entities that operate the public broadcasting system serving New Jersey. Since 2011, Public Media NJ, Inc., commonly known as New Jersey Public Broadcasting operated the State’s public broadcasting system.