STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Space
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Jersey Native Plants Program."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing the "Jersey Native Plants Program" and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Secretary of Agriculture, in conjunction with the State Board of Agriculture, shall develop and implement a "Jersey Native Plants Program" to encourage and promote the sale of New Jersey native plants at retail garden centers and nurseries. The program shall increase consumer awareness of the important role of native plants in the ecosystem through advertising campaigns and marketing programs, provide for the dissemination of information about the variety and availability of New Jersey native plants, and create a labeling program to identify native plants as "Jersey Natives" for sale similar to the Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown programs.
b. The Department of Agriculture shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations to implement this act.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish the "Jersey Native Plants Program" in the Department of Agriculture. The bill, as amended, requires the department, in conjunction with the State Board of Agriculture, to develop a program that would: (1) encourage and promote the sale of New Jersey native plants at retail garden centers and nurseries; (2) increase consumer awareness of the important role of native plants in the ecosystem through advertising campaigns and marketing programs; (3) provide for the dissemination of information about the variety and availability of New Jersey native plants; and (4) create a labeling program to identify native plants as "Jersey natives" similar to the Jersey Fresh and Jersey Grown programs.