Bill Text: NJ A338 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Prohibits DEP from charging fee for resident mobile sportfishing vehicle permit to veterans, active military members, former or current members of the NJ National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency workers.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [A338 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A338-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblywoman AURA K. DUNN
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits DEP from charging fee for resident mobile sportfishing vehicle permit to veterans, active military members, former or current members of the NJ National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency workers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning fees for mobile sportfishing vehicle permits issued to residents of New Jersey who are veterans, active military members, former or current members of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency workers, and supplementing P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. (1) The department shall not charge a fee for a mobile sportfishing vehicle permit, when issued to a resident of New Jersey who is a veteran, active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, former or current member of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency worker, for a vehicle registered in the name of the veteran; provided, however, no such person shall be eligible to hold more than one free mobile sportfishing vehicle permit at any given time.
(2) The department shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act, including but not limited to, rules and regulations prescribing the types of evidence that may be used to demonstrate a person is eligible for the benefits of paragraph (1) of this subsection.
b. Except as otherwise provided in subsection a. of this section, a resident of New Jersey who is a veteran, active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, former or current member of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency worker who applies for a mobile sportfishing vehicle permit shall be subject to the same laws, rules, and regulations applicable to other applicants for the issuance of a mobile sportfishing vehicle permit.
c. As used in this section:
"Emergency service organization" means a fire or first aid organization, whether organized as a volunteer or part-paid fire company, fire department, or fire district, or duly incorporated volunteer first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association.
"Mobile sportfishing vehicle permit" means a permit of any type, class, or duration which is made available by the department to allow for the operation of a motor vehicle on a beach for the purpose of fishing.
"Veteran" means a person who has been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or any honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits.
"Volunteer emergency worker" means an unpaid volunteer who serves on an active basis as a member of an emergency service organization.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would prohibit the Department of Environmental Protection from charging any fees to a New Jersey resident who is a veteran, active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, former or current member of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency worker when issuing a mobile sportfishing vehicle permit to that person.
The department currently issues and charges fees for mobile sportfishing vehicle permits, which allow for the operation of motor vehicles on fishing beaches at certain State parks, subject to various safety requirements and other rules and regulations. This bill would prohibit the department from charging a fee for these permits, or any other permits that allow for the operation of a vehicle on a beach for purposes of fishing, when the permits are issued to a New Jersey resident who is a veteran, active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, former or current member of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency worker.
Under the bill, a "volunteer emergency worker" is defined to mean an unpaid volunteer who serves on an active basis as a member of an emergency service organization. "Emergency service organization" is defined in the bill to mean a fire or first aid organization, whether organized as a volunteer or part-paid fire company, fire department, or fire district, or duly incorporated volunteer first aid and emergency or volunteer ambulance or rescue squad association.
A New Jersey resident who is a veteran, active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States, former or current member of the New Jersey National Guard or Reserve, or volunteer emergency worker would be eligible to hold only one free mobile sportfishing vehicle permit at any given time and would still remain subject to all other laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the issuance of mobile sportfishing vehicle permits. The department would be required to adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the bill, including but not limited to, rules and regulations prescribing the types of evidence to be used to demonstrate a person is eligible for a free mobile sportsfishing vehicle permit under the provisions of the bill.
The State of Delaware provides a similar free mobile sportfishing vehicle permit to volunteer emergency workers.
