Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TIM EUSTACE
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman JOHN F. MCKEON
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Muoio
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits State-sponsored travel to certain states without protections against discrimination based on sex, gender identity or expression, and affectional or sexual orientation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee on May 5, 2016, with amendments.
An Act prohibiting State-sponsored travel to certain states and supplementing chapter 18A of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1[ 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no department, division, office, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, or any public institution of higher education that receives State funds, shall approve a request for travel to be paid, in whole or in part, out of State funds or otherwise sponsored by the State, to any state of the United States that has adopted a law to protect religious freedom without instituting in such law or other statute protections against discrimination in the provision of goods or services to the public. All State entities shall immediately upon enactment of this act review all requests for travel and deny any funding or sponsorship request that would violate these provisions.
The provisions of this section shall be in effect with respect to a state of the United States while such a law remains in effect in that state, except that an entity of this State may approve a travel or sponsorship request to be paid, in whole or in part, out of State funds when required due to an emergency, or for law enforcement or contractual purposes, or to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare.]1
11. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no department, division, office, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, or any public institution of higher education that receives State funds, shall approve a request for travel to be paid, in whole or in part, out of State funds or otherwise sponsored by the State, to any state of the United States that has adopted a law to:
(1) prohibit a local jurisdiction from establishing protections against discrimination based on sex, gender identity or expression, and affectional or sexual orientation in the areas of public accommodations, employment, housing, and in the provision of goods or services to the public; or
(2) permit a person to cite a religious belief as the basis for denying public accommodations, employment, housing, or goods or services to a member of the public on account of the member's sex, gender identity or expression, and affectional or sexual orientation.
A local jurisdiction shall include, but may not be limited to, a school district, institution of higher education, municipality, county, or any other public institution or entity of a state. All State entities shall immediately upon enactment of this act review all requests for travel and deny any funding or sponsorship request that would violate the provisions of this section.
b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be in effect with respect to a state of the United States while such a law remains in effect in that state, except that an entity of this State may approve a travel or sponsorship request to be paid, in whole or in part, out of State funds when the travel or sponsorship request is:
(1) to a state that has enacted a law that expressly prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender identity or expression, and affectional or sexual orientation;
(2) required due to an emergency;
(3) for law enforcement or contractual purposes; or
(4) to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare.1
2. This act shall take effect immediately.