Bill Text: NJ S3524 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Makes $35 million in federal funds available to EDA to support food and beverage establishments in need.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-6)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-25 - Substituted by A5444 (2R) [S3524 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2020-S3524-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3524

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 9, 2021

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

Senator  JOSEPH A. LAGANA

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Thompson, Addiego, Cunningham, Cruz-Perez, Diegnan, Greenstein, Oroho, O'Scanlon, Ruiz, Sarlo, Singleton and Testa

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Makes $35 million in federal funds available to EDA to support food and beverage establishments in need.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on March 22, 2021, with amendments.

  

¹[A Supplement to the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations act, P.L.2020, c.97] An Act making federal funding available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to support food and beverage establishments in need¹.

 

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

 

     ¹[1.  In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2020, c.97, the annual appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2021, there is appropriated the following sum for the purpose specified:

 

82 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 50 Economic Planning, Development, and Security 51 Economic Planning and Development   GRANTS-IN-AID
38-2043	Economic Development  ........................................................			$35,000,000
	Total Grants-in-Aid Appropriation,                           Economic Planning and Development.............................			$35,000,000
Grants-in-Aid:
38		Coronavirus Relief Fund - Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA............	($35,000,000)

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for Coronavirus Relief Fund -Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA shall be allocated from a portion of federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Relief Fund" established pursuant to the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)," Pub.L.116-136, or any other federal funds made available to the State in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

 

The amount hereinabove appropriated for Coronavirus Relief Fund - Assistance to Food and Beverage Establishments, EDA shall be allocated by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to restaurants and dining establishments at which 100 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State, and to bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries, or other establishments serving alcoholic beverages on its premises at which 100 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall establish minimum grant eligibility criteria and the size of the grant awards to meet the needs of the grantee entities in responding to the public health crisis.]¹

     ¹1.  a.  Subject to the availability of federal funds provided or made accessible to the State via federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal "Coronavirus Relief Fund" established pursuant to the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)," Pub.L.116-136, or any other federal funds made available to the State in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, $35,000,000 from such federal funds shall be made available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for the purposes set forth in subsection b. of this section.

     b.    (1)  The funds made available to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be reserved by the authority to provide financial support, by way of grants, to eligible food and beverage establishments.  The authority may use not more than five percent of the funds to defray any administrative expenses incurred in the implementation of this section.

     (2)   Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection to the contrary, the authority may transfer the uncommitted balance of any funds made available pursuant to this section to any program established pursuant to P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5443 or Senate Bill No. 3523 of 2021), P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5445 or Senate Bill No. 3520 of 2021), P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5446 or Senate Bill No. 3519 of 2021), or P.L.    , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as Assembly Bill No. 5447 or Senate Bill No. 3521 of 2021).  The authority shall submit notice to the Joint Budget Oversight Committee no less than five calendar days before the date of the transfer.  At minimum, the notice shall indicate the amount of the transferred funds and the purpose for which the funds are transferred.

     c.     The New Jersey Economic Development Authority shall establish the size of the awards and eligibility of entities in subsection b. of this section to meet the needs of the eligible food and beverage establishments in responding to the public health crisis.  

     d.    As used in this section "eligible food and beverage establishments" means restaurants and dining establishments at which 50 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State, and bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries, or other establishments serving alcoholic beverages on its premises at which 50 or fewer workers are employed at a location in this State.¹

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.