Imposes $0.25 surcharge on alcoholic beverages to be dedicated to Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund.

This bill proposes adding a $0.25 fee to the price of each alcoholic beverage sold in restaurants and bars located in New Jersey municipalities with 200 or more existing or inactive liquor licenses. The fee would be collected by license holders and deposited into the Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF), which currently supports alcohol-related programs. The AEREF uses funds from existing sources (like manufacturer taxes and drunk driver fees) to allocate 75% to rehabilitation, 15% to enforcement, and 10% to education across the state’s 21 counties. This bill would create a new revenue stream for the AEREF by requiring the fee on drinks sold in high-density license areas. The bill is currently in committee review and not yet law.