S 4495 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Allows use of Green Acres funds to fully fund certain projects on State-owned land by certain nonprofit organizations.

This bill allows qualifying nonprofit organizations to receive full funding from the Green Acres Fund for projects on State-owned land without being required to provide matching funds. It changes existing rules that typically mandate nonprofits contribute their own money alongside state grants for development, repairs, or improvements of public property. The legislation specifically targets tax-exempt nonprofits working on facilities used for education, research, or recreation to help maintain and upgrade these sites. By removing the matching fund requirement, the bill aims to improve the repair and operation of State lands managed by these organizations.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jun 2026

Committee Review

Jun 2026

Senate Passage

Jun 2026

General Assembly Passage

Governor

Introduced Jun 22, 2026 Last action Jun 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 4 edits

MODERATE

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee amended Section 1 to change the matching funds requirement from a prohibition to a discretionary standard. The original bill barred the department from requiring nonprofits to provide matching funds for Green Acres projects on State-owned land; the amendment instead allows the department to require matching funds at its discretion, while also permitting it to fund up to 100 percent of a project's cost. This shifts control from a fixed rule to agency judgment.

REQUIREMENT

Section 1 changed from 'the department shall not require' matching funds to 'the department may, at its discretion, require' matching funds. The department now has the option to impose matching fund requirements rather than being prohibited from doing so.

FISCAL

New language added allowing the department to 'award a grant that covers up to 100 percent of the cost of the project,' making full funding an option rather than the only path.

TECHNICAL

The explanatory STATEMENT section at the end of the bill was removed in the reprint version.

Senator Douglas J. Steinhardt (District 23) was added as a co-sponsor.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 30, 2026

Committee

Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee

lower

Jun 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by the Senate (40-0)

upper

Jun 28, 2026

Committee

Transferred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

Jun 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors