This bill allows large, fast-growing New Jersey municipalities to collect and use additional taxes to fund local transportation services. Specifically, it permits cities with over 200,000 residents that grew by more than 15 percent between 2010 and 2020 to use mass transit parking tax revenue for transit operations and administrative costs. The legislation also changes how parking fines are handled in these areas, directing a larger share of penalty fees to municipal courts and giving cities full control over how to spend the remaining funds. Furthermore, it lets these same cities impose a rental car tax regardless of whether they have a major airport and removes restrictions limiting where within the city the tax can be collected.
This bill updates the enabling legislation for New Jersey's Infrastructure Bank by clarifying and expanding the definitions of specific project types it can fund. The changes directly affect local governments, airports, ports, and environmental agencies by providing clearer guidelines on what qualifies as an aviation, marine, or environmental infrastructure project. Key provisions include new definitions for terms like "combined sewer overflow" and "cross-investment," as well as a broader list of eligible entities such as regional transportation authorities and water districts. By refining these legal descriptions, the bill aims to streamline how the bank allocates funds for construction, repair, and improvement projects across the state.
This bill amends the South Jersey Transportation Authority Act to formally include Burlington County as a represented county within the authority's jurisdiction. The legislation expands the authority's scope to cover Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties, ensuring Burlington County has a voice in regional transportation planning and decision-making. The bill defines the authority's powers to manage expressways, aviation facilities, and related economic development projects across the designated region. It clarifies that the authority's activities complement but do not replace existing state transportation funding and public transit services.
This bill allows public utilities, cable television companies, and telecommunications service providers in New Jersey to use drones to inspect and maintain their critical infrastructure. It requires the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness to create rules permitting these operations, provided they follow federal aviation laws. The legislation also allows these companies to hire third-party contractors to operate the drones under state and federal regulations, aiming to help quickly identify and repair damaged infrastructure.
This bill increases funding for New Jersey's Airport Improvement Program from $4 million to $10 million, adding $6 million to the state's transportation capital budget. It also raises the Airport Safety Administration's funding by $185,000, from $465,000 to $650,000. The bill automatically grants airport grant recipients two additional 12-month extensions (totaling 24 months) to complete projects if local, county, or state permitting delays occur, with potential for further extensions if a permitting agency causes the delay. These changes directly affect airports and grant recipients receiving funds through New Jersey's Airport Improvement Program.
This bill requires New Jersey airport, heliport, and helistop operators to reduce helicopter departures by at least 47% compared to the previous year's average. It exempts flights by military/federal entities, government agencies, news organizations, hospitals, and emergency medical services from this reduction. Operators must also prohibit tourist/sightseeing helicopter operations between 9 PM-8 AM on weekdays and 6 PM-10 AM on weekends at licensed facilities. The law directly affects aviation facility operators and aims to reduce helicopter noise in communities near these locations.
ACR 61 is a New Jersey legislative resolution urging Congress to provide emergency funds to modernize air traffic control infrastructure and increase staffing at facilities supporting Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). It directly addresses EWR's operational challenges, including system disruptions from outdated infrastructure (like aging copper lines), insufficient controller staffing at Philadelphia TRACON (only 22 certified controllers), and resulting flight delays, cancellations, and ground stops. The resolution emphasizes that EWR serves 50 million passengers annually and is vital to New Jersey's economy, with immediate action needed before a planned long-term FAA system upgrade completes. It does not create new law but formally requests federal funding and staffing adjustments to improve safety and efficiency.
This bill prohibits tourist helicopter operations providing sightseeing tours in specific New Jersey areas (including the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island) at all state-licensed aviation facilities like airports, heliports, and helistops. It directly affects commercial helicopter tour operators offering these sightseeing services. The prohibition excludes flights by federal/military aircraft, state government helicopters, and emergency medical transport. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill creates the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to coordinate transportation planning and infrastructure across southern New Jersey counties, including Burlington County. The SJTA replaces the New Jersey Expressway Authority and Atlantic County Transportation Authority, managing highway systems, aviation facilities, and related economic development projects in the region. It explicitly encompasses Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties as part of its jurisdiction. The authority does not replace the Transportation Trust Fund or New Jersey Transit Corporation's public transit services.
S 2961 prohibits tourist helicopter operations providing sightseeing tours in specific areas like the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island from operating at all licensed New Jersey aviation facilities (airports, heliports, helistops). The bill requires the Commissioner of Transportation to enforce this ban, directly affecting commercial helicopter tour operators. Exemptions include federal/military flights and helicopters providing emergency medical transportation. The law takes effect immediately upon enactment.
