A 5153 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Makes annual allocation of $500,000 from Clean Communities Program Fund for public outreach concerning single-use plastics reduction program permanent.

This bill makes permanent an annual $500,000 allocation from the Clean Communities Program Fund for public outreach about New Jersey's single-use plastics reduction program. The fund is financed by fees from businesses that produce litter-generating products, penalties, and voluntary donations. The funds will continue to support public education campaigns and the distribution of reusable bags, as established under current law. This change removes the temporary three-year limit that previously applied to this specific allocation.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics: Recycling

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2024

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Dec 19, 2024 Last action Jun 30, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Reprint ABU 6/26/25 1R · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill moved from its introduced version to a first reprint after passing the Assembly Budget Committee on June 26, 2025. The only substantive policy change is replacing the word 'distribution' with 'redistribution' when describing how reusable bags are handled under the $500,000 annual allocation from the Clean Communities Program Fund. The bill's core purpose remains unchanged: making the $500,000 annual allocation to the Department of Environmental Protection for public outreach related to the single-use plastics ban permanent by removing a three-year sunset provision.

REQUIREMENT

Changed 'distribution of reusable bags' to 'redistribution of reusable bags' in the description of what the $500,000 annual allocation may fund, clarifying that existing reusable bags are being repurposed and redistributed rather than newly distributed.

TECHNICAL

The explanatory STATEMENT section at the end of the bill was removed in the reprint version, which is a standard procedural change when a bill advances through committee.

Six additional co-sponsors were added (Donlon, Karabinchak, Speight, Drulis, Freiman, and Peterpaul), reflecting growing legislative support for the bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

lower

Jun 26, 2025

Committee

Recommitted to Assembly Budget Committee

lower

Jun 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading

lower

Jun 19, 2025

Committee

Transferred to Assembly Appropriations Committee

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Reported and Referred to Assembly Budget Committee

lower

Dec 19, 2024

Introduced

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee

lower

3 primary · 10 co-sponsors