A 1318 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires DEP to provide public access for boats to certain State-and county-owned lakes and reservoirs.*

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide public boat access at state-owned lakes where boats are permitted, within two years of enactment. It mandates the DEP to construct access points or contract with private marinas (via public bidding) to create launches for boats with or without motors, using $2 million in state funds. The legislation specifically addresses gaps like Greenwood Lake, where public access was previously limited as private marinas reached capacity. It directly affects the public by ensuring equitable access to state lakes for recreational boating, rather than relying solely on private marinas.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Feb 19, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee to expand its scope from State-owned lakes only to include county-owned lakes and reservoirs, while simultaneously removing the $2 million appropriation that funded the program. The effective date provision was renumbered from section 3 to section 2 as a result of the deleted appropriation section.
Scope change
Expanded from State-owned lakes only to include county-owned lakes and reservoirs, while removing the dedicated funding mechanism that supported the requirement.
SCOPE

The bill now applies to State-owned or county-owned lakes and reservoirs, rather than only State-owned lakes. This significantly broadens which water bodies are covered.

FISCAL

The $2 million appropriation from the General Fund to the Department of Environmental Protection was deleted entirely. The bill no longer includes dedicated funding for the public boat access program.

TECHNICAL

Section numbering was adjusted: the effective date provision moved from section 3 to section 2 after the appropriation section was removed. The explanatory statement referencing Greenwood Lake was also removed from the reprint version.

Floor votes

How they voted

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors