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 both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2026
Committee Review
Sep 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
General Assembly Passage
Sep 2026
Governor
Introduced Jun 22, 2026 Last action Sep 24, 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 · Senate Jun 30, 2026 · General Assembly Sep 24, 2026

How they voted

40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Jun 30, 2026
D Democratic25
25 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican15
15 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Sep 24, 2026
General Assembly · Passed
Passed Assembly (Passed Both Houses) (74-0-0)
Sep 17, 2026
General Assembly · Reported by committee
Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
Jun 30, 2026
General Assembly · Referred to committee
Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Jun 30, 2026
Senate · Passed
Passed by the Senate (40-0)
Jun 28, 2026
Senate · Referred to committee
Transferred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee
Jun 22, 2026
Senate · Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee
4 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors