New Jersey Assembly Bill A3649

New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/26
• Refer: 1/13/26

Caption

Establishes "County Tourism Incentive Grant Fund" within Department of Treasury to provide funding for grants to counties to support tourism advertising and promotion.

Impact

The establishment of this grant fund is expected to enhance the ability of counties to advertise and promote tourism, thereby potentially increasing tourism revenue across the state. Counties that apply for these grants must meet certain conditions, such as maintaining their current level of funding for tourism initiatives and submitting detailed plans on how the funds will be utilized. The funding mechanism is designed to incentivize counties to increase their tourism efforts without diminishing their existing financial commitments.

Summary

Assembly Bill A3649 establishes the 'County Tourism Incentive Grant Fund' within the New Jersey Department of the Treasury. This fund will be used to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to counties aimed at supporting tourism advertising and promotional activities. The bill requires that the fund will receive excess revenues from state hotel and motel occupancy fees, which will be appropriated and distributed to the Counties through the Department of the Treasury starting with the fiscal year 2022.

Contention

However, there may be points of contention regarding the distribution mechanism of the grants. Critics might argue whether the funds will be equitably divided among the counties, particularly smaller or less tourist-heavy counties that may not generate significant hotel occupancy fee revenues. The design of the grant requirements also includes a stipulation that financial assistance cannot be used to replace other county funds already allocated for tourism, which could bring about discussions related to fiscal management within counties.

Enforcement

The State Treasurer is given the authority to establish rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the fund, which allows for prompt responsiveness to any challenges arising post-enactment. This authority includes the immediate filing of regulations that would be effective for a limited period, thereby facilitating a streamlined approach to launching the grant program once the bill is enacted.