The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.New Jersey creates Barnegat Bay Protection Fund financed by fertilizer sales tax, specialty plates, and donations
Last action · January 13, 2026: Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste CommitteeSponsors: McGuckin, Gregory P. and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
New Jersey establishes the Barnegat Bay Protection Fund to finance watershed preservation and remediation through a 1% dedication of retail fertilizer sales tax, specialty license plate fees, and voluntary donations collected during boat registrations, watercraft license renewals, and beach badge purchases.
Residents purchasing lawn fertilizer, motor vehicle specialty plates, watercraft licenses, boat registrations, or beach badges will encounter new funding mechanisms and optional donation prompts dedicated to environmental restoration in the Barnegat Bay watershed.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
The commission must produce specialty license plates, collect fees, update registration renewal forms, and enter into an interagency agreement.
State Treasurer
The Treasurer holds fund monies in interest-bearing accounts, distributes funds in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, and submits an annual report.
Municipalities in Ocean and Monmouth Counties
Municipalities that collect beach badge fees may offer purchasers an opportunity to donate to the fund and forward collections to the State Treasurer.
Vessel and Watercraft Operators
Applicants paying fees for vessel registrations or watercraft licenses will be informed of the opportunity to make a voluntary donation.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the Barnegat Bay Protection Fund be financed?
Can I be denied a beach badge or boat license if I refuse to make a donation?
Who oversees the distribution of the fund's monies?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
njleg.state.nj.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance55How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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