New Jersey S 2745: Establishes New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program under gross income tax for certain home purchases during qualified periods by first-time homebuyers.

Bill Text

S2745 

SENATE, No. 2745 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator GORDON M. JOHNSON

District 37 (Bergen)

Senator ANDREW ZWICKER

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Singer, Stack, Cryan, Greenstein, Gopal, 
Cruz-Perez, Diegnan and Mukherji

SYNOPSIS

���� Revises law prohibiting feeding of bears; establishes 
program in DEP for distribution of bear-proof garbage cans.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act 
concerning feeding of bears and amending and supplementing P.L.2002, c.97.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� (New section) a.� There is 
established in the Department of Environmental Protection a special, nonlapsing 
fund to be known as the "Bear Smart Fund."� Moneys in the fund shall 
be held separately and be available solely for the purpose of providing 
bear-proof garbage cans to New Jersey residents pursuant to the provisions of 
this section.

���� b.� The "Bear Smart 
Fund" shall be credited with:

���� (1) civil penalties collected 
by the department pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2002, c.97 (C.23:2A-14);

���� (2) any State or federal funds 
appropriated or otherwise made available for the purposes of this section; and

���� (3) any interest earnings or 
other investment income earned or received on the moneys in the fund.

���� c.� All money appropriated or 
otherwise made available to the "Bear Smart Fund" shall be dedicated 
for the purposes of the fund. Pending use, moneys in the fund may be invested 
and reinvested in the same manner as other moneys of the State in the manner 
provided by law. All earnings received from the investment or deposit of such 
moneys shall be paid into and become a part of the fund and be available for 
use pursuant to this section.

���� d.� The Department of 
Environmental Protection shall establish a program to purchase and distribute 
bear-proof garbage cans to New Jersey residents.� The department may charge a 
small fee for a bear-proof garbage can under the program.� The department may 
operate the program in cooperation with municipalities, counties, authorities, 
or private waste companies to reduce costs and assist with the distribution of 
bear-proof garbage cans.

���� e.� Under the program, the 
department shall distribute bear-proof garbage cans in counties with large bear 
populations, including Sussex, Warren, Morris, and Passaic counties.� The 
department shall prioritize the distribution of bear-proof garbage cans in such 
a way as to minimize the potential for human-bear conflicts.

���� f.� The department shall 
utilize funds in the "Bear Smart Fund" established pursuant to 
subsection a. of this section in order to fund the bear-proof garbage can 
distribution program. 

���� 2. �Section 1 of P.L.2002, 
c.97 (C.23:2A-14) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� a. �No person shall, in 
an area known to be frequented by bears, and in a manner accessible to bears:

���� (1)�� feed, give, place, 
expose, deposit, distribute , or scatter any food, edible 
material , or bear attractant [with 
the intention of feeding, attracting , or enticing a black bear]; or

���� (2)�� place or store any 
food, pet food, garbage, or other bear attractants [in a manner 
that will result in bear feedings when black bear are known to frequent the 
area]. 

���� b.��� Subsection a. of this 
section shall not apply [in 
the case of an unintentional feeding of a black bear.� "Unintentional 
feeding" means using or placing any material for a purpose other than to 
attract or entice black bears but which results in the attraction or enticement 
of a black bear, and shall include but need not be limited to the use and 
placement of bait for deer in accordance with section 1 of P.L.1997, c.424 
(C.23:4-24.4) and the State Fish and Game Code] 
to:

���� (1)�� any person licensed 
pursuant to law to possess wildlife;

���� (2)�� any crop, 
agricultural product, or animal feed on the premises of any person engaged in 
agricultural or horticultural activities; 

���� (3)�� a birdfeeder; 

���� (4)�� the placement of food 
at a shelter or pound licensed by 
the Department of Health or a municipally approved managed cat colony, 
provided that any uneaten food is removed every night, and provided that, in 
areas known to be frequented by bears, feeding time is limited to a maximum of 
two hours daily and feed sites are actively monitored;

���� (5)�� the feeding of 
companion animals, provided that any uneaten food is removed every night;

�� (6)�� any 
action by federal, State, or local authorities that requires feeding, baiting, 
or luring of wildlife for management or scientific purpose;

���� (7)�� any properly licensed 
person engaged in legal hunting or trapping activities, including baiting, provided 
that the person uses