New Jersey S 2376: Codifies regulations defining justifiable need to carry handgun.

Bill Text

S2376 

SENATE, No. 2376 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Cruz-Perez

SYNOPSIS

���� Provides free admission to State parks and forests, 
and certain historic sites and historic properties for certain veterans on 
certain days.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

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

��

An Act 
concerning free admission to State parks and forests and certain historic sites 
and historic properties in the State for certain veterans on certain days, 
amending P.L.2007, c.275, and supplementing P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.) 
and Title 40 of the Revised Statutes.

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

����� 1.� 
Section 1 of P.L.2007, c.275 (C.13:1L-12.1) is amended to read as follows:

����� 1.�� a.�� (1)�� The 
department shall not charge an admission fee for entrance into a State park or 
forest by any veteran during an event held by a veterans' organization.� In 
addition, the department shall not charge a facilities fee of any kind to any 
veterans' organization using a State park or forest for an event.

����� (2)� The 
department shall not charge an admission fee or facilities fee of any kind for 
entrance into a State park or forest by a person holding a driver's license or 
identification card with a Gold Star Family designation issued pursuant to 
section 1 of P.L.2013, c.165 (C.39:3-10f6) or section 2 of P.L.1980, c.47 
(C.39:3-29.3), respectively. 

����� (3)� The 
department shall not charge an admission fee for entrance into a State park or 
forest by any veteran on the date that the State may designate for the 
celebration of Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Independence Day, Patriot Day, 
and Veterans Day.

����� b.�� As 
used in this section:

����� "Veteran" 
means any resident of the State now or hereafter who has been discharged [honorably or 
under general honorable conditions in] or released under conditions other than 
dishonorable from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a 
Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard of this State or another state 
as defined in section 1 of P.L.1963, c.109 (C.38A:1-1), or any [honorably 
discharged] 
member of the American Merchant Marine discharged 
or released under conditions other than dishonorable who served during 
World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be 
eligible for federal veterans' benefits; and

����� "Veterans' 
organization" means the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or 
other veterans' organizations chartered under federal law, or any service 
foundation of such an organization recognized in its bylaws.

(cf: 
P.L.2019, c.500, s.1) 

����� 2.�� (New 
section)� a.� Notwithstanding any provision of Title 13 of the Revised 
Statutes, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, to the 
contrary, a local government unit or qualifying tax exempt nonprofit 
organization shall not charge a veteran an admission fee to any historic 
property for which an admission fee is normally charged and was acquired or 
preserved for historic preservation purposes using constitutionally dedicated 
moneys in whole or in part, Green Acres bond act moneys in whole or in part, or 
constitutionally dedicated CBT moneys pursuant to P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et 
seq.) in whole or in part, on the date that the State may designate for the 
celebration of Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Independence Day, Patriot Day, 
and Veterans Day.� The veteran may be required to provide proof of service and 
discharge or release under conditions other than dishonorable.

����� b.� 
As used in this section, �veteran" means any resident of the State now or 
hereafter who has been discharged or released under conditions other than 
dishonorable from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a 
Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard of this State or another state 
as defined in section 1 of P.L.1963, c.109 (C.38A:1-1), or any member of the 
American Merchant Marine discharged or released under conditions other than 
dishonorable who served during World War II and is declared by the United 
States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits.

����� 3.�� (New 
section)� a.� Notwithstanding any provision of Title 13 of the Revised 
Statutes, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto, to the 
contrary, a historic site owned or operated by a county or municipality shall 
not charge a veteran an admission fee to the historic site on the date that the 
State may designate for the celebration of Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, 
Independence Day, Patriot Day, and Veterans Day.� 

����� b.� 
As used in this section:

����� �Historic 
site" means any real property, man-made structure, natural object or 
conf