S 4726 — Allows Cannabis Regulatory Commission to award competitive grants from Social Equity Excise Fee proceeds.

Summary

Social Equity Excise Fee, cannabis-award competitive grants from proceeds

Bill Text

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 1 section(s) of the New Jersey statutes: N.J.S.A. 24:6I-50.

• N.J.S.A. 24:6I-50

  , , and d. fund offer → ; ; , e. , ; s and e. (Deleted by amendment, P.L. , c. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) , and the revenues collected for the Social Equity Excise Fee pursuant to section 39 of P.L.2021, c.16 (C.54:47F-1), shall be appropriated annually to the commission, and provide grants, low-interest loans, application fee assistance, reimbursements of expenses, and other financial assistance to qualified individuals, , provide: (1) ; (2) educational support, including literacy programs, extended learning time programs that endeavor to close the achievement gap and provide services for enrolled students after the traditional school day, GED application and preparedness assistance, tutoring programs, vocational programming, and financial literacy; (3) economic development, including the encouragement and support of community activities so as to stimulate economic activity or increase or preserve residential amenities, and business marketing, and job skills and readiness training, specific employment training, and apprenticeships; (4) social support services, including food assistance, mental health services, substance use disorders treatment and recovery, youth recreation and mentoring services, life skills support services, and reentry and other rehabilitative services for adults and juveniles being released from incarceration; (5) legal aid for low-income persons in civil and criminal cases, including but not limited to assistance in obtaining expungements, regardless of a party's citizenship or immigration status; and (6) programs, services, and resources in furtherance of the policies and goals of the commission's Office of Minority, Disabled Veterans and Women Cannabis Business Development pursuant to section 32 of P.L.2019, c.153 (24:6I-25) f. (1) Annually, within 60 days following the receipt of appropriations pursuant to subsection e. of this section, the commission shall hold at least three regional public hearings throughout the State, with at least one hearing in the northern region, at least one hearing in the central region, and at least one hearing in the southern regions of the State, to inform the public concerning the availability of funding and to solicit public input on the social equity investments to be made as described in subsection e. of this section. (2) The commission shall post to its Internet website, and disseminate to the public through other appropriate means, regularly updated information concerning the availability of funding pursuant to subsection e. of this section, including but not limited to, information concerning the amount and types of funding available, the application process and deadlines, the application acceptance criteria, and a list of funding recipients with the type of funding and amounts awarded. The commission shall not charge any application fee for funding pursuant to subsection e. of this section. (3) No later than January 31 of each year, the commission shall report annually to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the list funding recipients through December 31 of the prior year pursuant to subsection e. of this section, with the type of funding and amounts awarded, together with a statement for each recipient describing how the funding is intended to support and advance social equity or underage deterrence as described in subsection e. of this section, as well as an accounting of the unexpended balance remaining as of December 31, if any.

  amended

Action History

1. October 05, 2026

   INT 1RS REF SJU

Sponsors

• Vin Gopal · Primary

Subjects