Bill
S 3970
S3970 creates a Jersey Craft Beverage Retailer Promotion and Grant Program to boost NJ craft beverage sales through retailer signage, marketing, and grants (up to $2,500/year).
Note on title discrepancy
- The documents you provided (bill text, committee statement, and fiscal note) all describe a Jersey craft beverage promotion and grant program. The bill title you listed (authorizing emergency medical personnel to provide first aid to dogs and cats) does not match the bill text. This summary follows the actual bill text and supporting documents, which establish the "Jersey Craft Beverage Retailer Promotion and Grant Program" (S3970).
Bill at a glance
- Bill number: S3970 (1st reprint as reported by committee)
- Subject: Establishes a Jersey Craft Beverage Retailer Promotion and Grant Program in the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA)
- Introduced: December 16, 2024
- Committee actions: Reported with amendments by Senate Economic Growth Committee (Feb 10, 2025); referred to Senate Budget & Appropriations; also listed as referred to Health (Jan 31, 2025)
- Sponsors: Sen. Nilsa I. Cruz-Perez (reported version lists additional sponsors); separately you listed Sen. Luis R. Sepúlveda (primary) and Sen. George Borrello (cosponsor)
- Effective date: Immediately upon enactment
Main purpose / intent
- To promote New Jersey-produced craft alcoholic beverages and to support retail establishments that prominently sell and promote those New Jersey craft beverages. The program combines marketing/signage and a small grant program to increase consumer awareness and retail sales of in‑state craft beer, cider, mead, and spirits.
Key provisions
- Program creation: Directs the EDA, in conjunction with the Division of Travel and Tourism (Dept. of State), to develop and implement the "Jersey Craft Beverage Retailer Promotion and Grant Program."
- Objectives: Increase consumer awareness of NJ craft beverage producers and retail outlets that regularly promote and sell NJ craft products; organize advertising campaigns; disseminate information; create a certification/signage program.
- Certification/signage: Establishes a "Certified Jersey Craft Alcohol Beverage Retailer" signage program. Eligibility for the signage requires that at least 10% of a retailer’s annual sales revenue be derived from products manufactured by specified NJ craft producers.
- Grant program:
- Grants available to certified retail license holders (plenary retail consumption, seasonal retail consumption, or plenary retail distribution).
- Maximum grant per grantee: $2,500 annually.
- Acceptable uses include capital improvements, purchase of goods or services to support promotion/sales, and purchase/installation/repair of equipment used to serve, refrigerate, store, or display NJ craft beverages.
- EDA must set guidelines, application timelines, eligibility criteria, reporting requirements, and administer awards.
- Funding:
- Establishes the "New Jersey Certified Jersey Craft Alcohol Beverage Retailer Fund."
- The fund is credited annually with an appropriation equal to 50% of revenues derived from the per‑gallon excise tax on sales of beer, cider, mead, and liquors sold by specified NJ craft license holders (limited brewery, restricted brewery, farm brewery, cidery and meadery, craft distillery).
- The fund may also receive General Fund appropriations or non‑state public/private monies.
- Rulemaking: EDA, in consultation with the Division of Travel and Tourism, must adopt implementing rules under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Who is affected
- Beneficiaries:
- NJ craft beverage producers (limited/restricted/farm breweries; cideries/meaderies; craft distilleries) indirectly, via increased retail promotion and market growth.
- Retail license holders (plenary retail consumption, seasonal retail consumption, plenary retail distribution) that meet certification criteria and apply for grants — eligible for signage and up to $2,500/year in grants.
- State agencies:
- New Jersey Economic Development Authority (program design, grant administration).
- Division of Travel and Tourism (marketing coordination).
- Treasury/legislature (appropriations and collection of excise tax receipts).
Fiscal and operational impact
- Office of Legislative Services (OLS) fiscal note (Aug 25, 2025) estimates:
- Annual State expenditure increase: Indeterminate.
- Potential State revenue increase: Indeterminate (indirect, if grants spur business growth and higher tax receipts).
- Administration costs: EDA likely to incur staff and program administration expenses (estimated salary/fringe for one or more staff $75,000–$150,000 annually), plus marketing/outreach costs.
- Grants capped at $2,500 per grantee; total annual grant outlays depend on participation and available fund balance.
- Fund support: at least 50% of per‑gallon excise tax receipts from covered craft producers (amount not forecast in the documents).
Committee amendments
- Replaced references to "alcoholic beverages" with "alcohol beverages" and made technical/clarifying edits.
Related/companion legislation
- Companion or related bills noted: A4799; A1612 (listed twice); prior-session S2783, S1968, S8837.
Procedural/timeline notes
- The bill, as reported by Senate committee on Feb 10, 2025, authorizes immediate effect upon enactment. EDA must draft program guidelines and rules and may need legislative appropriation actions to credit the Fund annually per the statute.
Bottom line
- S3970 creates a state‑run promotion and small grant program to raise the profile and retail availability of New Jersey craft beverages, funded in part by a statutory share (50%) of the excise tax receipts from covered craft producers. The program aims to support marketing, signage, and modest capital improvements at certified retailers, while imposing modest administration costs on EDA and producing uncertain but potentially positive indirect economic and tax effects.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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