Authorizes soil conservation districts to have more than five supervisors.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Tony Bucco and 5 co-sponsors

Bill A-2519 lets New Jersey soil conservation districts exceed five supervisors, with the SSCC setting each district’s maximum board size.

Approved P.L.2026, c.18.

Purpose and Intent

The bill authorizes soil conservation districts in New Jersey to have more than the current fixed number of five supervisors.

It shifts the authority to set the maximum number of supervisors from a fixed figure to the State Soil Conservation Committee (SSCC), which would determine the maximum for each district.

Key Provisions

Governing Body Composition (amendment to R.S.4:24-18)

Under current law, each soil conservation district’s governing body consists of five supervisors.
The bill changes this to allow districts to have more than five supervisors.
The SSCC would have the authority to determine the maximum number of supervisors for each district.
All supervisors must be legal residents of the district.

Effect and Implementation

The change takes immediate effect upon enactment.
The five-supervisor standard remains the baseline, but districts may exceed five with the SSCC setting district-specific maximums.

Affected Parties and Scope

Soil Conservation Districts: Potentially increases the size of governing bodies for districts that the SSCC designates as having more than five supervisors.

State Soil Conservation Committee (SSCC): Granted authority to set maximums for each district.

Supervisors: Must be legal residents of their respective districts; the composition could change based on SSCC determinations.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Intro and Referral: Introduced January 13, 2026; referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

Committee Action: Reported out of Assembly Committee on May 4, 2026 (2nd Reading).

Effective Date: Immediate upon enactment (there is no separate future date; the act becomes effective as soon as it is law).

Practical Implications

Districts may experience changes in governance size, potentially affecting quorum, meeting logistics, and representation dynamics.

The SSCC’s role becomes more influential in district governance structure, potentially allowing for tailoring of board size to district needs (e.g., population, geography, or program scope).

No explicit changes to the duties, funding, or authority of the districts beyond board size; the core functions of soil conservation and district operations remain as currently defined.

Bottom Line

Bill A-2519 would modernize and localize district governance by permitting soil conservation districts to exceed five supervisors, with the SSCC empowered to set the maximum number of supervisors for each district. The change is designed to provide flexibility in governance while maintaining residency requirements for supervisors.

Bill