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A 4648

Permits municipalities to charge reduced or no beach fee for children ages 12 to 17; revises law concerning beach fees for veterans.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Dawn Fantasia and 2 co-sponsors

Expands beach fee exemptions to include ages 12–17 and broadens veteran eligibility for reduced/no fees, with record-keeping and immediate effect.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
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Bill Summary · A 4648

Bill Summary: A-4648 (New Jersey, 222nd Legislature)

  • Jurisdiction: New Jersey
  • Session: 222
  • Title: Permits municipalities to charge reduced or no beach fee for children ages 12 to 17; revises law concerning beach fees for veterans
  • Introduced: March 10, 2026
  • Sponsors: Assemblymember Vicky Flynn (co-sponsor), Gerry Scharfenberger (co-sponsor), Dawn Fantasia (co-sponsor)

1) Main purpose and intent

The bill expands and clarifies beach fee exemptions and reduced fees under current law. Its dual aims are:
- Extend the ability of municipalities to provide reduced or no beach fees to a broader group, specifically to children aged 12 to 17.
- Remove an existing restriction on veteran-related exemptions, ensuring that honorably discharged veterans may receive reduced or no beach fees regardless of the length of active duty or disability status.

2) Key provisions and changes

  • Amends P.L.1955, c.49 (C.40:61-22.20) to allow municipalities to:

    • Charge or impose reasonable fees for registration, beach access, and use of beach/recreational facilities, subject to exemptions.
    • Exempt or reduce fees for certain categories, now including children aged 12 to 17.

  • Expanded exemptions (subsection b):

    • Current eligible groups (unchanged) include:
    • (1) Persons 65 years of age or older
    • (2) Persons meeting disability criteria for Social Security Title II
    • (3) Active-duty military personnel and their spouses/dependent children over age 12
    • (4) Active New Jersey National Guard members who completed Initial Active Duty Training and their spouses/dependent children over age 12
    • (5) Certain veterans (discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and meeting criteria related to active duty service or service-connected injury/disability)
    • (6) Gold Star Family designation holders (driver’s license or ID)
    • New addition:
    • (7) Children aged 12 through 17
    • Note: Paragraph (5) previously required certain active-duty service conditions (e.g., at least 90 days or service-connected injury/disability). The bill, in effect, proposes removing the specific service-duration/disability condition for veterans, allowing broader veteran eligibility for reduced/no fees.

  • Administrative/eligibility tracking (subsection c):

    • Municipalities that grant no or reduced fees under categories (3)-(6) must maintain records of eligible individuals, as deemed appropriate by the local government.

  • Verification and documentation (subsection d):

    • Individuals who qualify under categories (3)-(6) may use various documents to verify eligibility in lieu of a beach tag, including:
    • DD-214, DD-215, DD-256 forms; NGB-22; veteran IDs
    • County veteran ID card (P.L.2012, c.30)
    • VA-issued Veteran Identification Card (VIC Act of 2015)
    • State driver’s license or ID indicating U.S. veteran status
    • Includes possible Gold Star Family designations.

  • Disabled veteran fee policy (subsection e):

    • A municipality that issues a permit for motorized vehicle use on a beach shall not charge a fee to a disabled veteran for obtaining, replacing, or renewing that permit.

  • Definitions:

    • “Disabled veteran” means a veteran who is honorably discharged or released and has been determined by the U.S. VA to have a service-connected disability of any degree.

  • Effective date:

    • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

3) Who/what would be affected

  • Municipalities bordering the Atlantic Ocean, tidal bays, or rivers that own or acquire lands used for public recreation and beach access.
  • Beachgoers and users of beach/boardwalk facilities, particularly:
    • Children aged 12 to 17 would become eligible for no or reduced fees.
    • Honorably discharged veterans (and, under the broadened language, possibly broader veteran eligibility) could receive no or reduced fees, independent of specific service duration or disability requirements.
  • Municipal governments responsible for implementing fee structures, exemptions, and records to track eligibility.
  • Veterans and Gold Star Family members who may benefit from fee exemptions or reductions.

4) Procedural/timeline aspects

  • Lawmaking process: Introduced March 10, 2026; referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee.
  • Immediate effect upon enactment: The bill states it shall take effect immediately, meaning exemptions and fee structures could be applied as soon as the bill is enacted into law.
  • Administrative notes: Municipalities would need to establish ordinances to implement exemptions/reductions and maintain eligibility tracking records.

5) Potential impact considerations

  • Accessibility and equity: Expands access for youths (12-17) and veterans, potentially increasing beach attendance among families with older children and veteran households.
  • Fiscal implications for municipalities: Possible reduction in beach fee revenue for eligible groups; municipalities would need to balance fiscal sustainability with public access goals.
  • Verification burden: Clear documentation options aid verification but require administrative processes for eligibility checks and record-keeping.

Overall, A-4648 broadens the pool of individuals who can receive reduced or no beach fees in New Jersey, notably adding 12-17-year-olds and expanding veteran-related exemptions beyond the previous service-duration/disability limitations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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