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S 199

Provides for home instruction

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 14 co-sponsors

Requires a comprehensive sustainability plan for NJ State House/Capitol Complex, guiding energy, water, LEED, food, contracts, and annual progress reports.

REFERRED TO EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 199

Summary — S.199 (New Jersey): Requires an environmental sustainability plan for the State House / State Capitol Complex

Status: Referred to Education (introduced Jan 23, 2025). Reported favorably by Senate and Assembly committees with amendments. Effective immediately upon enactment.

Purpose

S.199 directs the State Capitol Joint Management Commission to prepare, adopt, implement, and periodically revise a comprehensive environmental sustainability plan for the State House/Capitol Complex. The goal is to guide facility management, operations, contracting, and food services toward reduced energy use, lower carbon emissions, water conservation, and broader sustainable practices.

Key provisions

  • Statutory changes: Amends sections of P.L.1992, c.67 (notably section 6 and related provisions) to add sustainability duties to the commission and its subcommittees.
  • Required plan contents:
    • Energy savings and efficiency initiatives (including alternative electric energy, increased use of ENERGY STAR products, and technology upgrades).
    • Water conservation techniques (committee amendments removed a specific reference to “xeriscaping”).
    • Application of relevant LEED (U.S. Green Building Council) principles.
    • Involvement of State capitol food services, with consideration of locally produced foods and sustainable serviceware (committee amendments specify “compostable” utensils rather than “biodegradable or bioplastic”).
    • Methods to reduce carbon emissions and the Complex’s carbon footprint (examples in the bill include tree planting and purchasing carbon credits).
    • Establishment of performance measures to track progress across plan elements.
    • An estimate of any increased expenditures required to implement the plan and identification of potential funding sources (added by committee amendment).
  • Contracting and operations: The commission must consider the environmental sustainability plan when entering contracts and managing/operating Complex facilities.
  • Governance and oversight:
    • The plan must be adopted and revised as necessary, at least once every four years.
    • An advisory committee of environmental sustainability experts must be appointed to assist the commission.
    • The commission must issue an annual progress report; reports shall be made available to the public and posted on the Governor’s and Legislature’s websites.

Who is affected

  • State Capitol Joint Management Commission and its subcommittees (executive and legislative facility management).
  • State House/Capitol Complex staff, facility managers, contractors, vendors, and on-site food service operations.
  • Entities bidding on contracts serving the Complex will need to account for plan considerations.

Timeline & procedural notes

  • Plan adoption and initial implementation occur after enactment; plan revisions must occur at least every four years.
  • Annual progress reports begin after adoption and must be posted online.
  • The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Fiscal impact

  • The bill requires the plan to include an estimate of any increased expenditures and potential funding sources; however, the text does not appropriate funds. Actual costs will depend on the measures selected and identified funding.

Note: Source materials supplied included extraneous texts (from other jurisdictions). This summary focuses on the New Jersey S.199 provisions as reported by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee.

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

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