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A 5372

Requires certain buildings display domestic violence signs in their bathrooms

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Steven Raga

Allows personal foraging in state parks/forests with DEP limits to protect wildlife, set fines up to $500 for neglect of protected species.

REFERRED TO GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS
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Bill Summary · A 5372

Summary of New Jersey Bill A 5372

Note on title vs. text: The bill’s stated title in the overview is “Requires certain buildings display domestic violence signs in their bathrooms,” but the introduced text provided for A 5372 concerns foraging of fruits, fungi, nuts, plants, and parts thereof in State parks and forests. The following summary is based on the introduced version content (foraging) and its provisions. If a separate domestic-violence-sign bill text exists, it has not been included here.

Overview

  • Bill: A 5372
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Status: Referred to Governmental Operations (also shown as introduced in Assembly; separate action noted as referred to Governmental Operations earlier)
  • Purpose (as introduced): To allow foraging for personal use in State parks and forests, with limitations to protect environmental and public safety, and to establish enforcement and penalties for violations related to foraging of protected species.

Key Provisions

  • Definitions

    • Personal use: For consumption by the individual, the individual’s family, or the individual’s friends. Not allowed for selling, bartering, or offering for sale/barter of foraged items.

  • Authorization to foraged for personal use

    • Individuals may forage for personal use in State parks and forests, subject to limitations.
    • Foraging may not involve negligently taking any plant, part, fruit, or fungus from a plant or fungus identified by the DEP as threatened, endangered, rare, vulnerable, or a plant species of concern.

  • Liability and risk

    • The forager acts at their own risk.
    • The State and its agencies/departments bear no liability for the forager’s safety, foraging activities, consumption, or any consequences of sharing foraged items with others.

  • DEP authority and area restrictions

    • The DEP may limit foraging in areas deemed necessary for environmental or public safety reasons (e.g., nesting birds, erosion control, protection of vegetation, environmentally sensitive areas, or public safety).
    • Park personnel may establish temporary barriers with posted notices to limit foraging and must notify the DEP.
    • The DEP will investigate posted notices to determine whether foraging may continue in the area.

  • Enforcement and penalties

    • A person who negligently forages a restricted plant/part/fruit/fungus (as identified by DEP) may be fined up to $500 per violation.
    • The DEP has enforcement authority and may impose fines.
    • Fines may be collected in a summary proceeding under the Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999.
    • The Superior Court has jurisdiction to enforce these penalties.

  • Effective date

    • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Affected Parties and Implementations

  • Individuals who forage in State parks and forests (for personal use) would be directly affected.
  • The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would administer the restrictions, determine which species are protected, and enforce penalties.
  • Park personnel would implement temporary restrictions and barriers and coordinate with DEP.

Legislative History and Related

  • Legislative actions:
    • 2025-02-13: Referred to Governmental Operations
    • 2025-02-27: Introduced in the Assembly; referred to Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee
  • Related/companion bill: S 5924 (companion)

Potential Impacts

  • Environmental: Balances public access to park resources with conservation by allowing personal foraging while protecting threatened or protected species.
  • Public safety and management: DEP’s authority to limit foraging areas can help prevent ecological damage or safety hazards.
  • Enforcement: Introduces a specific $500 fine for negligent foraging of protected species; enforcement through existing state penal frameworks.

If you’d like, I can also draft a brief plain-language explainer for the general public or compare this bill to existing foraging-related statutes.

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

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