Bills to Watch

The Watch Dogs of The Industry

The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association tracks hundreds of bills each legislative session that could impact the industry. In addition to our in-house Government Affairs Director, Amanda Stone, NJRHA is also represented by one of the State's top lobbying firms, Princeton Public Affairs.

Below are just some of the top bills the NJRHA is monitoring. Members have access to constant updates on new and pending legislation and public policy, as well as the opportunity to discuss any legislative concerns or questions with our Government Affairs team. 

S3675 / A5270: Makes various revisions to alcoholic beverage licensing laws pertaining to certain retailers and manufacturers; provides tax credit under corporate business tax and gross income tax to certain retail licensees.

S3038 / A4630: Establishes sales and events privileges for certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers.

A460: Allows municipalities to transfer inactive alcoholic beverage retail licenses for use in redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization areas under certain circumstances.

A3150 / S3158: Permits issuance of special license in certain municipalities with shopping malls.

A4251 / S2901: Establishes special license to allow food and beverage establishments to sell alcoholic beverages in shopping malls. 

S3474: Allows municipalities to transfer inactive alcoholic beverage retail licenses for use in certain redevelopment and revitalization areas; establishes procedure to transfer inactive retail licenses. 

A3709 / S2622: Permits certain breweries, wineries, cideries, meaderies, and distilleries to sell each other's products on licensed premises.

A5331: Prohibits food service businesses from providing single-use plastic utensils and condiments to customers, except upon request, and requires certain food service businesses to provide reusable, washable utensils to customers eating on site.

S426 / A1444: Requires producers of packaging products sold in New Jersey to adopt and implement packaging product stewardship plans.

S2671: Prohibits adoption of any State rule or regulation mandating electric heating or water heating systems in buildings prior to issuance of DCA report. 

S3560 / A5186: Prohibits adoption of State and local rules that prohibit use of fossil fuel-powered kitchen appliances.

A1958: Concerns hospitality franchise agreements.

A5105: "Michael Anthony Fornicola's law;" requires hotels to have automated external defibrillators in certain areas. 

S2788: Concerns carbon monoxide detectors in multiple dwellings and certain hotels.

A5354: Upgrades criminal penalties for use or possession of payment card scanning device; requires merchant to take reasonable safety measures to prevent scanning of payment card.

A5076: Requires person offering digital coupon to make available in-store alternative of identical value