A-1798

Sponsored by: Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex), Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex), Assemblyman P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by: Assemblywomen Haider and Park

STATEMENT

The Assembly Labor Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1798.

As amended, this bill establishes the “New Jersey Small Business Indoor Air Quality Management Support Program.” This program shall provide loans to eligible small businesses for the improvement of indoor air quality. This program will be administered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (the “authority,” as defined in the bill), which shall consult with the Department of Environmental Protection as it applies to indoor air quality standards. The loan funds may be applied to any aspect of the eligible small business intended to improve the business’ indoor air quality, including, but not limited to, capital purchases, employee training, and salaries, as determined by the authority, for new positions.

As amended, the authority will require work performed using funds provided by the program to be performed by an organization certified by the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau, National Environmental Balancing Bureau, or the Associated Air Balance Council.

Small business loans under this section will be made pursuant to a small business loan agreement and shall bear interest at rates and terms deemed appropriate by the authority, and contain other terms and conditions considered appropriate by the authority.

As amended, any business that has received a loan through the program may apply to the department for a New Jersey Small Business Indoor Air Quality Management Certification. A condition for the issuance of a certificate shall be the completion of a successful indoor air quality management inspection. As amended, this inspection is to be performed by a licensed contractor or licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) and be based on the Indoor Air Quality Management Checklist promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

The committee amended the bill to:

(1) require that any business that has received a grant through the “New Jersey Small Business Indoor Air Quality Management Support Program” may apply to the department for a New Jersey Small Business Indoor Air Quality Management Certification upon the completion of a successful indoor air quality management inspection, performed by a licensed contractor or licensed site remediation professional (LSRP). The bill in its introduced form requires the inspection to be completed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection;

(2) correct language in section 3 that refers to a grant where it should be a loan; and

(3) add in a provision to section 2 of the bill that the authority will require work performed using funds provided by the program to be performed by an organization certified by the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau, National Environmental Balancing Bureau, or the Associated Air Balance Council.