OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Legislation co-sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal to increase State funding for cultural projects, historical heritage programs, and tourism advertisement and promotion was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy this Wednesday.

“Artistic, tourist, and historical sites are the lifeblood of the Jersey Shore’s cultural attractions, and a cornerstone of our summer economy,” said Gopal (D-Long Branch). “I’m grateful to Senator Singleton, the bill’s original sponsor, for leading the effort to expand their funding, and to Adam Philipson, CEO of the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, for his dedicated advocacy on behalf of this issue.”

Under current law, the Director of the Division of Taxation must allocate 22.68 percent of all total hotel and motel occupancy fees collected under state law to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for cultural projects, provided that the actual dollar amount allocated is at least $22.68 million. This law (A3101) increases the minimum dollar amount that the director must allocate for cultural projects to $31.9 million.

Current law requires the director to allocate 3.84 percent of hotel and motel occupancy fees collected to the New Jersey Historical Commission for historical heritage purposes, provided that at least $3.84 million is allocated. This bill increases the minimum dollar amount that the director must allocate for historical heritage purposes to $5.5 million.

Finally, current law requires the director to allocate 12.76 percent of hotel and motel occupancy fees collected to the Division of Travel and Tourism in the Department of State for tourism advertisement and promotion, provided at least $12.76 million is allocated. This bill increases the minimum dollar amount that the director must allocate for tourism advertisement and promotion to $17.6 million.

The bill applies only to revenues collected for occupancies during State Fiscal Year 2019 and thereafter.