(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen John Burzichelli, Matthew Milam, Nelson Albano, Paul Moriarty and Thomas Giblin to streamline the process under which the state issues economic development permits to businesses was released Thursday by an Assembly committee.
The bill (A-2853) is among several being pushed forward by Assembly Democratic lawmakers to cut the bureacracy that is hurting New Jersey’s businesses and is part of the Back to Work NJ legislative job creation and economic development package.
“Businesses devoted to economic development and creating jobs that benefit this state shouldn’t have to run through an obstacle course to get the permits they need,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “It makes no sense to obstruct economic development, so we need a streamlined system that makes creating jobs as easy as possible.”
“We should not be standing in the way of economic development and job creation,” said Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “The last thing we should do to a business looking to expand is put roadblocks in front of it.”
“Promoting economic development and job creation is a top priority,” said Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “Businesses have told us repeatedly that our system is a burden to achieving those goals, so change is needed and that’s just what this bill would accomplish.”
“A thriving business environment clear of unnecessary red tape is also good news for New Jersey’s working class residents,” said Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden). “Good jobs go hand-in-hand with a strong business environment.”
“Job-creating New Jersey businesses and our hard-working residents are the ones who will benefit most from this initiative,” said Giblin (D-Essex/Passaic). “This change will bring us a modern system that will help position our economy to thrive and compete in the years ahead.”
The bill requires state agencies to review the permits they currently issue to identify those that:
· Can be administered through expedited processes, such as developing procedures for the electronic submission of permit applications; and
· May be obsolete, are no longer necessary or cost more to administer than the benefits they provide, and thus should be eliminated so long as the public health, safety, or general welfare is not endangered.
The bill was released 11-0 by the Assembly Budget Committee.
