SENATE, No. 1019

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 30, 2014

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL

District 10 (Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires newly-constructed grocery stores to have generators.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Act requiring newly-constructed grocery stores to be equipped with generators and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  Any newly-constructed grocery store, and for which an application for a construction permit has not been declared complete by the enforcing agency before the effective date of P.L.  , c.    (C.        ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall be equipped with an automatic standby emergency power generator.

     b.    An automatic standby emergency power generator installed pursuant to this section shall provide sufficient power to a grocery store to enable the store to continue to sell food and other basic necessities during normal business hours, and the generator shall be operated, maintained, and tested in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

     c.     For the purposes of this section, "grocery store" means a retail business, including a supermarket or convenience store, primarily engaged in the self-service sale of foods and household supplies for off-premises consumption or use.

     d.    The Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, shall promulgate rules and regulations pursuant to its rule-making authority under the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) in order to effectuate the purposes of this act.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would establish a requirement under the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.), that newly-constructed grocery stores, including supermarkets and convenience marts, have automatic standby emergency power generators.  In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, access to food and other basic necessities was greatly compromised due to the widespread and lengthy power outages throughout the State.  This bill would require that newly-constructed grocery stores have the capacity to continue operations if power is lost during an emergency, to help ensure that the public has ready access to food and other basic necessities.