TO:                       Members of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee

FROM:                 Hilary Chebra, Manager, Government Affairs, CCSNJ

RE:                       Support of:

• A-5133 (Greenwald)
• A-5135 (Greenwald / Karabinchak / Johnson) 
• A-5136 (Greenwald / Johnson) 
• A-5137 (Greenwald / Vainieri Huttle / Johnson)
• A-5139 (Greenwald / Johnson) 
• AJR-199 (Greenwald / Johnson) 

DATE:                  January 13, 2020

The Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey (CCSNJ) would like to voice our support for the package of legislation before you today which would provide relief to struggling restaurant and other businesses as they navigate their economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic. The package includes the following bills:

• A-5133 (Greenwald) - Establishes requirements for restaurants to operate during public health emergency declared in response to coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
• A-5135 (Greenwald / Karabinchak / Johnson) - Establishes Statewide standards for the use of heaters and tents by restaurants during COVID-19 public health emergency.
• A-5136 (Greenwald / Johnson) - Concerns restaurant safety during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
• A-5137 (Greenwald / Vainieri Huttle / Johnson) - Requires ABC to waive fee for alcoholic beverage COVID-19 Expansion Permit.
• A-5139 (Greenwald / Johnson) - Concerns restaurant tents during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
• AJR-199 (Greenwald / Johnson) - Establishes "Commission to Review Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses." 

As written, these bills take several actions to assist Main Street businesses as they navigate how to safely operate during pandemic. These bills give restaurants more certainty by providing clear and standard requirements that would allow them to expand upon their capacity when it is safe to do so. The bills also provide the flexibility to allow restaurants to continue to operate through the crucial winter months by creating Statewide standards for the use of heaters and tents, waiving the fee for alcoholic beverage COVID-19 expansion permits and exempts restaurants from certain requirements on snow certification during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

The "Commission to Review Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses" will allow the State to examine the impact the Executive Orders, and various regulations placed on businesses during the pandemic and their effects on the ability for the economy and these businesses to recover.

 Thank you for the ability to share our support on the above measures.