This bill amends the Local Bond Law and the Local Budget Law in New Jersey to allow local government units to finance the purchase, planting, and removal of trees and shrubbery. Specifically, it establishes a period of usefulness of 15 years for these activities, enabling municipalities to issue 15-year bonds to cover the associated costs. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for local government units to adopt special emergency appropriations for these expenses, particularly in the aftermath of a natural disaster, allowing them to issue special emergency notes to fund such activities.

The bill includes new legal language that specifies the purchase, planting, and removal of trees and shrubbery as a legitimate expense under the Local Bond Law, as well as the ability to address these expenses through special emergency appropriations under the Local Budget Law. This change aims to provide municipalities with greater financial flexibility to manage tree-related expenses, especially in response to natural disasters, thereby enhancing community resilience and environmental stewardship.