This bill amends the definition of "qualifying municipality" under P.L.1978, c.14 to expand eligibility for urban aid. The new criteria include cities of the fourth class and municipalities with specific population demographics in counties of the sixth class, provided they have either the highest effective property tax rate in the county or rank within the top three percent of the most distressed municipalities in the state, as determined by the Department of Community Affairs' Municipal Revitalization Index. This change specifically allows the City of Wildwood and the Borough of Woodbine in Cape May County to qualify for urban aid.

Additionally, the bill modifies the existing legal language by removing references to "this act" and replacing it with a more specific citation of P.L.1978, c.14. The bill also introduces a new formula for calculating a "Distribution Factor" for qualifying municipalities based on various metrics, including the number of Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) and property tax rates. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:27D-178