This bill establishes a grant program administered by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to provide financial assistance to retail businesses that incur increased expenses due to emergency bridge projects. The program is designed to reimburse businesses located within an "impacted emergency closure zone," which is defined as areas surrounding a bridge undergoing construction, improvement, or maintenance that results in temporary closures. The bill outlines the criteria for applicants, requiring them to demonstrate their status as a retail business establishment and provide documentation of both their regular business expenses prior to the relief period and the increased expenses incurred during the relief period caused by the emergency bridge project.

The EDA is tasked with reviewing and approving grant applications on a rolling basis, contingent on available funding. Grants will be awarded based on the difference between the increased business expenses during the relief period and the regular expenses incurred prior to that period, calculated for an equal number of business days. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Commissioner of Transportation notify the EDA about the commencement and completion of emergency bridge projects to facilitate the application review process. To support this initiative, the bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to the EDA for the grant program.