Public Affairs & Legislation

NJRPA has a long history of active involvement in critical public policy initiatives.  Looking back in history, NJRPA was a principal organization advocating the establishment of the New Jersey State Park System, construction of the Garden State parkway, protection of the undeveloped coastal dunes now known as Island Beach State Park, creation of the New Jersey Green Acres Program in   19__ and expansion of that program to provide funding for local parks, urban parks and local open space protection, creation of the open space trust fund law, and more recently the creation of the $3 billion dollar Garden State Preservation Trust, and the institution of mandatory playground safety legislation.

Under the guidance of the NJRPA Public Affairs and Green Acres Committees, NJRPA monitors the activities of the State Legislature and the regulatory actions of the various State Cabinet Departments.
NJRPA also participates in federal legislative initiatives in cooperation with the National Recreation and Park Association Public Policy office.

Effective advocacy programs for parks, recreation, conservation and leisure services combine the efforts of citizens, members, staff and professional policy consultants to present the positive attributes of our public parks, natural resource protection, and health related services.  NJRPA works closely with our public affairs consulting firm, The Torok Group, to provide critical information to individual legislators, legislative committees, state regulators, and coalition organizations.

NJRPA also sponsors two special programs to interact with members of the State Legislature.  The NJRPA Legislative Breakfast is held annually in the Statehouse as an opportunity for members to meet with State legislators and Committee staff to exchange ideas in an informal setting.  NJRPA also presents an annual Legislator of the Year Award to highlight the leadership of individual members of the State legislature or U.S. Congress in support of parks, recreation and conservation.

Click here to view NJRPA's Public Policy Program