71. a. Beginning on the effective date of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 34:1B-269 et al.), but prior to March 1, 2029, to be eligible for tax credits under the program, a business’s chief executive officer, or equivalent officer, shall demonstrate to the authority at the time of application that:

(1) the business will make, acquire, or lease a capital investment at the qualified business facility equal to or greater than the applicable amount set forth in subsection b. of this section;

(2) the business will create or retain new and retained full-time jobs in the State in an amount equal to or greater than the applicable number set forth in subsection c. of this section;

(3) the qualified business facility is located in a qualified incentive area;

(4) the award of tax credits will be a material factor in the business’s decision to create or retain the number of new and retained full-time jobs set forth in its application;

(5) the award of tax credits, the capital investment resultant from the award of tax credits, and the resultant creation and retention of new and retained full-time jobs will yield a net positive benefit to the State equaling at least 400 percent of the requested tax credit allocation amount, or for a phased project the requested tax credit allocation amount for the initial phase, and on a cumulative basis each phase thereafter, which determination shall be calculated prior to considering the value of the requested tax credit under the program and shall be based on the benefits generated during the period of time from approval through the end of the commitment period, or through the end of the longer period of extended commitment that the business may elect for purposes of receiving credit for benefits projected to occur after the expiration of the commitment period, except that:

(a) an award of tax credits to a business for a qualified business facility located in a distressed municipality or an enhanced area shall yield a net positive benefit to the State, based on the benefits generated during the period of time from approval through the end of the commitment period, that equals at least 300 percent of the requested tax credit amount;

(b) an award of tax credits to a business for a qualified business facility located in a government-restricted municipality, or for a mega project, shall yield a net positive benefit to the State, based on the benefits generated during the period of time from approval through the end of the commitment period, that equals at least 200 percent of the requested tax credit amount;

(c) the net economic benefits shall be evaluated on a present value basis with the requested tax credit allocation amount discounted to present value at the same discount rate as the benefits from capital investment resultant from the award of tax credits and the resultant retention and creation of full-time jobs as provided in subparagraph (d) of this paragraph; and

(d) a business may elect a period of extended commitment beyond the commitment period for which time the economic benefits shall be creditable to the determination of the net economic benefit of the project, and a business electing a period of extended commitment and failing to maintain the project through the expiration of that extended commitment period shall be obligated to repay a proportion of the incremental benefits received on account of having extended the commitment period, taking into consideration the number of years of extended commitment during which the business maintained the project;

(e) in making the determination required pursuant to this paragraph, the authority shall not consider the value of any taxes exempted, abated, rebated, or retained under the “Five-Year Exemption and Abatement Law,” P.L.1991, c.441 (C. 40A:21-1 et seq.), the “Long Term Tax Exemption Law,” P.L.1991, c.431 (C. 40A:20-1 et al.), the “New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Act,” P.L.1983, c.303 (C. 52:27H-60 et seq.), or any other law that has the effect of lowering or eliminating the business’s State or local tax liability, and the business’s chief executive officer or equivalent officer shall certify, under the penalty of perjury, that all documents submitted, and factual assertions made, to the authority to demonstrate that the award of tax credits will yield a net positive benefit to the State in accordance with this paragraph are true and accurate at the time of submission;

(f) If, during the term of the program, the methodology used by the authority in projecting benefits of a project in making the determination required pursuant to this paragraph is modified, the respective percentages by which the benefits must exceed the requested tax credit allocation amount set forth pursuant to this paragraph (5) may be adjusted to ensure consistent application of the respective thresholds in this paragraph (5) applied to each application;

(6) the qualified business facility shall be in compliance with minimum environmental and sustainability standards;

(7) the project shall comply with the authority’s affirmative action requirements, adopted pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1979, c.303 (C. 34:1B-5.4); and

(8) (a) each worker employed to perform construction work or building services work at the qualified business facility shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate for the worker’s craft or trade, as determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development pursuant to P.L.1963, c.150 (C. 34:11-56.25 et seq.) and P.L.2005, c.379 (C. 34:11-56.58 et seq.), unless:

(i) the work performed under the contract is performed at a qualified business facility owned by a landlord that is not a business receiving authority assistance;

(ii) the landlord is a party to the construction contract, building services contract, or both; and

(iii) the qualified business facility constitutes a lease of less than 35 percent of the entire facility at the time of contract and under any agreement to subsequently lease the qualified business facility.

(b) In accordance with section 1 of P.L.1979, c.303 (C. 34:1B-5.1), nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as requiring the payment of prevailing wage for construction commencing more than two years after the authority has issued the first certificate of compliance pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection a. of section 77 of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 34:1B-345).

b. (1) The minimum capital investment required to be eligible under the program shall be as follows:

(a) for the rehabilitation, improvement, fit-out, or retrofit of an existing industrial, warehousing, logistics, or research and development portion of the premises for continued similar use by the business, a minimum investment of $20 per square foot of gross leasable area;

(b) for the new construction of an industrial, warehousing, logistics, or research and development portion of the premises for use by the business, a minimum investment of $60 per square foot of gross leasable area;

(c) for the rehabilitation, improvement, fit-out, or retrofit of existing portion of the premises that does not qualify pursuant to subparagraph (a) or (b) of this paragraph, a minimum investment of $40 per square foot of gross leasable area;

(d) for the new construction of a portion of the premises that does not qualify pursuant to subparagraph (a) or (b) of this paragraph, a minimum investment of $120 per square foot of gross leasable area; and

(e) for a small business, no new minimum capital investment shall be required, provided the applicant has demonstrated evidence satisfactory to the authority of its intent to remain in the State for the commitment period.

(2) In the event the business invests less than that amount set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection in the qualified business facility, the business shall donate the uninvested balance to the infrastructure fund established pursuant to section 79 of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 52:27D-520).

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the authority may adopt, pursuant to the provisions of the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations adjusting the minimum capital investment amounts required under the program when necessary to respond to the prevailing economic conditions in the State.

c. (1) The minimum number of new or retained full-time jobs required to be eligible under the program shall be as follows:

(a) for a small business, 25 percent growth of its workforce with new full-time jobs within the eligibility period in accordance with subsection e. of section 76 of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 34:1B-344);

(b) for a business engaged primarily in a targeted industry which does not qualify as a small business, 25 new full-time jobs;

(c) for any other business, a minimum of 35 new full-time jobs;

(d) for a business eligible for new full-time jobs under subparagraphs (b) or (c) of this paragraph, the business shall also be eligible for retained full-time jobs in addition to the new full-time jobs if the business will retain 150 retained full-time jobs when locating in a government-restricted municipality, 250 retained full-time jobs when locating in a qualified incentive tract or enhanced area municipality, or 500 retained full-time jobs when locating anywhere else in the State;

(e) for a business not eligible under subparagraphs (b), (c), or (d) of this paragraph and locating in a qualified incentive tract, enhanced area, or government-restricted municipality that will retain 500 or more retained full-time jobs, a minimum of the business’s retained full-time jobs at the time of application;

(f) for a business not eligible under subparagraphs (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this paragraph and located in the State that will retain 1,000 or more retained full-time jobs, a minimum of the business’s retained full-time jobs at the time of application.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the authority may adopt, pursuant to the provisions of the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), rules and regulations adjusting the minimum number of new or retained full-time jobs required under the program when necessary to respond to the prevailing economic conditions in the State.

d. A business that provides and adheres to a plan that demonstrates that the qualified business facility is capable of accommodating more than half of the business’s new and retained full-time employees as approved and that certifies, under the penalty of perjury, that not less than 80 percent of the withholdings of new and retained full-time jobs are subject to the “New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act,” N.J.S. 54A:1-1 et seq. shall be eligible. The requirements set forth in this subsection may be modified by the authority to respond to an emergency, disaster, or other factors that result in employees of an eligible business having to work from a location other than the qualified business facility.

e. The chief executive officer of the business, or an equivalent officer, shall certify that all factual representations made by the business to the authority pursuant to subsection a. of this section are true under the penalty of perjury.

f. A business eligible pursuant to this section may submit an application to the authority in accordance with the provisions of section 72 of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 34:1B-340) on or after the effective date of P.L.2020, c.156 (C. 34:1B-269 et al.) but prior to March 1, 2029.

L.2020, c.156, s.71; amended 2021, c.160, s.31; 2023, c.98, s.12.