17. a. There is established in the General Fund a special account to be known as the “Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account.” The State Treasurer shall credit to this account:

(1) In each State fiscal year from State fiscal year 2000 through and including State fiscal year 2009, an amount from the State revenue annually collected from the State tax imposed under the “Sales and Use Tax Act,” P.L.1966, c.30 (C. 54:32B-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, equal to $98,000,000; and

(2) In each State fiscal year from State fiscal year 2010 through and including State fiscal year 2029, an amount from the State revenue annually collected from the State tax imposed under the “Sales and Use Tax Act,” P.L.1966, c.30 (C. 54:32B-1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, necessary to satisfy any payments relating to bonds, notes or other obligations, including refunding bonds, of the trust, but such amount shall not exceed $98,000,000 in any such State fiscal year.

b. In each State fiscal year, the amount credited to the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account shall be appropriated only for the purposes set forth in Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 7 of the State Constitution and this act.

c. (1) On the basis of a payment schedule provided annually by the trust to the State Treasurer for State fiscal year 2000 through and including State fiscal year 2009, the State Treasurer shall pay to the trust the amount credited to the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account, plus any interest or other income earned on the amount so credited prior to payment pursuant to this subsection, for each such State fiscal year as provided pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section and appropriated pursuant to subsection b. of this section, which the trust shall use for its purposes as set forth in this act. The State Treasurer also shall pay to the trust such other amounts as may be appropriated from time to time for use by the trust for its purposes as set forth in this act.

This paragraph shall not apply to such portion of the amount credited to the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account in State fiscal year 2000 that is appropriated pursuant to the annual appropriations act for State fiscal year 2000 (P.L.1999, c.138) to pay the cost of projects listed in that act for the purposes set forth in Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 7 of the State Constitution.

(2) In each State fiscal year from State fiscal year 2010 through and including State fiscal year 2029, the State Treasurer shall pay to the trust the amount credited to the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account for that State fiscal year as provided pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section and appropriated pursuant to subsection b. of this section, which the trust shall use for its purposes as set forth in this act. The State Treasurer also shall pay to the trust such other amounts as may be appropriated from time to time for use by the trust for its purposes as set forth in this act.

d. Any repayments of the principal and interest on loans issued to local government units for the acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to subsection b. of section 27 of this act credited to the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund Account as provided pursuant to Article VIII, Section II, paragraph 7 of the State Constitution shall be deposited in the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund established pursuant to section 19 of this act.

L.1999,c.152,s.17.