NJ A4137

Prohibits the sale, distribution, import, export, and propagation of 30 named invasive plant species in New Jersey, including Norway maple, Japanese barberry, English ivy, and Callery pear, with propagation bans taking effect 13 months after enactment and sales bans taking effect 49 months after enactment.

Establishes the 19-member New Jersey Invasive Species Council within the Department of Environmental Protection, comprising state officials and gubernatorial appointees representing environmental organizations, agriculture, the nursery and landscaping industries, and higher education.

Creates a conditional use waiver system allowing limited, specified uses of prohibited invasive species under strict conditions, with the Department of Environmental Protection authorized to charge administrative fees for waiver applications.

Exempts certain cultivars of Japanese barberry and Chinese silver grass that have been bred to reduce invasiveness, though exemptions expire two years after the effective date unless extended by regulation.

Imposes civil administrative penalties of $1,000 to $2,000 per violation, with court-ordered civil penalties up to $2,000 per day for continued violations, with enforcement responsibility shared between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Protection.