Girl Scout Bill on Income Tax Contributions Becomes Law

On the final voting day of the 2010-2011 legislative session, Assembly Bill 4182/Senate Bill 3016 cleared the Legislature with a majority of lawmakers supporting the bill. The new law allows for taxpayers to make a contribution to the Girl Scout Councils of New Jersey by indicating so on their gross income tax returns. The law takes effect January 2013.

Sponsored by Assembly members Annette Quijano (D-20), Upendra Chivukula (D-17), Elease Evans (D-35), and Daniel Benson (D-14) and Senators Loretta Weinberg (D37), Linda Greenstein (D-14), Diane Allen (R-7), Kip Bateman (R-16), and Fred Madden (D-4), the bill passed with overwhelming support in both houses.

Sponsors Assemblywomen Quijano and Evans and Senators Weinberg, Greenstein, and Allen, are members of Troop New Jersey, an honorary Girl Scout Troop comprised of women lawmakers in the New Jersey Legislature.

“We cannot express enough the amount of gratitude we have for Governor Christie, Assembly members Quijano, Chivukula, Evans and Benson, and Senators Weinberg, Greenstein, Allen, Bateman and Madden for seeing this bill through,” said Helen Wronski, CEO of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. “This bill will help not only help the Girl Scout Councils of New Jersey to continue to provide education and leadership to the young women of New Jersey, but it will also help the girls in all of their endeavors within our organization.”

“Girl Scouts help girls attain the skills which enable them to become leaders of the future,” said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). “I am thrilled that this organization will join the growing list of nonprofits who can receive contributions through New Jersey’s income tax returns. With the signing of this law, New Jersey citizens will easily be able to voluntarily donate to an organization that has positively impacted hundreds of thousands of girls and women throughout the state.”

“As a proud member of Troop NJ, and having spent years in Girl Scouts as a young woman, I know that Girl Scouting builds character and prepares young women to be leaders. I am thrilled that this bill, of which I am a sponsor, has been signed into law by Governor Christie and am so thankful that people will now have another way to provide support to the Girl Scouts, said Senator Diane Allen (R-Burlington).

"This is a great way to support a wonderful cause," said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union). "The Girl Scouts have long been known for providing productive activities to help young girls build leadership skills and prepare for the real world. Much like we've done with other worthwhile causes, this mechanism will help members of the general public more easily contribute to the work of the Girl Scouts if they wish."

“With more than 106,000 New Jersey girls participating, the Girl Scouts stand out as one of the premiere organizations to develop the next generation of state and national leaders and encourage girls to be independent, confident and civic-minded,” said Senator Linda R. Greenstein (D-Middlesex, Mercer). “Given the wide-appeal of the organization and the positive impact it makes on the lives of young women, the Girl Scouts deserve our support.”

All of the funds collected from the contributions will be evenly distributed between the four New Jersey Girl Scout Councils. The four Councils will use one-third to one-half of these voluntary contributions for scholarship pools, membership, programs and program material, travel, uniform components, camping and other services.