TRENTON – The Assembly Appropriations Committee this morning unanimously released a bill that would put $200,000 toward the Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs program.
The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance supports the bill, A638, saying that 90 percent of the participants in the 18- to 22-week program remained alcohol-free three years later.
The program is funded through a surcharge on drug convictions. The bill would appropriate $200,000 toward the effort.
The Alliance hopes to bring the program to inner city schools.
And bill supporters said the program should not be confused with one-day fishing derbies.
