Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ
District 19 (Middlesex)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE CHAPARRO
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Pintor Marin, Reynolds-Jackson, Sumter and Vainieri Huttle
SYNOPSIS
Requires racial and gender diversity in membership to be considered for appointments to certain boards and commissions established by statute.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning diversity in the membership of certain boards and commissions established by statute and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. When the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, or any other person is authorized by law to appoint a member to a board, commission, task force, or any other multi-member body or entity established by a statute enacted before, on, or after the effective date of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Governor, President, Speaker, or other authorized person, as appropriate, shall make the goal of attaining a membership for such a board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State a primary consideration when selecting a person for appointment on or after that effective date. The goal of attaining a membership that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State shall be a primary consideration by the appointing authority unless that consideration conflicts with the particular circumstances of the appointment to be made or conflicts with the requirements of the statute that established the board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity.
As used in this section:
“Gender” means a person’s sex-related or gender-related characteristics, including one’s gender identity and has the same legal meaning as sex.
“Race” means the major groupings into which humankind is divided on the basis of physical characteristics or shared ancestry.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that, when the Governor, President of the Senate, Speaker of the General Assembly, or any other person is authorized by law to appoint a member to a board, commission, task force, or any other multi-member body or entity established by law, the Governor, President, Speaker, or other authorized person, as appropriate, must make the goal of attaining a membership for such a board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State a primary consideration when selecting a person for appointment on or after the effective date of the bill. The goal of attaining a membership that reflects the racial and gender diversity of the residents of the State will be a primary consideration by the appointing authority unless that consideration conflicts with the particular circumstances of the appointment to be made or conflicts with the requirements of the statute that established the board, commission, task force, or multi-member body or entity.