ASSEMBLY, No. 5753

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 12, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblywoman  ANNETTE CHAPARRO

District 33 (Hudson)

Assemblyman  PEDRO MEJIA

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Assemblywoman  CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Lopez, McKnight and Reynolds-Jackson

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires request for proposal to establish project to evaluate and make recommendations for realignment of correctional facilities and other efficiency measures.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning the establishment of a project to evaluate and make recommendations for the realignment of correctional facilities and other efficiency measures.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    As used in P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

     "Applicant" means an entity seeking to participate in the project authorized in response to the request for proposal developed and issued by the commissioner pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Corrections.

     "Project" means the project authorized in response to the request for proposal developed and issued by the commissioner pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     "Request for proposal" means the request for proposal developed and issued by the commissioner pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.     (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     "State correctional facility" means a State correctional facility or facility listed in section 8 of P.L.1976, c.98 (C.30:1B-8).

 

     2.    a.  The commissioner shall develop a request for proposal for the purpose of determining eligibility for participation in a project to evaluate and make recommendations for:

     (1)   the closure and consolidation of State correctional facilities;

     (2)   the repair of existing infrastructure at State correctional facilities as well as cost-effective alternatives to any necessary repairs;

     (3)   the reduction, reassignment, or both, of staff at State correctional facilities;

     (4)   changes in the provision of benefits, including, but not limited to, overtime pay to staff at State correctional facilities;

     (5)   the adoption of energy efficiency measures at State correctional facilities; and

     (6)   the adoption of other efficiency measures to reduce operational costs at State correctional facilities.

     b.    The commissioner shall establish guidelines for the approval of an application to participate in the project.  Upon developing a request for proposal, the commissioner shall issue the request for proposal in a form and manner determined by the commissioner.  The commissioner may approve more than one application for participation in the project, provided that the total number of approved applications collectively achieve the goals set forth in subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     c.     The commissioner shall oversee, coordinate, and provide assistance to the project approved and established pursuant to P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

 

     3.    The request for proposal shall require each applicant to submit to the commissioner the following information:

     a.     a statement of purpose for the applicant’s participation in the project, which statement shall demonstrate the intent of the applicant to achieve the goals set forth in subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill);

     b.    an estimated budget of the applicant’s participation in the project, including a description of potential funding sources;

     c.     a description of the applicant’s organizational experience, research methodologies, resources, or unique combinations of these that are integral factors for implementing the project; and

     d.    any additional information that the commissioner may deem necessary.

 

     4.    The request for proposal shall give preference to applicants that are nonprofit organizations and that have demonstrated expertise in the development of prison downsizing strategies.

 

     5.    Upon approval of an application to participate in the project, the commissioner shall require each approved applicant to enter into an agreement with the commissioner, which agreement shall contain but not be limited to:

     a.     a signed statement of cooperation and a description of the roles and relationships of each entity involved in the project;

     b.    a clearly identified list of goals, performance standards, benchmarks, or milestones of the proposed project, with approximate dates as to when the goals, performance standards, benchmarks, or milestones will be achieved and how they will be evaluated, including a requirement that each approved applicant shall report to the commissioner on the status of the applicant’s achievement of these goals, performance standards, benchmarks, or milestones; and

     c.     a complete budget of the proposed project, including a description of secured funds with proof, pending funds, and potential future funding sources.

 

     6.    The commissioner shall submit a report, within 18 months of the effective date of P.L.    , c.    (pending before the Legislature as this bill), to the Governor and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), on the results of the establishment of the project.  The commissioner shall post a copy of the report on the official Internet website of the Department of Corrections.

     7.    The commissioner may seek and accept gifts, donations, grants, or loans from private or public sources for any purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, any federal funding to be provided for the purposes of the project, except that the commissioner shall not accept a gift, donation, grant, or loan that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with any other law of this State.

 

     8.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections (commissioner) to develop a request for proposal for the purpose of determining eligibility for participation in a project to evaluate and make recommendations for: the closure and consolidation of State correctional facilities; the repair of existing infrastructure at State correctional facilities as well as cost-effective alternatives to any necessary repairs; the reduction, reassignment, or both, of staff at State correctional facilities; changes in the provision of benefits, including, but not limited to, overtime pay to staff at State correctional facilities; the adoption of energy efficiency measures at State correctional facilities; and the adoption of other efficiency measures to reduce operational costs at State correctional facilities.

     The bill requires the commissioner to establish guidelines for its approval of an application to participate in the project.  Upon developing a request for proposal, the commissioner is to issue the request for proposal in a form and manner determined by the commissioner.  The commissioner may approve more than one application for participation in the project, provided that the total number of approved applications collectively achieve the purposes of the project.  The commissioner is to oversee, coordinate, and provide assistance to the project.

     The bill requires the request for proposal to require applicants intending to participate in the project to submit to the commissioner certain information as described in the bill.  The request for proposal is to give preference to applicants that are nonprofit organizations and that have demonstrated expertise in the development of prison downsizing strategies.

     Upon the commissioner’s approval of an application to participate in the project, the commissioner is to require the approved applicant to enter into an agreement with the commissioner that is to contain certain information as described in the bill.

     The bill requires the commissioner to report, within 18 months of the effective date of the bill, to the Governor and the Legislature, on the results of the establishment of the project and post a copy of that report on the Department of Correction’s Internet website.

     The bill authorizes the commissioner to seek and accept gifts, donations, grants, or loans from private or public sources for any purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, any federal funding to be provided for the purposes of the project, except that the commissioner is not to accept a gift, donation, grant, or loan that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with any other law of this State.