ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION No. 30

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 13, 2020

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Joint Resolution No. 30.

      This joint resolution establishes the “New Jersey Domestic Violence and Legal Access Task Force” for the purpose of studying the nature, extent and consequences of unmet legal needs of State residents in domestic violence matters.  The task force would have 16 members. The task force would submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature within 18 months of its organization.

      The membership of the commission would be as follows:

      (1)   two public members appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a representative of a pro bono program organized by a law firm located in the State, and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a plaintiff in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State courts;

      (2)   two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the President of the Senate, one of whom is the representative of a non-profit organization dedicated to the services and assistance of victims of domestic violence and one of whom is a State licensed and certified family law attorney;

      (3)   two public members appointed by the Governor upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom is a director of a legal clinic program of a law school located in the State and one of whom is a State resident who has been a pro se litigant who has appeared as a defendant in a domestic violence matter in the New Jersey State court;

      (4)   one member appointed by the Chief Justice, who is a retired judge of the Superior Court who had been previously assigned to the Family Division;

      (5)   the Administrative Director of the Courts, or his designee;

      (6)   the Public Defender, or the Public Defender’s designee;

      (7)   the Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee;

      (8)   the dean of Seton Hall University School of Law, or the dean’s designee;

      (9)   the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Newark Campus, or the co-dean’s designee;

      (10)   the co-dean of Rutgers Law School Camden Campus, or the co-dean’s designee;

      (11)   the executive director of New Jersey Legal Services, or the executive director’s designee;

      (12)    A representative of the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence; and

      (13)    A representative of Partners for Women and Justice. 

      The task force would be co-chaired: one co-chair would be the Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee, and the other co-chair would be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and would serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 

      The task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.  The task force would meet at the call of the co-chairs.  The presence of nine members of the task force would constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.