SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 2766
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: AUGUST 21, 2020
The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2766.
As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 2766 requires the Civil Service Commission to establish and maintain a mentoring program for minority civil service law enforcement applicants.
The purpose of the mentoring program is to assist minority law enforcement applicants through the civil service application and selection process and help them address obstacles unique to their circumstances. The program may be conducted through mentoring projects, including workshops, group discussions, and dissemination of information about civil service practices which provide assistance in overcoming barriers to employment.
The commission is required to develop criteria to determine eligibility in the program as a mentor and a mentee. A mentor may be a current or former law enforcement officer in good standing who obtained the law enforcement position through the civil service process or any other person deemed appropriate by the Civil Service Commission.
A mentor or mentee may be removed from the mentoring program for good cause as determined by the commission. A mentee is to be removed from the program upon the mentee’s acceptance of an offer of employment. An applicant may participate in the program as a mentee up to three times within a 10 year period. A former mentee may be eligible to participate in the program as a mentor.
A mentor is not to receive monies to participate in the program and the mentee is not to be charged a fee to participate in the program.
The commission is required to review the program for its efficacy at least once a year and make any necessary adjustments to continue to meet the needs and purpose of the program.
COMMITTEEE AMENDMENTS:
The committee amended the bill to make technical corrections.