ASSEMBLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 606

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 4, 1996

      The Assembly Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 606.

      Assembly Bill No. 606, as amended by the committee, would consolidate the office of the register of deeds and mortgages in Union county with the office of the county clerk. As introduced, the bill would have eliminated the office of the register of deeds and mortgages in Essex, Passaic, Hudson and Union counties. The committee amended the bill, as requested by the sponsors, to limit its effect to Union county. The office of the register of deeds and mortgages was created in Union county by a legislative mandate in 1904. There is no mechanism in the law for a county to abolish its office of register of deeds and mortgages.

      The committee also amended the bill to delete section 2, since Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties will still maintain their offices of the register of deeds and mortgages. The bill, as amended by the committee, contains changes to N.J.S.40A:9-80 made by P.L.1995, c.90.

      Assembly Bill No. 606 was pre-filed for introduction in the 1996-1997 legislative session pending technical review. As reported by the committee, the bill contains the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.