STATEMENT TO

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 691

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed By Senator SINAGRA)

ADOPTED: MARCH 10, 1997

      These floor amendments increase the membership of the New Jersey Human Relations Council to 37 by adding four additional representatives from the county human relations commissions who shall represent the diversity of all county human relations commissions from the 21 counties, instead of representing three different regions of the State.

      The amendments require the public members of the council to adopt by laws to govern the council and to elect an executive committee and officers from among the public members as it deems appropriate.

      The amendments expand the duties of the council as follows:

      ● to assist with coordinating efforts to promote prejudice reduction;

      ● to develop in conjunction with the Department of Education and the educational, civil rights and human relations communities educational programs intended to educate, encourage, develop, promote and strengthen respect for human rights and cultural diversity and prevent and combat racism, intolerance and bigotry;

      ● to provide conciliation assistance and conduct all activities in confidence and without publicity; and

      ● to make recommendations to governmental entities for the development of policies and procedures in general and for programs of formal and informal education that will aid in eliminating all types of discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or physical, mental or cognitive disability.

      The amendments also require the council to hold confidential any information acquired during the course of mediation or dispute resolution.