ASSEMBLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 837

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 3, 1997

      The Assembly Local Government Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 837, with committee amendments.

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would require that the Department of Human Services offer the Marlboro State Psychiatric Hospital property for sale to the Township of Marlboro, Monmouth County, upon the closing of the facility. The hospital is located within the boundaries of the township. Upon the purchase by the township of the property, at least one-third of the land would be required to be kept as open space. A public referendum by the township's voters would be required to approve the disposition of any portions of the property not required to be held as open space.

      The committee amended the bill to remove the provisions requiring that the purchase price of the property not exceed the recorded assessed value of the property at the time of its acquisition by the State and that the State be responsible for the cost of demolishing and removing from the land the debris of the existing structures specified to be demolished in an agreement with the Township of Marlboro.

      Assembly Bill No. 837 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.