ASSEMBLY HOUSING COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1080

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 10, 1996

      The Assembly Housing Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1080, with committee amendments.

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would permit municipalities to hire private contractors to serve as the agencies responsible for performing the code inspections of hotels and multiple dwellings required under the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law," P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.).

      Currently, these inspections usually are conducted by the Bureau of Housing Inspection in the Division of Codes and Standards in the Department of Community Affairs. However, municipalities which have code officials who have been licensed by the State to inspect hotels and multiple dwellings may assume those inspection and enforcement responsibilities.

      The bill permits the hiring of private contractors to perform hotel and multiple dwelling code inspections. Thus, those municipalities which do not have the appropriate State licensed inspectors in their local code enforcing agencies would have an alternative to inspections conducted by the Bureau of Housing Inspection.

      Under current law, municipalities may contract with qualified private entities to perform and enforce certain subcode inspections under the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-199 et seq.).

      The committee amended the bill to provide that municipalities may contract with private agencies for inspections, but not enforcement, of the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law," P.L.1967, c.76 (C.55:13A-1 et seq.). Responsibility for enforcement would remain with the local enforcing agent and the Commissioner of Community Affairs.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 1996-1997 legislative session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review which has been performed.