ASSEMBLY, No. 1328
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION
By Assemblyman DeCROCE
An Act concerning higher education, creating the "Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund" for the children of crime victims, and supplementing chapter 71 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This act shall be known as, and may be cited as, the "Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund Act."
2. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Ten percent of the crimes reported in the State are violent crimes, and murder accounts for at least one percent of all violent crimes committed. Victims of violent crimes and their families often become crime statistics with no honorable mention.
b. It is appropriate to pay tribute to those who have suffered from violent crime through the recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. The State should recognize these individuals through the establishment of a special fund which will allow the children of crime victims the opportunity to attend college through the commemoration of the death of Tony Pompelio, a crime victim, by establishing the Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund.
3. As used in this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
"Board" means the Board of Trustees of the Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund for the children of crime victims created pursuant to this act.
"Chairman" means the Chairman of the Violent Crimes Compensation Board.
"Chancellor" means the Chancellor of the Department of Higher Education.
"Department" mean the Department of Higher Education.
"Public Institutions of Higher Education" means the State colleges; the county colleges; the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; the New Jersey Institute of Technology; Rutgers, the State University; and any other public universities, colleges, county colleges and junior colleges now or hereafter established or authorized by law.
4. a. There is hereby created and established in the department a scholarship fund which shall be known as the "Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund." The fund shall consist of all funds appropriated by the Legislature or otherwise made available for the Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund program.
b. The fund shall be administered by a board of trustees which shall consist of the chancellor or a designee of the chancellor, the chairman or a designee of the chairman and eight citizens of this State who have been crime victims or are family members of a crime victim. Citizen members of the board shall be selected by the chairman in consultation with the chancellor, and without regard to political affiliation and, on the basis of their experience as crime victims or family members of a crime victim.
c. Each citizen member of the board shall serve for a term of four years and until a successor shall have been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
d. Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.
e. The chancellor or a designee of the chancellor in conjunction with the chairman or a designee of the chairman shall serve as the chief executive officers of the fund and shall organize the work of the fund as deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
5. The board shall:
a. Develop and maintain a State-wide system for the identification of potential Pompelio scholars in cooperation with other State departments, agencies or public institutions of higher education in the State.
b. Recruit, select and provide financial assistance from the fund to Pompelio scholars who are residents of this State in order that they may be able to attend public institutions of higher education.
c. Communicate with departments and agencies of the United States on the availability of grants to this State for purposes related or similar to those set forth in this act.
d. Develop, establish and publicize criteria for the determination of eligibility for financial assistance from the fund.
e. Establish procedures for determining the amount of each award based on the total financial need of each Pompelio scholar and the resources available to the applicant to meet the costs of the applicant's higher education.
f. Annually report in writing to the Board of Higher Education on the performance of its duties in accordance with the provisions of this act.
g. Adopt by-laws, and make, enforce, alter and repeal rules for its own operation and for carrying out the provisions of this act.
h. Deposit in the fund and disburse from the fund such gifts and contributions as may be forthcoming from public and private sources.
6. a. The board is hereby authorized to award scholarships from the fund to Pompelio scholars for undergraduate study leading to a baccalaureate degree, associate degree, or other approved certificate at public institutions of higher education located in New Jersey.
b. Grants from the fund may be awarded annually upon proper application to the fund, to any Pompelio scholar who qualifies under the standards to be developed and promulgated by the board.
7. a. No scholarship pursuant to this act shall be awarded to any applicant unless the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:
(1) Is and has been a resident of this State for at least 12 months prior to receiving the grant;
(2) Will be or is enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program of study leading to a degree or certificate at a public institution;
(3) Has complied with all rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this act by the board for the award, regulation and administration of grants from the fund.
b. In addition to the requirements of subsection a. of this section, the board is hereby authorized to require the satisfaction of such other requirements as it may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
8. Scholarships awarded pursuant to this act shall be paid to recipients by the State Treasurer in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the board.
9. No person shall be eligible for scholarships pursuant to this act for more than four years, or for such other period of time as may be determined necessary by the board for the completion of an organized course of study. Each scholarship awarded pursuant to this act shall remain in effect only so long as the recipient achieves satisfactory academic progress as determined by the institution of attendance and demonstrates continued eligibility pursuant to this act.
10. Scholarships awarded pursuant to this act shall be awarded by the board without regard to race, creed, or religion and in such manner and amount as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available.
11. The State Board of Higher Education shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) necessary for the administration of this act.
12. This act shall take effect one year following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill creates and establishes the "Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund" program in the Department of Higher Education to provide college scholarships to children of crime victims. Tony Pompelio, 17 years old, was murdered while attempting to aid a young woman who was under attack. This fund is set up in memory of Tony Pompelio and in recognition of National Crime Victim's Week and commemorates the victims of those families whose lives have been shattered through their violent deaths.
The bill establishes a board of trustees to select the Pompelio scholars and administer the grants. The members of the board are to be appointed for four year terms by the Chairman of the Violent Crimes Compensation Board in conjunction with the Chancellor of the Department of Higher Education. The members appointed shall be either victims of crime or family members of crime victims.
The bill also requires the board to develop a State-wide identification system for potential Pompelio scholars in cooperation with the other State departments, agencies or public institutions of higher education; seek out other grants which would be available for similar purposes; and establish procedures for determining the amount of the award based on the applicants financial needs.
Establishes the "Tony Pompelio Commemorative Scholarship Fund" for the children of crime victims.