[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 1622

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 4, 1996

By Assemblymen T. SMITH, MALONE, Connors, Holzapfel, Moran and Wolfe

An Act establishing Municipal Community Services Review Committees and supplementing Title 40 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. The governing body of a municipality may appoint a Municipal Community Services Review Committee. Membership on the Municipal Community Services Review Committee shall include, but not be limited to, representatives of the municipal government, the clergy, social service agencies, the business community, law enforcement and the education community.

    b. The purpose of the committee is to review any proposed action to be taken by the Departments of Human Services, Community Affairs and Health regarding ¹[residential services] community residences for more than 12 persons¹ funded, licensed or otherwise under the jurisdiction of the respective departments that has a direct impact on the quality of life of the municipality.

    ¹Under the provisions of this act, "community residence" shall include: a community residence for developmentally disabled or mentally ill persons licensed pursuant to P.L.1977, c.448 (C.30:11B-1 et seq.); a center for the treatment of narcotic and drug abuse licensed or regulated pursuant to P.L.1970, c.334 (C.26:2G-21 et seq.); or a center for the treatment of alcoholism licensed or regulated pursuant to P.L.1975, c.305 (C.26:2B-7 et seq.). "Community residence" shall also include any other center or facility housing persons operated by the Departments of Human Services, Health, or Community Affairs. or any organization, association or agency with which the departments contract, and approved for a purchase of service contract or an affiliation agreement pursuant to such procedures as are established by regulation of the departments, to persons who reside therein and require assistance, temporarily or permanently, in order to live in the community,but shall not be limited to: group homes, half-way houses, supervised apartment living arrangements, and hostels.¹

    The committee shall issue its findings and recommendations ¹within 45 days¹ about the proposed action to the respective department for the department's review.

    c. The Departments of Human Services, Community Affairs and Health shall provide the committee with information and be available to meet with the committee when necessary, upon the request of the committee.

    ¹d. A community shelter for victims of domestic violence, established pursuant to P.L.1979, c.337 (C.30:14-1 et seq.), shall be exempt from the provisions of this act.

    e. The Municipal Community Services Review Committee shall not be a public body for the purposes of the "Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.).¹

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Allows municipalities to form Municipal Community Services Review Committees to review certain DHS, DOH and DCA proposed actions.