ASSEMBLY, No. 2046

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 30, 1996

By Assemblymen LeFEVRE and BLEE

An Act creating a Commission on Departments and Authorities Review and making an appropriation.

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

    1. There is created a Commission on Departments and Authorities Review (hereinafter referred to as the "commission"). The commission shall consist of 10 members: the State Treasurer, ex officio, or a duly authorized representative; the Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, or its successor committee; the Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, or its successor committee; three public members appointed by the Governor, only one of whom may be of the same political party as the Treasurer; and four public members of whom one each is appointed by the President of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Assembly Minority Leader. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

    Public members of the commission shall be residents of the State, shall be neither an elected or appointed official nor seeking elected office, and shall have knowledge and expertise in management in the public or private sector. Public members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

    2. The commission shall organize as soon as possible after the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its members.

    3. The commission shall review the purposes and jurisdictions of the departments and authorities of State government to evaluate whether the duties, powers and activities of a department or authority are consistent with its purposes and jurisdiction. The commission shall identify among and within departments and authorities opportunities to eliminate duplication of effort, consolidate functions, and increase efficiency.

    4. The commission may appoint and employ and at pleasure remove an executive director and other staff persons as it may deem necessary, without regard to civil service; and determine their duties and fix their salaries or compensation within the amounts appropriated therefor.

    5. The commission may request and shall receive from every department and authority any information and assistance in the performance of its duties.

    6. One year from the date it first meets, the commission shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature a report summarizing its findings and recommendations.

    7. There is appropriated to the commission from the General Fund the amount of $350,000 for the purposes of this act.

    8. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission by the commission of its report to the Governor and the Legislature.

STATEMENT

    This bill creates a Commission on Departments and Authorities Review. The commission shall consist of 10 members: the State Treasurer, the Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, three public members appointed by the Governor, and four public members of whom one each is appointed by the President of the Senate, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Assembly Minority Leader.

    The commission shall review the purposes and jurisdictions of the departments and authorities of State government to evaluate whether the duties, powers and activities of a department or authority are consistent with its purposes and jurisdiction. The commission shall identify among and within departments and authorities opportunities to eliminate duplication of effort, consolidate functions, and increase efficiency.

    One year from the date it first meets, the commission shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature a report summarizing its findings and recommendations.

    The bill appropriates $350,000 and expires upon the submission by the commission of its report to the Governor and the Legislature.

Creates Commission on Departments and Authorities Review; appropriates $350,000.