ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 79
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED MARCH 28, 1996
By Assemblymen WISNIEWSKI and DORIA
An Assembly Resolution establishing an Assembly Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.
Whereas, The "Telecommunications Act of 1996" was recently passed by Congress, and was signed into law on February 8, 1996; and
Whereas, The "Telecommunications Act of 1996" was enacted with the goal of promoting competition and reducing regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers, and of encouraging the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies; and
Whereas, The act will have revolutionary effects on the nation's telecommunications system, particularly in those States such as New Jersey which have sophisticated telecommunications and information services networks and large corporations which deal with telecommunications and information services matters; and
Whereas, The act, by deregulating telecommunications and encouraging the rapid deployment of new technologies, will have far- reaching effects on the consumers of telecommunications and information services; and
Whereas, It is incumbent on the Legislature to become better informed about the requirements of the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," to consider its implications for New Jersey and to study the possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is hereby established the Assembly Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The committee shall consist of five members of the General Assembly, with three members of the committee to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Minority Leader of the General Assembly. The committee may appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the committee. The Speaker shall designate one of the members to serve as chairman.
2. It shall be the duty of the committee to study the telecommunications issues raised by the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," to consider the implications of this act for the State of New Jersey and to study the possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for. The primary function of the committee shall be to serve as a resource for informing and educating the Legislature as to the subject matter within the scope of the committee's study. The committee is authorized to cooperate and work together with the Senate Special Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, established by Senate Resolution No. 5 of 1996.
3. a. The committee may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature, and shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of officials and employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require.
b. The committee shall further be entitled to employ stenographic and clerical assistance and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary in order to perform its duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
4. The committee shall report its findings in a report to the Speaker of the General Assembly as soon as practicable upon completion of its work.
STATEMENT
This Assembly resolution establishes the Assembly Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The committee is to consist of five members of the General Assembly, three of whom are to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and two of whom are to be appointed by the Speaker upon recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Assembly.
It is the duty of the committee to study the telecommunications issues raised by the "Telecommunications Act of 1996," recently passed by Congress and signed into law, to consider the implications of that act for the State of New Jersey and to study possible areas in which State action or regulation will or could be called for. The primary function of the committee will be to serve as a resource for informing and educating the Legislature on telecommunications issues. The resolution does not provide for the committee to make any recommendations concerning possible legislation. Since this proposed committee is parallel to the Senate Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, established by Senate Resolution No. 5 of 1996, this committee is authorized to cooperate and work together with the Senate committee.
The committee is to report its findings to the Speaker of the General Assembly as soon as practicable upon completion of its work.
Creates Assembly Special Study Committee on the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996.