JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7

A Joint Resolution creating a commission to select a proposed design for the State coin which will be part of the federal "50 States Commemorative Coin Program."

Whereas, The "50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act" is currently pending before the United States Congress as H.R. 2414, and provides for the redesign and issuance of quarter dollar coins to commemorate each of the 50 states; and

Whereas, Pursuant to this bill, beginning in January 1999 and for 10 years thereafter, five new quarter dollar coins will be issued annually representing five states, selected in the order in which the states ratified the United States Constitution or were admitted into the Union, as the case may be; and

Whereas, The "50 States Commemorative Coin Program" will promote state pride, help educate the youth of the United States about the history and geography of the individual states and raise as much as five billion dollars in federal government revenue; and

Whereas, It is appropriate to establish a mechanism by which to select a design for New Jersey's coin and present that proposal to the Governor and Legislature for transmittal to the Secretary of the United States Treasury for approval as New Jersey's coin; and

Whereas, It is therefore, fitting and proper, and within the public interest, to create a special commission to select a proposed design for the coin which will be issued to honor New Jersey as part of the federal "50 States Commemorative Coin Program;" now, therefore

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

    1.    There is hereby created a commission to be known as the "New Jersey Commemorative Coin Design Commission." The commission shall consist of fifteen members to be appointed from the general public, as follows: five each by the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the General Assembly. The members shall be residents of the State and have backgrounds in history, art and numismatics. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

    2.    The commission shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members and shall select a chair from among its members and a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission.

    3.    It shall be the duty of the commission to select and submit a proposed design of the New Jersey quarter dollar coin to the Governor and Legislature for transmittal to the Secretary of the United States Treasury.

    4.    The commission is entitled to the assistance and services of the employees of the Office of Legislative Services and any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes, and to employ stenographic and clerical assistants and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform its duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.

    5.    The commission shall select a proposed design within 120 days of its first meeting and submit the proposed design to the Governor and Legislature for transmittal to the Secretary of the United States Treasury.

    6.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

    Approved December 30, 1997.