CHAPTER 135
An Act concerning the sale of real property by the State and concerning the State House Commission, amending and supplementing P.L.1962, c.220, amending R.S.52:20-1 and R.S.52:20-4, and supplementing chapter 20 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.1962, c.220 (C.52:31-1.3) is amended to read as follows:
C.52:31-1.3 Application, construction of act.
3. (a) The provisions of this act shall apply to real property or interests therein that have a value of $500,000 or less and to easements that have a value of $100,000 or less.
(b) The provisions of this act shall be deemed to be additional and supplemental to any existing authority to sell property of the State and shall not be deemed to be in derogation of such existing authority. Nothing in this act, P.L.1962, c.220 (C.52:31-1.1 et seq.), as amended and supplemented, shall be construed to affect, amend, alter or repeal any provision of any other law relating to the disposition of public lands for recreation and conservation, farmland preservation, or any other public purpose.
2. R.S.52:20-1 is amended to read as follows:
State House Commission, composition, compensation, terms.
52:20-1. The State House Commission shall consist of the Governor, who shall be the presiding officer, the State Treasurer, and the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting or their designees, or the persons upon whom shall devolve by law the powers, duties and emoluments of said offices respectively, for the time being, and two members of the Senate appointed by the President thereof and two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker thereof, no more than one of either group of two being of the same political party or their alternates. Each alternate for an appointed member shall also be a member of the Senate or General Assembly appointed by the President or Speaker, as appropriate, and shall have full voting powers when required to attend commission meetings. The members of the commission shall serve without pay in connection with all such duties as are prescribed in this chapter. The appointed members of the commission shall serve as members thereof for terms co-extensive with their respective terms as members of the Houses of the Legislature from which they were appointed.
C.52:31-1.8 Notification to municipality of State's determination to sell, convey interest in real property.
3. When a determination is made by the head or principal executive of any State department to sell and convey all or any part of the State's interest in any real property held by the department and the improvements thereon or to grant an easement in or across such property, without regard to the value of the property or easement, upon a finding that the department does not require such property or interest for any public purpose and that such sale is in the best interests of the State or that a grant of such easement is in the best interests of the State, the department shall notify in writing the governing body of each municipality in which the property is located that the determination has been made by the department for the sale or conveyance of the State's interest or the grant of an easement. The notice shall be made regardless of the value of the property and also shall state whether approval by the State House Commission is required prior to the sale or conveyance or grant. The notice shall be sent at least 14 days prior to any further action taken by the department after the determination in order to permit a municipal review and formulation of a response, if any. This notification shall apply to all property to be sold or conveyed or for which an easement is to be granted pursuant to the authorization granted by P.L.1962, c.220 (C.52:31-1.1 et seq.) or pursuant to any other statute or authority.
C.52:31-1.3a Approval of State House Commission required for sale, conveyance of real property; exceptions.
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the sale or conveyance by the head or principal executive of any State department of all or part of the State's interest in any real property and the improvements thereon or the grant of an easement in or across such property shall require the approval of the State House Commission without regard to the value of the property or easement or to the means by which the property was acquired by the State, unless the sale or conveyance or grant is a disposition of public lands for recreation and conservation, farmland preservation, or any other public purpose.
5. R.S.52:20-4 is amended to read as follows:
Meetings of commission, copies of minutes.
R.S.52:20-4. All meetings of the commission shall be open to the public and all the business of the commission shall be transacted at public meetings held in the State House at such time and place as the commission shall prescribe. The commission shall meet at least once every three calendar months, but may meet more frequently at such times as determined by the chairperson of the commission.
The secretary shall transmit to each member of the commission a copy of the minutes of each meeting within twenty-four hours after the adjournment thereof. The minutes of the commission shall be open to inspection by any citizen of the State at all times during business hours.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
Approved June 27, 1997.