CHAPTER 257

An Act creating the New Jersey Human Relations Council and supplementing chapter 9DD of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes and making an appropriation.

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

C.52:9DD-8 New Jersey Human Relations Council.

    1. a. There is hereby created the New Jersey Human Relations Council, referred to hereinafter as the council, which shall promote prejudice reduction education and address the problem of bias and violent acts based on the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or disability. The council shall be a permanent, independent body in but not of the Department of Law and Public Safety.

    b. The council shall consist of an executive committee which shall include ten public members who shall be representative of the various ethnic; religious; national origin; racial; sexual orientation; gender; and disabilities organizations in this State, of whom four shall be appointed by the Governor, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party; three shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party; and three shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party; two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, no more than one of whom shall be of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, no more than one of whom shall be of the same political party; seven representatives from county human relations commissions representing the diversity of all county human relations commissions from the 21 counties of the State appointed by the Governor; and the following ex officio members: the Attorney General of the State of New Jersey; Commissioner of the Department of Education; the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs; the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections; the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services; the Public Defender; the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts; the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice; the Superintendent of the Division of State Police; the Director of the Division on Civil Rights; the President of the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey; the President of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police; the President of the Bias Crime Officers Association of New Jersey; a county Superintendent of Schools selected by the Commissioner of the Department of Education; the President of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; and the President of the New Jersey Education Association.

    c. Of the public members first appointed to the council, six shall be appointed for a term of three years, two shall be appointed for terms of two years and two shall be appointed for a term of one year. The seven county human relations commissions representatives shall be appointed for terms of two years. The legislative members appointed initially under this act shall serve until the end of the legislative session in which the appointment is made. Thereafter, the legislative members shall be appointed for two-year terms to coincide with the two-year legislative term in which they serve on the council. Thereafter, the public members shall be appointed for terms of three years. Vacancies on the council shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term. A chairperson shall be selected from among the public members of the council. The council shall have the authority to establish subcommittees as it deems appropriate and pursuant to this act. The public members of the council shall adopt bylaws to govern the council and elect officers from among the public members as it deems appropriate and pursuant to this act.

    d. Each ex officio member may designate a person from the member's department or agency to represent the member at hearings of the council. All designees may lawfully vote and otherwise act on behalf of the member for whom they constitute the designee.

C.52:9DD-9 Duties of council.

    2. It shall be the duty of the council:

    a. to develop policy proposals for the State and assist with coordinating efforts to promote prejudice reduction and prevent and deter crimes based upon the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or physical, mental or cognitive disability;

    b. to assist in diffusing tensions in communities affected by such crimes;

    c. to act as a clearinghouse for information and program ideas among the existing county human relations commissions;

    d. to assist the efforts of the county human relations commissions in relieving tensions within the community;

    e. to assist in providing training programs for members of the county human relations commissions and other interested community leaders;

    f. to develop and present a biennial report to the Governor and Legislature on the status of bias and violence based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or physical, mental or cognitive disability;

    g. to establish and maintain a listing of conflict resolution programs and experts to be available as a resource for communities in time of crisis;

    h. to develop in conjunction with law enforcement agencies, including the Office of Bias Crimes and Community Relations in the Division of Criminal Justice, and the educational community cultural diversity training for law enforcement personnel;

    i. to develop in conjunction with the Department of Education and the educational, civil rights and human relations communities educational programs intended to educate, encourage, develop, promote and strengthen respect for human rights and cultural diversity and prevent and combat racism, intolerance and bigotry;

    j. to assist local communities in establishing local human relations commissions;

    k. to assess changes in local demographics and assist communities in adapting to minority population shifts;

    l. to assist State, county and local government agencies with multi-cultural awareness programs;

    m. to require that the representatives from the county human relations commissions report back to the counties regarding the work and activities of the State council;

    n. to provide conciliation assistance and conduct all activities in confidence and without publicity; and

    o. to make recommendations to governmental entities for the development of policies and procedures in general and for programs of formal and informal education that will aid in eliminating all types of discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or physical, mental or cognitive disability.

C.52:9DD-10 Confidentiality.

    3. The council shall hold confidential any information acquired during the course of mediation or dispute resolution.

C.52:9DD-11 Powers of council.

    4. The council shall have the following powers:

    a. to conduct public hearings throughout the State;

    b. to establish subcommittees;

    c. to perform fact finding functions and prepare reports on particular issues regarding race; color; religion; sexual orientation; ethnicity; gender; or physical, mental or cognitive disability; and

    d. to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of any official of this State and its political subdivisions and their departments, boards, bureaus, commissions and agencies as it may require and may expend any funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it.

C.52:9DD-12 Meetings of council.

    5. The council shall meet at least quarterly and hold hearings at such place or places it shall deem necessary.

C.52:9DD-13 Appropriations.

    6. The Legislature shall annually appropriate such sums as are necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    7. This act shall take effect immediately.

    Approved September 23, 1997.