SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 623

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: FEBRUARY 15, 1996

      The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 623.

      This bill provides that any person or corporation in the business of rendering services including the completion of forms and applications, for a fee to another person in furtherance of that person's desire to determine or modify his status in an immigration or naturalization matter who is not licensed as an attorney is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree if he engages in the practice of law; holds himself out to the public as engaging in or entitled to engage in the practice of law or to render legal service or advice in any immigration or naturalization matter; or uses or advertise the title of lawyer or attorney at law. Nothing in the bill is intended to be construed to prohibit persons accredited by federal law to act as immigration representatives from providing immigration services.

       The amendments adopted by the committee modify the bill so the bill would be a supplement to Title 2C, the criminal code, rather that Title 2A. The amendments also delete reference to corporations in the bill since Title 2C already defines "person" to include corporations.