SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 714

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 9, 1996

      The Senate State Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate, No. 714.

      This bill provides that a member of a State authority or commission, including an authority or commission created pursuant to statute and having members appointed by the Governor but excluding a body created solely for study, investigative or advisory purposes, shall forfeit the member's position as the result of unexcused absences for three or more consecutive regularly scheduled meetings or twenty-five percent or more of the total number of regularly scheduled meetings held annually.

      To be "officially excused" from a meeting, a member must account in writing for the absence before or within ten working days after the meeting or meetings missed to the presiding member of the authority, and the account must be approved by a majority of the members.

      The bill would not apply to an ex officio member of an authority or commission or to a member of the Legislature, nor would it apply to a member of a State authority or commission who is appointed by an officer or official of the federal government.

      Under current law, no penalties are imposed on a member of an authority or commission for unexcused absences from meetings of the authority or commission.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to provide that it would not apply to any member of a State authority or commission who is appointed by an officer or official of the federal government.