SENATE, No. 956

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 18, 1996

By Senator KOSCO

AN ACT appropriating funds from the Correctional Facilities Construction Fund of 1987 for county assistance for certain correctional facilities.

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

    1. a. There is appropriated to the Department of Corrections from the "Correctional Facilities Construction Fund of 1987" created pursuant to the "Correctional Facilities Construction Bond Act of 1987," P.L.1987, c.178, the sum of $6,266,135.00 for the following purpose:

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

    County Assistance Program

            Bergen County (75 State Beds).......$6,266,135

                        Total Appropriation.........................$6,266,135

    b. The Commissioner of the Department of Corrections is authorized to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the appropriate county officials regarding the terms and conditions upon which the county assistance shall be made. At a minimum, however, the terms and conditions shall include:

    (1) The availability and use of a specific number of beds to be reserved for prisoners remanded by the State; and

    (2) Per diem rates favorable to the State in recognition of its contribution to the construction costs of the facility.

    2. There is also appropriated from "Correctional Facilities Construction Fund of 1987" such items as may be necessary to meet for advertising, engraving, printing, clerical, legal or other services necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon them by the provisions of the act.

    3. In order to provide flexibility in administering the provisions of this act, the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections may apply to the Director of the Division of budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury for permission to transfer a part of any item to any other item within the respective department accounts in the Correctional Facilities Construction Fund. The transfers shall be made in a manner consistent with Section 29 of P.L.1987, c.178.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill appropriates $6,266,135.00 from the "Correctional Facilities Construction Fund of 1987" to the Department of Corrections to supplement funding in the amount of $1,686,650 appropriated under P.L.1991, c.282 for the construction of 75 beds in Bergen County under the County Assistance program. Also, the bill directs the Commissioner of Corrections to enter into an agreement with county officials regarding the terms and conditions upon which the county assistance will be provided and specifies that the terms and conditions shall include (1) the availability and use of a specific number of beds for prisoners remanded by the State, and (2) per diem rates favorable to the State in recognition of the State's contribution to the construction costs of the facility. The bill also appropriates such funds as may be necessary to pay the costs of issuing bonds.

Appropriates $6,266,135.00 to the Department of Corrections from the 1987 Bond Act for 75 State beds in Bergen County.