SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2331

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 15, 1997

      The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2331.

      This bill permits the Waterfront Commission of New York harbor (the "Waterfront Commission") to grant permanent registration in the longshoremen's register to certain checkers, container equipment operators and longshoremen. In order to qualify for this permanent registration, the personnel in question must have been issued registration on a temporary basis to meet special or emergency needs in accordance with a Waterfront Commission resolution of September 4, 1996. This permanent exception to the longshoremen's register provisions of the existing law would facilitate the continued employment of skilled personnel for positions which are difficult to fill from those with permanent registration on the longshoremen's register, which has been "closed" to new permanent registrations for almost 30 years.

      For the provisions of this bill to have the force of law, the State of New York must adopt substantially similar legislation.