ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4004

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 13, 2021

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4004.

      The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, with its Center for American Women and Politics and Center for Public Interest Polling, will establish and maintain two databases that contain for every person appointed to a State board, commission, authority, or other multi-member entity, and for every person elected to a public office in this State, the name of the individual, the title of the office held, the term of office, the race and the gender identity or expression of that individual, and the appointing authority.  The bill will not apply to school boards. 

      The bill also permits the Institute to survey individuals currently serving in an appointed position or elected office for addition to its database.

      As reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 4004 is identical to, Assembly Bill No. 5950 which also was reported by the committee on this date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that this bill may increase State costs to the extent that State funds may be provided to the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, for the establishment and maintenance of the two databases required under the bill.

      The OLS notes that P.L.2021, c.133, the annual State appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2021, allocated $350,000 for “Center for Woman and Politics – Women Elected and Appointed Officials Database.  The extent to which the databases required under the bill differ from the database or databases to be supported by the State appropriation is unclear.