Bill Text: NJ A2163 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the New Jersey Task Force on Domestic Violence and Abuse.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-09-15 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [A2163 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A2163-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes the New Jersey Task Force on Domestic Violence and Abuse.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act creating the New Jersey Domestic Abuse Task Force.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established the "New Jersey Task Force on Domestic Violence and Abuse." The purpose of the task force is to study current law and policies concerning domestic violence and abuse, including related statutes, to identify problems and make recommendations for legislation and strategies to create more effective and efficient policies in the State.
2. a. The task force shall consist of 16 members as follows: the Commissioners of Children and Families, Human Services, and Corrections, the Attorney General, the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Public Defender, or their designees, as ex officio members; two members of the Senate and the General Assembly, respectively, no more than one of whom in each case shall be of the same political party; and six public members, two of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, two of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and two of whom shall be appointed by the Governor.
b. The public members shall include experienced domestic violence and abuse professionals and interested laypersons, including a self-advocate.
c. The task force shall be co-chaired; one co-chair shall be the Commissioner of Children and Families or the commissioner's designee and the other shall be appointed by the Governor from among the public members and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
3. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments. The members of the task force shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for traveling and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the task force for its purposes.
4. The Department of Children and Families shall provide professional and clerical staff to the task force as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
5. a. The task force shall be entitled to call upon the services of any State, county, or municipal department, board, commission, or agency, as may be available to it for these purposes, and to incur such traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary for the proper execution of its duties and as may be within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for these purposes.
b. The task force shall consult with associations, organizations, and individuals knowledgeable about the domestic violence and abuse issues, including, but not limited to, the New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women and the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office.
6. The task force may meet and hold hearings at such places as it shall designate during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.
7. The task force may solicit, receive, disburse, and monitor grants and other funds made available from any governmental, public, private, not for profit, or for profit agency, including funds made available under any federal or State law, regulation, or program.
8. The task force shall present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than 18 months after the organization of the task force. The task force shall dissolve three months after presenting the report.
9. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would create a 16 member task force to review current law, practices, and procedures in New Jersey concerning domestic violence and abuse.
The task force would include the Commissioners of Children and Families, Human Services, and Corrections, the Attorney General, the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Public Defender, or their designees, as ex officio members; four members of the Legislature, no more than two of whom shall be from the same party; and six public members, two to be appointed by the President of the Senate, two to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and two to be appointed by the Governor.
This bill directs the task force to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature, no later than 18 months after the organization of the task force, with recommendations for legislation and strategies to create more effective and efficient policies related to domestic violence and abuse issues.
