Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman LINDA STENDER
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Department of State to establish and maintain a website to provide a clearinghouse of information for nonprofits.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring the Department of State to establish and maintain a website to provide a clearinghouse of information for nonprofit organizations and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of State, in consultation with the Office of Information Technology, shall establish and maintain a website to serve as an information clearinghouse for nonprofit organizations interested in obtaining information regarding various resources available to assist them in their daily operations. The information featured on the website shall be updated monthly and include, but not be limited to, information regarding: (1) available funding sources offered by various departments and State agencies; (2) incorporation; (3) board development; (4) volunteer opportunities; and (5) any other information the Secretary of State and the Chief Technology Officer of the Office of Information Technology deem necessary. The website shall be accessible from the State's designated home webpage.
b. The website shall contain links to all of the departments and agencies in the State that provide information and resources to nonprofit organizations. This information shall be categorized by topic, and each sub-topic shall feature corresponding hyperlinks for the departments and agencies that provide those services.
2. The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer, shall: identify information needed for the new website; create a standard template for collecting required information; and establish a timeline for data to be submitted by the departments to the Secretary of State.
3. All Executive Branch departments and State agencies are directed to cooperate fully with the Office of the Secretary of State to implement the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the New Jersey Department of State, in consultation with the Office of Information Technology, to establish and maintain a website to provide a clearinghouse of information for nonprofit organizations that provide services in New Jersey. Currently, to acquire information regarding existing resources that are being offered by various Executive departments and State agencies, nonprofits must visit each department's and agency's website, respectively, to obtain that information.
The purpose of the website is to provide a one stop location where nonprofits can obtain information and links to various State agencies and departments that provide information and resources (i.e., funding, information regarding incorporation, board development, volunteer opportunities, etc.) to nonprofit organizations without having to visit multiple department and agency websites to obtain that information. All of this information will be contained on one website, which shall be accessible from the State's designated home webpage. Currently, the State's home webpage is (www.nj.gov).
This bill requires the departments and agencies featured on the Department of State's website to update the information provided on their respective websites on a monthly basis to ensure visitors receive the most current information regarding the types of resources offered by each department and agency.
This bill requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Chief Technology Officer of the Office of Information Technology, to: identify information needed for the new website; create a standard template for collecting required information; and establish a timeline for data to be submitted by the departments to the Secretary of State.