Bill Text: NJ A2469 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes "Blue Ribbon Panel to Review New Jersey's Inmate Policy." *
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-11-03 - Approved P.L.2010, c.86. [A2469 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-A2469-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN
District 15 (Mercer)
Assemblywoman LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman ALBERT COUTINHO
District 29 (Essex and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Blue Ribbon Panel to Review New Jersey's Inmate Policy."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on March 8, 2010, with amendments.
An Act establishing the "Blue Ribbon Panel to Review New Jersey's Inmate 1[Population] Policy1" and repealing section 11of P.L.2009, c.329.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. There is hereby established the "Blue Ribbon Panel to Review New Jersey's Inmate 1[Population] Policy1."
(1) The panel shall be comprised of six members who are residents of this State and who shall have served as judges, prosecutors or public defenders, but are not currently serving as judges, prosecutors, or public defenders. The members of the panel shall be appointed by the Governor, without regard to the appointees' political affiliations, and shall serve during the existence of the panel. Vacancies shall be filled by the Governor. The members shall be subject to removal by the Governor at any time for good and sufficient cause.
(2) The panel shall organize as soon as possible after the appointment of its members. The members shall elect one of the members to serve as chair and vice-chair and the chair may appoint a secretary, who need not be a member of the panel.
(3) The members of the panel shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.
(4) The panel shall be entitled to accept the assistance and services of such employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as may be made available to it and to employ such legal, stenographic, technical, and clerical assistance and incur such expenses as may be necessary in order to perform its duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
b. It shall be the duty of the panel to comprehensively review and analyze data on the characteristics of the inmate population in this State's correctional facilities. These characteristics shall include, but not be limited to age, 1, infirmity,1 ethnicity, gender, health treatment 1and mental health treatment1 received, offense committed, race, participation in educational and vocational programs, term of incarceration, and any other characteristic identified by the panel. Data may be obtained from any source deemed appropriate by the panel, including the Department of Corrections, the State Parole Board, or any other State department, board, bureau, commission, or agency, or any other governmental or nongovernmental entity.
c. The panel shall report any legislative or other recommendations concerning correctional policy based on the review and analysis of the inmate population data pursuant to subsection b. of this section to the Legislature and the Governor within two years of the date of appointment of its members. The panel shall expire after its report is issued.
2. Section 11 of P.L.2009, c.329 (C. ) is repealed.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
