Bill Text: NJ A4295 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes New Jersey India Commission.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-09-19 - Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee [A4295 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4295-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman STERLEY S. STANLEY
District 18 (Middlesex)
Assemblyman ROBERT J. KARABINCHAK
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes New Jersey-India Commission.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly State and Local Government Committee on September 19, 2024, with amendments.
An Act establishing a New Jersey-India Commission and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. New Jersey is home to a community of approximately 400,000 Indian-Americans who are vital participants in the economic, academic, civic, and social life of the State;
b. India is the most populous country in the world and has one of the world's fastest-growing economies;
c. New Jersey maintains close ties with India culturally and economically, as India is New Jersey's second-largest foreign direct investor and more New Jersey residents who are immigrants hail from India than from any other country;
d. In September 2019, Governor Murphy lead a seven-day, six-city trade mission to India, with the goal of strengthening economic, cultural, and educational ties between New Jersey and India, and cultivating international investment in our State;
e. In the immediate aftermath of that trade mission, New Jersey secured over 1,200 new jobs from the expansion of three Indian companies with a presence in the State;
f. Continuing to attract international trade and investment opportunities between India and New Jersey is critical to building long-term, sustainable economic growth; 1[and]1
g. 1[The establishment of a New Jersey-India Commission will enhance New Jersey's ability to foster trade, investment, and cultural and educational exchanges between India and the State.] To enhance New Jersey's ability to foster trade, investment, and cultural and educational exchanges between India and the State, Governor Philip D. Murphy issued Executive Order No. 354 on February 6, 2024, establishing the New Jersey-India Commission; and
h. To ensure the New Jersey-India Commission continues to foster a spirit of cooperation between the people of India and the people of New Jersey, it is critical that the New Jersey-India Commission be maintained on a permanent basis.1
1[2. There is established in, but not of the Department of State, the New Jersey-India Commission. The commission shall consist of no less than 35 and no more than 45 members, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
The Commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members, and shall convene as soon and as often as requested by the Governor or chairperson. The Governor shall select a chairperson from among the members of the commission, who shall also serve at the pleasure of the Governor. All members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
To the extent necessary, the Department of State shall provide professional and clerical staff to the commission, which may include an employee of the Department of State who is designated to serve as the Executive Director of the commission.]1
12. a. The New Jersey-India Commission created by Executive Order No. 354 (2024), together with its functions, powers, and duties is hereby continued and established as a permanent commission in the Department of State in accordance with the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
b. Upon the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and through December 31, 2027, the commission shall consist of no less than 35 and no more than 45 members, who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor. All members previously appointed by the Governor to the commission established through Executive Order No. 354 (2024), including the member appointed as chairperson, shall serve in the same capacity at the pleasure of the Governor on the commission continued by P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) until December 31, 2027, on which date the appointments of all the members shall expire. A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment is made.
c. On January 1, 2028 and thereafter, the membership of the commission shall consist of no less than 35 and no more than 45 members to be appointed by the Governor, as follows:
(1) eight members of the commission shall be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Legislature as follows:
(a) four members shall be recommended by the Speaker of the General Assembly and shall either be members of the General Assembly or shall be recommended designees who have current or past involvement in organizations that promote Indian affairs provided, however, that no more than two of such recommendations shall be of the same political party; and
(b) four members shall be recommended by the President of the Senate and shall either be members of the Senate or shall be recommended designees who have current or past involvement in organizations that promote Indian affairs provided, however, that no more than two of such recommendations shall be of the same political party.
(c) All legislative members shall serve during the two-year legislative term in which the appointment is made.
(2) The remaining members of the commission shall be members of the public, to be appointed by the Governor to serve for a term of three years.
(3) A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment is made.
d. All members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties, within the limit of any funds appropriated to the commission or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
e. The commission shall meet and hold hearings at the places it designates throughout the State.1
13. a. Notwithstanding the initial chairperson appointed pursuant to Executive Order No. 354 (2024), whose position is continued in accordance with subsection b. of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the Governor shall have the authority to select a chairperson or co-chairpersons from among the members of the commission, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
b. The commission may establish one or more subcommittees as the commission deems necessary to further the purposes of the commission. The chairperson or co-chairpersons, as applicable, shall appoint from among the commission members any chairpersons as may be required to chair any subcommittees established by the commission.1
1[3.] 4.1 The purpose of the commission shall be to:
(a) advance bilateral trade and investment between New Jersey and India;
(b) encourage mutual economic support between New Jersey and India;
(c) encourage mutual investment in the infrastructure and economies of New Jersey and India;
(d) promote cultural and educational exchanges between New Jersey and India, including in areas of research, science, and technology;
(e) study and initiate joint action on policy issues of mutual interest to New Jersey and India; and
(f) address similar issues as determined by the commission.
1[4. The commission is authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of the State to supply it with data or other information or assistance available to such agency as the commission deems necessary to discharge its duties. Each executive branch department and agency is hereby required, to the extent not inconsistent with law, to cooperate fully with the commission and to furnish the commission with such assistance on as timely a basis as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of the commission.]1
1[5. The commission shall be purely advisory in nature and shall provide advice to the Governor and other executive branch departments and agencies as appropriate.
Nothing in this act, P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall be construed to supersede any federal, State, or local law.]1
15. The commission shall be authorized to raise funds, through direct solicitation or other fundraising events, alone or with other groups, and accept gifts, grants, and bequests from individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental agencies, and public and private organizations and institutions, to defray the commission's administrative expenses and to carry out its purposes as set forth in P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The funds, gifts, grants, or bequests received pursuant to this section shall be deposited in an account in the Department of the Treasury and allocated and annually appropriated to the Department of State to defray the commission's administrative expenses and carry out its purposes.1
6. The commission shall provide 1[an annual] a biennial1 report to the Governor and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). 1The first biennial report shall be provided within one year of the effective date of this act, and each subsequent biennial report shall be provided by the same date every two years.1 The report shall be 1[posted on the website of the Department of State] in writing and include recommendations as deemed appropriate by the commission to effectuate its purpose, as provided by this act.1
17. All other provisions of Executive Order No. 354 (2024) that are not inconsistent with P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall remain in full force and effect.1
1[7.] 8.1 This act shall take effect immediately.
