Bill Text: NJ A5902 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires study by Executive Branch on advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions, and boards.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-12-28 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A5902 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5902-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman GABRIELA M. MOSQUERA
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires study by Executive Branch on advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions, and boards.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring a study by the Executive Branch on all advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions, and boards.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purpose of this section,
"State agency" means any division, board, bureau, office, commission, or any other such entity in a principal department in the Executive Branch of State government.
b. Each executive head of a State department shall undertake a study of all advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions and boards established within a State agency in their respective department. The study shall determine the necessity of the advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions and, if deemed necessary, whether the task force, committee, commission, or board is being properly supported and effective in its designated mission. The study shall review, but need not be limited to, the:
(1) purpose of the task force, committee, commission, or board;
(2) frequency of meetings;
(3) current level of funding and number of support staff; and
(4) recent findings, studies, or reports of the task force, committee, commission, or board.
c. Each executive head of a State department shall complete this study within six months of the effective date of this section.
d. Upon completing the study, each executive head of a State department shall submit their report to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall review and collate all reports into one final report. The Secretary of State shall send the final report to the Governor and the Legislature in accordance with section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a study by the Executive Branch on all advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions, and boards. Each executive head of a State department will complete a study within six months of all advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions and boards established within an agency in their respective department. The study will determine the necessity of the advisory or study task forces, committees, commissions, and boards within the department and, if deemed necessary, whether the task force, committee, commission, or board is being properly supported and effective in its designated mission. Upon completing the study, each executive head of a State department will send their report to the Secretary of State, who will review and collate the findings into a single report. The Secretary of State will send the final report to the Legislature and the Governor.
The Center for American Woman and Politics (CAWP) published their 2023 report and found that New Jersey has 473 task forces, committees, commissions, and boards listed on the State's internet site. CAWP determined that over 90 of these organizations are inactive, yet are not clearly described as such. By requiring a study to be conducted by the Executive Branch on the necessity and effectiveness of the task forces, committees, commissions, and boards, the State can eliminate those that no longer play an active role.
