Bill Text: NJ A6023 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the "COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission."
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-11-15 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A6023 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A6023-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman JOSEPH V. EGAN
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes the "COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the "COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has exacted a terrible toll on the global community, the country, and this State. This global pandemic has claimed over a million lives worldwide, including many lives of frontline healthcare workers that have displayed tremendous courage and dedication in their efforts to treat patients affected by the coronavirus disease 2019. Many of these healthcare workers, from all different healthcare fields including those working in police and fire departments, rose above their usual scope of duties to combat the surging cases of coronavirus disease 2019, often with limited healthcare resources. As one of the early epicenters of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, it is important for this State to memorialize the tragic consequences of the pandemic and recognize the immense loss of life suffered by this State.
The Legislature therefore determines that it is fitting proper and fitting to establish a commission to be known as the COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission to design and oversee the construction of a memorial dedicated to the frontline healthcare workers that have lost their lives treating patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
2. a. There is established, in but not of the Department of State, a commission known as the "COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission," for the purposes of honoring and recognizing the frontline healthcare workers that lost their lives in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
b. The commission shall consist of nine public members, who shall be residents of the State and representative of frontline healthcare workers, including frontline healthcare workers in police and fire departments. The Speaker of the General Assembly, the Senate President, and the Governor shall each appoint three public members of the commission.
c. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments are made.
d. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
e. The commission shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of a majority of its members and shall elect from among its members a chairperson. The presence of five members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
f. The commission will meet regularly as the commission determines, or at the call of the chairperson or a majority of commission's membership.
g. All meetings of the commission shall be open to the public. Agendas, minutes, documents, and testimony from all meetings shall be posted on the State's website.
h. The commission also may request the assistance and services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, task force or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
3. a. The commission shall select a suitable design and location for the construction of a memorial dedicated to the frontline healthcare workers that lost their lives in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and shall determine appropriate methods of financing the construction and maintenance of the memorial. Following the selection of a design and specific location for the memorial and the receipt of sufficient funding, the commission shall oversee the construction of the memorial.
b. The commission may initiate fund raising measures and may receive monetary donations for the design, construction, and maintenance of the memorial. Any money received by the commission for these purposes shall be deposited in the fund established by section 4 of this act. Not later than 18 months following the effective date of this act, the commission shall prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), a final report, which shall include the final design selected for the memorial, the exact location selected for the memorial, and the amount of funding necessary for construction and maintenance of the memorial.
4. There is established in the Department of the Treasury a non-lapsing fund to be known as the "COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Fund." The fund shall be credited with any moneys received by the COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission as donations pursuant to subsection b. of section 3 of this act and any moneys as may thereafter be donated or appropriated to the fund. All interested earned on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The moneys in the fund shall be administered by the State Treasurer and held in the fund until appropriated by law. No later than one year, following the effective date of this act, and annually thereafter, the State Treasurer shall certify to the Legislature and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection the total amount of moneys in the fund.
5. The act shall take
effect immediately and shall expire on the first day of the sixth month
following the completion of the memorial, except for section 4, which shall
remain in effect.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish a commission, in but not of the Department of State, to be known as the COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Commission. The commission would be charged with designing and overseeing the construction of a memorial for the purposes of honoring and recognizing the frontline healthcare workers that lost their lives in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The commission would consist of nine public members who are residents of the State and representative of frontline healthcare workers, including frontline healthcare workers in police and fire departments. The Speaker of the General Assembly, the Senate President, and the Governor will each appoint three public members of the commission.
The commission would be responsible for selecting a suitable design and suitable location for the memorial, and for determining appropriate methods of financing its construction and maintenance. Following the selection of a design and specific location for the memorial and the receipt of sufficient funding, the commission would be responsible for overseeing the construction of the memorial.
The bill would also create a permanent COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial Fund in the Department of Treasury. This fund would be the repository for any donations or appropriations provided for the design, construction, and maintenance of the COVID-19 Frontline Healthcare Worker Memorial.
