Bill Text: NJ A631 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A631 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A631-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DIANNE C. GOVE
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Assemblyman BRIAN E. RUMPF
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Assemblyman SCOTT RUDDER
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Ramos, Milam, O'Scanlon and Assemblywoman Tucker
SYNOPSIS
Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing a task force on issues and concerns of returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is established in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs a task force to consist of the following 11 members: the Commissioners of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, Health and Senior Services and Human Services, or their designees, serving as ex officio members; the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, or a designee, serving as an ex officio member; and the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Adjutant General shall appoint five public members, with at least three persons with knowledge or experience in one of the following areas: demobilization and post deployment; post traumatic stress disorder, family readiness groups or family assistance centers; employer support groups; veterans service officers; issues relevant to women in the military and veteran homeless shelters.
2. All appointments to the task force shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. The public members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force.
3. The task force shall organize as soon as may be practicable after the appointment of its members and shall choose a chairperson from among its members. The task force shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.
4. The task force shall meet at the call of the chairperson. The task force shall hold at least three public hearings in different parts of the State and elicit testimony from the public at such times and places as the chair shall designate. A meeting of the task force shall be called at the request of six of the task force's members and six members of the task force shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
5. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs shall provide such clerical and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff, as the task force requires to carry out its work.
6. It shall be the duty of the task force to identify and review the issues and concerns facing members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard returning from overseas deployments involving the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and recommend the measures the State should take to address and remedy the issues and concerns, including legislation if appropriate. For its deliberations, the task force shall:
a. examine current data, research, programs, and initiatives related to the physical, social, emotional and mental impact of military service upon servicemembers and their families;
b. identify effective strategies for promoting lifelong physical, social, emotional and mental health of servicemembers and their families; and
c. develop recommendations to implement those strategies, including legislation if appropriate.
7. The task force shall issue a final report containing its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation that it deems appropriate, no later than six months after the task force organizes.
8. This act shall take effect immediately and the task force shall expire 30 days after issuance of its final report.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a task force in the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to address issues facing members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard returning from overseas deployments involving the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and make recommendations on how the State should address those issues. The task force will consist of the following 11 members: the Commissioners of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, Health and Senior Services, and Human Services, or their designees; the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, or a designee; and the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Adjutant General will appoint five public members, with at least three persons with knowledge or experience in one of the following areas: demobilization and post deployment; post traumatic stress disorder, family readiness groups or family assistance centers; employer support groups; veterans service officers; issues relevant to women in the military and veteran homeless shelters.
It will be the duty of the task force to identify and review the issues and concerns facing servicemembers returning from overseas deployments, and recommend the measures the State should take to address and remedy the issues and concerns, including legislation if appropriate.
The task force will issue a final report containing its findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation that it deems appropriate, no later than six months after the task force organizes.
