Bill Text: NJ S1535 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes Interagency Council on Preventing and Reducing Homelessness. *
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-11-10 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [S1535 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S1535-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RONALD L. RICE
District 28 (Essex)
Senator DIANE B. ALLEN
District 7 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Whelan
SYNOPSIS
Establishes Interagency Council on Preventing and Reducing Homelessness.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on June 2, 2011, with amendments.
An Act establishing the 1[New Jersey Task Force on Coordinating and Funding Programs for the Homeless] Interagency Council on Preventing and Reducing Homelessness and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest for State policymakers, providers of services to the homeless, advocacy organizations, and other concerned representatives of the public to engage in an intensive collaborative effort to seek to devise more effective means of coordinating and funding programs to meet the needs of persons within New Jersey who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
2. a. There is established the 1[New Jersey Task Force on Coordinating and Funding Programs for the Homeless] Interagency Council on Preventing and Reducing Homelessness1. The purpose of the 1[task force] council1 shall be to develop recommendations, through an intensive collaborative effort among representatives of State government, providers of services to the homeless, advocacy organizations, and other concerned representatives of the public, to develop, promote, and support efforts for the most effective means of coordinating and funding programs to meet the various needs of persons within this State who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, including, but not limited to, recommendations to improve the coordination of funding for these persons between the relevant departments of State government and the coordination of programs and services for these persons between departments. As part of its deliberations, the 1[task force] council1 shall examine the impact on these persons of the copayment requirement for persons enrolled in the Work First New Jersey program pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.) who are receiving emergency housing assistance, as well as reimbursement for emergency housing providers.
b. The 1[task force] council1 shall consist of 18 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioners of Human Services, Children and Families, Community Affairs, Health and Senior Services, and Labor and Workforce Development, and the Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio; and
(2) 12 public members, who shall be appointed by the Governor no later than the 30th day after the effective date of this act, as follows: six persons who represent emergency and permanent housing providers, two each from the northern, central, and southern regions of the State, respectively; one person upon the recommendation of the County Welfare Directors Association of New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the Municipal Welfare Association of New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of Legal Services of New Jersey; and three persons upon the recommendation of organizations within the State that advocate for individuals with special needs who reside in housing financed through the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.163 (C.34:1B-21.25a).
Vacancies in the membership of the 1[task force] council1 shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.
c. The 1[task force] council1 shall organize no later than 60 days following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the 1[task force] council1.
d. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the 1[task force] council1.
e. The1[task force] council1 shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.
f. The 1[task force may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature] council shall meet at least three times each year1.
g. The Department of Human Services shall provide staff support to the 1[task force] council1.
h. The 1[task force] council1 shall submit to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1):
(1) an interim report of its activities no later than six months after the initial meeting of the 1[task force] council1; and
(2) 1[a final] an annual1 report of its findings and recommendations, along with any legislative bills that it desires to recommend for adoption by the Legislature1[, no later than 12 months after the initial meeting of the task force]1.
3. This act shall take effect immediately 1[and shall expire upon the issuance of the task force report ]1.
