Bill Text: NJ S2591 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires OLS to provide certain notices and reports to legislators and legislative staff by electronic means only.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-26 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S2591 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-S2591-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Requires OLS to provide certain notices and reports to legislators and legislative staff by electronic means only.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain notices and reports provided by the Office of Legislative Services to members of the Legislature and legislative staff, and amending P.L.1979, c.8.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 5 of P.L.1979, c.8 (C.52:11-58) is amended to read as follows:
5. Organization of the Office of Legislative Services. a. The Office of Legislative Services shall be governed by the commission and shall consist of such subordinate units as the commission shall direct and such officers, employees and consultants as may, from time to time within the availability of funds, be appointed or employed by direction of the commission.
b. In addition to the duties imposed upon the Executive Director, the Legislative Counsel, the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer, the State Auditor and the Director of Public Information by law, it shall be the duty of the Office of Legislative Services to:
(1) Provide, upon request, legal, fiscal, research, information and administrative services and assistance for the Legislature, its officers, committees, commissions, members and staff.
(2) Assist in the preparation or review of drafts of bills, resolutions and amendments thereof proposed for introduction in the Legislature or other legislative documents for and upon the request of any member, committee, commission or staff of the Legislature.
(3) Provide nonpartisan staff for the standing reference committees and other committees and commissions of the Legislature, except those which by law, rule or resolution of either House or direction of the Legislative Services Commission are independent of the office.
(4) Collect, prepare and disseminate to the Legislature, its officers, committees, commissions, members and staff, such information, reports, publications and documents as shall be of concern or interest to or have an impact upon the Legislature or the legislative process.
(5) Provide such other services as the commission may direct.
c. An officer or employee
of the Office of Legislative Services whose duties or responsibilities involve
the transmission of a notice or report of a meeting, hearing, proceeding, or
activity of the Senate or General Assembly, or a standing reference committee,
joint committee, special committee, task force, or commission thereof, shall
transmit such a notice or report only by electronic means when
the transmission is to a member of the Legislature, an officer or employee of
the Senate or General Assembly, an employee of a member of the Legislature, or
an officer or employee of the Office of the Legislative Services. For the
purpose of this subsection, transmission of a report includes the transmission
of any written testimony or document submitted to the Senate or General
Assembly, or a standing reference committee, joint committee, special
committee, task force, or commission thereof, for its consideration during a
meeting, hearing, proceeding, or activity. Transmission by means other than
electronic means may be required, or may be permitted upon the request of a
legislator, officer, or employee, by the Rules of the Senate or the General
Assembly, a written directive of the Executive Director of the Office of
Legislative Services, or a directive adopted by the Legislative Services
Commission. The Executive Director when issuing the directive or the
Legislative Services Commission when adopting the directive shall state the
reason for the issuance or adoption and the need for the transmission by other
means.
The requirement of this subsection for electronic transmission shall not apply to the officers or employees of the office of the State Auditor or to the Legislative Counsel for services performed for the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, nor shall it apply to notices or reports submitted to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the General Assembly.
(cf: P.L.1985, c.162, s.3)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Office of Legislative Services to transmit only by electronic means certain notices and reports when transmission is to a member of the Legislature, an officer or employee of the Senate or General Assembly of the Legislature, an employee of a member of the Legislature, or an officer or employee of the Office of Legislative Services. The requirement would apply to any notice or report of a meeting, hearing, proceeding, or activity of the Senate or General Assembly, or a standing reference committee, joint committee, special committee, task force, or commission thereof. Transmission by other means may be required, or permitted upon request, by the Rules of the Senate or the General Assembly, a written directive of the Executive Director of the Office of Legislative Services, or a directive adopted by the Legislative Services Commission. If transmission by other means is required or permitted by a directive, the Executive Director when issuing the directive or the Legislative Services Commission when adopting the directive, would have to state the reason for the issuance or adoption and the need for the transmission by other means.
The requirement for electronic transmission would not apply to the office of the State Auditor or to the Legislative Counsel for services performed for the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, nor to notices or reports submitted to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the General Assembly.
