Bill Text: NJ A3408 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates "Expungement Waiting Period Reduction Study Commission."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-10-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A3408 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A3408-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GILBERT "WHIP" L. WILSON
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Creates "Expungement Waiting Period Reduction Study Commission."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the "Expungement Waiting Period Reduction Study Commission."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is hereby established the "Expungement Waiting Period Reduction Study Commission."
a. (1) The commission shall consist of 13 members, to be appointed as follows:
(a) The Attorney General or his designee;
(b) The Commissioner of Corrections or his designee;
(c) The Commissioner of Education or his designee;
(d) Two members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall each be of different political parties;
(e) Two members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall each be of different political parties;
(f) The Chairman of the State Parole Board or his designee;
(g) The Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission or his designee;
(h) The New Jersey Public Defender or his designee;
(i) One representative from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; and
(j) Two public members, who by experience or training have expertise in issues facing persons with criminal conviction, to be appointed by the Governor.
(2) The Governor shall designate one member as chairman and two members as vice-chairmen of the commission from among the members listed in this subsection.
(3) The commission shall organize as soon as practical after the appointment of its members.
(4) Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner provided for in the original appointments. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the commission for its purposes.
b. The commission shall study the topic of whether the waiting periods for the expungement of criminal records should be reduced. The commission shall include as part of its study an examination of the impact of a criminal conviction on various aspects of life for a convicted persons including, but not limited to, employment, licensing, housing and education.
c. The commission may meet at the call of its chair and hold hearings at the times and in the places it may deem appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge. The commission 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.
d. Within 18 months after organizing, the commission shall submit a final report to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) along with any recommendations it deems appropriate, including any legislative proposals it may wish to make. The commission shall expire on the 30th day after the date of the issuance of its final report.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a study commission to be known as the "Expungement Waiting Period Reduction Study Commission." The commission shall consist of 13 members: the Attorney General or his designee; the Commissioner of Corrections or his designee; the Commissioner of Education or his designee; two members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall each be of different political parties; two members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall each be of different political parties; the Chairman of the State Parole Board or his designee; the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission or his designee; the New Jersey Public Defender or his designee; one representative from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; and two public members, who by experience or training have expertise in issues facing persons with criminal conviction, to be appointed by the Governor.
The Governor shall designate one member as chairman and two members as vice-chairmen of the commission from among the members listed in this subsection. The commission shall organize as soon as practical after the appointment of its members. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner provided for in the original appointments. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the commission for its purposes.
The commission shall study the topic of whether the waiting periods for expungement of criminal records should be reduced. To this end the commission shall include as part of its study an examination of the impact of a criminal conviction on various aspects of life for a convicted persons including, but not limited to, employment, licensing, housing and education.
The commission may meet at the call of its chair and hold hearings at the times and in the places it may deem appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge. The commission 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.
Within 18 months after organizing, the commission shall submit a final report to the Governor and the Legislature, and shall expire on the 30th day after the date of the issuance of its final report.
