Bill Text: NJ SR60 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges expeditious implementation of Executive Order No. 17, which created NJ Privatization Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-10 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [SR60 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-SR60-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH M. KYRILLOS, JR.
District 13 (Middlesex and Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Urges expeditious implementation of Executive Order No. 17, which created NJ Privatization Task Force.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging expeditious implementation of Executive Order No. 17, and recommending that the New Jersey Privatization Task Force consult with the Legislature.
Whereas, On March 11, 2010, Governor Chris Christie issued Executive Order No. 17, which created the New Jersey Privatization Task Force; and
Whereas, In accordance with Governor Christie's Executive Order, the task force is required to conduct an investigation and to report to the Governor and the Legislature by May 31, 2010, regarding the savings that may be achieved through privatization of certain functions currently being performed by government; and
Whereas, The task force is, in particular, required to determine and identify the specific government functions that are or may be appropriate for privatization, the current legal and practical impediments to privatization, and any potential methods for ensuring that the scope and quality of services are not inappropriately diminished as a result of privatization efforts; and
Whereas, Executive Order No. 17 is consistent with recommendations made by the Governor's Transition Subcommittee on Economic Development and Job Growth, which concluded, in its report to the Governor, that certain permit processing activities currently undertaken by the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Community Affairs, could be privatized without any increase in State costs or State taxes, and that such privatization would allow for the use of expert private sector resources, would eliminate permitting backlogs, and would balance the supply and demand of permitting resources over the long-term; and
Whereas, According to the transition report, a growing number of other states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maryland, have successfully harnessed the resources and expertise of their engineering and other licensed professionals to effectively privatize certain permit processing activities; and
Whereas, The increased privatization of certain government functions in New Jersey is a reasonable and necessary strategy to help ensure the State's future financial security and success, and, in issuing Executive Order No. 17, the Governor has taken a positive and constructive step toward creating a more efficient, more cost-effective, and more stream-lined system of government; and
Whereas, Because the State's finances are currently in dire straights, it is imperative that the task force work diligently and efficiently to provide privatization recommendations to the Governor as soon as possible, in accordance with the mandates of Executive Order No. 17; and
Whereas, The task force may be able to more expeditiously fulfill its duties under Executive Order No. 17 by consulting with the Legislature in the formulation of its privatization recommendations, as the Legislature has practical experience with privatization reform and would be able to provide insight as to the various governmental functions that may be amenable to privatization efforts, as well as the various safeguards that may be employed in order to both ensure the quality and reliability of the privatization process and guard against potential conflicts of interest; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House supports Governor Chris Christie's issuance of Executive Order No. 17, urges the New Jersey Privatization Task Force to work diligently, efficiently, and as quickly as possible in fulfilling its duties under that Executive Order, and encourages the task force to consult with and seek assistance from the Legislature in determining appropriate privatization recommendations in a time-sensitive fashion.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to Governor Chris Christie, and to the Chairperson of the New Jersey Privatization Task Force.
STATEMENT
This resolution expresses support for Governor Chris Christie's issuance of Executive Order No. 17, which established the New Jersey Privatization Task Force, and which requires the task force to conduct an investigation and to report to the Governor and the Legislature by May 31, 2010, regarding the savings that may be achieved through privatization of certain functions currently being performed by government. The resolution urges the New Jersey Privatization Task Force to provide recommendations to the Governor as soon as possible in accordance with the mandates of the Executive Order, and it encourages the task force to utilize the Legislature as a resource in formulating its recommendations to the Governor, in order to expedite the process.
