AJR20

A Joint Resolution to establish the “State Property Leasing Study Commission.”

Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. There is hereby established the “State Property Leasing Study Commission.” The commission shall consist of 5 voting members, all of whom shall be real estate professionals practicing in this State, and who shall possess relevant educational and professional experience in real estate and land use matters affecting New Jersey. Of the five members, one shall be appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed by the Senate President, one shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader, one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one shall be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader. The members appointed shall not have any pecuniary or personal interest in the performance of their duties as members of the commission. The members shall serve until the commission submits its final report to the Governor and the Legislature. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.

2. It shall be the duty of the “State Property Leasing Study Commission” to consider the feasibility of auctioning ground leases and air rights to underutilized, vacant, or contaminated State properties such as motor vehicle stations, salt depots, rest stops, and transit hubs, and to examine the potential for private sector businesses to place such properties under creative and productive uses, except that the commission shall not include State parks or other similar recreational or preserved State green areas in its consideration of State properties potentially available for leasing. The commission shall also estimate the amount of revenue that may accrue to the State from the auctioning of leases to such properties.

3. The “State Property Leasing Study Commission” shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members and shall select a chair from among its members, and a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. The presence of three members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission may conduct business without a quorum, but may only vote on recommendations when a quorum is present. The commission may incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary, within the limits of funds made available to it for its purposes. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties. The commission may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates throughout the State during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.

4. The “State Property Leasing Study Commission” shall be entitled to and avail itself of the assistance and services of the staff of the Office of the State Treasurer, and of the employees of any other State department, board, bureau, commission, or agency, as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

5. The “State Property Leasing Study Commission” shall submit its final report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than 12 months following the appointment of all of its initial members. The final report shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The commission shall expire upon issuance of its final report.

6. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately, and shall expire upon the commission’s issuance of its final report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature.

STATEMENT

This joint resolution establishes the “State Property Leasing Study Commission,” to consider the feasibility of auctioning ground leases and air rights to underutilized, vacant, or contaminated State properties, excluding State parks and similar green areas, and to examine the potential for private sector businesses to place such properties under creative and productive uses. The commission is also directed to estimate the amount of revenue that may accrue to the State from the auctioning of leases to such properties.

The commission would consist of 5 voting members, all of whom must be real estate professionals practicing in this State, and who must possess relevant educational and professional experience in real estate and land use matters affecting New Jersey. The members are to be appointed, one each, by the Governor, the Senate President, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the General Assembly, and the Assembly Minority Leader. Members would serve until the submission of the commission’s final report and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, not later than 12 months following the initial appointment of the commission’s members.