S3725

Sponsored by:

Senator VIN GOPAL

District 11 (Monmouth)

Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

Establishes “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission;” appropriates $2.5 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

An Act establishing a “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission,” supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

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

1. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of Law and Public Safety a commission to be known as the “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission.” The purpose of the commission shall be to design and oversee the construction of a Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Monmouth County that honors and recognizes law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

b. The commission shall consist of seven members as follows:

(1) a representative of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, appointed by the Governor;

(2) a representative of the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police, appointed by the Governor;

(3) a representative of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, appointed by the Governor; and

(4) four public members, one of whom shall be a retired law enforcement officer, appointed by the Governor.

c. All appointments to the commission shall be made within 90 days of the effective date of this act. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments are made.

d. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of its members and shall select a chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. A majority of all the authorized members shall constitute a quorum.

e. The Department of Law and Public Safety shall provide staff and related support services as the commission requires to carry out its work. The commission may request the assistance and 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 members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.

g. The commission shall select a suitable design and location in Monmouth County for the construction of the Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and shall oversee the construction of the memorial.

h. No later than 18 months following the effective date of this act, the commission shall prepare and submit a final report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164

(C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and any other moneys that may become available for its purpose.

2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety $2,500,000 for the provision of that amount to the “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund” for the costs associated with designing and constructing the Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the completion of the Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes a “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission” and appropriates $2.5 million.

Under the bill, there is established in, but not of, the Department of Law and Public Safety a commission to be known as the “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission.” The purpose of the commission is to design and oversee the construction of a Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial in Monmouth County that honors and recognizes law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The commission is to consist of the following seven members: 1) a representative of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, appointed by the Governor; 2) a representative of the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police, appointed by the Governor; 3) a representative of the State Troopers Fraternal Association, appointed by the Governor; and 4) four public members, one of whom shall be a retired law enforcement officer, appointed by the Governor.

The bill requires the appointments to be made within 90 days of the bill’s effective date. The commission is to organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the majority of the members. A majority of all of the authorized members constitutes a quorum.

Under the bill, the Department of Law and Public Safety is to provide staff and related support services as the commission requires to carry out its work.

The bill requires the commission to select a suitable design and location in Monmouth County for the construction of the Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial and to oversee the construction of the memorial. Within 18 months of the bill’s effective date, the commission is required to submit a final report to the Governor and the Legislature which is to include the final design and location in Monmouth County selected for the memorial.

In addition, the bill establishes, in the Department of Law and Public Safety, a separate, nonlapsing fund to be known as the “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund.” The fund is to be administered by the Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Commission and dedicated for the costs associated with designing and constructing the memorial.

Finally, the bill appropriates $2.5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Law and Public Safety for the provision of that amount to the “Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund.”