SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1246

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 5, 2020

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1246.

      As amended by the committee, this bill changes the date on which members of the municipal committee of a political party take office from the first Saturday to the third Saturday following the certification of the results of their election as members of the county committee.  The bill also provides that the annual meeting of a municipal committee will be held on the third Saturday following the certification of the results of the primary election for the general election rather than on the first Monday after that election.

      Similarly, under the bill as amended, the members of the county committee of a political party will take office on the third Saturday, rather than the first Saturday, following the certification of the results of the primary election.  The bill also provides that the annual meeting of a county committee will be held on the third Saturday, rather than the first Tuesday, following the certification of the results of the primary election.

      In addition, the bill requires the county clerk to certify to the county boards the names and addresses of the persons elected as members of the county political party committees. Under the bill, the municipal clerk continues to be responsible for canvassing the statements of the district boards and for issuing a certificate of election to each person who is elected.  The bill clarifies that such statements will be issued after counting write-in votes, vote by mail ballots, and provisional ballots.

      The bill, as amended, also makes language changes for gender neutrality by, for example, replacing the use of the term “chairman” with the term “chairperson.”

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)  provide that municipal and county committee members will take office and hold their annual meetings on the third Saturday following the certification of the election results;

      (2)  provide that the annual meeting of the county committee will be held no later than the third Tuesday following the certification of the election results in the event the scheduled date coincides with a period of religious observance; and

      (3)  make the provisions of the bill gender neutral.