Measure Establishes Joint Committee of the Legislature
(TRENTON) – The General Assembly recently approved legislation, 50-26-2, sponsored by Assembly Democrat Benjie Wimberly to establish a joint committee of the legislature that would study equality in relation to New Jersey’s economy and employment opportunity.
The concurrent resolution (ACR-159) creates a joint committee of the Legislature to be known as the Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity. The joint committee would be authorized, empowered, and directed to conduct a continuing study of issues concerning economic justice and equal opportunity employment through meetings and hearings held around the state.
“As we continue to recover from a severe economic recession, we must ensure that every New Jersey resident has the opportunity to obtain gainful employment, support their families, and live the best lives they can,” said Wimberly (D-Bergen, Passaic). “A joint committee will allow us to listen to New Jersey’s working families, who have been affected most by the slow growth in the economy and lacking job creation, and to also listen to businesses that also have concerns.”
Under the resolution, the joint committee is entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of the Legislative Services commission. The joint committee will also be entitled to employ stenographic and clerical assistants and incur traveling expenses as may be authorized by the presiding officers of the Houses, in order to perform its duties, and as may be within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
Finally, the joint committee will report its findings to the Legislature on a routine basis, and may make other reports as it deems necessary.
“As I see it, as more jobs are created and as we continue to move out of this economic slump, the best way to help the people of New Jersey is to ensure equal opportunity for all on all fronts. To do this, we need the facts. We need to hear the real stories. In order to address economic disparities and help level the playing field, we need to know what is really happening in our communities with concern to jobs and the economy,” Wimberly added.
The committee will consist of 10 members of the Legislature, from either House, regardless of political party affiliation, and will be nominated and appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly, as appropriate. The nomination will take place as follows: four members nominated by the President of the Senate; one member nominated by the Senate Minority Leader; four members nominated by the Speaker of the General Assembly; and one member nominated by the Assembly Minority Leader. All members shall serve without compensation and vacancies in the membership of the joint committee will be filled in the same manner as the original appointments made.
Assembly Democrats Charles Mainor (D-Hudson), Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex), Mila Jasey (D-Essex, Morris), Sheila Oliver (D-Essex, Passaic), and Shavonda Sumter (D-Bergen, Passaic) are also sponsors of the legislation
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Identical legislation (SCR-62) was approved by the full Senate earlier in June.