SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2026

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 23, 2022

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2026.

As amended by the committee, this bill changes from 18 to 12 the required number of credit hours for the Animal Health Technician job title in the civil service local title listing and allows for an applicant with five years of experience in the field who does not meet all of the education requirements to substitute their experience for the totality of the education requirements.

      The bill does not modify any other aspect of the job specification, including the ability to substitute one year of experience in a veterinary office, animal hospital, or animal shelter performing relevant duties for a certain number of credit hours, or the total number of 60 credit hours required overall.  This bill aims to address the difficulty in finding applicants for the job title. Assembly Bill No. 2026 (1R) is identical to Senate Bill No. 322 (1R) of the 2022-2023 session.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The amendments:

      (1)  specify that the bill applies to the civil service local title listing for the job title of Animal Health Technician;

      (2)  specify the ways of gaining experience in order to substitute experience for the specific education credits;

      (3)  change the requirements from working as a veterinary technician in a veterinary hospital, practice, or humane society to working in veterinary office, animal hospital, shelter, or similar place and having performed specified duties at the location; and

      (4)  change the effective date to the first day of the seventh month following the date of enactment.