ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT, REFORM AND FEDERAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2912

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  OCTOBER 24, 2022

 

      The Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2912 (1R).

     As amended by the committee, the bill provides that one or more police officers may be present at a senior residential center being used as a polling place or school if there is a request by the center or school.  As amended, the bill clarifies that the officers must be in plain clothes in both senior residential centers and schools.

     Under current law, police officers are permitted to be present at a senior residential center being used as a polling place.  The provision of current law that prohibits any such officer from interfering with any person present at the location for the purpose of voting will remain in place.

     The bill also requires the center notify the district board if the center requests a police officer, the district board then will notify the county board of elections or superintendent of elections who will notify the Secretary of State. 

     The bill requires the Secretary of the Department of Education and the Secretary of State to notify schools of the new mandate as soon as the bill becomes law.

 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to clarify that the plain clothes requirement for police officers applies to those at both senior residential centers and schools being used as polling places.

      As amended by the committee, the bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 2131 (2R).