ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5989

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 8, 2026

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5989.

      As reported, this bill revises certain membership requirements of the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage.

      Under current State law, the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage is a permanent State-level commission tasked with surveying, designing, encouraging, and promoting the implementation of Latino and Hispanic cultural and educational programs in the State.

      Current law requires the Governor to appoint nine public members to the commission, with no less than four of the appointees required to have at least a Masters' degree in an area of Latino or Hispanic studies or culture.  Similarly, one of the five public members appointed by the President of the Senate, and one of the five public members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, are required to hold a Master’s degree in an area of Latino or Hispanic studies or culture.  This bill removes the requirement for these public members to hold Master’s degrees and removes a requirement from current law that public members are required to have served prominently as spokespersons for, or as leaders of, organizations in the Latino or Hispanic heritage community which serve members of religious, ethnic, national heritage, or social groups or who are experienced in the field of Latino or Hispanic heritage education. Instead, the bill requires the public members to have knowledge and experience in Latino or Hispanic studies or education.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 5989 is identical to Senate Bill No. 4809, which was also reported by the committee on this date.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.