S4261

An Act establishing a study commission for the creation and expansion of independent housing for special-needs adults and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. There is established within the Department of Human Services the “Study Commission to Create and Expand Independent Housing for High-Functioning Special-Needs Adults.”

b. (1) The commission shall comprise 11 members, including the Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Health, the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Developmental Disabilities, or their designees, serving ex officio, and eight public members.

(2) The public members shall be residents of New Jersey and be providers or caregivers to, or, have lived experienced as, a high-functioning special-needs adult. The public members shall be appointed by the Governor as follows: two public members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate; two public members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly; two public members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate; and two public members shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the General Assembly.

c. The commission shall convene within 30 days following the appointment of the last member.

d. Each public member of the commission shall serve for a term of four years except that of the members first appointed, three shall be appointed for a term of one year, three shall be appointed for a term of two years, and two shall be appointed for a term of three years, as determined by the Governor. Public members shall be eligible for reappointment. The public members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified, and the term of the successor of any incumbent shall be calculated from the expiration of the term of that incumbent. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of the term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only.

e. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

f. The Governor shall designate a chairperson and, as necessary, any co-chairpersons from among the commission members. The commission shall meet upon the call of the chairperson or a majority of the commission members. The presence of a majority of the authorized membership of the commission shall be required for the conduct of official business.

g. The Department of Human Services shall provide the staff assistance required in order to support the work of the commission. The commission is authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of the State to supply such data, or other information and assistance as it deems necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the commission.

These departments, offices, divisions, and agencies shall, to the extent possible and not inconsistent with any other law of the State, cooperate with the commission and shall furnish the commission with such data, information, and assistance as may be necessary or helpful to accomplish the purposes of the commission.

2. a. The purpose and the duties of the commission shall be to:

(1) study and analyze the current housing conditions of special-needs adults residing in New Jersey;

(2) study and analyze how special-needs adults are housed in other states;

(3) identify sources of funding for the creation and expansion of independent housing for special-needs adults;

(4) provide recommendations on the type and location of housing that would be best suited for high-functioning special-needs adults; and

(5) provide recommendations on ways to create and expand independent housing for high-functioning special-needs adults.

b. The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor, and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), within one year of its initial organizational meeting and by February 1 of each succeeding year for the activities of the preceding year. The report shall include such recommendations as deemed appropriate by the commission to effectuate its purposes, as provided by this section.

3. As used in this act, “special-needs adult” means an individual with a developmental disability who receives services from the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities within the Department of Human Services.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would establish the “Study Commission to Create and Expand Independent Housing for High-Functioning Special-Needs Adults.” The commission would be composed of 11 members. The Commissioner of Human Services, the Commissioner of Health, and the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities, or their designees, would serve as ex-officio members. There would also be eight public members to be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendations of the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the General Assembly. The public members would be residents of the State, and be providers or caregivers to, or have lived experience as, a high-functioning special-needs adult.

The Governor would appoint a chairperson from among the membership of the commission and appoint any co-chairperson, as necessary. The members of the commission would be appointed for a period of four years. The members would serve without compensation but would be reimbursed for necessary expenses. Additionally, the Department of Human Services would be required to provide staff assistance to support the work of the commission.

The purpose and duties of the commission would be to:

(1) study and analyze the current housing conditions of special-needs adults residing in New Jersey;

(2) study and analyze how special-needs adults are housed in other states;

(3) identify sources of funding for the creation and expansion of independent housing for special-needs adults;

(4) provide recommendations on the type and location of housing that would be best suited for high-functioning special-needs adults; and

(5) provide recommendations on ways to create and expand independent housing for high-functioning special-needs adults.

The commission would report annually to the Governor and to the Legislature its findings and recommendations.

As used in this bill, “special-needs adult” means an individual with a developmental disability who receives services from the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities within the Department of Human Services.