SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4261

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 5, 2026

      The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4261.

      This bill updates current law by temporarily establishing, for one year, that a quorum exists for the sole purpose of processing applications for licensure with a majority of the members present at a meeting of a professional board, committee or other entity, overseen by the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety or other State agency.  This includes a meeting with two members in attendance if one of those members is the chair of the entity.  This quorum standard is applicable to applications that do not require legal review due to adverse information in any statutorily-required criminal history record background check.  The quorum standard becomes applicable only if, after a 90-day period, the entity is unable to achieve a quorum in accordance with statutory requirements governing that entity.

      After one year, if a board, committee, or entity does not have the requisite number of members required to sustain a quorum pursuant to the individual statute governing the board, committee, or entity, the board, committee, or entity is to submit a written report to the Legislature with a recommendation for another board, committee, or entity with which it should be merged.  The report is to be submitted within 30 days of the expiration of the bill.