ASSEMBLY, No. 3714

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED MARCH 16, 2020

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  RONALD S. DANCER

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes New Jersey Eco-Ag Tourism Council.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act establishing the New Jersey Eco-Ag Tourism Council and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

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

      1.   a.  There is established aNew Jersey Eco-Ag Tourism Council in, but not of, the Department of State.  The council shall consist of 13 members, as follows: the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or their respective designees, who shall serve ex officio; and 10 public members.  Of the public members, six shall be appointed by the Governor, two by the President of the Senate, and two by the Speaker of the General Assembly, as provided in subsection b. of this section.  The public members shall include one member from each of five recognized wildlife or nature groups or organizations, and one member from each of five recognized agricultural or horticultural groups or organizations.  No more than one member shall be appointed from any particular group or organization.

      b.   The Secretary of State, or the designee thereof, shall serve as chair of the council.  The 10 public members shall serve for three-year terms, except the initial appointees shall serve staggered terms of one to three years.  Among the initial appointees:

      (1) the Governor shall appoint (a) one of the members from a wildlife or nature group or organization and one of the members from an agricultural or horticultural group or organization, who shall serve one-year terms, and (b) two of the members from wildlife or nature groups or organizations and two of the members from agricultural or horticultural groups or organizations, who shall serve two-year terms; and

      (2)  the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly shall each appoint one of the members from a wildlife or nature group or organization and one of the members from anagricultural or horticultural group or organization, all of whom shall serve three-year terms.

      Each member shall hold office for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified.

      c.   Vacancies in the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments are made and a member may be eligible for reappointment.  Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. 

      d.   The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the council for its purposes. 

      e.   The council shall organize no later than 30 days after the appointment of at least the four public members by the Senate President and the Speaker of the General Assembly and shall meet periodically at the call of the chair, but not less than six times in each year.  A majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. 

      f.    The chair shall appoint an administrator for the council from among the membership, and the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of State shall provide the council, equally or as agreed among the ex officio members, with additional administrative staff and support as may be necessary to enable the council to carry out its functions.

      g.   The purpose of the council shall be to examine and develop ecotourism and agricultural tourism opportunities in the State and develop ways for farmers and stewards of natural areas to make use of these opportunities. 

     2.    One year after the date of the council's organization and first meeting, and annually thereafter, the council shall make recommendations to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of State concerning tourism initiatives to be implemented.  The council shall also report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature on these recommendations and its activities for the preceding year.

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

     This bill establishes the New Jersey Eco-Ag Tourism Council, in but not of the Department of State.  The council would have 13 members, 10 of whom would be public members.  Of the public members, six would be appointed by the Governor, two by the Senate President, and two by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and they would be evenly divided between environmental and agricultural groups or organizations.  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, or their designees, would complete the membership and would serve ex officio.  The purpose of the council is to examine and develop ecotourism and agricultural tourism opportunities in the State and develop ways for farmers and stewards of natural areas to make use of these opportunities.

     The bill also directs the council, one year after the date of the council's organization and first meeting, and annually thereafter, to:

     1) make recommendations to the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of State concerning tourism initiatives to be implemented; and

     2) report to the Governor and the Legislature on these recommendations and its activities for the preceding year.