App.A:9-67 Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force.

4. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of Law and Public Safety the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force, which shall provide Statewide coordination and supervision of all activities related to domestic preparedness for a terrorist attack. The task force shall be composed of 10 members: the Superintendent of State Police or his designee, the Attorney General or his designee, the Adjutant General of Military and Veterans' Affairs or his designee, the Commissioner of Transportation or his designee, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services or his designee, the Coordinator of the Office of Recovery and Victim Assistance, the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, all of whom shall serve ex officio, and three public members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. One of the public members shall have, by education or expertise, experience in chemical or biological agents that may be used in acts of terrorism. The public members shall serve for terms of three years and shall be subject to such security screening as may be necessary or appropriate. Of the public members first appointed, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one shall be appointed for a term of two years, and one shall be appointed for a term of three years. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson from among the members of the task force, who shall serve in that position at the pleasure of the Governor. The chairperson shall act as the State's liaison with the federal Homeland Security Council. In the event the Governor shall appoint a public member as chairperson, that appointee shall be accorded cabinet status for the purposes of effectuating the purposes of this act. The task force shall adopt a plan of operation for the carrying out of its duties, which shall be approved by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of section 5 of this act.

b. The task force may appoint, in accordance with its plan of operation, such personnel, including attorneys, professionals in the field of terrorism and terrorism preparedness, disaster response, mitigation and recovery, and such other special consultants and experts as may be deemed necessary to carry out its duties under this act, as well as such clerical and other personnel as may be appropriate and necessary. All employees appointed pursuant to this section shall be in the unclassified service of the civil service of the State and shall be deemed confidential employees for the purposes of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act," P.L.1941, c.100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.).

L.2001, c.246, s.4; amended 2011, c.62, s.1.