13:1E-133.2 Reestablished good character, honesty, integrity; licensing.

8. a. Notwithstanding any current prosecutions or pending charges in any jurisdiction against any person required to be listed in a disclosure statement, or otherwise shown to have a beneficial interest in the business of an applicant, permittee or licensee, or business concern that has been issued a soil and fill recycling license, or to have rented or leased at any or no cost real property, vehicles or other equipment used for the collection, transportation, treatment, processing, storage, brokering, transfer, or disposal of solid waste or hazardous waste, or the provision of soil and fill recycling services, to the applicant, the permittee, or the licensee, or business concern that has been issued a soil and fill recycling license, for any of the crimes enumerated in subsection b. of section 8 of P.L.1983, c.392 (C.13:1E-133), the department may issue or renew a license or a soil and fill recycling license to an applicant, permittee or licensee, or business concern that has been issued a soil and fill recycling license if the department determines in a writing setting forth findings of fact that the person against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity by clear and convincing evidence pursuant to the provisions of this section. If the department determines that the nature and seriousness of the crime alleged in a current prosecution or pending charge creates a reasonable doubt that an applicant, permittee, or licensee, or business concern that has been issued a soil and fill recycling license will engage in the activity for which a license is sought in a lawful and responsible manner, the department shall make a determination in a writing setting forth findings of fact that the person against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges cannot reestablish a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity.

A person may affirmatively reestablish a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity pursuant to this section in advance of the disposition of the current prosecutions or pending charges provided that this reestablishment consists of evidence of good character, honesty and integrity rather than any defenses to the current prosecutions or pending charges. A reestablishment of a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity pursuant to this section shall not be deemed insufficient due to a lack of admission of guilt to the current prosecutions or pending charges.

b. In determining whether an individual against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity, the department shall request a recommendation thereon from the Attorney General, which recommendation shall be in writing, and based upon a consideration of at least the following factors:

(1) The nature and responsibilities of the position which the individual against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges would hold;

(2) The nature and seriousness of the alleged crime;

(3) The circumstances under which the alleged crime was committed;

(4) The date of the alleged crime;

(5) The age of the individual against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges when the alleged crime was committed;

(6) Whether the alleged crime was an isolated or repeated act;

(7) Any evidence of good conduct in the community, counseling or psychiatric treatment received, acquisition of additional academic or vocational schooling, or the recommendation of persons who have supervised the individual since the date of the alleged crime; and

(8) The full criminal record of the individual against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges, any record of civil or regulatory violations or notices or any complaints alleging any such civil or regulatory violations, or any other allegations of wrongdoing.

c. In determining whether a business concern against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity, the department shall request a recommendation thereon from the Attorney General, which recommendation shall be in writing, and based upon a consideration of at least the following factors:

(1) The nature and seriousness of the alleged crime;

(2) The circumstances under which the alleged crime was committed;

(3) The date of the alleged crime;

(4) Whether the alleged crime was an isolated or repeated act; and

(5) The full criminal record of the business concern against whom there are current prosecutions or pending charges, any record of civil or regulatory violations or notices or any complaints alleging any such civil or regulatory violations, or any other allegations of wrongdoing.

d. The Attorney General may require, as a predicate to a determination that a business concern against which there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity, that the business concern agree, in writing, to an investigation of the alleged crime or crimes committed by the business concern, the persons involved in the alleged crime, and any corporate policies, procedures, and organizational structure that may have led to the alleged crime. At the conclusion of this investigation a report shall be prepared identifying the underlying conduct giving rise to any alleged criminal activity and any steps that have subsequently been taken by the business concern to prevent a recurrence of the alleged criminal activity, and recommending any steps that may be deemed necessary to prevent a recurrence of the alleged criminal activity. The investigation shall be conducted by, or on behalf of, the Attorney General, and the cost thereof shall be borne by the business concern.

The Attorney General may require, on the basis of this investigation and as a condition of recommending that a business concern against which there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity, that a business concern comply, or agree in writing to comply, with any of the following:

(1) changes in the business concern's organizational structure to reduce the opportunity and motivation of individual employees to engage in criminal activity, including procedures for informing employees of the requirements of relevant state and federal law;

(2) changes in the business concern's long and short term planning to ensure that the business concern implements procedures and policies to prevent future violations of state or federal law;

(3) changes in the business concern's legal, accounting, or other internal or external control and monitoring procedures to discourage or prevent future violations of state or federal law;

(4) changes in the business concern's ownership, control, personnel, and personnel selection practices, including the removal of any person shown to have a beneficial interest in the business concern, and the imposition of a reward or disincentive system in order to encourage employees to comply with relevant state and federal law;

(5) post-licensing monitoring of the business concern's activities relating to any changes in policy, procedure, or structure required by the Attorney General pursuant to this subsection, the cost of such monitoring to be borne by the business concern; and

(6) any other requirements deemed necessary by the Attorney General.

e. The department shall not determine that a business concern against which there are current prosecutions or pending charges has affirmatively reestablished a reputation for good character, honesty and integrity if the business concern has not complied, or agreed in writing to comply, with every requirement imposed by the Attorney General pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

L.1991, c.269, s.8; amended 2019, c.397, s.9.