30:4-6.2 "Prisoner Reentry Commission."

10. a. To assist and advise in issues pertaining to prisoner reentry, there is established in the Department of Corrections an advisory commission to be known as the "Prisoner Reentry Commission." The purpose of the commission shall be to review, study, and offer solutions to problems facing prisoners re-entering society, including, but not limited to determining whether:

(1) New Jersey should seek a federal waiver under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act to expand Medicaid eligibility to non-disabled adults, to leverage additional federal funds in order to target high risk populations;

(2) Health care and treatment resources for former prisoners are adequate and if not, methods by which they can be improved;

(3) The prison population can be incorporated fully into New Jersey's workforce development strategy; and

(4) Sources of funding intended for the same populations and communities could be tapped, coordinated and leveraged effectively.

b. In addition, the commission shall:

(1) Evaluate and provide recommendations for special issues concerning juvenile reentry;

(2) Evaluate and make recommendations concerning current law on juvenile waiver; and

(3) Evaluate and provide recommendations for inter-agency communication, information sharing, and problem solving.

c. (1) The advisory commission shall consist of 18 members as follows:

(a) The Attorney General or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(b) The Secretary of State or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(c) The Commissioner of Corrections or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(d) The Commissioner of Human Services or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(e) The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(f) The Commissioner of Community Affairs or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(g) The Commissioner of Education or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(h) Two members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall each be of different political parties;

(i) Two members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall each be of different political parties;

(j) The Chairman of the State Parole Board or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(k) The Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(l) The Executive Director of the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(m) The New Jersey Public Defender or his designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(n) One representative from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice; and

(o) Two public members, who by experience or training have expertise in issues facing former prisoners, to be appointed by the Governor.

(2) The Governor shall designate one member as chairman and two members as vice-chairmen of the commission from among the members listed in this subsection.

(3) The public members shall be appointed for a five-year term. Vacancies in the membership of the advisory commission shall be filled in the same manner provided for in the original appointments. The members of the advisory commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform their duties, within the limits of funds made available to the advisory commission for its purposes.

(4) A member of the commission may be removed for good cause.

d. The commission may meet at the call of its chair and hold hearings at the times and in the places it may deem appropriate and necessary to fulfill its charge. The advisory commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance, and avail itself of the services of, the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

e. The commission shall annually submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) along with any recommendations it deems appropriate, including any legislative proposals it may wish to make.

L.2009, c.329, s.10.