State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-jersey > Title-26 > Section-26-2bb > 26-2bb-1

26:2BB-1.    Findings, declarations
     The Legislature finds and declares that: alcoholism and drug abuse are major health problems facing the residents of this State; aspects of these problems extend into many areas under various State departments; placement in, but not of, the State Department of the Treasury is the most appropriate and logical location for focusing a coordinated planning and review effort to ameliorate these problems and for establishing a Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse as an independent coordinating, planning, research and review body regarding all aspects of alcoholism and drug abuse; and a merger of the Division of Alcoholism and the Division of Narcotic and Drug Abuse Control within the State Department of Health will enhance the effectiveness of the State's role in formulating comprehensive and integrated public policy and providing effective treatment, prevention and public awareness efforts against alcoholism and drug abuse.

    The Legislature further finds and declares that: as the cooperation and active participation of all communities in the State is necessary to achieve the goal of reducing alcoholism and drug abuse, there should be established within the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, an Alliance to Prevent Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, to unite the communities of this State in a coordinated and comprehensive effort; and that the full resources of this State including counties, municipalities and residents of the State must be mobilized in a persistent and sustained manner in order to achieve a response capable of meaningfully addressing not only the symptoms but the root causes of this pervasive problem.

    L. 1989, c. 51, s. 1.
 
26:2BB-2  Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
2.There is created a 26-member council in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury which shall be designated as the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.  For the purposes of complying with the provisions of Article V, Section IV, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution, the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse is allocated to the Department of the Treasury, but, notwithstanding the allocation, the office shall be independent of any supervision or control by the department or by any board or officer thereof.

The council shall consist of 12 ex officio members and 14 public members.

a.The ex officio members of the council shall be: the Attorney General, the Commissioners of the Departments of Labor and Workforce Development, Education, Human Services, Health and Senior Services, Children and Families, Community Affairs, Personnel and Corrections, the chair of the executive board of the New Jersey Presidents' Council, the Administrative Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Adjutant General.  An ex officio member may designate an officer or employee of the department or office which he heads to serve as his alternate and exercise his functions and duties as a member of the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

b.The 14 public members shall be residents of the State who are selected for their knowledge, competence, experience or interest in connection with alcoholism or drug abuse. They shall be appointed as follows: two shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, two shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and 10 shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.  At least two of the public members appointed by the Governor shall be rehabilitated alcoholics and at least two of the public members appointed by the Governor shall be rehabilitated drug abusers.

c.The term of office of each public member shall be three years; except that of the first members appointed, four shall be appointed for a term of one year, five shall be appointed for a term of two years and five shall be appointed for a term of three years. Each member shall serve until his successor has been appointed and qualified, and vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term. A public member is eligible for reappointment to the council.

d.The chairman of the council shall be appointed by the Governor from among the public members of the council and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor during the Governor's term of office and until the appointment and qualification of the chairman's successor.  The members of the council shall elect a vice-chairman from among the members of the council.  The Governor may remove any public member for cause, upon notice and opportunity to be heard.

e.The council shall meet at least monthly and at such other times as designated by the chairman.  Fourteen members of the council shall constitute a quorum.  The council may establish any advisory committees it deems advisable and feasible.

f.The chairman shall be the request officer for the council within the meaning of such term as defined in section 6 of article 3 of P.L.1944, c.112 (C.52:27B-15).

g.The public members of the council shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for their expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for this purpose.

L.1989, c.51, s.2; amended 1996, c.5; 2006, c.47, s.107.