40:48J-2 Nonprofit Hospital Community Service Contribution Study Commission.
2. a. There is established, in but not of the Department of Health, a commission to be known as the Nonprofit Hospital Community Service Contribution Study Commission. The commission shall consist of ten members as follows: the Commissioner of Health, ex officio; the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, ex officio; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall not both be of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall not both be of the same political party; two members, appointed by the Governor, who are mayors of municipalities entitled to receive annual community service contributions pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.17 (C.40:48J-1); and two members, appointed by the Governor, who are chief executive officers of hospitals assessed annual community service contributions pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2021, c.17 (C.40:48J-1). Each member may designate a representative to attend meetings of the commission, and each designee may lawfully vote and otherwise act on behalf of the member who designated that individual to serve as a designee. The members shall serve for terms of three years, commencing on the date of appointment, and may be reappointed. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled for the unexpired terms in the same manner as the original appointments.
b. The members shall be appointed within 60 days following the effective date of this section. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of its members and shall select a chair and a treasurer from among its members, and a secretary who need not be a member of the commission. The presence of six members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission may conduct business without a quorum, but may only vote on the issuance of the report required to be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to subsection e. of this section, and on any recommendations, when a quorum is present.
c. All commission members shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for reimbursement of necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the commission for its purposes.
d. The commission may meet and hold public hearings at the place or places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.
e. The commission shall study the implementation of P.L.2021, c.17 (C.40:48J-1 et al.) and shall issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), every three years from the effective date of this section; provided, however, that the initial report shall be issued within one year following that effective date. The reports shall include: (1) an analysis of the financial impact of P.L.2021, c.17 (C.40:48J-1 et al.) on both hospitals and satellite emergency care facilities assessed annual community service contributions thereunder and the municipalities receiving such contributions; (2) an assessment of the adequacy of the amount of the annual community service contributions; (3) an analysis of the administration and equity of these contributions; and (4) any recommendations that the commission determines would improve the administration, equity, or any other aspect of the annual community service contribution system established by P.L.2021, c.17 (C.40:48J-1 et al.).
L.2021, c.17, s.2.