N.J. Stat. tit. 9, ch. 25

N.J. Stat. tit. 9, ch. 25
in effect

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-1 Short title

This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New Jersey Youth Corps Act." L.1984, c. 198, s. 1, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-2 Legislative findings and declarations

a. The Legislature finds and declares: (1) There persist in the State and especially in the urban communities of New Jersey, areas of economic decay and declining housing stock and human deprivation, marked by the progressive deterioration of housing and community facilities and installations of the economic infrastructure. (2) The dearth of employment opportunities for young persons in these areas has chronically exceeded any life problems experienced in other areas and under current economic conditions, has reached catastrophic proportions, particularly with respect to minority youth. (3) The persistence of these problems despite the fact that the very youth thus affected present a vast and largely untapped resource of talent, energy and zeal sufficient to make a significant contribution to the revitalization of our urban and urbanized areas, suggests the need and desirability of establishing some mechanism to recruit, organize and direct the boundless energy and vigorous idealism of youth, so as to match their hitherto neglected potential against the currently intractable problems of urban reconstruction. b. Accordingly, it is the purpose of the Legislature in enacting this act to establish a New Jersey Youth Corps to recruit, train and employ young persons to supplement and assist in preserving, conserving and enhancing those assets that are necessary to a sound and flourishing community life and are currently threatened by ongoing forces of urban decay. c. Specifically, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is the intent of the Legislature that the New Jersey Youth Corps would be employed in such projects as the rehabilitation of substandard housing; the repair, restoration and maintenance of public facilities and amenities; assisting in the organization and delivery of educational and health and other social services required by various segments of urban populations. d. It is the further intent of the Legislature that the New Jersey Youth Corps, in recruiting young persons for service therein, should aim primarily at providing socially worthwhile and reasonably remunerative employment to urban youth to whom these opportunities might not otherwise be available. e. It is further intended by the Legislature that the proposed New Jersey Youth Corps be operated in a business like manner, with due regard to the true cost-effectiveness of such projects as it may engage in; that its activities be coordinated with apprenticeship or other youth-oriented programs as may be concurrently conducted by State government, and that adequate departmental cooperation and liaison be established to secure that coordination; and that its resources not be in any way employed in unfair price or wage competition with business or individuals. Nothing in this act shall be construed as giving the administrator any authority by virtue of which the Youth Corps or any member or subdivision thereof may compete for any project on which an incorporated business or recognized labor union has expressed intention to bid. L.1984, c. 198, s. 2, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-3 Definitions

For the purposes of this act: a. "Corps" means the New Jersey Youth Corps created by section 4 of this act. b. "Administrator" means the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs or any community service project sponsor under an agreement pursuant to section 5 of this act. c. "Community Service Project" means any undertaking designed to provide, or assist in providing, services to promote public health, education and welfare among the general population or segments thereof having identifiable needs or deficiencies in those areas. The term includes, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, projects for the rehabilitation of substandard housing; the repair, restoration and maintenance of public facilities and amenities; assisting in the organization and delivery of educational and health services and other social services required by various segments of urban populations. d. "Eligible youth" means any person who (1) is between such ages as may be specified by rule or regulation adopted pursuant to section 9 of this act, but in any event is not less than 16 nor more than 25 years of age, (2) is in compliance with section 6 of this act, and who (3) is unable, through lack of employable skills or unavailability of job opportunities appropriate to the nature or level of his skills, to obtain socially worthwhile and reasonably remunerative employment in or near the municipality of his residence; or (4) possesses skills and interests peculiarly appropriate to a particular community service project or projects in which he is recruited to serve. e. "Community Service Project Sponsor" means any county, municipality or school district, or public or private non-profit corporations. L.1984, c. 198, s. 3, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-4 Creation; function; administrator; agreements

a. The Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs is hereby authorized to create the New Jersey Youth Corps within the Department of Community Affairs. The function of the corps shall be to recruit, train and employ eligible youth in community service projects designated by the administrator, so as to accomplish the purposes set forth in section 2 of this act. b. The commissioner or person administering the office of commissioner of that department shall be the administrator of the corps, and all personnel, budgetary and other administrative services necessary or incidental to its proper functioning shall be provided by and through that department. c. The administrator may enter into agreements with the Department of Education or the Department of Labor, or with any public or private educational institution approved for the purpose and for the design, provision or supervision of educational, vocational-training or apprenticeship programs necessary or expedient to the implementation of this act. Approval of any public or private educational institution for purposes of this subsection shall be, in all cases, by the Commissioner of Education and, in regard to programs involving job training, by the Commissioner of Labor. d. The administrator may enter into agreements with recognized labor unions, or any member or representative thereof, for provision of supervisory services on any project, or of vocational training or apprenticeship programs, or, where appropriate, a combination of supervisory and training services in connection with any project, and may provide for just compensation for such services. The agreements shall be subject to approval by the Commissioner of Labor. L.1984, c. 198, s. 4, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-4.1 Youth Corps supervisor, assistant

The Commissioner of Community Affairs is authorized to appoint a supervisor and an assistant supervisor of the New Jersey Youth Corps created pursuant to P.L. 1984, c. 198, and, within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the purpose, to fix their compensation and other terms and conditions of employment. The supervisor and assistant supervisor of the New Jersey Youth Corps shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner, and their positions shall not be in the classified service of the Civil Service, notwithstanding any provision of Title 11 of the Revised Statutes or of any other law to the contrary. L. 1985, c. 158, s. 1, eff. April 26, 1985.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-5 Community service projects; agreements with sponsors; employment of corps; contents; duration of employment or assignment of disadvantaged youth; report; appropriations from municipality

a. The Commissioner of Community Affairs is authorized to enter into agreements with sponsors of community service projects for the employment of the Corps in these projects. The agreement may delegate to the sponsor the recruitment of eligible youth into the Corps for employment in the project or provision for recruitment or their training or both. The sponsor may be required to contribute a portion of the cost. Any eligible youth employed or assigned pursuant to the provisions of this act shall be so employed or assigned without regard to the provisions of Title II of the Revised Statutes where otherwise applicable. b. An agreement under subsection a. of this section shall set forth: (1) A general description of each community service project designated. (2) The number of corps members to be assigned to each project; a description of the nature and duration of their employment. (3) The amount of funds required to sustain each project, distinguishing between the amounts required for corps members' stipends, and the amounts required for other purposes. (4) A statement of the amount and purpose of State funds to be contributed toward the expenses set forth in paragraph (3), above, and the manner and timing of their disbursement. (5) A further description of projects or budgetary detail as the Commissioner of Community Affairs may require. c. No disadvantaged youth shall be employed or assigned pursuant to the provisions of this act for a period in excess of 52 weeks unless the commissioner shall find, in the exercise of his discretion, that a longer period is required, if appropriate. d. Each community service project sponsor shall submit to the commissioner, within 60 days of the termination of each community service project for which a grant has been received, a report on the accomplishments of the goals and objectives of the project and may be required to submit an audit of the project conducted by an independent certified public accountant, according to regulations specified by the commissioner. e. It is lawful for the governing body of a municipality to appropriate funds of the municipality, or to receive and expend money or anything of value made available to it for the purpose from any public or private source, for the support of any activities or projects of the corps within the municipality, pursuant to delegation of administrative authority under this section. L.1984, c. 198, s. 5, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-6 Eligibility for enrollment and continuance of membership in corps

In order to be eligible for enrollment in the corps, and for continued membership therein: a. a person who has not satisfactorily completed the course of instruction prescribed for graduation from a public high school of this State, or the equivalent, shall agree to enroll in, and shall pursue, such further educational program as the administrator, shall approve; b. a person whom the administrator shall determine to be deficient in job skills, or to have aptitude for those skills requiring special training for its development, shall agree to enroll in, and shall pursue, a course of training approved by the administrator, whether that course of training be provided by or through the corps, or by any other public or private agency or institution approved by the administrator for the purpose. c. persons shall be deemed by the administrator or his designee to have such skills, character and initiative, or the potential to develop same, as will benefit the corps. L.1984, c. 198, s. 6, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-7 Reasonably remunerative stipends to members of corps on community service projects

a. Members of the corps while engaged in community service projects shall receive reasonably remunerative stipends, to be determined in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Commissioner of Community Affairs. b. Guidelines established for this purpose shall take into account: (1) the necessity of offering sufficient inducement for participation in the corps by those persons whose enrollment will conduce to a realization of the aims and purposes set forth in section 2 of this act; (2) the requirements, expressed in subsection e. of section 2 of this act, as to efficient operation and avoidance of unfair price and wage competition. L.1984, c. 198, s. 7, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-9 Rules and regulations

The Commissioner of Community Affairs is authorized to adopt, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedures Act," P.L.1968, c. 410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), the rules and regulations necessary to carry this act into effect, and to enter into any agreements authorized under this act for that purpose. L.1984, c. 198, s. 9, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-10 Expenditure of existing funds by commissioner

The Commissioner of Community Affairs is authorized to expend such sums from the existing administrative and discretionary grant or aid accounts of the department and related agencies as he may deem required to establish and maintain the Volunteer Youth Corps. L.1984, c. 198, s. 10, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.

N.J. Stat. § 9:25-11 Receipt and expenditure of appropriations and other funds

The Commissioner of Community Affairs is authorized to receive and expend for the purpose of stipends or other expenses of the corps those sums as may from time to time be appropriated for those purposes by the Legislature or otherwise made available out of State funds, grants from the federal government or any of its agencies, or from any private or public source; but an amount not to exceed 10% of the aggregate of these sums may be utilized for administration of the program, subject to such constraints as may be imposed on particular funds by their source. For fiscal year 1985, there is appropriated $1,500,000.00 to enable the planning and initiation of the New Jersey Youth Corps Program. Unexpended funds may be carried over from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year. L.1984, c. 198, s. 11, eff. Nov. 27, 1984.
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