reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-501 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-501 - Findings, declarations relative to municipal consolidation and efficiency.

52:27D-501 Findings, declarations relative to municipal consolidation and efficiency.  1. The Legislature finds and declares: a. The State of New Jersey currently has 566 municipalities, 616 school districts, and 186 fire districts, each with its own layers of local bureaucracy that contribute to the high property tax burden suffered by New Jersey residents. b. Consolidating local units, structurally and administratively streamlining county and municipal government, and transferring services to the most appropriate level of government for delivery would help to alleviate the property tax crisis by reducing the administrative costs of local government and making the delivery of local services more efficient due to economies of scale. c. Due to legal obstacles, conflicting interests, and local concerns about sacrificing community identity, current laws permitting consolidation of municipalities and sharing of services between local units are seldom used. d. Tough political decisions are often most expeditiously made through the use of bipartisan commissions, as demonstrated by the success of the federal base realignment and closure (BRAC) procedure. e. Municipalities and other taxing districts are creatures of the Legislature; however, due to the pervasive notion of "home rule" and the political conflicts inherent in mandatory consolidation, it is necessary and proper to establish a bipartisan commission to fairly examine the allocation of responsibilities among local units in order to determine: (1) which level of government is best suited to deliver a given local government service, and (2) when consolidation will reduce the property tax burden for pairs or groups of local units, and to make those recommendations to the Legislature for approval by the affected voters in order to make a serious effort to reduce the number of municipalities and other local units in the State. f. Consolidation and mandates for increased efficiency in the delivery of services are complementary processes, as the former reduces the administrative costs of local government on an external level and the latter does so on an internal level. g. Local governments must be trained to use performance measures for decision making, strategic planning, performance improvement, accountability, and communication, and rewarded for increased efficiencies that result from their use. L.2007,c.54,s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-502 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-502 - "Commission," "local unit" defined.

52:27D-502 "Commission," "local unit" defined.  2. For the purposes of this act: "Commission" means the "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission" established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2007, c.54 (C.52:27D-503). "Local unit" means a municipality or fire district, and shall not include a school district, regional school district, or county. L.2007,c.54,s.2.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-503 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-503 - "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission."

52:27D-503 "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission."  3. a. There is established in but not of the Department of Community Affairs, the "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission." b. The commission shall consist of nine voting members: the Commissioner of Community Affairs (or a designee) and the State Treasurer (or a designee), who shall both serve ex-officio; and seven public members, and shall be appointed as follows: one member appointed by the President of the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, and three members, no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Of the three public members appointed by the Governor, one member shall reside in a northern county (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Union, Sussex, or Warren), one member shall reside in a central county (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, or Somerset), and one member shall reside in a southern county (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, or Salem). No appointee shall be an elected official of a local unit or county unless that person has significant experience in shared service initiatives and demonstrated success at having implemented such agreements at the local level. c. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties. d. The members shall be appointed within 60 days following the effective date of this act. The public members shall serve for terms of five years and until the appointment and qualification of a successor; except that in making the first appointments to the commission, one person shall be appointed to serve for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and four for five years. The length of the respective term of each member of the first commission shall be determined by lot at the organization of the first commission. A public member may be reappointed. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made for the unexpired term only. L.2007,c.54,s.3.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-504 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-504 - Organization of commission, executive director and staff, meetings.

52:27D-504 Organization of commission, executive director and staff, meetings.  4. a. The "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission" shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members and annually shall select a chair from among its members and a secretary, who need not be a member of the commission. The commission shall appoint an executive director, who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and who shall have expertise in one or more local government subjects, such as planning, local finance, geography, taxation, or other relevant fields. The executive director shall appoint professional staff qualified by training and experience to serve the commission. The executive director and professional staff shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. b. The commission may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates throughout the State. L.2007,c.54,s.4.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-506 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-506 - Local entities to cooperate with commission.

52:27D-506 Local entities to cooperate with commission.  6. a. The "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission" shall work in conjunction with the Local Finance Board and the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs. To the extent possible, the commission shall be entitled to the assistance and services of the employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission, or agency, as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes. b. The commission shall be entitled to the cooperation of the officials and employees of every county and municipality as it may require. c. The commission may incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to perform its duties, within the limits of funds available to it for its purposes.  L.2007,c.54,s.6.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-507 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-507 - Annual report to Governor, Legislature; consolidation proposals.

52:27D-507 Annual report to Governor, Legislature; consolidation proposals.  7. a. The "Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization, and Consolidation Commission" shall annually, by January 31st, submit to the Governor and the Legislature a report summarizing the commission's activities over the course of the previous calendar year. b. In the event that the commission proposes consolidation of local units or a shared services agreement, the commission shall submit a consolidation or shared services proposal to the Governor and the Legislature no later than May 1st of the year in which the proposed consolidation is to be put before the voters pursuant to subsection a. of section 8 of P.L.2007, c.54 (C.52:27D-508). A municipal consolidation proposal shall include, but not be limited to, a description of the form of government, the election of officers, the apportionment of debts, and other issues between pairs or groups of municipalities which the commission proposes should consolidate or share services. c. A consolidation or shared services proposal shall take effect at the end of a period of 30 calendar days after the date on which the proposal is transmitted to the Senate and General Assembly, on a day on which both thereof shall be meeting in the course of a regular or special session, unless, between the date of transmittal and the end of the 30-day period, the Legislature passes a concurrent resolution stating in substance that the Legislature does not favor the consolidation proposal. L.2007,c.54,s.7.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-508 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-508 - Recommendations put before voters; adoption.

52:27D-508 Recommendations put before voters; adoption.  8. a. Upon the taking effect of a consolidation or shared services proposal pursuant to subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.2007, c.54 (C.52:27D-507), each recommendation included therein shall be put before the affected voters at the next general election and shall become effective only upon its adoption by a majority of the voters of each affected municipality. b. In order to effectuate the provisions of subsection a. of this section, the Secretary of State shall forward to the clerk of each county in which the affected local units are located a public question to be included on the ballots at the next general election for the election districts encompassing those affected local units. (1) The question with respect to consolidation shall read as follows:  "Shall (insert the names of the participating local units) be consolidated into a single local unit to be known as (insert the name proposed for the consolidated local unit)?" (2) The question with respect to shared services shall read as follows: "Shall (insert the services to be shared) be jointly undertaken between (insert the names of the entities between which sharing is to occur)?" c. The consolidation of pairs or groups of local units recommended for consolidation under subsection a. of this section shall be accomplished within 14 months following the voter approval of the consolidation recommendation. d. The adoption of a form of government, the election of officers, the apportionment of debts, and other issues between pairs or groups of municipalities required to consolidate pursuant to an approved consolidation recommendation under subsection c. of this section shall be determined by the commission, as far as practicable, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the "Municipal Consolidation Act," P.L.1977, c.435 (C.40:43-66.35 et al.) or any other statute governing municipal consolidation. e. For a period of 10 years from the consolidation of a pair or group of municipalities pursuant to a consolidation recommendation approved under subsection c. of this section, and notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the residents of those municipalities, or portions thereof, shall not have the right to secede to form a new municipality, or to consolidate with, or annex themselves to, any other municipality. L.2007,c.54,s.8.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-509 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-509 - Short title.

52:27D-509 Short title.  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Propane Gas Customer Protection Act." L.2007, c.150, s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-510 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-510 - Definitions relative to propane gas service contracts.

52:27D-510 Definitions relative to propane gas service contracts.  2. As used in this act: "Act" means the "Propane Gas Customer Protection Act." "Department" means the Department of Community Affairs. "Propane" means any of the forms of liquefied petroleum products, including propane, propylene, butane, isobutane, and butylene, or any mixture of these hydrocarbons, that is utilized for residential and commercial heating purposes and for various appliances and fixtures, including, but not limited to, clothes washers and dryers, grills, lighting and electricity-producing fuel cells. "Propane gas supplier or marketer" or "supplier or marketer" means a duly licensed business that takes title to propane gas and then assumes the contractual and legal obligation to provide propane gas to an end-user customer or customers. "Propane services" or "services" means the performing of safety and leak testing of, and the performing of installation, maintenance, repair, removal, adjustment and other services to, propane appliances including, without limitation, ranges, water heaters, heaters, furnaces, containers and other propane fueled systems, for residential and commercial applications. L.2007, c.150, s.2.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-512 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-512 - Violations, penalties.

52:27D-512 Violations, penalties.  4. Any propane gas supplier or marketer who neglects or knowingly fails to comply with the requirements of this act or of the regulations issued thereunder shall be subject to a penalty not to exceed $1,000 per violation, which penalty may be imposed by the department and recovered in a civil action by a summary proceeding pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.). Payment of any such penalty shall be remitted to the department.  L.2007, c.150, s.4.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-513 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-513 - Severability.

52:27D-513 Severability.  5. The provisions of this act are severable. If any phrase, clause, sentence, provision or section is declared to be invalid or preempted by federal law or regulation, the validity of the remainder of this act shall not be affected thereby. L.2007, c.150, s.5.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-514 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-514 - Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors, continued, transferred to DCI.

52:27D-514 Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors, continued, transferred to DCI.  1. The Landscape Irrigation Contractors Examining Board created by P.L.1991, c.27 (C:45:5AA-1 et seq.) within the Department of Environmental Protection, together with all of its functions, powers, and duties, are hereby continued as the Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors in the Department of Community Affairs. Whenever in any law, rule, regulation, order, reorganization plan, contract, document, judicial or administrative proceeding, or otherwise, reference is made to the Landscape Irrigation Contractors Examining Board, the same shall mean and refer to the Board of Landscape Irrigation Contractors.  Whenever any law grants the Department of Environmental Protection, or the commissioner thereof, review, control, or power over or relating to the Landscape Irrigation Contractors Examining Board, that review, control, or power shall be exercised by the Department of Community Affairs, or the commissioner thereof. L.2015, c.169, s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-515 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-515 - Provisions of C.52:14D-1 et seq. applicable.

52:27D-515 Provisions of C.52:14D-1 et seq. applicable.  3. This act shall be subject to the provisions of the "State Agency Transfer Act," P.L.1971, c.375 (C.52:14D-1 et seq.). All records, equipment and other personal property, appropriations, and any balances of funds shall be transferred to the Department of Community Affairs pursuant to the "State Agency Transfer Act." L.2015, c.169, s.3.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-516 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-516 - Short title.

52:27D-516 Short title.  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "New Jersey Housing Assistance for Veterans Act." L.2017, c.258, s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-517 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-517 - Definitions relative to housing for certain veterans.

52:27D-517 Definitions relative to housing for certain veterans.  2. As used in this act: "Director" means the Director of the Division of Housing and Community Resources in the Department of Community Affairs. "Disabled" means a person who fulfills the definition of having a "disability" pursuant to section 3 of the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," 42 U.S.C. s.12102. "Division" means the Division of Housing and Community Resources in the Department of Community Affairs. "Eligible veteran" means a disabled or low-income veteran. "Energy efficient features or equipment" means features or equipment within a primary residence that help to reduce the amount of electricity used to heat, cool, or ventilate the residence, including but not limited to insulation, weatherstripping, air sealing, repaired heating systems, or duct sealing. "Family member" means a spouse, child, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin, grandparent, grandchild, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, stepsister, half brother, or half sister, whether the individual is related by blood, marriage, or adoption. "Low-income veteran" means a veteran occupying a household with a gross household income equal to 50 percent or less of the median gross household income for households of the same size, and within the same housing region, as defined by subsection b. of section 4 of P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-304). "Primary residence" means a dwelling unit that is owned by the eligible veteran or by a family member of the eligible veteran, and occupied by the eligible veteran as his or her principal residence. "Qualified organization" means a nonprofit veterans' organization that qualifies as a section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) tax exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code. "Veteran" means any resident of the State now or hereafter who has been discharged honorably or under general honorable conditions in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard of this State or another state as defined in section 1 of P.L.1963, c.109 (C.38A:1-1), or any honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marine who served during World War II and is declared by the United States Department of Defense to be eligible for federal veterans' benefits. L.2017, c.258, s.2; amended 2019, c.500, s.12.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27D-519 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27D-519 - Rules, regulations.

52:27D-519 Rules, regulations.  4. The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs shall promulgate rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the provisions of P.L.2017 , c.258 (C.52:27D-516 et seq.), on or before the first day of the fifth month next following enactment.  L.2017, c.258, s.4.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27E-54 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27E-54 - Communications, records; confidentiality protected

52:27E-54. Communications, records; confidentiality protected  5. All communications between the individual client and any attorney in or engaged by the former Department of the Public Advocate shall remain fully protected by the attorney-client privilege subsequent to the effective date of P.L.1994, c.58 (C.52:27E-50 et al.). The confidentiality of medical records and other documents maintained as confidential by the former Department of the Public Advocate shall likewise be protected subsequent to the effective date of P.L.1994, c.58 (C.52:27E-50 et al.).  L.1994,c.58,s.5.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27E-55 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27E-55 - Office of the Public Defender continued, transferred to the Department of the Treasury.

52:27E-55 Office of the Public Defender continued, transferred to the Department of the Treasury.  6. a. The Office of the Public Defender created by P.L.1967, c.43 (C.2A:158A-1 et seq.), together with all its functions, powers and duties is continued and transferred to and constituted as the Office of the Public Defender in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury. Notwithstanding this allocation, the office shall not be subject to the supervision or control of the Department of the Treasury or any of its officers or employees.  b. Whenever, in any law, rule, regulation, order, reorganization plan, contract, document, judicial or administrative proceeding or otherwise, reference is made to the Office of the Public Defender, the same shall mean and refer to the Office of the Public Defender in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury.  L.1994, c.58, s.6; amended 2010, c.34, s.18.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27E-56 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27E-56 - Preservation of rights, duties as result of allocation to Department of State

52:27E-56. Preservation of rights, duties as result of allocation to Department of State  8. Allocation of the Office of the Public Defender to the Department of State as provided herein shall not alter or change the term, tenure of office, rights, obligations, duties or responsibilities otherwise provided by law for the Public Defender.  L.1994,c.58,s.8.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:27E-57 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:27E-57 - Appropriated funds

52:27E-57. Appropriated funds  10. Funds appropriated to the Office of the Public Defender shall be available for the expenses associated with the defense of pool attorneys hired by the Office of the Public Defender for the representation of indigent clients if these pool attorneys are sued by Office of the Public Defender clients for services rendered to those clients. Funds appropriated to the fund established pursuant to N.J.S.59:12-1 shall be available for the indemnification of these pool attorneys.  L.1994,c.58,s.10.