reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15-8 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15-8 - Counsel and associate counsels to governor; appointment; duties

52:15-8. Counsel and associate counsels to governor; appointment; duties  Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary: A. The Governor may appoint and commission a person to be known as counsel to the Governor and one or more persons to be known as associate counsels to the Governor. The Governor may also appoint such legal assistants as he may deem necessary. Each of the persons thus appointed shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor and shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the Governor within the limits of available appropriations therefor. B. The counsel to the Governor shall: (1) Give to the Governor legal advice on such matters as the Governor may from time to time require. (2) Advise the Governor in regard to the constitutionality, consistency and legal effect of bills presented to the Governor for his approval. (3) Examine and decide all legal matters submitted to him by the Governor. (4) When directed by the Governor, act for him or any officer, agency or instrumentality in or of the Executive Branch of the State Government, in any matter in which the Governor may be interested. (5) When so authorized by the Governor, assist the Governor in any examination or investigation undertaken or directed by the Governor pursuant to authority vested in him by law. (6) When directed by the Governor, act for him in any matter in which he may be interested. (7) Act as the sole legal adviser, attorney or counsel for the Governor and represent him in all suits, proceedings or actions of any kind which may be brought for or against him in any court of this State; interpret all statutes and legal documents for the Governor; and inspect and approve contracts and titles with which the Governor is concerned. (8) Attend generally to all legal matters in which the Governor is a party or in which his rights or interests are involved. (9) Perform such other duties as the Governor may from time to time prescribe. C. Each associate counsel to the Governor shall: (1) Assist the counsel to the Governor in the exercise of his powers and the performance of his functions and duties under this act. (2) Perform such other duties as the Governor shall prescribe. D. Legal assistants appointed by the Governor pursuant to the provisions of this act shall perform such duties as the Governor shall prescribe. E. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with any of the provisions of this act are, to the extent of such inconsistency, hereby repealed. L.1947, c. 5, p. 19, s. 1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15A-1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15A-1 - Short title

52:15A-1. Short title  This act may be cited as "The Gubernatorial Transition Act." L.1969, c. 213, s. 1, eff. Nov. 5, 1969.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15A-2 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15A-2 - Legislative declaration; purpose of act

52:15A-2. Legislative declaration; purpose of act  The Legislature declares it to be the purpose of this act to promote the orderly transfer of the executive power in connection with the expiration of the term of office of a Governor and the inauguration of a new Governor. The interest of the State of New Jersey requires that such transitions in the office of Governor be accomplished so as to assure continuity in the conduct of the affairs of the State Government. Any disruption occasioned by the transfer of the executive power could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the State of New Jersey and its people. Accordingly, it is the intent of the Legislature that appropriate actions be authorized and taken to avoid or minimize any disruption. In addition to the specific provisions contained in this act directed toward that purpose, it is the intent of the Legislature that all officers of the State Government so conduct the affairs of the State Government for which they exercise responsibility and authority as (1) to be mindful of problems occasioned by transitions in the office of Governor, (2) to take appropriate lawful steps to avoid or minimize disruptions that might be occasioned by the transfer of the executive power, and (3) otherwise to promote orderly transitions in the office of Governor. L.1969, c. 213, s. 2, eff. Nov. 5, 1969.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15A-4 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15A-4 - Services and facilities provided to former governor upon request; rights of employees

52:15A-4. Services and facilities provided to former governor upon request; rights of employees  The director is authorized to provide, upon request, to each former Governor, for a period not to exceed 6 months from the date of the expiration of his term of office as Governor, for use in connection with winding up the affairs of his office, necessary services and facilities of the same general character as authorized by this act to be provided to Governors-elect. Any person who was serving on the staff of the Governor immediately prior to the expiration of his term of office and is appointed to serve the former Governor pursuant to this section shall, during such employment, continue to be an employee of the State Government with all the same rights, privileges and benefits, other than with respect to the amount of his salary, as he theretofore enjoyed; any other person appointed or detailed to serve a former Governor under authority of this section shall be appointed or detailed in accordance with and shall be subject to all of the provisions of section 3 of this act applicable to persons appointed or detailed under authority of that section. L.1969, c. 213, s. 4, eff. Nov. 5, 1969. Amended by L.1973, c. 241, s. 1, eff. Nov. 21, 1973.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15A-5 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15A-5 - Appropriation of funds

52:15A-5. Appropriation of funds  There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the director such funds as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of this act to remain available during the fiscal year in which the transition occurs and the next succeeding fiscal year. The Governor shall include in the budget transmitted to the Legislature, for each fiscal year in which his regular term of office will expire, a proposed appropriation for carrying out the purposes of this act. L.1969, c. 213, s. 5, eff. Nov. 5, 1969. Amended by L.1973, c. 241, s. 2, eff. Nov. 21, 1973.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15A-6 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15A-6 - Appointment of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action officer for gubernatorial transitions.

52:15A-6 Appointment of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action officer for gubernatorial transitions.  1. The chairperson of the Civil Service Commission shall designate an individual who shall be an employee in the human resources office of the Civil Service Commission to serve as Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action officer for gubernatorial transitions. The Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action officer shall be made available to every individual, whether or not receiving compensation, rendering service to the transition. All members of the transition office staffs shall be notified as to the identity and contact information of the officer upon joining the gubernatorial transition. The officer shall notify each individual making a complaint of discrimination as to the authority and jurisdiction, if any, of the officer and the State to take formal action with respect to such complaint. The Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action officer shall continue to receive the compensation provided pursuant to law for the officer's regular employment, and shall retain the rights and privileges of such employment without interruption. L.2019, c.344, s.1.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-1 - Findings, declarations relative to an Office of the Inspector General.

52:15B-1 Findings, declarations relative to an Office of the Inspector General.  1. The Legislature finds and declares that: the State of New Jersey expends more than $28 billion in taxpayer funds each year, and agencies at other levels of government expend billions more; it is fundamental that all government officials be publicly accountable for such expenditures; promoting integrity in the administration and operations of government and improving public accountability are the cornerstones of government; one of the remedial actions that can be taken to improve such accountability is to identify areas where State spending is wasteful or inefficient; the Governor has the responsibility to ensure a balanced budget, manage the operations of State government effectively and efficiently, and maintain necessary government programs and assistance to the public; it is the duty of the Governor to guard against extravagance, waste, or fiscal mismanagement in the administration of any State appropriation; it is critically important that public officers and employees, at all levels of government, discharge their duties and responsibilities in a lawful and ethical manner, while conserving the fiscal resources that have been entrusted to the government's care by the taxpayers; there is a compelling need to centralize the responsibility for investigating allegations of the improper discharge of these duties and responsibilities concerning the expenditure of State funds by, and the procurement process of, all State departments and agencies, independent authorities, county and municipal governments, and boards of education; and there is a need, therefore, to create the Office of the Inspector General, which will report directly to the Governor, to ensure that these responsibilities are met. L.2005, c.119, s.1; amended 2007, c.52, s.16.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-5 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-5 - Establishment of internal organizational structure of the office.

52:15B-5 Establishment of internal organizational structure of the office.  5. a. The Inspector General shall establish the internal organizational structure of the office in a manner appropriate to carrying out the duties and functions, and fulfilling the responsibilities, of the office. The Inspector General shall have the power to appoint, employ, promote, and remove such assistants, employees, and personnel as the Inspector General deems necessary for the efficient and effective administration of the office. All such assistants, employees and personnel shall be deemed confidential employees for purposes of the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act," P.L.1941, c. 100 (C.34:13A-1 et seq.). b. Within the limits of funds appropriated for such purposes, the Inspector General may obtain the services of certified public accountants, qualified management consultants, and other professionals necessary to independently perform the duties and functions of the office. L.2005,c.119,s.5.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-6 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-6 - Cooperation with Inspector General by State agencies.

52:15B-6 Cooperation with Inspector General by State agencies.  6. The Inspector General is authorized to call upon any department, office, division or agency of State government to provide such information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to discharge the duties and functions and to fulfill the responsibilities of the Inspector General under this act. Each department, office, division and agency of this State shall cooperate with the Inspector General and furnish the office with the assistance necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act. L.2005,c.119,s.6.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-7 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-7 - Authority of the Inspector General.

52:15B-7 Authority of the Inspector General.  7. The Inspector General is authorized to establish a full-time program of investigation, to receive and investigate complaints concerning alleged fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement of State funds, designed to provide increased accountability, integrity, and oversight of: all recipients of State funds, including, but not limited to, State departments and agencies, independent authorities, county and municipal governments, and boards of education; the awarding and the execution of contracts awarded by the State, or any of its independent authorities, commissions, boards, agencies, or instrumentalities, which contracts involve a significant expenditure of public funds or are comprised of complex or unique components, or both, as determined by the Inspector General; and the performance of governmental officers, employees, appointees, functions, and programs in order to promote efficiency, to identify cost savings, and to detect and prevent misconduct within the programs and operations of any governmental agency funded by, or disbursing, State funds. L.2005, c.119, s.7; amended 2007, c.52, s.17.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-8 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-8 - Powers of the Inspector General.

52:15B-8 Powers of the Inspector General.  8. a. The Inspector General shall have all the powers necessary to carry out the duties and functions and to fulfill the responsibilities described in this act, including the power to conduct investigations, and in pursuit thereof, evaluations, inspections, and other reviews. b. The Inspector General and the office shall conduct investigations in accordance with prevailing national and professional standards, rules, and practices relating to such investigations in government environments, and the Inspector General shall ensure that the office remains in compliance with such standards, rules, and practices. c. In furtherance of an investigation, the Inspector General may compel at a specific time and place, by subpoena, the appearance and sworn testimony of any person whom the Inspector General reasonably believes may be able to give information relating to a matter under investigation. For this purpose, the Inspector General is empowered to administer oaths and examine witnesses under oath, and compel any person to produce at a specific time and place, by subpoena, any documents, books, records, papers, objects, or other evidence that the Inspector General reasonably believes may relate to a matter under investigation. If any person to whom such subpoena is issued fails to appear or, having appeared, refuses to give testimony, or fails to produce the books, papers or other documents required, the Inspector General may apply to the Superior Court and the court may order the person to appear and give testimony or produce the books, papers or other documents, as applicable. Any person failing to obey the court's order may be punished by the court as for contempt. d. A person compelled to appear by the Inspector General and provide sworn testimony shall have the right to be accompanied by counsel, who shall be permitted to advise the witness of his or her rights. A witness compelled to appear and testify shall be accorded all due process rights. L.2005, c.119, s.8; amended 2007, c.52, s.18.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-9 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-9 - Cooperation, joint investigations.

52:15B-9 Cooperation, joint investigations.  9. The Inspector General is authorized to cooperate and conduct joint investigations with other oversight or law enforcement authorities. The Inspector General is authorized and shall be permitted to participate in investigations conducted by other oversight or law enforcement authorities in this State. L.2005,c.119,s.9.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-10 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-10 - Declining to investigate complaint.

52:15B-10 Declining to investigate complaint.  10. The Inspector General may decline to investigate a complaint received when it is determined that: the complaint is trivial, frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith; the complaint has been too long delayed to justify a present investigation; the resources available, considering established priorities, are insufficient for an adequate investigation; or the matter complained of is not within the Inspector General's investigatory authority. L.2005,c.119,s.10.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-11 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-11 - Authority to refer complaints.

52:15B-11 Authority to refer complaints.  11. The Inspector General is authorized to refer complaints received that allege criminal conduct to the Attorney General or other appropriate prosecutorial authority. In the course of conducting audits, investigations, and performance reviews, the Inspector General generally may refer matters for further civil, criminal, and administrative action to the appropriate authorities. L.2005,c.119,s.11.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-13 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-13 - Compliance with request for access to government record, procedure.

52:15B-13 Compliance with request for access to government record, procedure.  13. Whenever a person requests access to a government record that the Inspector General, during the course of an investigation, obtained from another public agency, which record was open for public inspection, examination or copying before the investigation commenced, the public agency from which the Inspector General obtained the record shall comply with the request if made pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), provided that the request does not in any way identify the record sought by means of a reference to the Inspector General's investigation or to an investigation by any other public agency, including, but not limited to, a reference to a subpoena issued pursuant to such investigation. L.2005,c.119,s.13.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-14 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-14 - Meetings with public officers, employees.

52:15B-14 Meetings with public officers, employees.  14. The Inspector General shall meet at periodic intervals, but at least twice annually, with the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Auditor, and any other public officers or employees deemed necessary who perform audits, investigations, and performance reviews similar or identical to those authorized to be performed by the Inspector General for the purpose of consulting, coordinating, and cooperating with those officers and employees in the conduct of audits, investigations and reviews. The Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the State Auditor, and such other public officers or employees shall attend such meetings for the purpose of consultation, coordination, and cooperation with the Inspector General. The focus of all parties during such meetings shall be to: facilitate communication and exchange information on completed, current, and future audits, investigations, and reviews; avoid duplication and fragmentation of efforts; optimize the use of resources; avoid divisiveness and organizational uncertainty; promote effective working relationships; and avoid the unnecessary expenditure of public funds. L.2005,c.119,s.14.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-15 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-15 - Report of findings, recommendations.

52:15B-15 Report of findings, recommendations.  15. The Inspector General shall report the findings of investigations performed by the office, and issue recommendations for corrective or remedial action, to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and to the entity at issue. The Inspector General shall monitor the implementation of those recommendations. L.2005, c.119, s.15; amended 2007, c.52, s.19.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15B-16 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15B-16 - Periodic annual reports.

52:15B-16 Periodic annual reports.  16. The Inspector General shall provide periodic reports to the Governor, and shall issue an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature, which shall be available to the public. L.2005,c.119,s.16.
NJ Rev Stat § 52:15C-1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 52 - State Government, Departments and Officers|Section 52:15C-1 - Findings, declarations relative to the office of the State Comptroller.

52:15C-1 Findings, declarations relative to the office of the State Comptroller.  1. The Legislature finds and declares that: As the size of State and local government agencies and authorities has grown over the last several decades to meet growing demands for governmental assistance and programs to meet new and growing societal needs, the State's ability to manage the various governmental systems of public financial control and accountability has not matched the State Government's responsibility to subject governmental financial activities to uniform, meaningful, and systematic public scrutiny; Meeting the responsibility for overseeing and promoting the professional conduct of internal audits, providing assurance on the adequacy of internal financial controls within agencies of government, including assessing the adequacy of controls over financial management, contracting, financial reporting and the delivery of government programs and activities with due regard to efficiency, effectiveness and economy is a fundamental duty of governmental officials to the taxpayers and public whom they serve; The Governor has the responsibility to manage the operations of the Executive branch of State government, including oversight of all entities exercising executive branch authority, public institutions of higher education, units of local government and boards of education, efficiently and effectively supported by audit and oversight functions that strengthen public accountability with the goal of increasing public trust and confidence that every tax dollar collected by government is spent wisely and well; There is a compelling need for State government to put into practice the presumption that there will be independence and integrity in the financial oversight of the discharge of its duties and responsibilities carried out in a manner and under a structure that safeguards the fiscal resources with which it has been entrusted; and There is a need, therefore, to establish an independent Office of the State Comptroller which will report directly to the Governor, to ensure that these responsibilities are met. L.2007, c.52, s.1.