New Jersey Assembly Bill A607

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24

Caption

Requires gender balance in membership of certain boards and commissions established by statute.

Impact

The introduction of A607 aims to promote gender equity in government-related appointments across New Jersey. By enforcing gender parity, the bill strives to rectify historical imbalances and create more equitable representation in decision-making processes. The bill would directly affect the composition of numerous state agencies and committees by requiring a reevaluation of current appointments to align with the new gender balance requirements. This could lead to a substantial shift in how appointments are made, with potential implications for the qualifications and selection processes of appointees.

Summary

A607 is a legislative bill proposed in New Jersey that mandates gender balance in the membership of various public boards, commissions, task forces, and other multi-member bodies established by statute. The bill's primary purpose is to ensure that no single gender dominates the composition of these bodies, with specific stipulations that when the board has an odd number of members, appointments cannot make the dominant gender exceed one-half of the membership plus one. Conversely, in the case of an even number of members, no more than half of the body can belong to the same gender. This regulation applies to all appointive bodies, regardless of the date they were established.

Contention

While the bill aims to enhance representation, there may be points of contention regarding its implementation. Critics might argue that strict adherence to gender balance could limit the scope of choice for appointments, potentially prioritizing gender over qualifications or experience. Furthermore, discussions could arise about the interpretation of gender inclusivity, as the bill defines 'gender' to encompass a person's sex-related or gender-related characteristics, including gender identity. This could lead to debates on how to effectively implement and monitor compliance with the bill's requirements.