ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 1719
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: FEBRUARY 3, 2022
The Assembly Community Development and Affairs Committee
reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1719.
This bill requires implicit bias and cultural competency training for
members, officers, and employees of the Legislature. Implicit bias is a
bias in judgment or behavior that results from subtle cognitive
processes, including implicit prejudice and implicit stereotypes, that
often operate at a level below conscious awareness and without
intentional control. Cultural competency is the ability to understand,
appreciate, and interact with people from different cultures or belief
systems.
An online tutorial must be completed by April 1 of every even-
numbered year and training must be done annually. Successful
completion of both the online tutorial and the annual training must be
communicated to the Legislative Counsel and such communications
will be considered public information.
Every day, the Legislature creates laws that impact people of all
backgrounds and cultures. In doing this important work, it is critical
for all members, officers, and employees of the Legislature to
understand their own biases as well as cultures and belief systems
different from their own.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.