§ 52:18A-237 — "New Jersey Schools Development Authority."

3. a. There is established in, but not of, the Department of the Treasury a public body corporate and politic, with corporate succession, to be known as the "New Jersey Schools Development Authority." The development authority shall constitute an instrumentality of the State exercising public and essential governmental functions, and the exercise by the development authority of the powers conferred by this act shall be deemed and held to be an essential governmental function of the State. b. The development authority shall consist of the Commissioner of Education, the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, the executive director of the Economic Development Authority, and the State Treasurer, who shall serve as ex officio members; and 12 public members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. At least one of the public members shall have knowledge or expertise in the area of law enforcement and the remaining public members shall have knowledge or expertise in real estate development, construction management, finance, architectural or building design, education, or any other related field. In addition, the development authority shall consist of two public members, one appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate President and one appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, which members shall have knowledge or expertise in real estate development, construction management, finance, architectural or building design, education, or any other related field. c. Each public member shall serve for a term of five years and shall hold office for the term of the member's appointment and until the member's successor shall have been appointed and qualified. A member shall be eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy in the membership occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only. In the case of the first 11 public members appointed by the Governor pursuant to subsection b. of this section, three shall serve for a term of two years, three shall serve for a term of three years, three shall serve for a term of four years, and two shall serve for a term of five years. d. (1) Each member appointed by the Governor may be removed from office by the Governor, for cause, after a public hearing, and may be suspended by the Governor pending the completion of such hearing. Each member before entering upon the member's duties shall take and subscribe an oath to perform the duties of the office faithfully, impartially and justly to the best of the member's ability. A record of such oath shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State. (2) Each member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate President and Speaker of the General Assembly may be removed from office by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate President or Speaker as applicable, for cause, after a public hearing, and may be suspended by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate President or Speaker as applicable pending the completion of the hearing. Each member before entering upon the member's duties shall take and subscribe an oath to perform the duties of the office faithfully, impartially, and justly to the best of the member's ability. A record of the oath shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State. e. A chairperson shall be appointed by the Governor from the public members. The members of the development authority shall elect from their remaining number a vice-chairperson, a secretary, and a treasurer thereof. The development authority shall employ an executive director who shall be its chief executive officer. The powers of the development authority shall be vested in the members thereof in office from time to time and 10 members of the development authority shall constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof. Action may be taken and motions and resolutions adopted by the development authority at any meeting thereof by the affirmative vote of at least 10 members of the development authority. No vacancy in the membership of the development authority shall impair the right of a quorum of the members to exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of the development authority. f. Each member of the development authority shall execute a bond to be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of such member in such form and amount as may be prescribed by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury. Such bonds shall be filed in the Office of the Secretary of State. At all times thereafter the members and treasurer of the development authority shall maintain such bonds in full force and effect. All costs of such bonds shall be borne by the development authority. g. The members of the development authority shall serve without compensation, but the development authority may reimburse its members for actual expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, no officer or employee of the State shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall forfeit any office or employment or any benefits or emoluments thereof by reason of the acceptance of the office of ex officio member of the development authority or any services therein. h. Each ex officio member of the development authority may designate an officer or employee of the member's department to represent the member at meetings of the development authority, and each such designee may lawfully vote and otherwise act on behalf of the member for whom the person constitutes the designee. Any such designation shall be in writing delivered to the development authority and shall continue in effect until revoked or amended by writing delivered to the development authority. i. The development authority shall appoint from among its members an audit committee and such other committees as it deems necessary or conducive to the efficient management and operation of the development authority. j. The development authority may be dissolved by act of the Legislature on condition that the development authority has no debts or obligations outstanding or that provision has been made for the payment or retirement of such debts or obligations. Upon any such dissolution of the development authority, all property, funds and assets thereof shall be vested in the State. k. A true copy of the minutes of every meeting of the development authority shall be forthwith delivered by and under the certification of the secretary thereof to the Governor. No action taken at the meeting by the development authority shall have force or effect until 10 days, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays excepted, after the copy of the minutes shall have been so delivered, unless during such 10-day period the Governor shall approve the same in which case the action shall become effective upon such approval. If, in that 10-day period, the Governor returns a copy of the minutes with veto of any action taken by the development authority or any member thereof at the meeting, the action shall be null and void and of no effect. l. The development authority shall cause an audit of its books and accounts to be made at least once in each year by certified public accountants and cause a copy thereof to be filed with the Secretary of State, the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury, and the State Auditor. m. The development authority shall submit to the Governor, the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly a biannual report pursuant to the provisions of section 24 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-24). n. The Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury and the director's legally authorized representatives are authorized and empowered from time to time to examine the accounts, books and records of the development authority including its receipts, disbursements, contracts, funds, investments and any other matters relating thereto and to its financial standing. o. No member, officer, employee or agent of the development authority shall be interested, either directly or indirectly, in any school facilities project, or in any contract, sale, purchase, lease or transfer of real or personal property to which the development authority is a party. L.2007, c.137, s.3; amended 2023, c.311, s.27.