N.J. Stat. § 18A:64A-3
Whenever the board or boards of chosen freeholders receive notification that the Commission on Higher Education approves the establishment of a county college, each participating board may provide by resolution for the establishment of a county college in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Prior to the final passage of said resolution, the board of chosen freeholders shall have published, in full, in a newspaper circulating in the county, the resolution together with the time and place of a public hearing to be had upon said resolution. Said publication shall be at least 10 days prior to the time fixed for the public hearing.
Within five days after passage, the resolution shall be published in full in a newspaper circulating in the county and a copy of said resolution shall be filed for public inspection with the clerk of the board of chosen freeholders and with the clerk of each municipality in said county. The resolution shall become effective in said county 45 days after passage unless there is filed with the county clerk within said 45 days, a petition requesting a referendum in said county signed by either five per cent or 10,000 of the registered voters of said county, whichever is lesser, or such a petition authorized by the governing body of a municipality or municipalities representing in total at least 15% of the population of said county. If such petition is so filed, the proposal for the establishment of a county college shall be submitted to the registered voters of said county at the next general election.
Where a county college is to be established by more than one county, similar resolutions authorizing the establishment of such county college shall be passed by the board of chosen freeholders in each participating county. If a petition such as is described above is filed in one or more said participating counties, then the proposal for the establishment of a county college shall be submitted to the registered voters of the county or counties in which such petition or petitions are filed.
The county clerk of each participating county shall notify the commission and the board of chosen freeholders of each other participating county upon the elapse of 45 days after the passage of the resolution in said county whether the question of the establishment of a county college is to be submitted to the registered voters of said county at the next general election.
N.J.S. § 18A:64A-3