Section 52:17B-236.4 - "Community Crisis Response Advisory Council" established, Department of Law and Public Safetya. There is established in the Department of Law and Public Safety the Community Crisis Response Advisory Council to provide the department with best practices and recommendations concerning the development of a community crisis response program in the form of an annual report to the department. In developing the best practices and recommendations, the council shall assess and determine a viable pipeline to train and resource mental health screeners from within directly impacted communities. Upon submission to the council, the report immediately shall be made available to the public.b. The council shall consist of 13 members, as follows: (1) the Deputy Commissioner of Public Health Services, the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of HIV, STD and TB Services, and the Director of Emergency Medical Services in the Department of Health, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio;(2) the Attorney General or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;(3) the Executive Director of the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or a designee, serving ex officio;(4) the Director of the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Community Affairs, or a designee, serving ex officio; and(5) seven public members of the council who shall be appointed by the Governor, with two members appointed upon recommendation of the Senate President and two members appointed upon recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly.c. The seven public members shall consist of one or more members: who have prior involvement with the criminal justice system; who have expertise in crisis response, harm reduction services, or both; who have experience advocating for their communities; and who represent New Jersey-based social justice and civil rights organizations specializing in criminal justice reform.d. The Attorney General shall serve as chairperson of the council. The members of the council shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the council for its purposes.e. The council first shall organize not later than 45 days after the effective date of P.L. 2023, c. 259 (C.52:17B-236.1 et al.). The council shall meet periodically at the call of the chairperson, but not less than six times in each calendar year. A majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of the council taking official action, but a lesser number may hold public hearings. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public. Agendas, minutes, documents, and testimony from each meeting shall be posted on the Internet website of the Office of the Attorney General.f. Public members of the council shall serve for a term of three years. Vacancies in the membership shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointments were made. Public members shall be eligible for reappointment to the advisory council.g. The council shall be entitled to receive assistance and services from any State, county, or municipal department, board, commission, or agency, as may be available to it for its purposes. The Department of Law and Public Safety shall provide staff and administrative support to the council.h. The council shall hold public hearings throughout the State, at which it may ask individuals to testify who can provide insight into the need, design, and effectiveness of community-based crisis intervention.Added by L. 2023, c. 259, s. 4, eff. 1/12/2024.