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Committee advances bill to allow reduced quorum for processing licensure applications
Summary
A5572 would permit professional boards with vacancies for more than 90 days to process licensure applications with fewer members present, including allowing the chair to act alone for certain routine application processing. The committee released the bill after testimony from business groups urging balance between speed and safeguards.
The Assembly Committee released Assembly Bill A5572 after hearing testimony that the state's professional boards are facing backlogs because vacancies prevent boards from achieving quorum to process licensure applications.
A5572 would allow a quorum for the sole purpose of processing licensure applications when a board has been unable to achieve a quorum for 90 days due to vacancies, including allowing a meeting with one member in attendance if that member is the chair. The provision applies only to applications that do not require legal review based on adverse information from statutorily required criminal-history background checks.
Althea Ford, vice president of government affairs for the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, testified in favor and thanked the committee for amendments intended to prevent unintended consequences while expediting licensure processing. "We encourage the legislature, to continue to engage with the executive branch with respect to, the concerns around vacancies," Ford said, urging collaborative work to fill board vacancies.
Committee members characterized the bill as a short-term fix to a longer-term problem of recruiting and appointing qualified board members. Assemblyman Sharpenberger said he saw the measure as a short-term solution and urged efforts to identify candidates to fill vacancies.
On the motion to release A5572, the committee recorded affirmative votes and announced the bill was released from committee. Proponents said the bill aims to reduce delays in licensure processing that affect applicants and regulated professions; several trade groups filed witness slips supporting the bill.
The bill will move forward for further legislative consideration and possible additional amendments.
