1. There
is hereby established a commission in, but not of, the Department
of State to be known as The 225th Anniversary of the American
Revolution Celebration Commission (hereinafter referred to as
the Commission).
2. The Commission
shall consist of twenty-three (23) members as follows:
a. The
Secretary of State, the Adjutant General, the Commissioner of
Education, the Chair of the Commission on Higher Education,
the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner
of Community Affairs, the Chair of the New Jersey Historical
Commission, the Chair of the New Jersey Historic Trust, the
Chair of the New Jersey Council on the Arts, and the President
of the New Jersey Historical Society, or their designees;
b. Four
(4) members of the Legislature shall be appointed as follows:
two (2) members, one from each political party, shall be appointed
by the President of the Senate to serve during the two-year
legislative term in which the appointment is made; and two (2)
members, one from each political party, shall be appointed by
the Speaker of the General Assembly to serve during the two-year
legislative term in which the appointment is made.
c. Nine
(9) public members to be appointed by the Governor.
d. The
term of office of each public member shall be four years, except
for the initial appointments which shall be made as follows:
three members shall be appointed for a two-year term, three
members shall be appointed for a three-year term, and three
members shall be appointed for a four-year term. The Governor,
for cause, upon notice and opportunity to be heard, may remove
a public member. A vacancy occurring among any of the public
members, other than by expiration of term, shall be filled for
the balance of the unexpired term only and in the same manner
as the original appointment. A member may serve until a successor
is appointed and has qualified.
e. The
public members of the Commission shall serve without compensation
but shall, subject to State appropriation, be entitled to reimbursement
for all actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties.
3. The Commission
shall be chaired by the Secretary of State and a vice-chair shall
be elected by the Commission from among its members. A secretary
shall also be elected by the Commission who need not be a member
of the Commission.
4. The Commission
shall organize and meet as soon as practicable after the appointment
of a majority of its members.
5. The Commission
shall:
a. Plan,
promote and coordinate the commemorative programs and activities
sponsored and supported by agencies of the State government
in honor of the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution
from 2001 through 2008;
b. Assist
with the coordination of the commemorative programs and activities
developed and to be developed by counties, municipalities, and
civic, veteran, historical, and other organizations in the State
from 2001 through 2008;
c. Consult
and cooperate with the New Jersey Historical Commission in the
development of the historical aspects of the commemorative programs
and activities;
d. Plan
a fitting observance on September 3, 2008 to commemorate the
signing of the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the American
Revolutionary War;
e. Cooperate
with other commissions and entities established to commemorate
the 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution to coordinate
activities in the State of New Jersey.
f. Formulate
and recommend any legislation the Commission determines essential
to the furtherance of the celebration of the American Revolution
in New Jersey.
6. The Commission
shall establish a regular schedule of meetings, schedule hearings
to solicit and receive recommendations for its programs and activities,
and report periodically to the Governor on its activities and
recommendations. An initial report to the Governor shall be made
within one (1) year of the organization of the Commission and
on each January 1st thereafter until a final report shall be made
on December 31st, 2008.
7. The Commission
is authorized to call upon any department, office or agency of
State government to provide such information, resources or other
assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities
under this Order. Each department, officer, division and agency
of this State is hereby required to cooperate with the Commission
and to furnish it with such information, personnel and assistance
as is necessary to accomplish the purposes of this Order.
8. The Commission
may accept donations or grants of money, property or personal
services from any source and may distribute appropriations made
by law.
9. This
Order shall take effect immediately and expire on December 31,
2008.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal
this 3rd day of July in the Year of
Our Lord, Two Thousand, and of
the Independence of the United
States, Two Hundred Twenty-Four.
/s/
Christine Todd Whitman Governor
[seal]