5. a. There is established in the Office of Information Technology a Statewide Public Safety Communications Commission which shall oversee the office in the planning, design, and implementation of the Statewide emergency enhanced 9-1-1 telephone system and the New Jersey Interoperable Communications System.

b. The commission shall consist of 16 members as follows: two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall not be both of the same political party; two members of the General Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, who shall not be both of the same political party; the following members ex officio: Chief Technology Officer of the Office of Information Technology or his designee; Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness or his designee; Superintendent of State Police or his designee; Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services or his designee; the State Treasurer or his designee; the New Jersey State Fire Marshal or his designee; the following public members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate: a representative of the Northeast/UASI Homeland Security Region; a representative of the Delaware River Homeland Security Region; a representative of the Shore Homeland Security Region; a representative of the Northwest Homeland Security Region; a representative from the State Agency Communications Working Group; and a representative from the Statewide Public Safety Communications Advisory Council.

c. The members of the Senate and General Assembly appointed to the commission shall serve for the term for which they were elected. The members of the Senate and General Assembly appointed to the commission shall be non-voting, advisory members, appointed solely for the purpose of developing and facilitating legislation to assist the commission in fulfilling its statutory mission, and may not exercise any of the executive powers delegated to the commission by law.

d. Of the public members first appointed to the commission by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, two shall be appointed for terms of three years, two shall be appointed for terms of two years, and one shall be appointed for a term of one year. Thereafter, the public members of the commission shall be appointed for terms of three years. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term. Members may be removed by the appointing authority for cause. The initial members shall be appointed within 30 days of the effective date of this act. The commission shall have the authority to establish subcommittees as it deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this act.

e. The commission shall be co-chaired by the Chief Technology Officer within the Office of Information Technology and the Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, or their designees.

f. The commission shall be constituted upon the appointment of the majority of its authorized membership and shall have no expiration date.

g. The commission shall meet bi-annually or at more frequent intervals at the discretion of the co-chairs. The meetings of the commission shall be held at the times and in the places necessary and appropriate to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.

h. The Office of Information Technology shall provide such administrative and professional assistance as the commission requires to carry out its work.

i. The commission shall be authorized to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or local law enforcement entity, any fire department, paid or volunteer, rescue squad or any other department or agency as it may require. State, county, and municipal agencies shall cooperate with the commission by providing information and data as needed.

j. For security concerns, meetings of the commission shall be exempt from the provisions set forth in the “Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act,” P.L.1975, c.231 (C. 10:4-6 et seq.). Records made or maintained by the commission shall not be considered public or government records under P.L.1963, c.73 (C. 47:1A-1 et seq.). The commission may call upon staff members and the expertise of non-council members to participate in commission activities to provide information and advice.

k. The commission shall adopt a charter to effectuate this act within 180 days after the first meeting date.

L.2011, c.4, s.5.