Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
                                SENATE, No. 3987
                             STATE OF NEW JERSEY
                              220th LEGISLATURE
                                             DATED: JUNE 30, 2023
                                                  SUMMARY
    Synopsis:                   Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish Legislative Youth
                                Council and select institution of higher education in this State as host;
                                makes changes to council’s structure to provide flexibility in activities
                                and operations.
    Type of Impact:             Annual State expenditure increase.
    Agencies Affected:          Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.
                                       Office of Legislative Services Estimate
    Fiscal Impact                                                            Annual
    State Cost Increase                                                   Indeterminate
    The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that this bill will result in an indeterminate
     increase in annual State expenditures, primarily associated with providing stipends to the
     coordinator and each of the members of the Legislative Youth Council. The bill stipulates that
     the Legislature is to appropriate sufficient funds in each fiscal year for the administration of
     the council.
    The bill grants discretion to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education in overseeing the
     council and setting stipend amounts.
                                            BILL DESCRIPTION
    The bill makes changes to the Legislative Youth Council in order to create flexibility and
provide long-term support.
    The bill directs the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to identify an institution of
higher education in the State to host, develop, supervise, and provide administrative support to the
council. The institution is to appoint a coordinator to oversee the council, and the coordinator is
to receive an annual stipend in an amount determined by the office. The coordinator may invite
qualified persons who are considered subject matter experts to work with the council, and may
      Office of Legislative Services                                    Legislative Budget and Finance Office
           State House Annex                                                    Phone (609) 847-3105
              P.O. Box 068                                                       Fax (609) 777-2442
      Trenton, New Jersey 08625                                                  www.njleg.state.nj.us
                                               FE to S3987
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work with State policymakers to arrange for meetings, observation opportunities, and presentations
that will allow members to experience first-hand the policymaking process and to provide input
directly to policymakers. The coordinator is required to report biennially to the Secretary of Higher
Education and the Legislature on the activities of the council.
    The bill provides that the Legislature is to appropriate sufficient funds in each fiscal year for
the administration of the council, which may include stipends. Additionally, the bill provides that
each council member is to receive a stipend in an amount determined by the coordinator, in
consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.
                                           FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
   None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
    The OLS concludes that this bill will lead to an indeterminate increase in annual State
expenditures, primarily associated with providing stipends to the coordinator and each member of
the council. The bill stipulates that the Legislature is to appropriate sufficient funds in each fiscal
year for the administration of the council.
    The bill grants discretion to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education in overseeing the
council and setting stipend amounts. However, the OLS notes for the purposes of illustration only,
that there are to be 40 members of the council. An annual stipend of $5,000 for each council
member would result in an increase in State costs of $200,000, while an annual stipend of $25,000
for each council member would result in an increase in State costs of $1 million.
    The OLS notes that additional State costs would likely be incurred for the coordinator to
provide the required report biennially and for the administrative costs of the council; however,
such administrative costs are dependent on decisions made by the coordinator of the council, in
consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, and, as such, the OLS is unable
to estimate the value of these costs.
  Section:      Education
  Analyst:      Abigail Chambers
                Assistant Fiscal Analyst
  Approved:     Thomas Koenig
                Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).
Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 52:13GG-2, 52:13GG-3, 52:13GG-4, 52:13GG-5