The bill amends the statutory definitions related to waterfront workers in New Jersey, specifically focusing on the stevedoring and longshoreman sectors. It introduces new definitions for key roles such as "Director," "Officer," "Owner," "Partner," and "Telecommunications system controller," which clarify the responsibilities of individuals involved in stevedoring enterprises. Additionally, the term "Hiring agent" is expanded to include stevedores and other employers of longshoremen, broadening the scope of who can designate longshoremen for employment. The definition of "Stevedore" is also revised to include both natural persons and corporate entities engaged in moving waterborne freight, along with detailing the types of contracts involved in these operations.

Moreover, the bill aligns the statutory definitions of waterfront workers with federal law requirements, particularly P.L.92-544, to ensure compliance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) standards for exchanging criminal history record information. It mandates that certain categories of waterfront workers must be fingerprinted at their own expense to facilitate this exchange of criminal history data. This change is essential for maintaining access to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Service and aims to enhance the safety and security of hiring practices within the waterfront industry. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 53:2-8, 53:2-10