newjerseynewsroom.com

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

As of Friday, the Delaware Bay Weakfish Commission, the New Jersey Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Apparel Procurement Board, the Invasive Species Council and 56 other state government commission and boards are only misty water-colored memories for state legislators and past governors who saw a need for them.

As part of his effort to streamline the state government, Gov. Chris Christie signed an executive order eliminating the commissions and boards that his administration found to have expired, were inactive, non-operational or just plain defunct.

"The councils, commissions and boards targeted for elimination have quite frankly outlived their usefulness," Christie said. "Removing this bureaucratic clutter is central to the process of administration's goal of cutting overlapping, redundant or useless layers of government, streamlining operations, and reducing red tape. My administration will continue working diligently to rein in the growth of state government and ensure that it operates as efficiently as possible and in the best interests of our citizens."

Christie also welcomed the report of his cabinet's recommendations that stem from an earlier executive order, which directed the commissioners to review all authorities, boards and commissions to determine whether each entity should continue or cease to exist.

The review resulted in recommendations to eliminate approximately 250 entities and over 60 additional recommendations for mergers. Christie said he would review the recommendations and propose legislation to eliminate or merge boards and commissions that were created by the Legislature.

The 157-page report can be found here (in PDF format).

Here are the eliminated commissions and boards and the year they were created:

• The New Jersey Geographic Information Council (2001);
• The 225th Anniversary of the American Revolution Celebration Commission (2000);
• The Advisory Committee on the Preservation and Use of Ellis Island (1998);
• The Advisory Committee to Study the Future of the New Jersey Training School for Boys in Monroe Township (1997);
• The Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice 1994);
• The Advisory Council to Promote the Profession of Nursing in New Jersey 2002);
• The Advisory Panel on Higher Education Restructuring (1994);
• The Advisory Panel on School Vouchers (1995);
• The New Jersey Character Education Commission (2002);
• The Benefits Review Task Force 2005);
• The Billboard Policy Procedure and Review Task Force (2003);
• The Blue Ribbon Panel on the Development of Wind Turbine Facilities in Coastal Waters (2004);
• The Budget Efficiency Savings Team Commission (2002);
• The Commission on Rationalizing New Jersey's Health Care Resources (2006);
• The Construction Trade Training Council (2001);
• The Defense Conversion and Community Assistance Commission (1993);
• The Deferred Balance Task Force - Board of Directors (2002);
• The Ellis Island New Jersey Restoration Advisory Committee (2000);
• The Election Advisory Council (1986);
• The Fix DMV Commission (2002);
• The Governor's Youth Advisory Council (1999);
• The Task Force for Farmland Assessment Program (1993);
• The Renewable Energy Task Force (2003);
• The Governor's Cabinet for Children (2003);
• The Governor's Commission on Eastern European History (1991);
• The Education Mandate Review Study Commission (2003);
• The Governor's Commission to Support and Enhance New Jersey's Military and Coast Guard Installations (2004);
• The Governor's Committee on Children's Services Planning (1993);
• The Governor's Committee on Welfare Reform (1993);
• The Governor's Council on New Jersey Outdoors (1995);
• The Governor's Hispanic Advisory Council for Policy Development (2002);
• The Governor's School Board of Overseers 1986);
• The Blue Ribbon Transportation Committee (2003);
• The Governor's Study Group on the Bicentennial of the Polish Constitution (1991);
• The Governor's Task Force on Mental Health (2004); The Governor's Task Force on Public Health Emergency
• Planning (2002);
• The Governor's Task Force on Steroid Use and Prevention (2005);
• The Study Commission on Parole (1995);
• The Governor's Teacher Advisory Committee (2002);
• The Hudson River Waterfront Development Committee (1991);
• The Lake Restoration & Management Advisory Task Force (2000);
• The Landlord-Tenant Task Force (1998);
• The Legalized Gaming Policy Study Commission (1993);
• The Liberty State Park Public Advisory Commission (1984);
• The New Jersey Advanced Technology Vehicle Task Force (1999);
• The New Jersey Council on Access and Mobility (2007);
• The New Jersey Council on Job Opportunities (1992);
• The New Jersey Fisheries Development Commission (1984);
• The Video Lottery Study Commission (2003);
• The Task Force for the Review of the Treatment of the Criminally Insane (1996);
• The New Jersey Character Education Commission (2002);
• The Governor's Asian American Commission (2002);
• The Task Force on the Affordability and Accessibility of Health Care in New Jersey (1999);
• The State Council on Vocational Education (1991);
• The Study Commission on New Jersey's Non-Public Schools 2009);
• The Citizen's Committee on Permit Coordination (1977);
• The Toll Road Consolidation Commission (2002).