A 5504 — Expands and changes membership of Aquaculture Advisory Council.

A5504 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on September 17, 2026, with amendments.

     5.5.  a.  There is established in the Department of Agriculture an Aquaculture Advisory Council which shall consist of [13] 18 total members, including 15 voting and [two] three non-voting members [.  The voting members shall include the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall serve as chairman, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, the director of the Aquaculture Technology Transfer Center, the director of the Aquaculture Training and Information Center, the executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio, and six citizens of the State, to be appointed as follows:

 a.  There is established in the Department of Agriculture an Aquaculture Advisory Council which shall consist of [13] 18 total members, including 15 voting and [two] three non-voting members [.  The voting members shall include the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall serve as chairman, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, the director of the Aquaculture Technology Transfer Center, the director of the Aquaculture Training and Information Center, the executive director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio, and six citizens of the State, to be appointed as follows:

and      (c)   two members appointed by the Governor, who shall include:include:  one member of the public at large, and one member of an academic institution with knowledge, expertise, and experience in aquaculture industry operations.

 one     memberb.  ofThe theterm publicof atoffice large,of andeach onepublic member ofshall anbe academicthree institutionyears with1[; knowledge, expertise, and experience in aquaculture industry operations.

    except b. that Theof the first members to be appointed, one appointed by the Governor, one by the President of the Senate and one by the Speaker of the General Assembly shall be appointed for a term of officetwo years, and the remaining two members shall be appointed for a term of eachthree publicyears]1.  Each member shall serve until a successor has been appointed and qualified, and vacancies shall be threefilled years;in the same manner as the original appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term.  A member is eligible for reappointment to the council.

except that of the first members to be appointed, one appointed by the Governor, one by the President of the Senate and one by the Speaker of the General Assembly shall be appointed for a term of two years, and the remaining two members shall be appointed for a term of three years.  Each member shall serve until a successor has been appointed and qualified, and vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term.  A member is eligible for reappointment to the council.

P.L.1997, c.236, s.5)        2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

    STATEMENT        This bill changes the membership of the Aquaculture Advisory Council (council).  Under the bill, the council’s membership is increased from 13 to 18 total members, including 15 voting and three non-voting members.  The bill stipulates that seven members, or their designees, shall serve as ex-officio voting members, three members, or their designees, shall serve as ex-officio non-voting members, and eight members, who are residents of the State and with experience in the aquaculture industry, shall serve as voting public members.