17:30E-5. Reconstituted board of directors; advisory boards

a. Within 45 days after the effective date of this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act, there shall be appointed a reconstituted board of directors, and within 30 days after the appointment of the reconstituted board, the commissioner shall call the first, or organizational, meeting of the reconstituted board of directors. The board shall consist of nine persons, five of whom shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, however, no more than three of the Governor's appointees shall be of the same political party, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, and one by the President of the Senate; the Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in the Department of Law and Public Safety, or his designee, and the Commissioner of Insurance, or his designee, shall be ex officio members of the board. The board members appointed by the Governor, the President and the Speaker shall be persons with a background in insurance law or practices, specifically with regard to automobile insurance in New Jersey, who shall not, during their tenure on the board be affiliated with or employed by any producer, insurer servicing carrier or non-insurer servicing carrier, or any trade association or other entity representing the interests of any producer, insurer servicing carrier or non-insurer servicing carrier in this State. Members of the board may, during their tenure on the board, be affiliated with or employed by a non-servicing carrier member company. The Governor shall name two surrogates for each director appointed to the board from a list submitted to him by each appointee. Members of the board shall be compensated from the moneys of the association for their services, pursuant to standards and procedures set forth in the plan of operation. The initial appointment of the board members appointed by the President and Speaker shall be for a term of one year. The initial term of two of the board members appointed by the Governor shall be for a term of two years. The initial term of the remaining three board members appointed by the Governor shall be for a term of three years. After the initial appointments, all directors shall be appointed for terms of three years or until such time as a successor is appointed and duly qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment for the unexpired term of the director to be replaced.

Within 20 days of the appointment of the reconstituted board of directors, the Governor, upon consultation with the Commissioner of Insurance, shall appoint two advisory boards to serve the board of directors. The first advisory board, to be known as the member company and servicing carrier advisory board, shall be comprised of eight representatives of member companies, servicing carriers and non-insurer servicing carriers. The second advisory board, to be known as the producer advisory board, shall be comprised of six producer representatives. In appointing the representatives of the member company and servicing carrier advisory board, the Governor shall select two persons from a list of not fewer than three persons nominated by the American Insurance Association, or its successor organization, from the officers or employees of insurers which are licensed to transact automobile insurance in this State and which are members or subscribers of that organization; two persons from a list of not fewer than three persons nominated by the Alliance of American Insurers, or its successor organization, from the officers or employees of insurers which are licensed to transact automobile insurance in this State and which are members or subscribers of that organization; two persons from a list of not less than three persons nominated by the National Association of Independent Insurers, or its successor organization, from the officers or employees of insurers which are licensed to transact automobile insurance in this State and which are members or subscribers of that organization; and two persons from the officers or employees of any insurers which are licensed in this State and are not members or subscribers of any of the above-mentioned organizations or from the officers or employees of any noninsurer servicing carriers, as provided for in section 24 of P.L. 1983, c. 65 (C. 17:30E-12). All nominations made by the associations shall include at least one representative of an insurer which is not and does not intend to be a servicing carrier. In appointing the representatives of the producer advisory board, the Governor shall select two persons from a list of not fewer than three nominated by the Professional Insurance Agents Association or its successor organization; two persons from a list of not fewer than three nominated by the Independent Insurance Agents Association or its successor organization; and two persons from a list of not fewer than three nominated by the Insurance Brokers Association or its successor organization. The Governor shall name two surrogates for each advisory board member from a list submitted to him by each appointee.

Each trade association and producer association shall have 15 days from the effective date of this 1988 amendatory and supplementary act to submit its prescribed list of advisory board candidates to the Governor. If any of the associations named in this section fails to submit the list from which the Governor is to select advisory board members within the time provided in this subsection, the Governor shall appoint temporary advisory board members to represent each association that has failed to submit its list. In selecting temporary advisory board members, the Governor shall be guided by the selection criteria set forth herein. Upon subsequent receipt of the list from the association, the Governor shall select permanent advisory board members to replace temporary board members within 30 days. Such replacement shall become effective immediately. Advisory board members shall each serve for a three year term or until such time as their successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the member and servicing carrier or producer advisory board shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment for the unexpired term of the advisory board member to be replaced. Advisory board members shall not be compensated for their services, but shall be reimbursed by the association for any necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in performance of their duties as members of the advisory board.

b. After the board has been appointed, it shall elect from its membership a chairman and shall then meet thereafter at least annually, and as often as the chairman or the plan of operation shall require, or at the request of any three members of the board or the commissioner. All meetings of the board and of the advisory boards shall be held in New Jersey. Written notice setting forth the meeting agenda shall be provided for each board meeting. Written notice shall be provided, at least five days prior to the date of the meeting, to all directors, each member of the member and servicing carrier advisory board and producer advisory board, the commissioner, and the chairmen of the Assembly Insurance Committee and the Senate Labor, Industry and Professions Committee, or the successors to those committees. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings. A copy of the minutes shall be sent within five business days following the meeting to the commissioner and to the chairmen of the two legislative committees. Each member of the board shall be entitled to one vote. The commissioner, or his designated representative, shall have no right to vote. Four voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum. No votes shall be cast on any matter except at an authorized board meeting. All votes shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. No votes shall be cast on any matter not listed as an agenda item in the written notice for that meeting. No member or his surrogate shall be entitled to vote on any matter if not physically present at the meeting at which the vote is taken. A majority of the voting members shall determine any action of the board. No member may serve as chairman for more than two consecutive years.

c. The board shall have and exercise all powers of the association not reserved to the members by the plan of operation or as otherwise provided in this act.

L. 1983, c. 65, s. 17; amended 1983,c.301,s.3; 1985,c.520,s.9; 1986,c.211,s.2; 1988, c.119,s.17.