30:4-123.47 State Parole Board.

3. a. There is hereby created and established within the Department of Corrections a State Parole Board which shall consist of a chairman, 14 associate members and three alternate board members. The chairman, associate members and alternate board members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate from qualified persons with training or experience in law, sociology, criminal justice, or related branches of the social sciences. Members of the board and the alternate board members shall be appointed for terms of six years and the terms of their successors shall be calculated from the expiration of the incumbent's term. Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and have qualified.

The Governor shall designate a vice-chairman from among the associate members. The vice-chairman shall assume the duties of the chairman when the chairman is absent, unavailable or otherwise unable to perform his duties, or, in the case of removal or a permanent incapacity, until the qualification of a successor chairman appointed by the Governor.

Any alternate board member may assume the duties of an associate member when the associate member is absent, unavailable or otherwise unable to perform his duties, or the associate member assumes the duties of the chairman, and shall perform those duties only until the associate resumes his duties, or, in the case of removal or a permanent incapacity, the qualification of a successor appointed by the Governor.

b. (1) Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the board, otherwise than by expiration of term, shall be filled in the same manner as one occurring by expiration of term, but for the unexpired term only. Any member of the board, including any alternate board member, may be removed from office by the Governor for cause.

(2) Upon certification of the chairman that additional parole panels are needed on a temporary basis for the efficient processing of parole decisions, the Governor also may appoint not more than four temporary acting parole board members from qualified persons with training or experience in law, sociology, criminal justice, juvenile justice or related branches of the social sciences. A temporary acting member shall be appointed for a term of three months. The Governor may extend the appointment of any or all of the temporary acting members for additional terms of three months, upon certification of the chairman that additional parole panels are needed on a temporary basis for the efficient processing of parole decisions. A temporary acting member shall be authorized to participate in administrative review of initial parole hearing decisions, parole consideration hearings and determinations concerning revocation or rescission of parole.

c. The members of the board shall devote their full time to the performance of their duties and be compensated pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1974, c.55 (C.52:14-15.108). Any alternate member and any temporary acting members shall be entitled to compensation. The amount of such compensation shall be determined by multiplying the rate an associate member would be paid on a per diem basis times the number of days the alternate board member or temporary acting member actually performed the duties of an associate member in accordance with the provisions of this section.

d. The associate members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor to panels on adult sentences and assigned by the chairman of the board to six panels on adult sentences. The chairman of the board shall be a member of each panel. Nothing provided herein shall prohibit the chairman from reassigning any member appointed to a panel on adult sentences to facilitate the efficient function of the board. Nothing provided herein shall prohibit the chairman from temporarily reassigning any member appointed to a panel on adult sentences or a panel on young adult sentences to facilitate the efficient function of the board. The alternate board member may assume, in accordance with the provisions of this section, the duties of any associate member. The chairman may assign a temporary acting member to a panel on adult sentences.

e. Of the associate members first appointed to the four positions created pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2001, c.141, one shall be appointed for a term of six years; one shall be appointed for a term of five years; one shall be appointed for a term of four years and one shall be appointed for a term of three years.

L.1979, c.441, s.3; amended 1987, c.396, s.1; 1997, c.219; 1999, c.139; 2001, c.141, s.1; 2019, c.363, s.7.