52:31-1.6. Findings, declarations

The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. The Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections possess real property, all of which is to be maintained and used in furtherance of department goals and functions.

b. Pursuant to P.L.1962, c.220 (C.52:31-1.1 et seq.), the department heads, with the approval of the Governor and the State House Commission, may dispose of the State's interest in real property if it is deemed appropriate by the department head.

c. Unused property held by the departments and considered surplus property is often transferred from one department to another and sold without adequate legislative oversight and review.

d. The resultant lack of guidelines and directives for the use and control of real property in the Department of Human Services and the Department of Corrections precludes any coherent, long-range planning and policy formation for the use of real property in those departments and by the Department of the Treasury.

e. Consequently, to centralize and organize the real property inventory of each of these departments and to provide for the maintenance of general legislative oversight for the efficient functioning of these departments, it is in the State's best interests to require these departments to develop and promulgate a master plan which shall be updated annually in a report to the Legislature.

f. Furthermore, it is in the best interests of the Department of the Treasury to assist in the development and promulgation of such a master plan and annual update.

L.1989,c.110,s.1.