Provides for qualified mental health associates

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Angelo Santabarbara and 2 co-sponsors

A5545 allows NJ soil conservation districts to exceed five supervisors; the State Soil Conservation Committee will set district maximums, boosting governance flexibility.

REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES

What the bill does (plain language)

A5545 amends New Jersey law governing soil conservation districts to allow a district’s governing body to have more than five supervisors. It gives the State Soil Conservation Committee authority to set the maximum number of supervisors for each district. The bill takes effect immediately.

Note: The bill text and committee statement submitted with A5545 address soil conservation districts. The bill metadata provided with the request (title: "Provides for qualified mental health associates" and some committee referrals to Mental Health) appears inconsistent with the statutory text. This summary follows the bill text and committee statement concerning soil conservation districts.

Key provisions

Amends R.S.4:24-18 to change the composition requirement of a soil conservation district governing body from a fixed five supervisors to:

“at least five” supervisors, and
authorizes the State Soil Conservation Committee to determine the maximum number of supervisors for each district.

Retains the requirement that supervisors be legal residents of the district.

Effective date: immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

State Soil Conservation Committee: gains discretion to set maximum supervisor counts for individual districts.

Soil conservation districts: may expand their boards beyond five supervisors if the State Committee sets higher maxima; districts’ governance structures and appointment processes could change accordingly.

Potentially affected stakeholders: county governments (where districts operate), agricultural and landowners served by districts, current and prospective supervisors, and administrative staff who support district boards.

Legislative status and timeline (as reported)

Introduced in the Assembly: April 10, 2025

Reported out of Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee: May 15, 2025

Passed Assembly: May 22, 2025 (vote: 75–3–0)

Received in the Senate and referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee: May 29, 2025

Print number: 5545A (amended print noted May 16)

Companion/related bills: S4399 and S5273 (Senate companions); prior-session A8464

Potential impacts and considerations

Governance flexibility: districts can expand boards to add expertise, geographic or stakeholder representation, or workload capacity.

Administrative adjustments: appointment processes and operating procedures may need revision; modest administrative costs could arise if boards expand.

No change in appointment authority: supervisors remain appointed by the State Soil Conservation Committee (the bill does not alter appointment method or residency requirement).

Implementation detail: the State Soil Conservation Committee must adopt determinations (rules/policies) establishing maximum supervisor numbers per district.

Bill