State of New Jersey
Executive Order #165

Governor Jon S. Corzine
WHEREAS, New Jersey draws strength from its ethnic and cultural diversity; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey is home to over one million Americans of Eastern European ancestry, including Americans of Polish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Slovak, Czech, and Lithuanian ancestry; and

WHEREAS, Americans of Eastern European ancestry share a common geographic, historical, and cultural heritage; and

WHEREAS, Americans of Eastern European ancestry contribute to the economic, social, cultural, and civic vitality of the State and the Nation; and

WHEREAS, dissemination of knowledge of the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Eastern European ancestry is important to the State of New Jersey; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JON S. CORZINE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

  1. There is hereby established, in the Department of State, the New Jersey Eastern European-American Heritage Commission (“Commission”).

  2. The Commission shall be composed of twenty-one (21) members.

  3. The following officials, or their designees, shall serve on the Commission, ex officio, and with a vote: the Secretary of State; the Public Advocate; the Commissioner of the Department of Education; the Chair of the Governor’s Ethnic Advisory Council; the Chair of the New Jersey Human Relations Council; and the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. In addition, the Governor shall appoint a State representative to the Commission.

  4. The Commission also shall consist of one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate, one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly, one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Senate Minority Leader, one public member appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Assembly Minority Leader, and an additional ten (10) public members appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall designate a chair from among the members, and the members shall elect annually from among their members a vice-chair.

  5. The public members shall be residents of the State, chosen with due regard for representation by national origin, geographic representation, educational background, knowledge, and experience related to the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Eastern European ancestry.

  6. The State representative shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of three (3) years. The public members appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly, the Senate Minority Leader, and the Assembly Minority Leader shall each be appointed for a term of three (3) years. Of the other ten (10) public members first appointed, four (4) shall be appointed to a three-year term, three (3) shall be appointed to a two-year term, and three (3) shall be appointed to a one-year term. Thereafter, after the initial term of office, all public members shall be appointed to a term of three (3) years. Public members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified, and any vacancy in the membership of the committee shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner provided for the original appointment. Public members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

  7. The Commission shall meet as soon as practical after the chair and a majority of the members have been appointed. The presence of a majority of the authorized membership of the Commission shall constitute a quorum and shall be required for the conduct of official business.

  8. The responsibilities and duties of the Commission are as follows:

    1. to recognize, study, and share information on Eastern European heritage, culture, and history;

    2. to coordinate events observing the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Eastern European ancestry, including an annual Eastern European Month Celebration;

    3. to provide expertise to and to collaborate with the Department of Education to continue to develop content and curriculum guides on the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Eastern European ancestry;

    4. to coordinate events with the Department of State observing the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Eastern European ancestry;

    5. to assist the New Jersey Tourism Policy Council in promoting cultural exchanges between the citizens of the State of New Jersey and the nations of Eastern Europe;

    6. to assist the Office of International Trade in promoting economic development and international trade between the citizens of the State of New Jersey and the nations of Eastern Europe.

  9. The Department of Education shall assist the Commission in the dissemination to educators, administrators, and public school districts in the State, educational information, and other materials on the history and cultural heritage, and the contributions to society of Americans of Eastern European ancestry. Such information and materials also shall be made available to non-public schools.

  10. The Commission may, subject to such approvals as are required by law, expend such monies as may be donated to the State for the benefit of the work of the Commission.

  11. The Commission is authorized to call on any department, office, division, or agency of State government to request such information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order, and which such department, office, division or agency can reasonably provide. Each department, office, division, and agency of this State, to the extent not inconsistent with law, is hereby required to cooperate with the Commission and to furnish it with such information and assistance as is necessary and feasible to accomplish the purposes of this Order. The Commission may consult with experts or other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.

  12. The Commission shall establish a schedule of meetings and report periodically to the Governor on its activities and recommendations. An initial report to the Governor shall be submitted within six months from the date of the first meeting and annually thereafter.

  13. This Order shall take effect immediately and shall expire in five (5) years from the date of this order.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 11th day
of January, Two Thousand and Ten, and
of the Independence of the United States, the
Two Hundred and Thirty-Fourth.
/s/ Jon S. Corzine
Governor

[seal]

 

Attest:

/s/ William J. Castner, Jr.
Chief Counsel to the Governor