Executive Order #157 Governor Chris Christie
Orders and Directs the establishment, in the Department of State, of the New Jersey Hellenic-American Heritage Commission

 

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 144 (Corzine 2009) created the New Jersey Hellenic-American Heritage Commission (“Commission”) to recognize, study, and promote Hellenic heritage, culture, and history; and

WHEREAS, Americans of Hellenic ancestry contribute to the cultural, social, and economic strength of our State and our Nation; and

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 144 (Corzine 2009) expired on June 11, 2014; and

WHEREAS, the dissemination of knowledge of the heritage, culture, and history of Hellenes and Americans of Hellenic ancestry continues to be important to the State of New Jersey and its citizens; and

WHEREAS, in furtherance of my Administration’s commitment to promoting New Jersey’s rich and diverse cultural identity, it istherefore appropriate for the Commission to continue its work for an additional period;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRIS CHRISTIE, 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. Paragraph 13 of Executive Order No. 144 (Corzine 2009) is amended to provide that the Commission shall continue in existence until June 11, 2019.
2. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 23rd day of June, Two Thousand and Fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States, the Two Hundred and Thirty-Eighth.

/s/ Chris Christie
Governor

Executive Order #144 Governor Jon S. Corzine
Orders and Directs the establishment, in the Department of State, of the New Jersey Hellenic-American Heritage Commission

 

WHEREAS, New Jersey draws strength from its ethnic and cultural diversity and ranks as one of the top five states with the highest concentrations of Americans of Hellenic ancestry; and

WHEREAS, Americans of Hellenic 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 Hellenes and Americans of Hellenic ancestry is important to the State of New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary and proper to educate the citizens of New Jersey about the heritage, culture, and history of Hellenes and Americans of Hellenic ancestry;

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 Hellenic-American Heritage Commission (“Commission”).
2. The Commission shall be composed of twenty-four (24) members.
3. The following officials, or their designees, shall serve on the Commission, ex officio, and with a vote: the Secretary of State; the Commissioner of the Department of Education; the Executive Director of the Commission on Higher Education; the Director of the Division on Civil Rights; 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.
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 thirteen (13) public members appointed by the Governor. The Governor shall appoint a chair 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 geographic representation, educational background, knowledge, and experience related to the heritage, culture, and history of Hellenes and Americans of Hellenic ancestry.
6. The Governor shall appoint each public member for a term of three years, except that of the public members first appointed, one-third shall be appointed to a three-year term, one-third shall be appointed to a two-year term, and one-third shall be appointed to a one-year term. 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 Hellenic heritage, culture, and history;
   2. to coordinate events observing the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Hellenic ancestry, including an annual Hellenic Heritage Month Celebration in March;
   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 Hellenic ancestry in the State’s Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies;
   4. to coordinate events with the Department of State observing the heritage, culture, and history of Americans of Hellenic 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 Greece and Cyprus;
   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 Greece and Cyprus.
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 Hellenic culture and the contributions of Americans of Hellenic ancestry to society. 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 provide such information, resources, or other assistance deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities under this Order. 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 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 June Two Thousand and Nine, and of the Independence of the United States, the Two Hundred and Thirty-third.

/s/ JON S. CORZINE
Governor