2023 New Jersey Revised Statutes
Title 48 - Public Utilities
Section 48:23-22 - Authorization for receipt of proposals, negotiation of contract.
48:23-22 Authorization for receipt of proposals, negotiation of contract.
5. a. (1) The State Treasurer is authorized to receive one or more proposals to transfer all or any part of the assets of the authority, including, but not limited to, the radio operating licenses, but not including the television operating licenses, to a nonprofit corporation.
(2) Upon selecting a proposal pursuant to this subsection, the State Treasurer shall negotiate a contract to transfer all or any part of the assets of the authority, including, but not limited to, the radio operating licenses, but not including the television operating license, to a selected nonprofit corporation and submit the negotiated contract to the Legislature pursuant to subsection g. of this section.
b. Any transfer or transfers authorized pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall not occur unless the State Treasurer determines, upon application by or on behalf of the nonprofit corporation, if a nonprofit corporation is selected, that:
(1) The nonprofit corporation is an educational and charitable corporation validly existing and in good standing under the "New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act," P.L.1983, c.127 (N.J.S.15A:1-1 et seq.) and is incorporated, organized and operated in such a manner as to qualify as a nonprofit corporation described in section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(c)(3) or any successor provision that is exempt from taxation pursuant to section 501(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. s.501(a) or any successor provision;
(2) The nonprofit corporation's certificate of incorporation and by-laws authorize the receipt of the FCC operating licenses currently assigned to the authority and the ownership of the assets and liabilities of the authority, and provide that the purposes of the nonprofit corporation include the ownership, maintenance, and operation of a public broadcasting system; and
(3) Upon the assignment of any radio operating licenses and the transfer of assets, the nonprofit corporation shall provide public broadcasting services and operate a public broadcasting system consistent with FCC license requirements.
c. Any assets and liabilities, including receivables, may be assigned, transferred, or conveyed to the nonprofit corporation upon the Legislature's approval pursuant to subsection g. of this section and may become vested in the nonprofit corporation, any of which assignments, transfers, or conveyances may also be evidenced by such instruments of assignment, transfer, or conveyance as the Legislature may approve pursuant to subsection g. of this section, and all liabilities listed in a schedule of assets and liabilities, as well as all outstanding obligations and commitments lawfully undertaken or contracted for by the authority in respect of the public broadcasting system, may be assumed and performed by the nonprofit corporation through the execution, delivery, and performance of such instruments of assumption as the State Treasurer shall prescribe, in each case subject to action by the State Treasurer and the Legislature, pursuant to subsection g. of this section.
d. The State Treasurer shall take such other actions, and may require the nonprofit corporation to take such other actions, as the State Treasurer deems to be necessary to implement the provisions of P.L.2010, c.104 (C.48:23-18 et al.).
e. The State Treasurer may assign, transfer, or convey to the nonprofit corporation from time to time such additional public broadcasting system assets, other than the television operating licenses, as the State Treasurer deems appropriate to further the purposes of P.L.2010, c.104, subject to the approval of the Legislature pursuant to subsection g. of this section.
f. Any negotiations to transfer all or any part of the assets of the authority, including, but not limited to, the radio operating licenses, but not including the television operating licenses, to a nonprofit corporation; or to delegate by contract responsibility for conducting the operations of the public broadcasting system to a nonprofit corporation involving the State Treasurer shall be subject to the provisions of P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.) and all of its exemptions, commonly known as the open public records act.
g. (1) The State Treasurer shall make the submission required by subsection a. of this section, to the Legislature to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly on a day when both houses are meeting. The President and the Speaker shall cause the date of submission to be entered upon the Senate Journal and the Minutes of the General Assembly, respectively.
(2) Unless the contract as described in the submission is disapproved by adoption of a concurrent resolution to this effect by the affirmative vote of a majority of the authorized membership of both houses within the prescribed time period prescribed in this subsection, the contract shall be deemed approved. The President and the Speaker shall cause a concurrent resolution of disapproval of the contract to be placed before the members of the respective houses for a recorded vote within the time period. The time period shall commence on the day of submission and expire on the fifteenth day after submission or for a house not meeting on the fifteenth day, on the next meeting day of that house.
h. Subject to the provisions of P.L.2010, c.104 and any federal law to the contrary, as an alternative to a transfer or transfers as authorized by this section, the Treasurer is authorized to solicit and receive one or more proposals to sell all or any part of the assets of the authority, including, but not limited to, the radio operating licenses, but not including the television operating licenses, to a for-profit corporation or other entity, subject to such terms, conditions, limitations, rights of reversion and first refusal, provisions for liquidated damages and other contractual penalty provisions, and such other provisions as the Treasurer shall determine to be in the public interest; subject to the approval of the Legislature pursuant to subsection g. of this section.
L.2010, c.104, s.5.
