4:22-11.7 Duties, responsibilities of county society. 7.A county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals

4:22-11.7  Duties, responsibilities of county society.7.A county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals continued or established in accordance with section 6 of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.6) shall:

a.Elect its own board of trustees from the members of the county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals who reside within the county or who choose to be affiliated with that county society;

b.Establish bylaws or regulations necessary for the governance and operation of the county society;

c.Enforce all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals;

d.Promote the interests of, and protect and care for, animals within the State;

e.Appoint agents for enforcing all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals and for the investigation of alleged acts of cruelty to animals within the State; appoint up to, but not more than, three agents for commission as humane law enforcement officers in accordance with the provisions of sections 9 and 10 of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.9 and C.4:22-11.10) for the purpose of enforcing all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals and for the investigation of alleged acts of cruelty to animals within the State, and, with the concurrence of the county prosecutor, authorize the commission of such additional humane law enforcement officers over that established maximum as may be necessary based upon population or the number, degree, or complexity of animal cruelty complaints; and appoint a Chief Humane Law Enforcement Officer from among the appointed humane law enforcement officers;

f.Investigate alleged acts of cruelty to animals and, when necessary, request legal assistance from the office of the appropriate county or municipal prosecutor, which the county or municipal prosecutor, as the case may be, shall make every reasonable effort to provide;

g.Adopt a badge, which shall be authority for making arrests and which shall be easily distinguishable from the badge adopted by the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals;

h.Have the authority to sue and be sued in all courts, and all actions brought by or against the county society shall be in its corporate name; and

i.Purchase and hold any real estate as may be expedient for the advancement of the purposes of the county society, and take by devise or gift all real estate or personal property that is devised or given to it, without regard to value.  The title to any real estate shall be taken in the corporate name of the county society.

L.2005,c.372,s.7. 4:22-11.8  Completion of training courses by officers, agents.8. a.  Each county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shall require that its humane law enforcement officers and agents satisfactorily complete the training courses established pursuant to P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.1 et al.).

b.Each county society shall establish training programs for the operation of the county society in accordance with mandatory uniform standards, guidelines, and procedures established for the operation of all county societies.

c.The board of trustees of a county society shall appoint officers who shall be responsible for direction of the daily operation of the county society.

L.2005,c.372,s.8. 4:22-11.9  Certain persons ineligible for service; criminal history record background check.9.  a.  No person shall serve as a trustee, officer, or humane law enforcement officer or agent of, or hold any other position of authority within, the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or any county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals if that person has been convicted of a crime under the laws of the State or under any similar statutes of the United States or any other state, or convicted of a violation of any provision of chapter 22 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes or a violation of any similar statutes of the United States or any other state, as indicated by a criminal history record background check performed pursuant to this section.  The fingerprints of each such person and the written consent of the person shall be submitted to the Superintendent of State Police for a criminal history record background check to be performed.  The superintendent shall compare these fingerprints with fingerprints on file with the Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police, Department of Law and Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, consistent with State and federal laws, rules, and regulations.  The cost for the criminal history record background check, including all costs administering and processing the check, shall be borne by either the person or the board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, as the case may be.  The superintendent shall inform the board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, as the case may be, of whether the person's criminal history background check reveals a conviction of a disqualifying crime as specified in this section.

The superintendent shall complete the criminal history record background check required pursuant to this subsection within 90 days after receipt of a request therefor.

b.  (1)  No person shall serve as a trustee, officer, or humane law enforcement officer or agent of, or hold any other position of authority within, the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or any county society if that person has been convicted of, or found civilly liable for, a violation of any provision of chapter 22 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes or a violation of any similar statutes of the United States or any other state.

(2)The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or county society shall rescind the authorization or appointment of any member, humane law enforcement officer, or agent convicted of, or found civilly liable for, a violation of any provision of chapter 22 of Title 4 of the Revised Statutes or a violation of any similar statutes of the United States or any other state, and that person shall immediately surrender to the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or county society any badge, identification card, or indicia of authority issued to the member, humane law enforcement officer, or agent, as the case may be.

4:22-11.4 Duties, responsibilities of board of trustees. 4.The board of trustees of the New Jersey Society

4:22-11.4  Duties, responsibilities of board of trustees.4.The board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall:

a.Establish any bylaws or regulations as may be deemed necessary for governance and operation of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals;

b.Promote the interests of, and protect and care for, animals within the State;

c.Have the authority to grant county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals charters for the formation of county societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals in a county;

d.Have the authority, upon a majority vote of the board of trustees, to revoke, cancel, or suspend the charter of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals for the cause of failing to comply with any requirement of this act pertaining to the establishment or operation of a county society;

e.Appoint agents for enforcing all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals and for the investigation of alleged acts of cruelty to animals within the State; appoint agents for commission as humane law enforcement officers in accordance with the provisions of sections 9 and 10 of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.9 and C.4:22-11.10) for the purpose of enforcing all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals and for the investigation of alleged acts of cruelty to animals within the State; appoint a Chief Humane Law Enforcement Officer from among the appointed humane law enforcement officers; and adopt a badge which shall be authority for making arrests;

f.Establish, or make arrangements for the provision of, mandatory annual training courses for all humane law enforcement officers and agents of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and of the county societies, which courses shall be subject to the approval of the Police Training Commission;

g.Make, alter, and use a common seal;

h.Have the authority to sue and be sued in all courts, and all actions brought by or against the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall be in its corporate name;

i.Purchase and hold any real estate as may be expedient for the advancement of the purposes of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and take by devise or gift all real estate or personal property that is devised or given to it, or to a county society in a county where a chartered county society does not exist, without regard to value.  The title to any real estate shall be taken in the corporate name of the society;

j.Hold in escrow any assets, after payment of any outstanding debts, of a county society that dissolves or has its charter revoked, canceled, or suspended for any reason until a new county society for that county is formed and chartered or the revoked, canceled, or suspended charter for the county is restored, at which time the board of trustees shall transfer those assets to the newly formed and chartered county society or the county society whose revoked, canceled, or suspended charter has been restored, as the case may be; and

k.Assist persons in counties without a chartered county society to obtain a charter.

L.2005,c.372,s.4. 4:22-11.5  Fees for chartering county societies.5.The board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals may establish reasonable fees for chartering county societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals and for renewal of a charter.

L.2005,c.372,s.5. 4:22-11.6  Continuation of existing county societies.6.  a.  Every county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals that is in existence on the date of enactment of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.1 et al.) shall be continued as a chartered county society.

b.A charter for a county society may be granted by the board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals if the county society can demonstrate that it consists of at least 10 members.  The requirements of this subsection shall not apply to a county society which is continued as a chartered county society as provided in subsection a. of this section.

c.Every county society shall submit quarterly a law enforcement report to the board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on a form developed in conjunction with the Attorney General.  Each county society shall also submit a copy of its quarterly report to the county sheriff and the county prosecutor.  The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall compile these reports and submit them to the Attorney General.

4:22-11.3 Establishment of bylaws, standards, guidelines.

4:22-11.3  Establishment of bylaws, standards, guidelines.3.Within 120 days after the effective date of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.1 et al.), the board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall meet to establish bylaws and uniform standards and guidelines that are consistent with the provisions of Title 15A of the New Jersey Statutes as shall be necessary for the governance and operation of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the county societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

4:22-11.2 N.J.S.P.C.A continued to coordinate function of county societies.

4:22-11.2  N.J.S.P.C.A continued to coordinate function of county societies.2. a. (1)The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is continued as a parent corporation for the purposes of coordinating the functions of county societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and of promoting the interests of, protecting and caring for, and doing any and all things to benefit or that tend to benefit animals.  The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall be governed by a board of trustees consisting of 15 persons, of whom 12 shall be members of the society elected by the membership thereof and three shall be persons appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.  Each trustee shall serve a term of six years, except as provided otherwise pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection. Of the 12 elected trustees, at least one shall also be a member of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals in the northern part of the State, at least one shall also be a member of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals in the central part of the State, and at least one shall also be a member of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals in the southern part of the State.

For the purposes of this paragraph:  "northern" means the counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, or Union; "central" means the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, or Warren; and "southern" means the counties of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, or Salem.

(2)Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (1) of this subsection to the contrary, every trustee on the board governing the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on the day before the date of enactment of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.1 et al.) shall complete the remainder of the trustee's respective assigned term on the board created pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection.

b.The board of trustees of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall prepare an annual report concerning the law enforcement activity of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the county societies, and shall submit the report for each calendar year by June 1 of the next following calendar year to the Attorney General and the Legislature, and shall make the report available to the public upon request.

c.The New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shall submit quarterly to the Attorney General statistical information concerning its law enforcement activity during that period, on a form developed in conjunction with the Attorney General.

L.2005,c.372,s.2. 

4:22-11.1 Definitions relative to prevention of cruelty to animals.

4:22-11.1   Definitions relative to prevention of cruelty to animals.
1.As used in this chapter:

"Agent" means a member duly appointed as an agent by the board of trustees of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who, upon recommendation of the Chief Humane Law Enforcement Officer of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is empowered to issue summons and direct humane law enforcement officers to make arrests and enforce all laws and ordinances enacted for the protection of animals, and to investigate alleged acts of cruelty to animals;

"Humane law enforcement officer" means an agent authorized and appointed by the board of trustees of a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or of the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and duly commissioned by the Superintendent of State Police in accordance with the provisions of sections 9 and 10 of P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.9 and C.4:22-11.10), to possess, carry, or use a firearm while enforcing any law or ordinance for the protection of animals while on duty or on call, and who has satisfactorily completed the firearms training course approved by the Police Training Commission and other qualifications and training courses required pursuant to P.L.2005, c.372 (C.4:22-11.1 et al.); and

"Member" means a person who has been granted membership in a county society for the prevention of cruelty to animals or the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.