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236

Sections 2 and 3 incorporated into Unemployment Compensation Law text.

4. (New section) There is created a commission to be known as the "Commission to Study the Hiring, Employment and Compensation of Agricultural Labor in New Jersey," which shall consist of 13 members. Two members of the commission shall be members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President thereof, not more than one of whom shall be of the same political party, and two members shall be members of the General Assembly, to be appointed by the Speaker thereof, not more than one of whom shall be of the same political party. In addition, the Governor shall appoint six public members, three of whom shall represent business, including one representative of agricultural business; and three of whom shall represent labor, including one representative of agricultural labor. The Commissioner of Labor, the Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development, and the State Secretary of Agriculture shall be members of the commission ex officio. All members of the commission shall serve without compensation. Members who are legislators shall serve only as long as they hold the legislative seat they held at the time of the appointment. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made.

5. (New section) It shall be the duty of the commission to inquire into the hiring, employment and compensation of agricultural labor in this State and make such legislative proposals to the Legislature as it may deem necessary. In making its inquiries and formulating its proposals, the commission shall take into consideration, as it deems appropriate, recommendations of the "Commission to Study the Employment and Compensation of Agricultural Labor in New Jersey" submitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly pursuant to Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 151 of 1984. In addition to its other duties, the commission shall specifically address the following issues: a range of possible changes in unemployment compensation eligibility standards to make them the same for farmers as for other employers; a range of possible changes in the minimum wage level; extension of the time and one-half overtime pay requirements to agriculture; enforcement of the requirement that payments-in-kind be reported as taxable wages; the establishment of an eligibility threshold for farm workers at a fixed percentage of the threshold for other employees; and the establishment of a separate unemployment insurance fund for farm workers or for other seasonal employees.

6. (New section) The commission shall organize within 15 days after the appointment of its members. The commission shall elect a chairman from among its members and the chairman shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.

7. (New section) The commission may hold public hearings and shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of such employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for this