TRENTON –  Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin, the co-chairs of the New Jersey Legislative Select Oversight Commitee, released the following statements today at the conclusion of the committee’s organizational meeting:

“This is a special committee with weighty responsibilities that we take very seriously and I fully intend to have this committee do its work in a serious way,” said Senator Weinberg. “We have an oversight responsibility to review the handling of certain allegations of sexual assault as well as the policies and procedures for screening employees in the public sector. We will treat the issue and the people involved with respect. We will conduct the work of the committee in a dignified manner and we will be deliberative in our work. Our work will be used to make recommendations for new practices and procedures to screen out those who pose a threat, to ensure that sexual assault survivors are treated with respect and compassion, and to help prevent abuse from happening.”

“It is the mission of our committee to examine all aspects of the screening of prospective employees in state government and continued employment in the public sector of persons with questionable backgrounds, or pending allegations, including allegations or claims of sexual offenses,” said Assemblywoman Pintor Marin. “After public hearings where we will take testimony, our joint committee will make recommendations to create improvements in screening and hiring practices. We intend to conduct our hearings professionally, fairly and as promptly as possible and deliver a report in an expeditious fashion.”

Senator Weinberg and Assemblywoman Pintor Marin said that they have asked Katie Brennan to testify at the committee’s next hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, December 4, 2018.

The Select Committee voted today to adopt the resolution containing the procedures that will guide its work: