The New Jersey State Bar Association’s governing body last week approved a preliminary budget, new member benefits and acted on pending legislation. The Board of Trustees met at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick on March 11.
The trustees approved a preliminary operating budget for fiscal year 2022-2023, which starts July 1. The proposed budget reflects about $11 million in projected revenue and nearly the equivalent in projected expenses. First-year members will be offered free dues and free membership in the NJSBA Young Lawyers Division. The plan anticipates a resumption of in-person events, but will also continue to offer virtual and hybrid options for events, meetings that keep members up to date and provide benefit to their practice and professional endeavors.
The Association will continue to provide meaningful membership experiences, including printing New Jersey Lawyer magazine and installing additional enhancements of the technology at the New Jersey Law Center to better serve the legal community. The preliminary budget will be published, per the bylaws, and reviewed by the Board before it is finalized in June.
The board approved two new member benefits. One provides ticket discounts for the Somerset Patriots. The second provides discounts on online coffee purchases from LeGrand Coffee House, a company started by former Rutgers football star Eric LeGrand, who suffered a severe spinal cord injury on the field. Details about the new benefits will be posted soon on njsba.com.
The trustees also voted to support several pieces of pending legislation. The measures include:
- A320 Dancer, which would add aggravating factor of committing crime against person because of status as service member.
- A2347 Mukherji, a measure that would permit a marriage or civil union license to be issued and solemnized via audio-visual technology.
- A1356 Mosquera which would establish the “Female Inmates’ Rights Protection Act.” The NJSBA will work with the sponsors to consider amendments to address concerns about presumptions in custody matters.
- A1475 Lopez/S1809 Ruiz, which would add coercive control to definition of domestic violence. The NJSBA will seek to work with the sponsors to make amendments to fine-tune the proposal.