Establishes permanent task force to review and guide implementation of process improvement programs for government entities based on Lean Six Sigma management approach.

A4127

ASSEMBLY, No. 4127

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes permanent task force to review and guide
implementation of process improvement programs for government entities based on
Lean Six Sigma management approach.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning the review and implementation of
process improvement programs for government entities and supplementing Title 52
of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a. �There is established
within, but not of, the Department of the Treasury, a Process Improvement
Program Task Force.� The purpose of the task force shall be to:

���� (1)�� conduct a comprehensive
review initially, and periodic reviews thereafter, to identify, assess, and
select those government processes in the State, a county, a municipality, or a
board of education of a local school district that would benefit from the implementation
of a process improvement program utilizing the Lean Six Sigma management
approach;

���� (2)�� develop a priority order
for the implementation of process improvement programs utilizing the Lean Six
Sigma management approach for those government processes selected;

���� (3)�� develop recommendations
and guidelines for the manner of implementation of a process improvement
program for each government process selected; and

���� (4)�� provide guidance and
monitoring on a continuing basis for each process improvement program.

���� The task force shall conduct,
periodically as deemed appropriate, a review and assessment of each program
that has been implemented and make recommendations and provide guidelines, as
may be deemed necessary and appropriate, for the continued implementation.

���� b.��� The task force shall be
comprised of:

���� (1)�� the head of each State
department in the Executive Branch of State government, serving ex officio;

���� (2)�� such other State
officers or employees as the Governor shall deem appropriate;

���� (3)�� three members of the
public appointed by the Governor as follows: one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey Association of Counties, one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, and one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey School Boards Association; and

���� (4)�� three members of the
public appointed by the Governor with education, training, or experience in the
management approach called Lean Six Sigma, preferably with some education,
training, or experience in the application of the approach in the public sector.

���� c.���� The other State
officers and employees and the members of the public shall serve at the
pleasure of the Governor.� The six members of the public shall serve without
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties within the limits of funds made available for that purpose.

���� d.��� The members of the task
force shall meet within 30 days following the effective date of P.L.��� , c.���
(pending before the Legislature as this bill).� Thereafter, the members of the
task force shall meet at least once each calendar month for the first 12 months
and at least quarterly in each succeeding 12-month period.

���� e.���� At the direction of the
task force, each department, agency, commission, or board of the State, a
county, a municipality, and a board of education of a local school district
shall conduct an initial comprehensive review and assessment of all government
processes performed within that department, agency, commission, or board for
the purpose of identifying which of those could benefit from the implementation
of a process improvement program utilizing the Lean Six Sigma management
approach.� The task force shall provide such information in such adequate
detail to each department, agency, commission, and board as to ensure that each
review and assessment results in a comprehensive report that is focused,
specific, and useful.� Each department, agency, commission, or board shall
submit its review and assessment to the task force, in writing, within 60 days
following receipt of the request by the task force for the review and
assessment.

���� f.���� The task force shall
issue a written report within six months following the effective date of P.L.��
, c.�� (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and in each year
thereafter, describing in detail the reviews, assessments, selections,
recommendations, and guidelines of the task force; the probable impact of the
implementation of each process improvement program and the progress and results
of each program since the last report; and the identification of those rules,
regulations, codes, ordinances, and statutes administered by a department,
agency, commission, or board that need to be adopted, revised, or eliminated to
achieve the purpose of each process improvement program.

���� The reports shall be
transmitted to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and, when applicable, a board of county
commissioners, governing body of a municipality, or a board of education of a
local school district, upon completion.� The reports shall be made available to
the public on the Internet site of the Department of the Treasury.

���� g.��� After due consideration
of each report, the Governor, a board of county commissioners, a governing body
of a municipality, or a board of education of a local school district, as
appropriate, shall:

���� (1)�� direct the head of the
government department, agency, commission, or board to proceed with the
development and implementation of a process improvement program for each
government process selected by the task force to the extent possible within the
requirements of existing rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, and statutes;

���� (2)�� by executive order,
ordinance, or resolution, and as necessary and appropriate, proceed with the
development and implementation of a process improvement program for each
government process selected by the task force; and

���� (3)�� seek from the
Legislature or other governing body changes in a statute, code, ordinance,
rule, or regulation to adopt, revise, or eliminate those requirements as may be
necessary and appropriate to proceed with the development and implementation of
a process improvement program.

���� h.��� The head of each State
department, agency, commission, or board in the Executive Branch shall
promulgate such rules and regulations, pursuant to the �Administrative
Procedure Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), and perform such duties,
as the head of the department, agency, commission, or board may deem necessary
and appropriate to proceed with the development and implementation of a process
improvement program for each government process selected by the task force.

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes a
permanent task force to review and guide implementation of process improvement
programs for government entities based on the Lean Six Sigma management
approach in order to improve the delivery of services and the efficiency and
effectiveness of government operations.

���� Lean Six Sigma, developed in
the private sector, is a disciplined process improvement methodology that can
benefit government agencies when implemented with leadership, planning,
communication, cooperation, and training.� Over the long term, this approach
will result in enhanced performance, cost savings, and a change in the public
sector�s infrastructure and culture.� It has been reported that the Lean Six
Sigma management approach has been used with success by the federal Departments
of Defense and Homeland Security, the cities of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Hartford,
Connecticut, and the Florida Department of Revenue and Washington State
Department of Licensing.

���� The bill establishes within,
but not of, the Department of the Treasury, a Process Improvement Program Task
Force to provide leadership and guidance for the implementation of process
improvement programs in government processes for the State, counties, municipalities,
and school districts.

���� The purpose of the task force
would be to: (1) conduct a comprehensive review to identify, assess, and select
those government processes of the State, a county, a municipality, or a board
of education of a local school district that would benefit from utilizing the
Lean Six Sigma management approach; (2) develop a priority order for the
implementation of process improvement programs utilizing the Lean Six Sigma
management approach; (3) develop recommendations and guidelines for the manner
of implementation of a process improvement program for each government process
selected; and (4) provide guidance and monitoring on a continuing basis for
each process improvement program.

���� The task force would be
comprised of:

���� (1)�� the head of each State
department in the Executive Branch of State government, serving ex officio;

���� (2)�� such other State
officers or employees as the Governor shall deem appropriate;

���� (3)�� three members of the
public appointed by the Governor as follows: one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey Association of Counties, one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, and one member upon the recommendation
of the New Jersey School Boards Association; and

���� (4)�� three members of the
public appointed by the Governor with education, training, or experience in the
management approach called Lean Six Sigma, preferably with some education,
training, or experience in the application of the approach in the public sector.

���� The bill also requires the
task force to hold meetings and issue reports according to the schedule
specified in the bill.� After due consideration of each report, the Governor, a
board of county commissioners, a governing body of a municipality, or a board
of education of a local school district, as appropriate, must:

���� (1)�� direct the head of the
government department, agency, commission, or board to proceed with the
development and implementation of a process improvement program for each
government process selected by the task force to the extent possible within the
requirements of existing rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, and statutes;

���� (2)�� by executive order,
ordinance, or resolution, and as necessary and appropriate, proceed with the
development and implementation of a process improvement program for each
government process selected by the task force; and

���� (3)�� seek from the
Legislature or other governing body changes in a statute, code, ordinance,
rule, or regulation to adopt, revise, or eliminate those requirements as may be
necessary and appropriate to proceed with the development and implementation of
a process improvement program.