News & Releases

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases

15 May: Doria: Time To Reexamine State Testing

TRENTON – Senator Joseph Doria, D-Hudson, today urged Acting Education Commissioner Lucille Davy to reexamine the State’s standardized tests while the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee asked questions about the Department of Education’s FY07 Budget. Following the hearing he made the following statement:

“I think it’s really questionable that the State spends so much time and money on developing its own statewide standardized tests. When there are so many tests already available to us like the TerraNova and CATs, why must we reinvent the wheel? At up to $6.5 million for each individual test, we must explore ways to adapt existing tests to our needs rather than starting from scratch.

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By DMUAdmin Loretta Weinberg News & Releases

15 May: Weinberg Bill Would Provide Better Public Access To Legislative Voting Records

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg that would make it easier for the public to view the voting records of individual legislators was approved today by the Senate State Government Committee.

“This bill is another step in the right direction toward making government and its representatives much more transparent,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “The people of New Jersey deserve to know how their elected officials vote on the issues that matter the most. This bill would give the public access to the voting records of their elected officials, and it would hold them accountable to the constituents they serve.”

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas J. Sacco Shirley K. Turner

15 May: Senate Chair Backs Restricted Use Licenses

TRENTON – Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, today backed the concept of creating so-called restricted use licenses for workers whose driving privileges have been suspended.

But Senator Sacco said the recommendation by a special task force which studied the State’s driving point system and surcharge suspension program has to be narrowly focused to “avoid placing bad drivers back on the road.”

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases Shirley K. Turner

15 May: Turner Bill Urges Rutgers Participation In Combating Floods

TRENTON – The Senate Environment Committee approved a resolution sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner that would request that Rutgers University assist the “Flood Mitigation Task Force” in determining the causes and potential solutions to flooding in New Jersey.

“Floods are one of the few natural disasters that New Jersey has had to face on a regular basis,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “Fortunately, with advanced planning and constant maintenance of our dams and waterways, we can reduce the frequency and severity of floods.”

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas P. Scutari

15 May: Scutari Seeks $3 Million To Fight Asian Longhorn Beetle

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, to appropriating $3 million from a USDA grant to combat the spread of the Asian Longhorn Beetle, was approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

“Preventing the further spread of the Asian Longhorn Beetle is of the utmost importance,” said Senator Scutari, D-Somerset and Union. “If they are not checked, these pests could present a significant threat to not only our neighborhoods and parks, but to the entire American hardwood industry.”

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases Nicholas P. Scutari

15 May: Scutari Pushes Epa To Keep Pollution Reporting Standards High

TRENTON – A resolution sponsored by Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to rescind proposed changes that would weaken the Emergency Community Planning and Right-to-Know Act, was approved today by the Senate Environment Committee.

“The ‘Right-to-Know’ standards have been an essential tool for notifying the public about the pollutants and toxic materials that industrial plants produce since they were adopted twenty years ago,” said Senator Scutari, D-Somerset and Union. “They have caused a substantial and sustained reduction in the amount of toxins these facilities are releasing into the environment.”

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases Steve Sweeney

15 May: Sweeney, Burzichelli And Fisher Bill To Prevent Ground Contamination Clears Senate Committee

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Steve Sweeney and Assemblymen John J. Burzichelli and Douglass H. Fisher that would fund the removal and replacement of petroleum underground storage containers with above ground tanks, thereby helping to prevent soil and groundwater contamination was unanimously approved today by the Senate Environment Committee.

“This bill is designed to allow homeowners and business owners to take preventative measures to help stop ground contamination before it begins,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Environment panel. “For the most part, these tanks are not regulated by the State, and for that reason, the only way to know which ones are leaking is to dig them up. The State should not wait until these tanks start leaking – leaving an even larger, more dangerous and more expensive situation on its hands. Immediate action is necessary to help protect the health and safety of the people of New Jersey.”

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By DMUAdmin Loretta Weinberg News & Releases Nicholas J. Sacco Nicholas P. Scutari Steve Sweeney

12 May: Preview: Senate Committees To Tackle License Suspension, Environmental Concerns On Monday

TRENTON – On Monday, the Senate Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on the findings of the Motor Vehicle Affordability and Fairness Task Force, a panel of experts charged by the Legislature with reviewing the State’s driver’s license suspension laws to study the impact on New Jersey drivers.

Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, the Chair of the Transportation Committee and a prime sponsor of the bill establishing the Task Force as part of the larger Motor Vehicle Commission reform legislation signed into law in January of 2003, noted that the report issued by the Task Force will likely be a stepping off point for future legislation.

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By DMUAdmin News & Releases

11 May: Democratic Senators Want Horizon Investigated For Hoarding Its Surplus

TRENTON – Three Senate Democrats – Loretta Weinberg, Ellen Karcher and Barbara Buono – today unveiled plans to investigate whether Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield is hoarding its $1.25 billion surplus to the detriment of the vulnerably uninsured, small businesses and New Jersey taxpayers.

“Our goal is to shut down any hoarding so Horizon can’t shirk its mandate to expand access to quality health care while keeping rates affordable,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “I sense there’s up to $500 million available in Horizon’s vaults that could be freed up to help people get access to health care.”

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By DMUAdmin Joseph Vitale News & Releases Steve Sweeney

11 May: Senate Labor Panel Approves Minimum Health Care Benefits Rate

TRENTON – The Senate Labor Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Senators Stephen Sweeney, Joseph Vitale, and Joseph Coniglio that would set a minimum health benefits rate for businesses with more than 1,000 employees in New Jersey.

“New Jersey can no longer afford to provide health care for individuals whose employers refuse to provide even a minimum amount of health benefits,” said Senator Sweeney, D Gloucester, Cumberland, and Salem and chair of the Committee. “Over half of New Jersey’s one million uninsured individuals either work or have a family member who works, yet are not provided with health benefits. It’s time for large employers to meet their responsibilities and provide health care benefits.”

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