Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
TRENTON – In response to the recent discovery of the New York City Police Department (NYPD)’s surveillance of Muslims in New Jersey as a part of secret counter-terrorism efforts, Senators Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Brian Stack sponsored legislation that would protect the privacy of the public by setting forth guidelines related to out-of-state law enforcement conducting counter-terrorism activities in New Jersey. The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee yesterday unanimously approved the legislation.
“The NYPD’s secret counter-terrorism efforts conducted on New Jersey soil demonstrate a blatant disregard for individual rights and government transparency,” said Senator Cunningham, D-Hudson. “Surveillance efforts that target specific ethnic or racial groups are particularly dangerous, as they lead to widespread discrimination and deny suspects the presumption of innocence. In order to prevent future cases of racial profiling and protect the privacy of all New Jersey residents, this legislation is the right thing to do.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas P. Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, addresses his colleagues on the floor of the State Senate.
Senate Budget Hearing Regarding Transportation Issues
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Bob Gordon, Nicholas P. Scutari and Brian Stack to incentivize the conversion of shuttered hospitals into productive health care facilities was approved unanimously today by the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
“A hospital closure can have a dramatic affect on the community, resulting in reduced access to health care services for residents and significant job and tax revenue losses in the area in which it was located,” said Senator Gordon (D-Bergen/Passaic). “Providing tax credits for the development of medical arts centers will help to encourage the redevelopment of shuttered hospitals, which will help ensure the continuation of vital healthcare services for residents and contribute to a more stable local economy.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Brian Stack which would allow municipalities to penalize creditors for building code violations for abandoned, foreclosed properties to which the creditor holds the deed was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 31-0.
“When a foreclosed home sits vacant within a community, it can become a magnet for criminal activity, and can deteriorate to cause an economic blight on the remaining homes within the community,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “When these abandoned homes fall into disrepair, the creditors who are legally responsible for those homes should step up, do the right thing, and maintain the home. If they fail to fix the homes up in a timely manner, municipal officials should have the ability to impose penalties.”
“With the rising number of foreclosed homes in New Jersey, we’ve seen cases where many of these homes aren’t kept up, and they create a blight on the rest of the municipality,” said Senator Stack, D-Hudson. “As a municipal official, I can attest to the high cost that vacant, foreclosed, and blighted properties have on municipal budgets, because there is an added expense for basic maintenance and police patrols. By requiring creditors who initiate the foreclosure proceedings to maintain these homes or face penalties, we’re putting the responsibility for maintenance where it belongs.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Brian P. Stack to protect the Hudson River Palisades, as well as the residents and communities in the area, by prohibiting most new development on the cliff slopes and creating protective buffers within the region was approved today by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
“The Hudson River Palisades have been defaced by development in recent years. We will never be able to restore them to their natural state, or to re-establish the stability and security of the cliff slopes, but we can act to prevent further deterioration of the structure,” said Senator Stack (D-Hudson). “Preserving and enhancing the Hudson River Palisades as a prime natural resource will protect the residents and the communities in this area, as well as preserve this important national landmark.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Jeff Van Drew and Brian Stack to overhaul the state’s Urban Enterprise Zone Program by implementing strict requirements that would increase accountability of participating municipalities was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
The reform bill (S-2949) is intended to restart the successful UEZ program – which historically has recycled sales tax revenue back into the zones for economic development projects – by strengthening accountability measures and ensuring the focus of the program is to stimulate the economy and create jobs in financially distressed areas of the state. The centerpiece of the legislation would require that towns and cities create and submit to the state a five-year economic growth plan in order to continue participation in the UEZ program. The Department of Community Affairs would be responsible for assisting municipalities in developing the plans and for granting their approval.
“The urban enterprise program has been extremely successful in municipalities across the state, helping to create jobs and revitalize economically depressed areas,” said Senator Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic). “While we know that this program is effective, there is no doubt that we can do better. Requiring towns and cities to submit an economic growth plan every five years, and providing increased involvement at the state level, will ensure we are meeting the goals of the program.”
TRENTON – Senators Donald Norcross, Brian P. Stack and M. Teresa Ruiz today said the refusal of Republicans to restore critical funding for municipalities that are facing extraordinary budget circumstances will devastate New Jersey’s cities.
Republicans failed to support the restoration of $149 million in Transitional Aid in the FY2012 budget. The funding is the state’s only discretionary financial assistance program, and is only available to municipalities anticipating difficulties making payments toward nondiscretionary or critical obligations including debt service, contractual obligations and public safety payroll. The GOP also voted against restoring $50 million in public safety aid to 150 municipalities across the state.
“Our cities are already reeling from a down economy. Public safety has been decimated, workforces have been slashed and services cut to the bone,” said Senator Norcross (D-Camden/Gloucester). “The bottom line is, our cities have run out of places to cut back and in many urban centers a robust tax base just doesn’t exist. Without a reversal of these devastating cuts, cities across our state will be in jeopardy of total economic collapse.”
TRENTON – Senate Republicans today voted in lock-step to preserve the governor’s $10.6 million cut to legal services and clinics for the poor, a move that will prevent poor residents from being able to defend themselves from eviction, job discrimination and may even block victims of domestic violence from seeking justice against their abusers.
“Without proper representation, the legal rights of low-income New Jerseyans will be in serious danger,” said Senator Brian Stack, who led the effort to override the governor’s $10 million line-item veto for Legal Services. “Barring access to the courtroom to any resident is justice denied.”