Jeff Van Drew

TRENTON – Senator Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic and an advocate for repealing the federal sports betting ban and allowing states to regulate gambling on professional sports, issued the following statement today about the increase in illegal gambling centering on the Superbowl this weekend. Senator Van Drew noted that with the changing conditions of the economy, the economic troubles of Atlantic City’s casino industry, and the fact that sports wagering is legal in Delaware, New Jersey needs to step up efforts to push for a repeal of the federal ban:

“With another Superbowl Sunday approaching, there are certain annual traditions which have become a sure-bet.

“Families will congregate around the TV, consuming more hot wings and nachos in one evening than they probably have in the previous year. Auto manufacturers, breweries, and cola companies will pump millions of dollars into marketing ads to compete for our business. And underground, illegal sports-betting rings will thrive as book-makers funnel their profits into other, more dangerous criminal enterprises.

FIRST LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT – Senator Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matt Milam today said they will closely monitor the case of the dentist charged with dumping medical waste off Cape May County waters.

The waste closed several beaches around Labor Day weekend.

The lawmakers renewed their call for new laws they’re proposed that would suspend the license of health care professionals who improperly dispose of medical waste and increase penalties for medical waste and water and ocean pollution.

TRENTON – Senator Jeff Van Drew, D-Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic, issued the following statement today after Assembly Budget Committee Chairman, Louis Greenwald, suggested that the State ought to look at closing all but 2 of the institutions for people with developmental disabilities in New Jersey:

“While I appreciate Assemblyman Greenwald’s previous and ongoing passionate advocacy on behalf of New Jerseyans with developmental disabilities, the plan to phase out five of the seven active institutions serving people with developmental disabilities is wrong on so many levels.

1st Legislative District – Senator Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matt Milam today backed a call by top Assembly leaders to give towns more time to submit housing plans to the state, but said more must be done to ease regulations, including rethinking a proposed 2.5 percent fee on commercial development.

The three lawmakers praised a request made by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and Assembly Housing and Local Government Chairman Jerry Green to give towns at least 90 more days to file plans with the state Council on Affordable Housing. Roberts and Green made their request in a letter sent to COAH.

(1st Legislative District) –Senator Jeff Van Drew and Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Matt Milam today said they would explore introducing legislation to revamp the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse after the state comptroller found the agency hands out grants without proper review.

The comptroller’s report found $10 million annually intended for drug and alcohol prevention and education have been used to pay for items such as petting zoos and community fairs.

“Alcohol and drug addiction are painful plagues on our society, and to see money meant to combat them being used frivolously is extremely upsetting,” said Van Drew. “Hard-earned tax dollars must be spent with proper oversight.”