Loretta Weinberg

WEST WINDSOR – A bill package sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Joseph Coniglio, designed to increase and improve available resources for families and individuals living with autism, was signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine. The bills were signed at the Eden Institute, a non-profit organization which provides educational and vocational services to adults and children living with autism.

Autism is a neurological developmental disability that impacts brain development in the areas of communication skills, social interaction and cognitive function. People living with autism often struggle with verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction.

“According to federal statistics, New Jersey has the highest number of autism cases in the nation,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “We are still learning about the autism spectrum disorders, but while we are learning, we must be able to provide much-needed assistance to families living with autism. As the number of residents living with autism increases, we must have the resources in place to provide them with support programs as we work to find ways of decreasing autism rates in New Jersey and around the world.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg that would make the complete voting records of Legislators available online has been signed into law by Governor Jon Corzine.

“As legislators, our choices must reflect what is in the best interest of our residents, who, as taxpayers, have a right to know how we cast our votes,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “To me, this expands the work started by the late Senator Byron Baer, through his strong advocacy of open government causes like New Jersey’s ‘Sunshine Law’ and the Open Public Records Act. This new law puts New Jersey one step closer to attaining total transparency in government.”

MARLBORO – Four Senate bills, including a trio of government ethics bills sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher, the Senate’s leading proponent of tough ethics reform, will be signed into law by Governor Corzine on Tuesday.

The bill signing ceremony will be held at the Marlboro Library, Library Court & Wyncrest Drive, in Marlboro on September 4th at 11 a.m.

DELRAN – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg which calls upon the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to evaluate available resources necessary to provide home health care services to veterans was signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine. The bill signing was held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 3020 in Delran, Burlington County.

“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us here at home,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. ” Because war is such a traumatic experience, it can leave returning veterans with visible physical and invisible emotional scars – which may have a better chance of healing if the veteran is treated at home in a familiar environment.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg which would require that employees of agencies specializing in international adoptions undergo criminal background and child abuse record checks has been introduced in the Senate.

“When parents in the United States rely on an adoption agency to find them a child in another country, social workers are called upon to bridge the gap between parents and the overseas orphanage,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “A myriad of circumstances can surround the need for a child to be put up for adoption, and more often than not, the child has lived through some traumatic experiences. Moving to a different country to live with a new family is also very traumatic, and this legislation would work to make sure that the social workers have the best interest and safety of the child in mind.”

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Ellen Karcher and Loretta Weinberg which creates the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency (VCCA) within the Department of the Treasury was signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine.

The VCCA will be comprised of five unpaid members, each being appointed to a three-year term. Currently, the members of the Victims of Crime Compensation Board (VCCB) receive salaries of $110,000 and are eligible for tenure after serving 10 years.