Nellie Pou

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Senator Nellie Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen, addresses her colleagues on the Senate floor.
By DMUAdmin Nellie Pou News & Releases

04 Mar: Pou Measure Asking Us Government To Pick Up All Sandy-Related Costs Ok’d By Senate Community Affairs Panel

TRENTON – As New Jersey struggles to rebound from the economic recession, a resolution sponsored by Senator Nellie Pou encouraging the federal government to waive a federal provision requiring New Jersey to foot a minimum of 25 percent of Hurricane Sandy cleanup – saving the state more than $7 billion – was unanimously approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.

“Hurricane Sandy was one of the worst storms to ever hit New Jersey’s shores and the financial impact could be upwards of $30 billion,” said Senator Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen. “Even only paying 25 percent of the costs could have a massive effect on our state’s finances and since the state is required to balance our budget each year, these funds will have to come from somewhere. Raising taxes on New Jersey’s working families is not an option and neither is reducing aid for education, health care or other much needed services. As state and local governments continue to recover from the recession, we cannot ask our taxpayers to carry this burden. Instead, the federal government should step in with their greater resources and provide relief.”

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Senator Nellie Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen, asks a question during a Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee hearing on the Governor’s proposed FY 2012 Budget.
By DMUAdmin Joseph Vitale Nellie Pou News & Releases Nia H. Gill

04 Mar: Pou-Vitale-Gill Landmark ‘Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection And Treatment Act’ Approved By Senate Budget Committee

TRENTON – An omnibus human trafficking bill, sponsored by Senators Nellie Pou, Joseph F. Vitale and Nia Gill, that would broaden the definition of and penalties for human trafficking, putting New Jersey in the forefront of protecting victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking was approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

“Human trafficking is an atrocious act that enslaves men, women and children right here in New Jersey,” said Senator Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen. “Often held captive by coercion, fear and abuse, these victims cannot speak against their abusers. With stricter laws, tougher penalties and with more public awareness we can put an end to this forced servitude and sex slavery that is happening within our borders.”

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A view of the Senate Chambers from the 2010-2011 Senate Reorganization.
By DMUAdmin Joseph Vitale Nellie Pou News & Releases Nia H. Gill

13 Dec: Pou-Vitale-Gill Landmark ‘Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection And Treatment Act’ Approved By Senate Judiciary Committee

TRENTON – An omnibus human trafficking bill, sponsored by Senators Nellie Pou, Joseph F. Vitale and Nia Gill, that would broaden the definition of and penalties for human trafficking, putting New Jersey in the forefront of protecting victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking was approved today by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Human trafficking is, simply put, a form of modern-day slavery and we as a state must do everything in our power to end these atrocities occurring within New Jersey’s borders,” said Senator Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen. “The men, women and children who are victims of forced labor and prostitution often cannot escape their servitude, so it is imperative that we make the public aware of these actions and provide our law enforcement and advocates with the training necessary to break up these crime rings and bring traffickers to justice. By strengthening our human trafficking law and providing needed services and trainings, we can make a real difference in ending the trade of humans in New Jersey.”

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Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-Essex)
By DMUAdmin Nellie Pou News & Releases Ronald L. Rice

19 Oct: Rice-Pou Introduce Measure To End State Takeover Of Local Schools After Five Years

TRENTON – Earlier this week, Senators Ronald L. Rice and Nellie Pou introduced a measure which would cap the amount of time that the State could intervene in a local school district to five years before governing authority would be returned to the local board of education.

“When an outside entity comes in and takes over control for two decades, that’s not intervention – that’s occupation,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “After twenty years of occupation from State regulators, school districts in Newark, Paterson and Jersey City have seen little progress and few results, and students are facing many of the same challenges today that they faced when the State first came in and took over these districts. It’s time for the State to admit that prolonged takeover of a local school district is a failed experiment, and it’s time to return the school districts that have languished under State control back to the people in those school districts.”

“While there may be legitimate reasons for the State to temporarily take over the functions of a local school district, such an agreement must come with an expiration date,” said Senator Pou, D-Passaic and Bergen. “As we’ve seen with Paterson, Newark and Jersey City, while there has been progress during the takeover period, there has also been backsliding, and it’s to the point where the benefits of State intervention are really called into question. The point of the law that allows the State to take over local school districts is that the takeover period is finite, and having a deadline by which State regulators have to withdraw puts added emphasis on the need to produce results.”

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A view of the Senate Chambers from the 2010-2011 Senate Reorganization.
By DMUAdmin Linda Greenstein Loretta Weinberg M. Teresa Ruiz Nellie Pou News & Releases

01 May: Women Senators –- Use Untapped Job Training Dollars For Women’s Healthcare

TRENTON – Following the revelation that $6 million from a job training program for women and minorities will be lapsed into the General Fund in the current budget, a group of female Senators that serve on the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee said that the money would be put to better use by restoring drastic cuts to women’s healthcare programs that the Governor instituted since he took office.

“Rather than funnel unused job training dollars back into the General Budget, the unused funds should instead be invested in women’s healthcare for women who have been unable to find work in the current job market,” said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen. “When Governor Christie drastically cut funding for women’s health care in the last two State budgets, he made it more difficult for women to access the tests and treatments which can save lives. If we’re now at a point where we can identify surplus funds in underutilized programs, our first priority should be restoring some of the painful cuts from budgets past.”

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