TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today said the state appeals court ruling which will block the start of needle exchange programs in Atlantic City and Camden is “yet another delay which will cost lives” in the face of efforts to thwart the spread of HIV and AIDS in New Jersey.
“The faces of HIV/AIDS are the faces of women and children,” said Senator Gill, D-Montclair. “These are the lives that are paying the price for failed action.”
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill and Ronald Rice to require law enforcement officials to record whether criminal incidents are related to street gangs when periodic police reports are sent to the State Attorney General.
The bill, S-2125, also would require that fingerprint records include a designation as to whether a crime was gang related. The bill passed 37-0 and now awaits action in the Assembly.
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Nia H. Gill which would enact a number of protections for gift card consumers, including a provision requiring that gift cards could not expire within a two-year period after purchase, was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee today.
“Many people save a gift card for a rainy day, but with little in the way of regulation, they may be surprised at the register to find that their gift card is either no longer valid, or has been severely diminished in value,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “Businesses should not be allowed to take advantage of their customers’ delay in redeeming gift cards, especially when such a delay may be no fault of the redeemer in the first place. Reasonable regulation is more than fair, and will put New Jersey at the forefront of consumer protection in regards to gift cards.”
TRENTON – The Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee today released a bill sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill to require law enforcement officials to record whether criminal incidents are related to street gangs when they make their periodic reports to the State Attorney General.
The bill, S-2125, also would require that fingerprint records include a designation as to whether a crime was gang related. Approved without objection, the bill now awaits action before the full Senate.
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Sens. Nia H. Gill and Ronald L. Rice to authorize seniors to terminate residential leases when they gain access to an assisted living facility, nursing home, continuing care community or low or moderate income housing received final legislative approval today in the Assembly.
“Senior citizens should not be forced to endure heavy financial burdens when they must move from rental housing to assisted living or to a nursing home,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic. “This bill will provide a measure of tranquility for families helping their elder loved ones get settled in an assisted living environment.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Nia H. Gill which would create a 26-member Gangland Security Task Force to examine the activities of gangs and the effect that these gangs have on communities, received final approval today.
“Gangs are taking over our streets and the safety of our residents is at stake,” said Senator Rice. D-Essex. “Whether you live in Princeton or Newark, gangs are growing and no neighborhood is safe. We need to come together as a united community and find alternative activities to gang banging.”
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Sens. Nia H. Gill and Ronald L. Rice to authorze seniors to break residential leases if they are accepted into an assisted living facility, nursing home, continuing care community or low or moderate income housing.
“It’s appropriate to help seniors in their transition to assisted living without forcing to endure financial burdens,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic. “With this legislation, families will get help in securing the proper living environment for their elder loved ones.”
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a bill, sponsored by Sens. John H. Adler and Nia H. Gill, to make sure all public entities in New Jersey are authorized to offer health benefits to domestic partners.
The landmark Domestic Partnership Act enacted last year in New Jersey contains a potential loophole because it only authorizes the extension of health benefits to domestic partners working for public entities enrolled in the State Health Benefits Plan, said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill.
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill which will create the crime of human trafficking and impose prison penalties of up to 20 years on violators of the law, was signed yesterday by acting Governor Codey.
“Today, oppressed women and children, seeking only the American Dream, are given the protection they need from exploitation by human traffickers,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic. “For too long, this State has turned a blind eye to the plight of immigrated citizens, forced to work in demeaning and dehumanizing conditions in order to pay back the costs of their immigration. With today’s bill signing, we are sending a strong message that slavery, in whatever form it may rear its ugly head, will not be tolerated.”
TRENTON – The Senate today gave final approval to a measure, sponsored in the Senate by Senator Nia H. Gill, to compensate victims of human trafficking and to punish their oppressors with prison terms of up to 20 years.
“We are acting today on behalf of the thousands women and children who are forced into oppressive acts of sexual slavery and subhuman working conditions and held for years against their will,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic.