Senator

25 Sep: Vitale Applauds Senate Confirmation Of Ryan To Head Department Of Children And Families

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and the prime sponsor of legislation creating the new Department of Children and Families in State Government, issued the following statement today regarding the Senate confirmation of Kevin Ryan to head the new Department by a vote of 34-0:

“I’ve known Kevin as a passionate and capable advocate for children, both as the first New Jersey Child Advocate and as the Commissioner of Human Services. In each of those capacities, he has devoted his all to making sure New Jersey does what’s best for kids and does not shirk its responsibilities to the most vulnerable children in our care.

25 Sep: Senator Weinberg On Her Appointment To The Senate Health, Human Services And Senior Citizens Committee

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, has released the following statement regarding her appointment to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee:

“I am delighted in the Senate President’s confidence in me as a legislator and in my long history of activism on the Assembly Health Committee. I am hoping that my appointment to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens panel will give me the opportunity to better represent the families of the State of New Jersey.”

25 Sep: Weinberg: Heating Assistance Programs Can Only Help If People Know How To Secure The Funds They Need

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, released the following statement today regarding the Senate State Government Committee meeting, where testimony was heard on the State’s plan for the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) block grant:

“I am most definitely in favor of the LIHEAP program because of the assistance it provides to many of New Jersey’s low income residents. The purpose of today’s hearing was to call attention to the program, and to help make the public aware that there are resources available if they are having trouble paying to heat their homes. These programs can only help people if they know how to secure the funding they need.

20 Sep: Senator Weinberg Applauds Creation Of Division Of Minority And Women Business Development

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, released the following statement today regarding Governor Jon Corzine’s signing of Executive Order 34:

“I’d like to congratulate Governor Corzine on establishing the new Division of Minority and Women Business Development. The signing of this executive order is very important because so many of our small businesses are owned by minorities and women, and we in New Jersey want to give them every opportunity to succeed and thrive.

19 Sep: Rice Call On The Public’s Input To Solve Home Construction Problems

MANALAPAN – Senator Ronald L. Rice today said that he is looking forward to the public’s input on how to better protect home buyers in New Jersey at the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee hearing.

“Last year the State Commission of Investigation (SCI) uncovered major problems with poorly built homes,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “The number of residents with nightmarish experiences of negligent workmanship in their homes has been overwhelming and I wanted to give homebuyers the peace of mind that their houses are safe.”

19 Sep: Senator Madden: Bill Package Would Help Protect Home-Buyers From Dishonest Contractors

MANALAPAN – Senator Fred H. Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, who is a member of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee and the sponsor of three measures aimed at helping to protect home-buyers from dishonest contractors has released the following statement regarding the Committee meeting held to l discuss an SCI report dealing with fraud in the home contracting business. The hearing was held in at the Manalapan Township Municipal Complex:

“This hearing is absolutely necessary to hear the view points of the constituents who would benefit from this legislation.

18 Sep: Gill Statement On Needle Exchange Approval In Health Committee

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the prime sponsor of legislation enabling a sterile syringe access program to reduce the rate of infection of HIV/AIDS among intravenous drug users in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the bill’s approval in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 5-2, with one abstention:

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and New Jersey is the only state in the nation that does not permit needle exchange programs to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.

18 Sep: Rice Speaks Out Against Needle Exchange In Senate Committee

TRENTON – Senator Ronald L. Rice released the following statement on needle exchange legislation, S-494, that passed, with amendments, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee by a vote of 5-2-1.

“Minorities and women, in particular, are dying every day due to violent crimes committed with guns over drug territories. Heroin of up to 99% purity is on the streets of our cities. The most recent drug problem law enforcement has encountered is the mixing of a substance known as fentanyl with heroin. This mixture has caused a rapid increase in the number of overdoses in our urban communities.

18 Sep: Preview: Senate Community And Urban Affairs Committee To Hold Hearing In Monmouth On Home Contractor Reforms

MANALAPAN – On Tuesday, September 19, the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee will hold a hearing in Manalapan on a package of home contractor reforms to protect new home buyers in New Jersey.

The hearing, the last in a series of regional hearings to focus on new home buyer protections, will take place at the Manalapan Township Municipal Complex, 120 Route 522 (at Taylors Mills Road) at 7 P.M.