Ronald L. Rice

07 Feb: Rice/Turner Bill For Rental Assistance Advances In Assembly

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Shirley K. Turner which would provide an additional $15 million for the State’s low-income rental assistance program was approved in the Assembly Appropriations Committee today.

“Everyone wants a safe place to live, and New Jersey residents are no different,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “It’s the job of the Legislature to figure out ways to make that dream a reality. There are approximately 100,000 New Jersey residents on the (federal) Section 8 waiting list in the State. The rental assistance program will help grant the wish of about 2,000 families who are desperate to get decent housing.”

01 Feb: Rice Takes On Non-Local Drug Market With Legislative Push

TRENTON – Senator Ronald L. Rice wants to once again push legislation that would create tougher penalties for anyone who sells, distributes or purchases illegal drugs in a municipality where he or she does not reside, in order to contain and eradicate the drug problem in New Jersey’s communities.

“Not everyone in Newark is on drugs or sells drugs, but my city has a reputation as a drug marketplace regardless,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “Outside forces are exacerbating a problem that is destroying the quality of life in communities where drug dealers are open for business on our corners. There is an increasing number of individuals who travel into cities where they don’t live for the sole purpose of selling or purchasing drugs, and the only way to clean up our streets is to crack down on the number of outsiders who commit these crimes.”

31 Jan: Rice Supports Cultural Arts Through Legislation

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice which would establish, the New Jersey Black Cultural and Heritage Initiative Foundation, a nonprofit organization that would be dedicated to advancing African-American history, culture and art, was approved in the Senate State Government Committee today.

“The African American community has a rich culture full of history that is so often portrayed through the arts,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “The New Jersey Black Cultural and Heritage Initiative Foundation will help promote the arts, which will enrich the minds and spirits of the residents in our towns.”

24 Jan: Rice Bill To Expand Admissions Criteria For Nursing Care For Aids Patients

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice which would require the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to establish a Medicaid admissions criteria for a long-term care facility that would serve those with HIV/AIDS, was approved in the Senate Heath, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.

“The AIDS virus is a deadly disease that is hitting the poor urban communities who are in the most need of special nursing care,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “Medical professionals have found ways to sustain the lives of those infected with the HIV/AIDS virus with doctors check-ups and substantial doses of medications. Unfortunately, many people who have AIDS also have other illnesses that make it difficult to take proper care of themselves, and we need to ensure that nursing care is provided to those individuals.”

10 Jan: Rice Bill For Rental Assistance Advances In Assembly

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice which would provide an additional $15 million for the low-income rental assistance program was approved in the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee today.

“It’s troubling to report that New Jersey is the third most expensive State in the nation for renters, behind California and Massachusetts,” said Senator Rice, Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. “What is even worse is that the minimum wage for our State is lower than that of California and Massachusetts. Working residents are unable to afford adequate housing and with legislation we can try to make the dream of affordable living a reality.”

13 Dec: Working Families To Get An Additional $15 Million In Rent Assistance

TRENTON – Senators Shirley K. Turner and Ronald L. Rice hailed the passage of their bill to appropriate an additional $15 million to the low-income rental assistance program signed into law over the summer by the Senate today.

“A permanent home is the essential first step for a family rise out of poverty and start realizing the American dream,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “That permanent address is the key to so many parts of a good life. It makes it easier to find and keep a quality job, allows children to concentrate better on their schoolwork and can have great benefits to personal health. The myriad of other ways the State supports its residents are vastly more effective when the recipient has a home of their own.”

06 Dec: Turner and Rice Look To Bolster Housing Relief To Working Families

TRENTON – Senators Shirley K. Turner and Ronald L. Rice welcomed committee approval of their bill to appropriate an additional $15 million to the low-income rental assistance program signed into law over the summer.

“The fact that the federal government doesn’t do more than it does now to get working families off the street and into their own homes is illogical,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “But the Bush Administrations attempts this year to cut the Section 8 program is simply unconscionable. It is clearly up to the State to make sure the funds will always be there to get as many poor families into the homes they need to take the first steps out of poverty. This additional $15 million is another step in the right direction.”

06 Dec: Vitale/Rice Bill Would Bring $5 Million To Aids Program

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Ronald L. Rice which would appropriate $5 million for the AIDS Drug Distribution Program (ADDP) was unanimously approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

“HIV/AIDS has become this century’s bubonic plague, and without education, treatment and support from the State, it will continue to consume too many too soon,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “We have to step in, and provide relief to those who are suffering from the disease, and a means to contain the disease, or we will continue to see a rise in the AIDS epidemic.”

06 Dec: Rice: ‘Green Acres Is The Place To Be’

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice, which would provide State Green Acres funding for open space acquisition and park development in urban and densely populated areas in Essex County, was approved by the full Senate today.

“To preserve the quality of life for those living in New Jersey, we need to preserve the our open spaces, and help develop our parks and urban centers,” said Senator Rice. “Densely populated areas such as Newark are being developed rapidly and the need to preserve open space is pressing. If we want to preserve our resources and maintain a comfortable standard of living we need to commit to protecting our parks and opens paces.”

06 Dec: Rice Bills Requires More Schooling For Dental Hygienists

TRENTON – Legislation co-sponsored by Senators Robert W. Singer and Ronald L. Rice which would require dental hygienists to complete 20 hours of continuing education requirements as a condition of biennial license renewal, was approved by the full Senate today.

“Dental care is sometimes overlooked and too many New Jersey residents are not taking the time to get regular check ups,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “It’s no surprise that a lack of regular visits to the dentist will lead to other health problems, but by exercising good dental hygiene citizens can greatly improve their quality of life.

Dental hygienists are so important because they are the first line of defense for keeping us well.”