TRENTON – Two bills sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner which build upon her previous efforts aimed at combating street gangs in New Jersey by cracking down on the number of “straw” purchases of handguns and ammunition were given final legislative approval today.
“Our fight against street games is like a game of cat and mouse – and we must always be looking to be a big lion and not a meek little field mouse,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “Our focus must now turn to how these gangs get their hands on weapons and ammunition and limiting the number of straw purchases made to continue the violence.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Stephen M. Sweeney and Bob Smith that would allow New Jersey to participate in the carbon emissions cap-and-trade program of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) was approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee today.
“The Global Warming Response Act we passed last year gave us a goal and timeline by which New Jersey can act to do our part in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and reversing global warming,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem. “Now we must take the actions necessary to reach those goals and participating in a cap-and-trade program under RGGI is a critical first step.”
TRENTON – On Tuesday, January 8th, the 213th New Jersey State Senate will meet in the Assembly Chambers to take the oath of office and begin the new legislative session.
“A new legislature always brings with it a sense of excitement and high expectations,” said Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex. “With a record number of new women, the changing demographics of our legislature have created an environment ripe for change. We have a tall order ahead of us, but I have every confidence that each of our members will rise to the occasion and do what’s right to set a new course for New Jersey.”
(TRENTON) – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today announced that they will make a united push for loophole-free pay to play reform, a wheeling ban, clean elections renewal, an overhaul of the legislative ethics committee, and a modernized legislative ethics code in the new session beginning January 8.
The Legislature’s presiding officers also said they will make it a priority to pass a paid family leave insurance bill and legislation to promote affordable housing in 2008.
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a bill, S-2431, designed to crack down on gang activity in New Jersey by increasing penalties for illegal possession of handguns to up to $150,000 in fines and up to 10 years in prison.
The bill passed 32-0 and was forwarded to the Assembly.
“Targeting illegal gun possession is a way for law enforcement to crack down on gang members who can avoid prosecution for other crimes by intimidating witnesses,” said Senator John A. Girgenti, a prime sponsor of the bill. “With charges of illegal gun possession, a police officer’s testimony alone can take dangerous, violent offenders off our streets for up to 10 years.”
TRENTON – The State Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Turner which builds upon her previous efforts aimed at combating street gangs in New Jersey by cracking down on the number of “straw” purchases of handguns.
“In order to rid our streets of the scourge of street gangs, we must continue to implement new ways in which to get illegal guns off of our streets and keep violent criminals behind bars,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “These criminals are always looking for new ways to avoid getting caught, even going as far as involving those without criminal records in their plans and need to be constantly vigilant in protecting our communities.”
TRENTON – The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senators Bob Smith and Barbara Buono that would revise the laws concerning electricity production in New Jersey to encourage expanded use of renewable energy sources.
“This puts financial incentives in place that will encourage New Jersey’s business community to install renewable energy systems,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “In order to make solar and wind power viable options for New Jersey’s power needs, they can’t be simply the environmentally correct choice, but also the economically prudent choice.”
The Senate today approved a bill, S-2930, sponsored by Senator John A. Girgenti and Nicholas J. Sacco to allow drug offenders to get partial credit for monetary penalties if they complete a reform program that could include therapeutic treatment, job training and volunteer work in the community.
The bill passed 33-0 and was forwarded to the Assembly.
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Loretta Weinberg which would require health care facilities to establish guidelines for safe patient handling was signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine.
“This new law will work to drastically reduce the risk of injury to patients and care givers,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “The program’s effectiveness lies in its development, monitoring and implementation. Facilities and the Departments of Health and Senior Services and Human Services must work together to help protect patients and health care workers.”
“This law is long overdue, and I’m glad that we’ve finally approved a piece of legislation aimed at protecting patients and those who care for them,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen, who is a member of the Senate Health panel. “When dealing with transporting patients, there is always a risk of injury, but this bill puts guidelines in place to help reduce the number and severity of these injuries for all parties involved.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Loretta Weinberg which would strengthen State laws on hate crimes and bullying was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.
“Often, those choosing to commit hate crimes target victims based on who they are perceived to be, and not on facts and one-on-one relationships,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Hate crimes epitomize ignorance, and they are frightening examples of how acting on stereotypes can prove to be deadly.”
“Throughout our nation’s history, nearly every ethnic group has endured discrimination based on simple, uninformed assumptions of character,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “With this legislation, it is our goal to help encourage a more educated and well-informed public of the dangers of hate crimes, bullying and the ignorance that fuels all related violent actions.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Barbara Buono which would establish a Statewide health information technology plan was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 35-0.
“New Jersey must constantly adapt to the times, and incorporate technology which ensures a better health care experience for its citizens,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “By creating a statewide, secure information database for patients’ medical history, we can ensure a quicker healthcare response for patients and accurate, updated record access for doctors from High Point to Cape May. A healthcare IT plan will revolutionize how New Jersey handles medical information, and put a greater emphasis on actual health care, rather than mindless paperwork.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would authorize certain persons to give surrogate informed consent to medical research for a family member who is not able to give that consent was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 33-1.
“In many cases, drug trials and experimental medical procedures offer a patient’s best hope of recovery,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. “However, many of these treatments are offered on a limited basis, and if a patient cannot provide consent, they might lose out on the opportunity to participate. This bill allows for family consent in certain cases, so that patients don’t miss out on life-saving procedures.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Joseph Coniglio which will require the establishment of violence prevention programs in health care facilities in order to protect workers from violence was signed into law by Governor Corzine today.
“Working in a health care setting can be dangerous,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health Committee, and a member of the Budget Panel. “Health care workers face threats from certain patients or those suffering from varying degrees of substance abuse, and are at ground zero of the gang wars which are devastating our urban communities in New Jersey. Through this law, we will be doing all we can to ensure health care workers are equipped with the knowledge they need to stay safe in the workplace.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Bob Smith which will permit the creation of sick leave banks for school employees was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.
“New Jersey has consistently stood up for working men and women by adopting labor protections and other workplace safety measures,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “This new law is part of our State’s rich, pro-labor legacy, and will allow school workers to bank sick time in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury. This law provides the needed safety net for those school employees who worry about the financial securities of their families, should they become unable to work.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which will provide additional employment protections for reserve soldiers on military leave in time of war or emergency was signed into law today by Governor Corzine.
“When our brave reservists are called up to active duty, we have a responsibility to ensure that they have a day job to come back to after their tour is up,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “New Jersey already had some protections on the books, but if a reservist lost his or her job due to downsizing, they were out of luck. With this law in place, we now have more complete job protection for our troops serving overseas and can ensure that when they come home, they can resume their daily lives.”