TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Loretta Weinberg and Ellen Karcher which would make training in autism awareness a condition for teacher certification was unanimously approved today by the Senate Education Committee.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that New Jersey has the highest autism rates in the nation, and as the population increases, so will the number of autism cases,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “In today’s society, teachers must be able to deal with the different issues and needs children have, and this legislation would help further prepare them to educate today’s youth.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would require off-track betting facilities to pay four percent of their net wagering revenues to host municipalities was unanimously approved by the Senate Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee today.
“Off-track wagering is a novel approach to reenergize the horse racing industry and spur economic investment in a community,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “However, as we’ve seen in my hometown of Woodbridge, taxpayers are very concerned that they might have to foot the bill for increased traffic, noise pollution and crime. By requiring off-track betting parlors to invest back into their host communities, we can provide an incentive for towns to host these facilities and ensure that any additional local costs are borne on the backs of the off-track facility operators.”
TRENTON – A Senate Resolution sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Barbara Buono which would memorialize Congress to dedicate support for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.
“This year, we dodged a bullet in New Jersey in terms of federal stop-gap funding for our efforts to provide health insurance coverage to uninsured children,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Health Committee. “However, we cannot rely on one-shot revenues and last-minute funding to continue to administer NJ FamilyCare and the other programs around the nation that rely on S-CHIP funding. The federal government must reauthorize S-CHIP, so that states can make plans to meet their obligation to the uninsured.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg known as “Billy’s Law,” which would create an oversight council on the out-of-state placement of children was unanimously approved today by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens committee.
The bill is named for Billy Albanese of Brooklyn, NY. Billy suffered a traumatic brain injury and attended Bancroft Neurohealth in Haddonfield from 1992 to 1997. Billy was reportedly left unsupervised in his wheelchair on numerous occasions, resulting in three falls which required a total of 40 stitches to his face and head. Billy’s father, Vito Albanese, helped found the Family Alliance to Stop Abuse and Neglect, Senator Weinberg said. Mr. Albanese and Billy attended today’s committee hearing.
TRENTON – A resolution sponsored by Senator Fred H. Madden which would declare the State of New Jersey as a HERO Campaign state, and work to reduce the number of driving fatalities, injuries and accidents by promoting the use of designated driving was unanimously approved today by the Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
“The HERO program will help raise awareness and work to decrease the number of drunk driving fatalities, injuries and accidents by promoting designated driving,” said Senator Madden (D-Gloucester, Camden). “Preventing intoxicated drivers from getting behind the wheel of an automobile would make the roads safer for everyone and that is the goal of the HERO campaign.”
TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today praised the nominations by Governor Cozine of Attorney General Stuart Rabner to become Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court and of First Assistant Attorney General Anne Milgram to succeed Rabner as the State’s top law enforcement officer.
“Stuart Rabner has shown himself to be a person of the highest intellect, integrity and decency,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill. “I have no doubt he (Rabner) will continue to serve New Jersey superbly as Chief Justice of our Supreme Court.”
TRENTON – Senator Barbara Buono, a long-time advocate for reforming New Jersey’s drunk driving laws, said today that Attorney General Stuart Rabner has thrown his support behind two of her reform measures and that a Senate committee will consider the bills next week.
“The Attorney General’s support is invaluable in building momentum to ensure these reforms pass,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Together we need to crack down on drunk driving and make the consequences of such a reckless decision reflect the severity of the crime.”
PARAMUS – Senator Joseph Coniglio today vowed to introduce legislation that would require immediate notification of soil contamination at public schools or other public property.
“One lesson we can learn from the situation at West Brook Middle School is that once soil or water contamination is identified, we can’t just sit back and wait for it to go away on its own,” said Senator Coniglio, D-Paramus. “I am making the enactment of this legislation a top priority, because the health of children is at stake. Parents, teachers and other workers deserve to receive immediate notification of any dangers to their health and safety.”
NEW BRUNSWICK – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, will participate in a news conference TOMORROW, MAY 31, at ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL to discuss emergency funding for the federal S-CHIP program and NJ FamilyCare, the program which provides health care access for the uninsured.
Senator Vitale, the Chair of the State Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, and author of New Jersey’s FamilyCare program, will join Congressman Frank Pallone, D-6, the Chair of the Congressional Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health, as well as New Jersey Commissioner of Human Services, Jennifer Velez, to discuss a federal block grant, signed into law on May 25, which would subsidize New Jersey’s efforts to insure uninsured children. The three will also be on hand to discuss FamilyCare enrollment and the state of the FamilyCare program.
TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner, D-Mercer, made the following statement after the NJ State Supreme Court ruled that Princeton University’s Cottage Club should be tax exempt under the state’s old historic preservation statutes.
“The Court’s ruling today is unfortunate as it allowed the members of the Cottage Club to game the system and shirk their financial responsibilities to the broader Princeton community.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today announced that he has agreed to support a constitutional amendment dedicating a full penny of the statewide sales tax to long-term annual property tax relief for residents as proposed by Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts.
“This shows the people of this state that we are dedicated to having this program available year after year and that this is not just some election-year gimmick,” said Sen. Codey. “Residents deserve the peace of mind knowing that significant relief will be delivered annually and will not be threatened by annual budget fluctuations.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Steve Sweeney and Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex, that would extend Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) leave regulations to allow workers to take time off to care for sick family members, newborn babies and newly adopted children was approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations panel.
“How an employer can force a worker to choose between taking time off to care for a family member and being able to make ends meet financially is beyond me,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “The passage of this legislation would send a clear message to New Jersey’s workers that they will no longer have to choose their financial livelihood over caring for a loved one.”
TRENTON – Senator Barbara Buono today said the paid family leave bill she is co-prime sponsoring in the Senate is critically needed to help working parents care for newborn and newly adopted children.
“When all is said and done, this bill is really about protecting families who are just trying to make ends meet,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex, and herself a mother of four children.
TRENTON – Saying it was time for “New Jersey to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Senator Barbara Buono welcomed Senate Environmental Committee approval today of S-2114, the “Global Warming Response Act.”
“Scientific evidence keeps mounting that the threat from global warming is real and significant,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “We’re at a point where we need to take the steps necessary to reverse those trends – to embrace more efficient technologies and change our daily habits – so that our children and grandchildren do have to live with the consequences of our irresponsible decisions.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, to impose penalties on drivers who do not remove snow and ice from their vehicles before hitting the road, was approved today by the Senate Transportation Committee.
“Every winter, drivers must watch out for snow and ice hazards, not just from accumulated snow on the roads, but also from the other cars and trucks that failed to take the time to clear the snow from their vehicles,” said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson. “Law enforcement has expressed their concern they could not stop a vehicle simply for having failed to remove snow and ice. Also, when one vehicle was hit by snow or ice from another vehicle, it was up to the driver who was hit to try and identify which car or truck the snow or ice came from. This measure will allow law enforcement to intervene before something happens, simply by observing a vehicle creating a snow and ice hazard.”