TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey and Senator John A. Girgenti banning the sale or distribution of creatine and other similar performance enhancing substances to minors was approved today by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee.
“Right now, a teenager can buy these supplements at a store, believing they are safe,” said Sen. Codey (D-Essex). “In reality they could actually be using a de facto steroid substance, which could lead to a number of irrevocable side effects. At the very least, their misuse of these products could lead to permanent organ damage.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph Vitale which would authorize certain persons to give surrogate informed consent for a family member who is not able to give that consent was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 8-0, with 2 abstentions.
“Often times, a patient’s medical condition may make them unable to provide informed consent for experimental treatments which may be the key to their recovery,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. “Drug trials and medical research have an important impact on our collective medical understanding, but they can also be a patient’s last hope for a cure. When a patient cannot give informed consent, family members or authorized representatives who know the wishes of the patient should be empowered to make that decision for their loved one.”
TRENTON – The Senate Law & Public Affairs and Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved legislation today sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner and John A. Girgenti aimed at combating gang violence by working to find more employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
“Jobs for young people tend to be scarce, especially in our urban communities,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and a leading Senate voice for combating street gangs. “Many young recruits turn to gangs as a means of making ‘easy’ money. We need to do more to expand opportunities for young people to earn money, so they don’t turn to a life of crime.”
TURNERSVILLE, NJ – Legislation sponsored by Senator Fred Madden which would repeal the provision under current law which allows vehicles, under certain conditions, to proceed through a stop intersection without stopping passed the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee today.
“This legislation will add to the safety of the State’s roads by providing a driver with more time to see oncoming traffic and pedestrians,” said Senator Madden (D-Gloucester, Camden). “While no one piece of legislation will dramatically reverse the trend of rising traffic and pedestrian fatalities, this legislation adds another level of safety by requiring that all motorist make a complete stop regardless of the circumstances.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Loretta Weinberg which would reorganize the New Jersey Collaborating Center for Nursing and provide a permanent funding source was unanimously approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.
“In order to provide high-quality health care in the Garden State, we need to have a well-trained, adaptable nursing workforce,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Health panel. “To that end, the Collaborating Center for Nursing has been an invaluable partner in keeping the nursing industry in New Jersey on top of the latest medical advances and treatment options available. We want to ensure that they will be able to continue their mission well into the future.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator John A. Girgenti to teach children about fire safety was approved by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans’ Affairs Committee today.
“One of our top priorities is to keep families safe from fires,” said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Pasic and Chairman of the panel. “Most fires occur in the home and it’s important that our children know how to get out and reunite with loved ones quickly.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, to require organ donation information to be put in public colleges and universities as a way to increase the number of donors in the State, was approved by the Senate Education Committee today.
“Dissemination of accurate information as well as the need for organ donation can lead to a greater number of donors,” said Senator Scutari, D-Middlesex, Somerset, and Union. “Every day, an average of 17 people who are waiting for organs in the United States die because no organs can be found for them. This means 6,000 people a year die waiting for organ transplants.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg to expand the State’s partial loan reimbursement program to include additional primary care practitioners who practice in underserved areas was approved by the Senate Education Committee today.
“There is a shortage of health practitioners in many urban and rural communities throughout New Jersey,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “By extending the current loan reimbursement program we can help bring health services to our underserved areas.”
TRENTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved a bill, sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, that would streamline a State board designed to provide financial awards to crime victims.
“This bill (S-218) will re-focus a good agency that got out of shape in middle age,” said Senator Weinberg. “”We want to ensure that victims of crime get the attention they deserve.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) and Senator Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union) introduced a bill this week to safeguard New Jersey college students from the predatory pitfalls emerging from the growing national student loan scandal. Bill S2729 would establish tough new restrictions on the relationship between higher education and student lending institutions.
“To prey on students who are trying to build a better life for themselves is really just plain despicable,” said Sen. Codey. “The cost of an education is already quite considerable. We can’t let our students, some who are barely even adults, be intentionally misled into choosing a loan provider that could cost them thousands of dollars in extra interest.”
Senate Approves Sweeney Measure Requiring Background Checks For Employees Of Independent Contractors
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a measure sponsored by Senator Steve Sweeney that would require identity and criminal background checks for employees of independent contractors employed at industrial sites.
“This measure would serve as a preventative measure to help protect the State’s chemical plants and other related sites,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “Currently, independent contractors are able to hire workers without knowledge of their criminal history. It is imperative that we know the history of people who work at secure facilities like chemical plants, and other buildings that could be used in terrorist attacks. This bill is about protecting public safety.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Paul A. Sarlo which would offer tax credit incentives to digital media production companies to relocate to New Jersey was approved by the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee today.
“Digital media production is a fast-growing component of our national economy, and by being at the forefront of business growth incentives for the industry, New Jersey can capitalize on a wonderful opportunity,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic. “We need to position the Garden State to be at the center of the digital media expansion, ensuring thousands of jobs for State residents and bringing in millions in new revenue to the State.”
TRENTON – The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will hold their final informational hearings on the FY 2008 Budget Wednesday as they receive final revenue estimates from State Treasurer Bradley Abelow and the Office of Legislative Services (OLS).
“The Committee is looking forward to meeting with the Treasurer and OLS to take our own in-depth look at the final budget numbers,” said Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Jr., D-Hudson and Chair of the Committee. “We want to fully understand where our revenues are coming from, so that we can quickly move forward in crafting a final budget.”
NORTH BERGEN – Senator Nicholas J. Sacco, sponsor of the law that created New Jersey’s criminal DNA database, pointed to today’s news that new DNA evidence convinced a judge to vacate the 20-year-old rape and murder conviction of Byron Halsey as “one example of the power of DNA to find the truth in some of our toughest criminal cases.”
“Today’s ruling shows just how powerful a tool the State’s DNA database is for our law enforcement community,” said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson. “Not only has it helped an innocent man get out of a life sentence, but it will ensure that the real perpetrator of these horrible acts will answer for what he did 20 years ago.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today introduced a bill in the Senate that would require all state designated children’s hospitals to have a pediatric emergency physician on duty at all times in emergency departments.
“Any parent will tell you that one infant death is one too many,” said Sen. Codey. “When babies in the United States are twice as likely to die than those in many other developed countries, clearly we need to do more. The first step is making sure that hospitals have the type of specialized care on hand to deal with conditions that are unique to newborns and infants.”