TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator John A. Girgenti to require the Violence Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) to study the implementation and application of “Megan’s Law” was unanimously approved by the full Senate today.
“‘Megan’s Law’ requires the registration by sex offenders with local law enforcement once they are released from incarceration,” said Senator Girgenti, D-Bergen and Passaic. “The law also requires public notification of the presence of certain sex offenders within the community. Studying ‘Megan’s Law’ would evaluate the current procedures for determining a sex offender’s risk level and implementing community notification.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Shirley Turner to permit spouses of armed forces personnel who are forced to relocate outside of the State to collect unemployment benefits was approved by the full Senate.
“Our military families are regularly forced to move to bases in other states and countries as orders change,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “These moves can wreak havoc on their financial well-being and extending unemployment benefits to spouses affected by these moves can bring peace of mind to those who protection our nation.”
TRENTON – The Senate approved legislation today sponsored by Senator Joseph Coniglio which would end penalties for temporary workers who refuse to accept a new assignment upon the completion of an old assignment.
“We currently have two separate and unequal standards in New Jersey when it comes to determining unemployment benefit eligibility,” said Senator Coniglio, D-Bergen. “Temporary workers have a much harder time qualifying for unemployment benefits, forcing them to move from one assignment to another with little hope of being able to seek full-time employment.”
TRENTON – In the wake of financial scandals at the Burlington County Bridge Commission, Senator John H. Adler today proposed reform legislation requiring county bridge panels to give a comprehensive, annual accounting of their spending practices to the Governor and Legislature.
“It’s obvious from the recent scandals in Burlington County that spending reforms at bridge commissions are long overdue,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill. “Public corruption takes a heavy toll on taxpayers.”
FREEHOLD – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Marlboro, the Vice Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, issued the following statement regarding reports that a leading anti-smoking activist, Vince Rennich, was fired from his job as a supervisor at Tropicana Casino and Resort, a week after testifying before the Senate health panel on the need for a comprehensive indoor smoking ban which affects casinos:
“Mr. Rennich knows firsthand the dangers of second-hand smoke. A non-smoker and employee of the Tropicana for 26 years, he attributes his diagnosis of lung cancer two years ago to the unhealthy conditions on the gaming floors.
TRENTON – Two bills sponsored by Senator Bob Smith which would promote renewable energy systems in New Jersey homes were approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee yesterday.
“Tapping into renewable energy sources to help offset home heating and energy costs is the wave of the future, and New Jersey should do all it can to support green-minded homeowners,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the Chair of the Senate Environment Committee. “These programs will go a long way to make expensive alternative energy home systems a reality, and put the Garden State at the forefront of efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and conserve natural resources.”
Karcher Legislative Package To Protect Public Resources From Corruption Approved By Budget Committee
TRENTON – A package of bills sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which would protect public resources from corruption by increasing penalties for misuse of public resources and providing a mechanism to reclaim lost funds due to corruption were unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
“New Jersey’s taxpayers have paid the price for rampant corruption and fraud in government,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, a leading watchdog for ethics reform in the State Legislature. “Millions of taxpayers’ dollars have been wasted enriching corrupt and unscrupulous individuals who abuse the public trust. These measures, and much more, are needed to restore New Jerseyans’ faith in their elected representatives and protect State and local finances from corruption and abuse.”
TRENTON – The Senate Environment Committee approved legislation today sponsored by Senators Shirley Turner and Barbara Buono that would create tax incentives to encourage the purchase of more fuel efficient vehicles.
“We can no longer afford to have gas-guzzlers crowding our roads,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “And now that technologies such as hybrid engines and fuel cells are readily available, we should no longer accept it, either. New Jersey will become a national leader in the number of fuel efficient cars on our roads.”
Madden/Weinberg Bill To Help State Buildings Conserve Energy Clears Senate Economic Growth Committee
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Loretta Weinberg that would require all new State buildings to be designed in to meet national Green Building energy conservation performance standards was unanimously approved today by the Senate Economic Growth Committee.
Buildings are considered “green” if they meet enhanced standards in the areas of sustainable site planning; safeguarding water quality and increasing water efficiency; energy efficiency and renewable energy; conservation of materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality.
TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler, the prime sponsor of S-1498, a bill which would ban the sale of .50 caliber weapons in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding a NJ CeaseFire press conference calling for approval of the ban:
“Fifty caliber guns are used as sniper rifles in our nation’s military. They’re long-range weapons with ammo which can pierce a fuel tank over a thousand yards away, and even take down a small air craft.
TRENTON – Legislation that would encourage homeowners to install renewable energy systems in their homes by exempting the value of those systems from property taxes was approved by the Senate Economic Growth Committee today.
The bill, S-1497/2409, is sponsored by Senators John H. Adler and Stephen Sweeney.
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Joseph Vitale that would create several new exemptions in the sales tax, including dues and fees collected by nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA and parking charges collected by municipal and county controlled garages and lots, was approved by the Senate today.
“At the end of the day, it’s up to the Legislature to ensure that sales tax is being applied in a fair and sensible manner,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “It was never our intent for non-profit groups like the YMCA to be subject to a sales tax and it is proving to be a huge burden on these groups.”
TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher announced that she has signed on to sponsor the Senate version of a bill which would exempt active-duty military personnel serving outside of the State from New Jersey’s gross income tax.
“We should do everything in our power to support the brave men and women defending our country abroad,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “I think that our troops serving overseas have earned exemption from the State income tax, by risking their lives to keep America safe. To tax their military pay, when our soldiers are already sacrificing so much for the greater good, is disgraceful.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, issued the following statement today after testifying before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health, on the need for continued federal support for State programs aimed at providing health care for the uninsured:
“According to figures released by the Census in 2005, more than 46 million people in this country live without even the most basic level of health care coverage. They go about their daily routines, praying that illness or injury doesn’t add health care expense to their already-tenuous family budgets. They work long hours, sometimes at more than one job, but cannot receive health insurance for themselves and their families from their employers because they aren’t considered full-time. Rather than seek basic care for minor health problems, they ignore the symptoms until emergency care is needed.
FREEHOLD – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, issued the following statement today regarding Governor Corzine’s proposed FY 2008 budget, which she said does not provide enough aid to suburban districts in her legislative district:
“While Governor Corzine’s proposed budget is a good first step in restoring State funding to school districts that have been historically under-funded, it’s a far cry from what we need to adequately educate our students in suburban school districts.