TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher announced today that she will be introducing legislation to ban trans fats from New Jersey restaurants in order to fight the statewide trend in increasing childhood obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease.
“We’re following New York City’s lead in banning trans fats, in order to combat heart disease and obesity and realize a healthier New Jersey,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “Study upon study has shown the health risks from consuming trans fats, including heightened cholesterol and increased risk of cardiac arrest. This is an epidemic, and unless we take action, it will only get worse.”
TRENTON – Senator Fred H. Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, released the following statement today regarding this afternoon’s meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Reform and Citizens’ Property Tax Constitutional Convention:
“Today’s meeting was very informative and it provided insight from experts on ways for the State to save taxpayer dollars.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today announced the full membership of a bipartisan legislative task force they established to create a unified state research university that would sharpen New Jersey’s competitive edge in the health-science, technology, and research business sectors.
Earlier this week Codey (D-Essex) and Roberts (D-Camden) announced Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Assemblyman Caraballo (D-Essex, Union) as the co-chairs of the Legislative Task Force on Higher Education and the Economy.
TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement regarding today’s committee meeting, in which the panel took testimony from local officials on specific proposals to consolidate governments in New Jersey:
“Today’s testimony regarding consolidation proposals of municipalities illustrated one basic truth – local officials are for consolidation, as long as you don’t ask them to consolidate.
TRENTON – Senator Shirley K. Turner today announced that she would redouble her efforts to pass her legislation putting a new truck ban in place now that the U.S. Supreme Cout has made a final ruling that that State’s truck ban is illegal.
“It’s just plain wrong to let huge trucks risk the lives of children walking to school or parents dropping their kids off at daycare,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and a long-standing supporter of truck restrictions on local roads and highways. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our citizens and we cannot let this decision cow us into allowing trucks to run roughshod over every New Jersey road.”
TRENTON – Senator Nicholas Sacco, the Senate’s leading transportation expert, called on Republican leaders in Washington to adequately fund Amtrak after power problems on the Northeast Corridor once again caused morning rush hour delays on NJ Transit trains.
“Once again today, we’re seeing the result of six years of near criminal underfunding by the Bush Administration of New Jersey’s transportation infrastructure,” said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson and Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “The crumbling state of our railroads is jeopardizing the health and well-being of passengers who rely on our trains to get them safely around the State every day.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. today announced that two veteran legislators will lead the legislative task force created to examine a possible merger of New Jersey’s research universities into a top-tier school that would encourage public and private investment in New Jersey’s technology and research business sectors.
The bipartisan Legislative Task Force on Higher Education and the Economy will be co-chaired by Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo (D-Essex, Union).
JERSEY CITY – Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr. announced today that he would introduce legislation that would rename the Lincoln Highway Bridge as the “Shawn Carson and Robert Nguyen Memorial Bridge” in honor of the two Jersey City police officers who died when their patrol car fell off the bridge last December.
“The accident that took the lives of Officers Carson and Nguyen last Christmas night touched all New Jerseyans and brought our state together to mourn for the families of these two selfless individuals,” said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. “These two men died as they lived every day – working to serve and protect those in their community. There is no greater sacrifice.”
TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, a member of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today regarding the panel’s hearing on shared municipal services:
“Today’s discussion on fire district consolidation illustrated the benefits of shared municipal services, and the roadblocks keeping fire districts from consolidating under the current system.
TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the co-chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services, issued the following statement today regarding next week’s committee hearing, in which the panel will ask for input on specific shared service proposals:
“Next week’s committee meeting will signal a change of focus, as we shift gears from looking at shared services and government consolidation with an academic eye to a pragmatic one. We will begin discussing specific shared services proposals, and we will look for input from the local officials who will have to live with what we do to promote efficient government.
TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler, co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform, made the follow statement today following a meeting of the Committee where school accountability measures were discussed:
“The Camden City School District has failed its students for over a generation. If we don’t begin to take action today, the District will just continue to fail its students year after year. It is incomprehensible that the Department of Education has not taken over the district, even after the Legislature gave them that power last year.
TRENTON – Senator John H. Adler, co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Public School Funding Reform, made the follow statement today following a meeting of the Committee where school accountability measures were discussed:
“The Camden City School District has failed its students for over a generation. If we don’t begin to take action today, the District will just continue to fail its students year after year. It is incomprehensible that the Department of Education has not taken over the district, even after the Legislature gave them that power last year.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today announced that state Senator Wayne R. Bryant (D-Camden) will be temporarily stepping down from his position as chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. In light of this decision, Senator Codey announced that he has appointed Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Jr. (D-Hudson), the Senate Majority Leader, to assume the position effective today.
“After careful consideration and discussion, Senator Bryant and I agreed that this decision was in the best interest of everyone involved,” said Senator Codey. “Until such time as this issue resolves itself, I am confident that our Majority Leader, Bernie Kenny, will represent the people well in this capacity.”
TRENTON – The Senate State Government Committee today approved bill S-2193, sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) and Senator Ellen Karcher (D-Monmouth, Mercer), which would move New Jersey’s presidential primary up to early February in light of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) decision to add two new contests to the early window schedule for the 2008 election season.
“For too long, presidential candidates have come to New Jersey to seek our money but not our votes because it’s always been too late. With many critical decisions facing our nation right now, we deserve to have more of a voice in selecting the person who will guide our country through these tenuous times,” said Sen. Codey. “Moving our primary up to early February will not only give us more bite at the ballot, but it will also bring New Jersey back to the center of the national debate on our future.”
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today announced that state Senator Wayne R. Bryant (D-Camden) will be temporarily stepping down from his position as chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. In light of this decision, Senator Codey announced that he has appointed Senator Bernard F. Kenny, Jr. (D-Hudson), the Senate Majority Leader, to assume the position effective today.
“After careful consideration and discussion, Senator Bryant and I agreed that this decision was in the best interest of everyone involved,” said Senator Codey. “Until such time as this issue resolves itself, I am confident that our Majority Leader, Bernie Kenny, will represent the people well in this capacity.”