TRENTON – Following Woodbridge Mayor Frank Pelzman’s call in his 2006 State of the Township Address for senior citizen homeowners to be exempt from construction permit fees, Senator Joseph F. Vitale has pushed through legislation to accomplish this on a Statewide basis, which was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a vote of 4-0.
“For so many seniors living on fixed incomes, and trying to balance a budget of high-cost medications and day-to-day living, home improvements can be next to impossible,” said Senator Vitale, D-Woodbridge. “By removing the permitting cost from the equation, we can do our part in promoting senior home improvements, and allowing them to maintain their quality of life and remain an important part of their communities. Mayor Pelzman deserves a lot of credit for pushing this important initiative in Woodbridge, and we think it will work well for the rest of New Jersey.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph V. Doria, Jr. which would allow municipalities to exempt senior citizen homeowners from construction permit fees to promote senior home improvements was approved today by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee by a vote of 4-0.
“For many living out their retirement years in New Jersey, fixed incomes and the high cost of living mean little in the way of rainy day savings,” said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. “When seniors need to make repairs on their homes, many simply cannot afford to with all of the other expenses they face on a daily basis. Through this legislation, we’re making it a little easier for seniors to afford home repairs and improvements needed to make their homes safe and comfortable.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg that would help give elderly and disabled New Jerseyans receiving Medicaid assistance the option of receiving government aid for long-term health care while living in the comfort of their own homes was unanimously approved today by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
“All too often, elderly and disabled persons are forced into nursing homes, when in reality, the issues they are dealing with can be taken care of at home with a little TLC,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “This measure would give them the option of receiving care in the privacy and comfort of their own homes.”
TRENTON – The Senate Education Committee today gave unanimous approval to legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley Turner and John Girgenti that would define any assault on a nonpublic school teacher or administrator as an aggravated assault.
“Whether an individual teaches in a public or private school, they should enjoy the same protections against bodily harm while performing their duties,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and Chair of the Committee. “Just because a parent pays tuition for their student to attend a school, it doesn’t give that student any more of a right to assault the faculty of that school.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner that would clarify current law concerning the use of epi-pens, used to administer Epinephrine in emergency situations was unanimously approved today by the Senate Education Committee.
“In an emergency situation, every second counts, which is why students should be allowed to self administer epi-pens as needed,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer, who serves as Chair of the Senate Education panel. “Of course, proper training is necessary for these students, but the few seconds between the initial stages of an allergic reaction and the school nurse’s arrival could mean the difference between life and death for a student and that is not a chance I am willing to take.”
TRENTON – Senator Ronald L. Rice proposed today his eminent domain reform bill which would safeguard the practice against abuse while protecting an important community redevelopment tool. There will be a hearing on June 15, 2006.
“Eminent domain is often a controversial developmental tool but one that is sometimes needed to rejuvenate blighted areas.
“Chairman, members of the Committee, good afternoon.
“I would like to open today by thanking you, Mr. Chairman, for scheduling this informational hearing on my bill, S-88, The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. This is not an issue that is bereft of controversy; medical marijuana has both passionate advocates and detractors. Therefore this hearing marks an important opportunity to better educate the public about a subject that is often obscured by the harsh rhetoric, conjecture, and misinformation that attends such heated debate.
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Joseph Coniglio that would help protect New Jersey workers from intimidation by their employers on the basis of political or religious views received final legislative approval today from the Assembly.
“The workplace should be free from religious and political influence – people should be hired based on their skills not their political and religious contacts,” said Senator Coniglio, D-Bergen. “This bill would allow workers to concentrate on their jobs and not worry about being fired or chastised because they choose not to conform to their boss’ political and religious views.”
Rice Gets Angry About Poor Living Conditions And Growing Crime Problems At The Garden Spires Complex
NEWARK -Senator Ronald L. Rice released the following statement today after a shooting at a troubled apartment complex in Newark last night which left a five-year-old boy injured.
“The shooting at Garden Spires is just another example of living conditions that continue to deteriorate at the complex. I have had it with the slum-like conditions that are being perpetuated in housing facilities throughout this State. I am irate at the fact that the Garden Spires complex, located at 175-195 First Street in Newark, is continually the site of tragedy, violence and sub-standard living conditions.
TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, who had previously said publicly that she could not support the FY 2007 Budget without some property tax reform component, issued the following statement regarding an announcement today from Senate President Codey and Speaker Roberts that the Legislature would meet in the summer to look at New Jersey’s property tax crisis:
“I am very happy to see movement in the Legislature on real property tax reform, and look forward to working this summer on the joint legislative committees to develop meaningful solutions that will provide immediate property tax relief burdening all New Jerseyans.
TRENTON – A Senate joint resolution sponsored by Senator Bob Smith, to urge the government of Turkey to stop racial and religious discrimination by recognizing the religious authority of the Eastern Orthodox Church, was approved by the Assembly State Government Committee today.
Senator Smith noted that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the spiritual leader for approximately 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, and is considered the highest authority of the Church.
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg that would make it easier for the public to view the voting records of individual legislators was unanimously approved today by the Assembly State Government Committee.
“Transparency is key in helping voters to understand State government,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. “Taxpayers should be able to easily access the legislative votes of the representatives they elect, to make sure that their best interests are being represented in Trenton.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Joseph Coniglio that would help protect New Jersey workers from employer intimidation on the basis of religious or political views was approved today by the Assembly Labor Committee.
“Religious and political affiliation have no bearing on how well a person performs his or her job. They are personal choices that should be respected, not used as tactics of intimidation by employers,” said Senator Coniglio, D-Bergen. “One of our nation’s most basic tenets is freedom of religion, and this bill would help protect that right in the workplace.”
TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny, Jr., the Senate’s lead sponsor on SCR-105, a measure to dedicate a portion of the State’s Corporate Business Tax (CBT) to State and local park maintenance, issued the following statement today regarding Assembly consideration of his measure. The resolution was unanimously approved by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee and the Assembly Budget Committee:
“A thriving park infrastructure is key to the quality of life in many of our urban communities. Through today’s Assembly action, we’ve taken the first steps to ensuring that they will be appreciated for years to come.
TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey today announced that in light of yesterday’s massive power outage along northeast rail lines, he has directed Senator Nicholas Sacco, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, to hold hearings to investigate the cause of the failure in order to avoid similar disruptions in the future.
“Rail lines in New Jersey, and the northeast in general, are part of the lifeblood of our economy. We need to ask ourselves, how fragile is this system?” said Sen. Codey, D-Essex. “If these outages were the product of infrastructure failure, how can we expect to avoid them in the future if the federal government is committed to disinvesting in Amtrak? What does this mean for the future of rail service in New Jersey and the northeast region in general? These are questions we need to get to the bottom of.”