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Rice/Cunningham Measure To Establish ‘Inmate Education And Vocational Training Study Commission’ Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice and the late Senator Glenn D. Cunningham, D-Hudson, that would establish the “Inmate Education and Vocational Training Study Commission,” received final legislative approval today from the Assembly.

“This measure would allow State inmates the opportunity to receive the best possible educational and vocational training possible, which I am hoping would, in turn, help drastically cut the rates of recidivism,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “This Commission would examine current programs and make the policy and training changes to help ensure that when inmates are released, they are able to find gainful employment, and do not end up back in prison.”

Rice Bill For Water Supply Projects Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice, which would appropriate $53 million from the voter approved “Water Supply Bond Act of 1981” for essential water supply projects, received final legislative approval today in the Assembly by the vote 44-27-7.

“One of the most important emergency water supply interconnections in New Jersey is between the City of Newark and the Elizabethtown Water Company,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “This interconnection has proven valuable in several recent droughts. The ability to deliver Raritan Basin water to the Passaic Basin has been an important part of the State’s drought response efforts.”

Rice Bill To Allow Military Personnel To Cancel Lease Agreements Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice, to allow individuals engaged in military service for more than 90 days to cancel leases of personal property without penalty, received final legislative approval today in the Assembly.

“With rising tension in foreign countries, we must realize that our servicemen and women are going to be called on to continue to serve our country,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “Many have entered into ‘rent-to-own’ contracts for household goods such as furniture, appliances and computers. This bill helps them get out of these contracts for items they can’t use while serving the United States abroad.”

Rice Bill To Record Gang-Related Incidents Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice, which would require law enforcement officers to document when criminal incidents are related to gangs in any reports that are sent to the State Attorney General, received final legislative approval today in the Assembly.

“Gang related crime has been taking over our streets and we must take all necessary action to stop it,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “It is important to facilitate any communication about gang activity because the more information we collect, the better our chances are to formulate a plan to take back our streets from gang members.”

Sweeney Measure To Help Protect Whistle Blowers Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Steve Sweeney that would protect employees who choose not to participate in deception or fraudulent behavior against shareholders, investors, clients and other bodies with interest in a corporate whistle blower’s company received final legislative approval today by the Assembly.

“This bill will help protect workers who have the integrity to stand up and report wrongdoing,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem, who chairs the Senate Labor Committee. “These honest workers are placing their jobs in jeopardy by speaking up about fraudulent practices on the part of their employers, and they need the protection of this bill in order to prevent retaliatory firing.”

‘Nj Stars Ii’ Receives Final Legislative Approval

TRENTON – NJ STARS II, a measure sponsored by Senator Wayne R. Bryant that would allow some of the State’s best students to earn scholarships to attend New Jersey’s public colleges and universities free of charge, received final legislative approval today in the Assembly.

“This measure would allow the top 20% of New Jersey’s students to continue their education one of the State’s exceptional universities, free of cost,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester, Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.”The goal of this legislation is to allow any student who is willing to put forth the time and effort to study and get good grades to earn a college degree, regardless of his or her financial background.”

Senate Approves Bryant’s ‘New Jersey Baseball Spectator Safety Act Of 2005″

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Wayne R. Bryant that would help protect baseball team owners from civil lawsuits filed by injured spectators hit by balls was approved today by the Senate.

“All adults should know the basic safety precautions to take at any sporting event,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “To me it is common sense that if you are at a baseball game, or any sporting event for that matter, you should be aware of your surroundings. Patrons must understand that it is their responsibility to be alert.”

Kenny Bill Advances To Help Drug Offenders Drive While They Rehab

TRENTON – A bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny Jr., to allow convicted drug offenders to keep driving so they can keep their jobs or find new employment was approved today by the Senate.

“This bill will help drug offenders to pursue rehabilitation through employment,” said Senator Kenny, D-Hudson. “Everyone deserves a second chance and this bill is needed to help drug offenders keep working to help straighten out their lives.”

Vitale on Signing of Charitable Immunity Reform

TRENTON – Senator Joseph F. Vitale, D-Middlesex, the prime sponsor of legislation to remove the legal protection for charities that negligently put children in harm’s way by harboring sexual predators, issued the following statement today on Governor Codey signing the bill into law:

“With a signature, we are finally able to bring justice to those who have had to suffer from the shame and mental anguish of sexual abuse because a charitable organization negligently turned a blind eye on the predators in their midst.

Karcher-Morgan-Panter Suicide Prevention Bill Advances

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher and Assemblymen Bob Morgan and Mike Panter which would require the State Board of Education to include two hours of instruction in suicide prevention as part of the professional development requirement for teaching staff was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 39-0.

“Right now, suicide is the third leading killer of teenagers, but through education and outreach, we can change that,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “Just like any other disease, if suicidal feelings are recognized early enough, the fatality rate can be undercut through counseling and treatment. By equipping our teachers with the appropriate skills to recognize kids in need, we will be able to help thousands overcome the feelings of low-self worth and hopelessness that feed into suicidal tendencies.”

Madden/Karcher ‘Domestic Violence Workforce Development Act’ Clears Senate

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Ellen Karcher that would create the “Domestic Violence and Workforce Development Initiative Act,” to help prevent domestic violence by increasing awareness and job availability was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.

“A lack of self-sufficiency is one of the main reasons domestic abuse is allowed to continue; victims believe that they have no where else to turn,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “By training workforce development counselors how to better deal with victims of domestic violence, they would be able to help encourage them to leave their abusive situations.”

Karcher Bill To Simplify Striped Bass Rules Approved

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which would simplify the State’s rules regarding striped bass fishing was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 38-0.

“New Jersey benefits from having a thriving recreational fishing industry, which lures fishermen from all over the tri-state area to our waters for a good catch,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “As such, we have to be careful that we don’t deplete our natural resources, which is why we have size limits on stripers in the first place, to ensure that we aren’t taking fish that are necessary for the continued viability of our State’s fisheries. However, rather than breeding more fish, recent regulations have only bred confusion among fishermen, and this legislation is intended to clarify the intent of conservation without bogging sports fishermen down in the red tape of the law.”

Bill To Expand Domestic Partner Rights Approved By Senate

TRENTON – Domestic partners would have the same rights as married couples with respect to inheritances and funeral arrangements under a bill sponsored by Senators John H. Adler and Nia H. Gill that was approved by the Senate today.

“The citizens of the State of New Jersey realize that there are many ways to form a family,” said Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill and the sponsor of the original bill to create domestic partnerships. “Currently, same-sex couples have no rights when it comes to administering the funeral of a passed partner. It makes little sense to grant this right only to married couples and deny it of domestic partnerships.”

Gill-Vitale-Weinberg Bill Would Require Health Insurers To Cover Up To Age 30 As Dependents Approved

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill, Joseph F. Vitale and Loretta Weinberg which would require insurers in the State of New Jersey to cover unmarried dependents to still receive health insurance on their parent’s family health plan until the age of 30 was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 36-0.

“In today’s job market, even highly qualified young adults are having trouble finding gainful employment,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. “And in some cases, the work they do find does not provide health benefits to entry-level employees. By giving parents the ability to extend coverage for their children until the age of 30, we can ensure that while our kids look for job opportunities, their health is not compromised by a lack of insurance.”

Senate Approves Gill/Adler/Weinberg Measure To Make Small Business Health Insurance More Affordable

TRENTON – The Senate approved legislation today sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill, John H. Adler and Loretta Weinberg that would reform the individual and small employer health insurance markets, making health insurance policies in these markets more affordable for consumers.

“Time and again, the small business community has cited dramatically rising health care costs as a major hurdle that many businesses are finding difficult to handle,” said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic. “They want to do the right thing and provide health care to their employees, but under the current laws, it can be difficult to qualify for entering the market and then afford the insurance. This bill is a critical step in providing more affordable health insurance for our state’s small business owners.”