TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today said the state appeals court ruling which will block the start of needle exchange programs in Atlantic City and Camden is “yet another delay which will cost lives” in the face of efforts to thwart the spread of HIV and AIDS in New Jersey.
“The faces of HIV/AIDS are the faces of women and children,” said Senator Gill, D-Montclair. “These are the lives that are paying the price for failed action.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice, to require municipal planning or zoning board members to take a land use law and planning course, received final approval in the full Assembly today.
“By requiring more education we are making sure that the members of municipal planning and zoning boards are equipped with the knowledge to make the right decisions,” said Senator Rice. Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee. “Because the field of land use law and planning has become so complex, a mandated course for the members is necessary. We need to be sure that our members have the proper education so that they can decide intelligently on applications that come before them.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators John A. Girgenti and Nicholas Sacco, which would extend the law and allow more New Jersey law enforcement officers to access juvenile records, was approved by the full Assembly today.
“The additional access to a juvenile’s record will help the law enforcement officers throughout the State prevent and solve more crimes that are committed by those under 18,” said Senator Girgenti, Chairman of the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee. “The more information that officers have on the history of a juvenile who committed a crime, the better equipped they are to handle the situation accurately and compassionately. Neighboring municipalities need access to the juvenile records of nearby communities so that they can properly investigate crimes and check into juvenile offenses that occur.”
TRENTON – The Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Senators Nia H. Gill and Ronald Rice to require law enforcement officials to record whether criminal incidents are related to street gangs when periodic police reports are sent to the State Attorney General.
The bill, S-2125, also would require that fingerprint records include a designation as to whether a crime was gang related. The bill passed 37-0 and now awaits action in the Assembly.
TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee, and a prime sponsor of legislation to cut down on unhealthy emissions from diesel engines in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the bill’s pending consideration in the Senate and Assembly on Monday, and the bill’s fate as a ballot question in November:
“New Jersey is on the verge of cleaner skies and better breathable air. But, the fight for stronger protections from diesel emissions does not end when the bill is signed into law, and we will continue to push for public support when the protections are posed to the voters as a ballot question during this November’s election.
TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, the Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee, and a prime sponsor of legislation to cut down on unhealthy emissions from diesel engines in New Jersey, issued the following statement regarding the bill’s pending consideration in the Senate and Assembly on Monday, and the bill’s fate as a ballot question in November:
“New Jersey is on the verge of cleaner skies and better breathable air. But, the fight for stronger protections from diesel emissions does not end when the bill is signed into law, and we will continue to push for public support when the protections are posed to the voters as a ballot question during this November’s election.
TRENTON – The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved several key budget bills today, showing their commitment to passing a budget before the June 30th deadline.
“With only ten days to go until the budget is due, it is important that we keep moving forward in the process so that this budget passes on time,” said Senator Wayne Bryant, D-Camden and Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. “Today we started assembling the pieces of a fiscally responsible budget that benefits the people of New Jersey not just this year, but puts the State in a better financial position for years to come.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would reinstate the Public Advocate as a watchdog agency to protect the interests of everyday New Jerseyans was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 25-12.
“Reinstating the public advocate is a necessary step to give a voice back to the voiceless, and ensure that State government truly represents the best wishes of the people it represents,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “Under the current system, it sometimes seems like the politically-connected or well-represented are the only ones with access enough to change the course of government, while the needs of the working poor and less advantaged go by the wayside. With a strong Public Advocate back in place to help those State residents who sometimes fall through the cracks, we can ensure that New Jersey will be responsive to the real needs of the people we serve.”
TRENTON – Senator Nicholas J. Sacco’s legislation to permit local school districts to implement random drug testing policies for student athletes was approved by the full Senate today.
“We need to do everything in our power to reduce the prevalence of drug use among students in our schools,” said Senator Sacco, D-Bergen and Hudson. “It concerns me that our student athletes see professional athletes using steroids and other performance enhancing drugs and feel they must follow suit to stay ahead of the curve. We need to empower our schools with the ability to curb this problem before it starts and provide students already abusing drugs to get the help they need.”
TRENTON – Legislation, sponsored by Senator Ronald L. Rice which would establish a new State monitoring system to ensure student proficiency in the core curriculum, was approved by the full Assembly today.
According to Senator Rice, “The New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) is the only system that can rewrite the present school takeover laws and ensure that children are learning what the State requires.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Barbara Buono that would require students at New Jersey’s public colleges and universities to go outside to light up their cigarettes received final legislative approval as it passed the Assembly today.
“Allowing students to smoke inside of dorm buildings is an unacceptable health risk,”said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Not only does smoking dramatically increase the potential for a serious fire, but it also exposed non-smoking classmates to the dangers of second-hand smoke. College students need to realize when you live in a dormitory, your actions affect your neighbors as much as they affect you. Students who choose not to smoke should not have to deal with these risks.”
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner that would require all voting machines to produce an individual paper record for each vote cast passed the full Assembly and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
“Every November, the millions of New Jersey residents go to the polls to exercise their basic right to vote and make their voices heard,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “Those people want assurances that each individual vote is counted every single time they go to the polls. While New Jersey has not faced the voting irregularities that have plagued Ohio and Florida in recent years, without a paper trail, there are no guarantees that the results reported at the end of the night reflect the votes of the people.”
TRENTON – A package of bills sponsored by Senator Wayne Bryant that would work to reform elections in New Jersey was approved today by the full Senate.
“This group of bills is designed to streamline the voting process,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “As legislators, we must ensure that all eligible voters are able to make it to the polls, and cast their vote for the people they feel best represent their interests.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Barbara Buono and Fred H. Madden that would establish a State domestic violence public awareness program was unanimously approved today by the full Senate.
“Education is the first step to empowering women to fight back against abuse,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “We will show them how to seek help if they are victims of domestic violence – how to seek out counseling and remove themselves from a hostile home environment. This campaign will get women the resources they need to begin the healing process and return to healthier, more normal lives.”
TRENTON – The Senate approved legislation today sponsored by Senate Shirley K. Turner that would raise the mandatory age for wearing a bicycle helmet from under 14 to up to 17 years old.
“Helmets save lives, plain and simple,” said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “While every individual from 3 to 103 should wear a helmet while riding a bike or skateboard, it is especially important for our children to be protected. It is estimated that bicycle, skateboard and roller skate injuries cost American families more than $8 billion each year and that much of that cost comes from head injuries. There is simply no excuse for our youngsters to go out without a helmet on.”