TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Stephen M. Sweeney that would prohibit the use of scanning and re-encoding devices that are often used to gain illegal access to encoded information on ATM, credit, debit and other electronic payment cards was approved today by the Senate Commerce Committee.
“According to the Federal Trade Commission, credit card fraud is the number one type of identity theft reported by New Jerseyans,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “”This measure is designed to go after thieves who prey on unsuspecting patrons. Consumers should be able to use their credit cards and other electronic methods of payment without running the risk of having their bank accounts cleaned out or identity stolen by a dishonest waiter or store clerk who scans their card for personal use while the consumer isn’t looking.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and John H. Adler which would move New Jersey’s presidential primary date to the last Tuesday in February in order to make New Jersey relevant in national elections was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.
“In presidential primaries, New Jerseyans have been largely neglected due to our late primary date,” said Senator Vitale. “New Jersey should be a player on the national stage, and yet our voters are regularly disenfranchised because our primary happens to fall so late in the calendar year as to make us insignificant. We need to give our constituents greater input into each party’s nominee for the presidency, so that the officeholder truly represents the wishes of all of the people of this country.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Bob Smith and Stephen M. Sweeney that would permit any legally registered voter to vote by absentee ballot, under any circumstances was approved today by the Senate State Government Committee.
“We need to give voters every reasonable opportunity to exercise their right to vote, but we also have to be able to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset. “This bill not only expands voters’ ability to take advantage of the absentee ballot option, but also provides protections to ensure that those ballots aren’t tainted through corrupt couriers with hidden partisan agendas. It will encourage people to vote without opening a new door for corrupt politics to exploit the democratic process.”
Sarlo Measure To Amend ‘Home Inspection Professional Licensing Act’ Passes Senate Commerce Committee
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Paul Sarlo that would eliminate the position of “associate home inspector,” thereby encouraging healthy competition in the field of home inspection was approved today by the Senate Commerce Committee.”
“Under the current law, anyone wanting to work as an associate home inspector would have to work under a home inspector, which is problematic because most home inspectors don’t want competition,” said Senator Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic. “This measure would amend last year’s ‘Home Inspection Professional Licensing Act’ to allow more recent graduates to break into the field, and eliminate the possibility of one group of home inspectors holding a monopoly over the system.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Ellen Karcher and Nicholas P. Scutari which would allow municipalities to increase fines on trucks that deviate from established truck routes and travel more dangerous shortcuts was unanimously approved by the Senate Transportation Committee today.
“The trucking industry is one that is constantly concerned with the bottom-line, but truckers cannot put public safety aside for a quicker, more cost-effective route,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “In municipalities that provide for safe, established truck routes, the intent is for trucks to abide by those routes, but some times, truckers will eschew common sense for the quicker, unsafe route. We need provisions in place to deter truck drivers from leaving the assigned route and endangering themselves and others.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Nicholas J. Sacco and Joseph V. Doria which would require additional verification of a prospective pilot’s identity before he or she can rent an airplane was signed into law yesterday by Governor Codey.
“We’ve witnessed first-hand the destruction caused when terrorists use airplanes as weapons against targets in the United States,” said Senator Sacco, D-Hudson and Bergen, the Chairman of the Transportation Committee. “The sheer devastation caused by the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 has rallied legislators to take a much closer look at perceived threats to our homeland security. Closing the identity verification loophole for pilots in New Jersey will keep the skies safer above the Garden State.”
TRENTON – Senator Wayne R. Bryant, the Chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, today said he believes the majority of Senate Democrats favors a State spending plan that “avoids gimmicks,” reduces non-recurring sources of revenue and provides substantial rebates to taxpayers.
“I sense there is considerable support for reducing debt and enhancing fiscal stability on the building blocks of recurring revenue streams,” said Senator Bryant, the Senate’s foremost expert on budget issues. “We can maintain those principles and still provide significant rebates to taxpayers.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Stephen M. Sweeney and Fred H. Madden that would require high risk sex offenders to wear GPS tracking devices was approved today by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee.
“We have a responsibility to keep our children safe,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem. “National statistics have shown that 40% of sex offenders who re-offend do so within one year of their release. When sexual predators prey on innocent victims, it becomes a matter of public safety. By requiring convicted sex offenders to wear GPS tracking devices, we would be working to help prevent further attacks against members of the community.”
TRENTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved two bills, sponsored by Senator John H. Adler, to help New Jersey residents keep living wills up to date after marriages, divorces or the beginnings or terminations of domestic partnerships.
“Our goal here is to help those who choose advance directives for health care to have those wishes carried out in a timely and accurate manner,” said Senator Adler, the Chairman of the Senate panel. “We’ve learned of the importance to families of knowing exactly how those about to leave us want to be treated.”
TRENTON – The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens’ Committee heard testimony today on a bill sponsored by Senator Barbara Buono that would dedicate state funds to the New Jersey Office on Women’s Health (NJOWH).
“The impact that the Office on Women’s Health has had and will have on the type of health care women receive in New Jersey is astounding,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “Far too often those in the medical community fail to address the natural differences between men and women when it comes to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The NJOWH is in the position to promote research efforts that would identify the ways in which various illnesses and conditions affect men and women differently and develop proper treatments
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Joseph F. Vitale which would increase legislative oversight and public input into the State’s program to apply for federal Medicaid waivers for people with disabilities was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today by a vote of 8-0.
“The State Division of Developmental Disabilities has neglected to do its job by failing to apply for the appropriate waivers that could have saved the taxpayers of New Jersey nearly $20 million in funding for programs for the disabled,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “The Division has since acknowledged that it did not pursue federal matching funds for the past several years. I have concerns that the Division is leaving State government, and the people of New Jersey, with the burden of providing funds for necessary programs when the federal government is already providing money to those who apply.”
TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Joseph F. Vitale which would require that parents of Special Education students receive information regarding State services for adults with disabilities was approved by the Senate Education Committee by a vote of 4-0.
“As young people with disabilities grow into adulthood, they and their families must begin to plan for a life beyond school,” said Senator Rice, D-Essex. “New Jersey makes certain that parents are aware of the special education services that are available for their children, but when the student moves into adult life, there is an information disconnect. The shift from childhood to into adulthood can be difficult for everyone, and this is why it is important that parents are made aware of the State’s available resources regarding the transition.”
TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, a leading advocate in the State for efforts to protect Fort Monmouth from federal closure, issued the following statement today regarding the base being recognized in the Army’s annual “Top Ten Greatest Inventions” awards on Wednesday for its part in developing a lightweight counter-mortar radar that has been used successfully in Iraq:
“Wednesday’s announcement that Fort Monmouth has, yet again, played a leading role in the military’s technological support in the War in Iraq is a prime example of why the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) Commission should spare the base from federal closure.
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Ronald L. Rice which would appropriate $5 million for the AIDS Drug Distribution Program (ADDP) and rapid AIDS testing was unanimously approved today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
“HIV/AIDS is the modern world’s plague, an epidemic of staggering proportions which in this stage of the game has no known cure,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, the Chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “However, with the proper medication, and knowledge of the disease, people infected with the disease can live productive lives, and can avoid passing the disease on to others. The State has a moral obligation to support programs which would ease the suffering of AIDS victims, and would provide an invaluable tool in the elimination of the AIDS epidemic.”
TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Fred H. Madden and Wayne R. Bryant that would require clinical laboratories to aid in early kidney disease detection by monitoring creatinine levels in patients blood was approved today by the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee.
“According to the United States Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, U.S. doctors performed 15,331 kidney transplants in the year 2001 alone,” said Senator Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester. “The patients who were able to receive the transplants were very fortunate; however, not all kidney disease sufferers are able to receive the life-saving surgery. This measure would help make the public aware of the risks and prevalence of kidney disease, and allow them to work with their physicians to detect any kidney abnormalities in their early stages.”