(TRENTON) – Assembly committees on Thursday will continue considering legislation to spark job creation and economic development, along with bills to restore AIDS drug funding, help horse racing and require monitoring of prescriptions to stop steroid abuse by police officers and firefighters.
The hearings are slated to begin at 10 a.m.
They will be streamed live at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp
Highlights include:
· The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee will consider legislation sponsored by Ruben J. Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson), Annette Quijano (D-Union), Angel Fuentes (D-Camden/Gloucester), Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) and Jason O’Donnell (D-Hudson) to spark more job creation and economic growth in Urban Enterprise Zones (A-3243).
· The panel will also consider two bills (A-3628-3629) sponsored by Pam Lampitt (D-Camden), Upendra Chivukula (D-Somerset/Middlesex), Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to boost the state’s life sciences industries.
· The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider legislation (A-3698) sponsored by Herb Conaway, M.D. (D-Burlington/Camden), John McKeon (D-Essex), Ruben J. Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) to require monitoring of prescriptions for human growth hormones. The bill comes after a series by The Star-Ledger found steroid abuse by police and firefighters.
· The Assembly Appropriations Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to consider legislation (A-3286) sponsored by Celeste Riley (D-Cumberland/Salem/Gloucester), Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex) and Albert Coutinho (D-Essex) to restore income eligibility for the state’s AIDS Drug Distribution Program. Gov. Chris Christie’s budget cut the program.
· The Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to consider legislation (A-2513-3511-3710) sponsored by John McKeon (D-Essex), John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) and Connie Wagner (D-Bergen) to boost New Jersey’s horse racing industry.
· The Assembly Higher Education Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to hear testimony on the governor’s Higher Education Task Force’s final report and recommendations.
· The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to invalidate consumer contracts that require a consumer to waive the right to file a consumer complaint (A-2051)..
· The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to take testimony on the state of water infrastructure in New Jersey.
· The Assembly Tourism and Arts Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to consider legislation (A-3699) sponsored by Bonnie Watson Coleman and Reed Gusciora (both D-Mercer) to prevent the administration from burying the archeological dig alongside the State House.
Complete agendas can be found at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/calendar/011311.htm.
