Developmental Centers in Every Region, Limiting Public Adjuster Fees,
Medical Marijuana, Repealing Outdated Laws, Helping Diabetics & Police Avoid Confrontations & Forgiving Students Loans Following Deaths Also on Tap
(TRENTON) – Requiring secretive campaign organizations to disclose their donors and spending, forcing corporations receiving taxpayer assistance to disclose their campaign donations, improving halfway house security and services, helping students with reading disabilities and improved flood control highlight Monday’s Assembly session.
Also on ap are bills to require a developmental center in each state region, establish compensation limits for licensed public adjusters during emergencies, make clear a patient’s use of medical marijuana is equivalent to the use of any other prescribed medication, direct the state to forgive student loans in the event of a borrower’s death, repeal outdated laws and help diabetics avoid misunderstandings with police.
The session is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and will be streamed live at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp.
Highlights include:
· A bill (A-3863) to shed light on spending by secretive campaign organizations. The bill would require public disclosure of contributions and expenditures made by organizations not affiliated or coordinated with a candidate. It also would put a committee organized to support or oppose a public question under the same requirements. It’s sponsored by Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon), Linda Stender (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset) and Connie Wagner and Tim Eustace (both D-Bergen/Passaic).
· A bill (A-3343) sponsored by Tim Eustace (D-Bergen/Passaic) and Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to require businesses receiving state economic development funding to report campaign contributions greater than $10,000.
· Legislation (A-3503) to establish a task force to review the state’s halfway houses and make recommendations concerning security and inmate services. The bill is sponsored by Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland), Joseph Cryan (D-Union), Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex), Whip Wilson (D-Camden/Gloucester), Charles Mainor (D-Hudson) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer).
· Three bills (A-3606-3607-3608) to improve services for students with reading disabilities by enhancing teaching standards. The bills are sponsored by Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) and Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex).
· Legislation sponsored by Connie Wagner and Tim Eustace (both D-Bergen/Passaic) to help protect the public from flooding and facilitate smart development. The legislation (A-3262) would require the Department of Environmental Protection to quickly evaluate any newly released FEMA floodway delineations in order to allow permit applicants to apply for a permit using the federal floodway delineation when it is at least as protective as the DEP’s delineation.
· A bill that (A-3870) would require at least one developmental center in each region of the state. It’s sponsored by Valarie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Shavonda Sumter (D-Passaic/Bergen), Connie Wagner (D-Bergen/Passaic), Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex), Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) and Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon).
· A bill to toughen and modernize New Jersey’s animal cruelty laws (A-3905). It’s sponsored by Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland).
· A bill (A-3519) sponsored by Jerry Green and Linda Stender (both D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset) to establish compensation limits for licensed public adjusters during emergencies.
· A bill (A-3878) sponsored by Herb Conaway M.D. (D-Burlington) to require the state to establish a public awareness campaign about the new federally funded health insurance exchange.
· A bill (A-765) sponsored by Peter Barnes (D-Middlesex), Annette Quijano (D-Union) and Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) to make clear that a patient’s use of medical marijuana is to be considered equivalent to the use of any other prescribed medication.
· Legislation (A-953) sponsored by Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) to authorize colleges and universities to grant college credit to high school students who complete the Jersey Boys State or Jersey Girls State program.
· A bill (A-3726) sponsored by Peter Barnes (D-Middlesex) and Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) to repeal outdated provisions from state law, such as laws regulating trespassing rams.
· A measure (A-748) sponsored by Peter Barnes (D-Middlesex), Linda Stender (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset), Upendra Chivukula (D-Somerset/Middlesex) and Celeste Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) to direct the state to forgive student loans in the event of a borrower’s death.
· A bill (A-945) to help avoid disagreements between law enforcement and diabetics by allowing those with diabetes to voluntarily make a notation on their driver’s license. It’s sponsored by Celeste Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland).
· Legislation (A-3537) to prohibit a person convicted of sexual assault that resulted in the birth of a child from being awarded custody or visitation. It’s sponsored by Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic), Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington), Gabriela Mosquera (D-Gloucester/Camden), Herb Conaway M.D. (D-Burlington) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer/Hunterdon).
· A bill sponsored by Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) and Angel Fuentes (D-Camden/Gloucester) to establish a conditional dismissal program in Municipal Court (A-3598).
· A bill (A-2204) sponsored by Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to include reverse rate evasion as a form of insurance fraud and provide for civil and criminal penalties.