Budget Panel to Consider Dept. of State, EDA & NJSEA Spending
(TRENTON) – Decriminalizing possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana, invalidating Christie administration rules that threaten environmental protection, tax credits for hiring interns and allowing mobile casino gaming devices top Monday’s Assembly agendas.
Hearings are slated to start at 10 a.m. and will be streamed live at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp.
Complete agendas can be found at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legcal.asp
Highlights include:
· Legislation (A-1465) to decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana. It’s sponsored by Reed Gusciora and Bonnie Watson Coleman (both D-Mercer/Hunterdon), L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex) and Peter Barnes (D-Middlesex) and will be heard at 10 a.m. by the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
· A measure (ACR-37) that determines that proposed Christie administration rules and establishing a procedure for waiving environmental protection reguations are inconsistent with legislative intent. It’s sponsored by Peter Barnes (D-Middlesex), John McKeon (D-Essex/Morris), Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) and L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex) and will be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste.
· A bill (A-1608) to require schools to have automated defibrillators and to establish emergency actions plans for responding to sudden cardiac events. It’s sponsored by Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex), Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen), Patrick J. Diegnan (D-Middlesex) and Thomas Giblin (D-Essex/Passaic) and is to be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
· The Assembly Budget Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider proposed spending for the Department of State, New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
· A bill (A-2504) sponsored by Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) to provide for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for the Meadowlands Conservation Trust. It’s to be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
· A bill (A-2575) sponsored by John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) and Ruben J. Ramos (D-Hudson) to revise the state’s gaming laws by, among other things, allowing for mobile gaming devices within an approved hotel facility. It’s to be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
· A bill (A-1271) sponsored by Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex), Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) and Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) to allow corporate business and gross income tax credits for wages paid to qualifying interns. It’s to be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
· A measure (A-1596) to create the New Jersey Life Sciences Internship Challenge program. It’s sponsored by Daniel R. Benson and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex), Annette Quijano (D-Union), Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) an Thomas Giblin (D-Essex). It’s to be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee.
· A 1 p.m. discussion by the Assembly Human Services Committee on the status of the reporting and investigating of the abuse of individuals with developmental disabilities and a bill (A-2893) sponsored by Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) to implement the Innovative Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act.