(TRENTON) – The Assembly on Thursday will consider legislation to grant subpoena power to investigate the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, require voter approval for charter schools, combat gender wage inequity, level the playing field between online and brick-and-mortar retailers, fix the state’s landmark anti-bullying law and award businesses that hire the long-term unemployed.
Also on tap is legislation to fund Legal Services of New Jersey, toughen road rage penalties, reverse the Christie administration’s anti-retailer law on unclaimed property, sustain the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II scholarship programs, promote electric car purchases and implement an array of new consumer protections.
The session is slated to start at 1 p.m. The hearing will be streamed live at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp.
The complete agenda is attached, but highlights include:
· A resolution (AR-61) sponsored by John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Linda Stender (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset) and Ruben Ramos, Jr. (D-Hudson) sponsored to grant the Assembly transportation panel subpoena power to obtain answers into spending by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
· A bill (A-1877) to require final voter approval before the establishment of a charter school. It’s sponsored by Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex), Peter Barnes III (D-Middlesex), John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), Ralph Caputo (D-Essex), Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) and Mila Jasey (Essex/Morris).
· Legislation (A-2709) sponsored by Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), lead sponsor of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, to help school districts fully comply with the landmark law.
· A four-bill package (A-2647-2648-2649-2650) to combat gender wage inequity. It’s sponsored by Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden), Celeste Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland), Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) and Angel Fuentes (D-Camden/Gloucester).
· Legislation (A-2003-2608-AR-69) sponsored by Albert Coutinho (D-Essex), Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen), Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) and Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to create a level playing field between brick-and-mortar retailers and online sellers while also promoting the creation of new full-time jobs with benefits for New Jersey residents.
· A bill (A-2139) sponsored by Wayne DeAngelo and Dan Benson (both D-Mercer/Middlesex) to crack down on reckless and aggressive drivers after a Mercer County incident left a teen-age girl paralyzed. The bill is named in honor of Jessica Rogers from Hamilton.
· A bill (A-2402) Nelson Albano and Matthew Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland), Troy Singleton (D-Burlington), Marlene Caride (D-Passaic/Bergen) and Shavonda Sumter (D-Bergen/Passaic) sponsored to spur job growth by providing bonus awards to businesses who hire employees who were unemployed for more than 13 weeks.
· Legislation (A-763) sponsored by Peter J. Barnes III (D-Middlesex) to fund the Judiciary’s computerized court information system and Legal Services of New Jersey, a non-profit that provides legal assistance in civil matters to individuals living below the poverty line.
· Legislation (A-1871) sponsored by Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex), Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) and Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen) to reverse the Christie administration’s anti-retailer law governing the state’s treatment of unclaimed property.
· Legislation (A-323) sponsored by Celeste M. Riley (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) allowing special agricultural tourism events to be held on preserved farmland with restrictions.
· A bill (A-1227) Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden), Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland), Ruben J. Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) sponsored to make it illegal to mail unsolicited checks that once cashed enroll consumers in costly programs.
· Legislation (A-1294) sponsored by Mila Jasey (D-Essex/Morris), Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex), Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) and Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to help 9/11 veterans find employment through an expedited teacher certification program.
· A measure (A-1827) Herb Conaway M.D. (D-Burlington), John McKeon (D-Essex/Morris), Ruben Ramos, Jr. (D-Hudson) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) sponsored to crackdown on illegal steroid abuse in New Jersey’s law enforcement and firefighting communities.
· Legislation (A-2184) sponsored by Herb Conaway M.D. (D-Burlington), Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex), Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex) and Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) to increase for the first time in decades the allowance paid to veterans with wartime service-connected disabilities.
· A bill (A-2651) sponsored by Connie Wagner and Timothy Eustace (both D-Bergen) that would require employer notification when relocating call center services to a foreign country, and would prevent employers who move such operations from benefiting from state financial reDests.
· A measure (A-1176) sponsored by Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden), Patrick Diegnan, Jr. (D-Middlesex), Gilbert “Whip” Wilson (D-Camden/Gloucester) and Dan Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex) that would make changes to the successful NJ STARS and NJ STARS II scholarship programs to secure their sustainability.
· Legislation (A-2205) Wayne P. DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) sponsored to invalidate any contract that requires customers to waive their right to file a consumer fraud complaint.
· Legislation (A-2311) sponsored by Mila Jasey (D-Essex/Morris) and Albert Coutinho (D-Essex) to help reduce the shortage of teachers in science and mathematics.
· A bill (A-566) sponsored by Connie Wagner (D-Bergen), Craig J. Coughlin (D-Middlesex), Angel Fuentes (D-Camden/Gloucester) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) to promote electric vehicle usage by providing corporation business tax credit and gross income tax credits for buying and installing electric vehicle charging stations.
· A bill (A-1511) John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland), Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden0, Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) and John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) sponsored to require retailers to charge consumers an advertised after-rebate price – rather than making buyers send in coupons or log on to manufacturer’s web sites to claim their savings.
· Legislation (A-1585) Dan Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex) and Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) sponsored to prohibit the annual renewal of service contracts.