Bills in the 2016–2017 Session, Senate.
James W. Holzapfel
Sponsored
Became law2
Requires DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to use only native vegetation for landscaping, land management, reforestation, or habitat restoration.
Requires reporting of suspected abuse of institutionalized elderly to police and that facility employees receive notice of reporting requirement annually; designated as "Peggy's Law."
Passed the Senate3
Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems.*
Increases criminal penalties if leaving loaded firearm within easy access of minor results in injury or death.
Permits short-term tax exemption for certain improvements to dwellings damaged by natural disasters.
Out of committee5
Establishes "Secondhand Valuables Transaction Reporting Task Force."
Directs Commissioner of Education to encourage implementation of Natural High Drug Prevention Program in school districts.*
Increases penalties for unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing fentanyl.
Provides State income tax credit for removal of lawns near Barnegat Bay.
Increases fines for failing to have required markings on commercial vehicles.
In committee72
Prohibits additional jughandles on roads or highways in the State.
Ensures operation of certain motor fuel storage, distribution and dispensing facilities during disasters and emergencies.
"Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act"; provides State reimbursement for 50% of school property taxes paid by seniors, 65 years and older.
Eliminates supplemental realty transfer fee.
Establishes NJ Animal Abuser Registry.
Establishes offense of soliciting image of minor with unlawful purpose.
Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Requires installation of emergency power supply systems to certain common areas of new planned real estate developments; provides related tax incentives.
Prohibits public utility from filing rate increase petition under certain circumstances.
Requires mortgage lenders to maintain vacant, age-restricted dwelling units during foreclosure.
Requires newly-constructed grocery stores to have generators.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Prohibits sale, distribution, and use of urea as an ice melt.
Requires labeling of ingredients and restricts phosphorus in household cleansing products.
Establishes mandatory penalties for committing burglary and theft during a state of emergency.
Requires police notification when driver's license is suspended.
Provides gross income tax credit for certain tolls paid via E-ZPass.
Enhances penalties imposed on drivers who have never been issued a driver's license.
Requires public utility to reimburse business customer during period when business ceases operations due to utility repairing or replacing its equipment on business customer's property.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for employing immediate family members of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who were killed in action.
Authorizes court to impose rescue operation costs of public entity under certain circumstances.
Allows shore municipalities to provide spouse and dependent children of veterans free or reduced cost access to beaches.
Provides certain immunities from spectator-based lawsuits arising from youth sports events.
Exempts police from jury duty.
Requires each municipality to establish a Reverse 9-1-1 system.
Criminalizes fourth or subsequent drunk driving offenses.
Establishes new offenses concerning the unlawful possession and use of credit card scanners.
Requires State to lower compensation rate of civilly committed sexually violent predators to same level as State inmates for institutional work.
Requires local governing body and DCA to suspend collection of certificate of occupancy and related inspection fees for homes being rented by persons identified by FEMA as displaced individuals.
Permits county board of chosen freeholders to appoint interim member of county tax board under certain circumstances.
Requires fire suppression systems in all elementary and secondary schools 12,000 square feet or larger.
Concerns telemarketing political calls.
Regulates tethering of, and outdoor shelter for, dogs.
Establishes animal cruelty offenses pertaining to chaining or other restraint of animals.
Requires State park and forest restroom facilities to include an exclusive family restroom.
Prohibits smoking at State-owned beaches.
Exempts certain transactions of residential property involving senior, blind, and disabled citizens from general purpose fee under realty transfer fee and one percent assessment on real property selling for more than $1,000,000.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Expands statute authorizing temporary restraining orders for certain alleged stalking victims to include victims of any age or mental capacity.
Requires Family Part under certain circumstances to dispose of charge of contempt of a domestic violence order on an emergency basis, without setting bail.
Clarifies crime of unlawful access concerning certain password protected communications in electronic storage.
Authorizes creation of 33rd urban enterprise zone in Borough of Seaside Heights.
Requires insurers that sell flood insurance to provide certain policyholders with certain information.
Changes law regulating size limits of lobsters.
Clarifies that fishing license is not required to fish at a private community lake.
Concerns valuation of property condemned for dune construction or beach replenishment.
"Barnegat Bay Protection Act"; establishes Barnegat Bay Protection Fund, dedicates portion of sales tax on fertilizer, authorizes special license plates, and provides for donations.
Revises distribution of monies from Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund to municipalities.
Increases annual income limit for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement.
Requires Director of Division of Taxation to include sales of properties in age-restricted developments by third parties in table of equalized valuations.
Concerns subcontracting agreements entered into by public school districts.
Requires municipalities to reimburse qualified private communities for street paving costs.
Eliminates remarriage prohibition for PFRS death benefits; provides retirement allowance to certain survivors of PFRS members.
Requires suspension without pay and health care benefits if public officer or employee formally charged with crime involving or touching office, position, or employment.
Imposes criminal penalties for discharges of untreated sewage from containment devices installed on watercraft.
Prohibits utility from billing customer for costs incurred for certain upgrades to utility infrastructure; allows costs for certain upgrades to utility infrastructure be recovered in utility's rate base.
Directs BPU to study whether State's electric distribution system meets certain standards.
Requires electric distribution lines be located underground in areas affected by severe weather or natural disasters.
Requires explosive gas detectors to be installed in certain residential properties.
Establishes Autism Education Council.
Upgrades penalties for drag racing.
Extends to 90 days statute of limitations for unlawful use of cell phone while driving; increases penalties for texting while driving.
Establishes "Distracted Driver Enforcement and Education Fund."
Requires State agencies to review operations and to implement use of Internet to conduct public business when cost savings may be realized, with certain exceptions.
Prohibits certain sex offenders from holding position or participating in youth ministry.
Requires health care practitioners prescribing opioid medications on first-time basis, or to minor children, to limit amount of prescribed medication to seven-day supply, except in certain circumstances.
Allows retiree to change designated beneficiary after retirement in event of divorce.
Provides gross income tax deduction for certain E-ZPass tolls paid.
Excludes passenger and freight rail projects from purposes for which revenue from increase in petroleum products gross receipts tax revenue may be used.
Requires issuance of tourniquets to law enforcement officers; requires emergency service vehicles be equipped with tourniquets.
Requires State aid reduction to municipalities and school districts by amount of accumulated absences paid to employees upon their retirement.
Provides for court dismissal, with prejudice, of civil actions for which lis pendens notices are filed under certain circumstances.
Carried from the General Assembly
Became law1
Establishes "Secondhand Valuables Transaction Reporting Task Force."
Co-sponsored
Became law · 7
Establishes Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security in public and nonpublic schools and county colleges.*
Establishes requirements concerning necessary care of dogs, domestic companion animals, and service animals, and for tethering of dogs.*
Designates portion of Interstate Highway Route 195 in Upper Freehold Township as "State Trooper Anthony A. Raspa Memorial Highway."
Requires Office of Emergency Management to establish county storm preparedness funding program.*
Establishes additional penalties related to child pornography and expands crime to include portrayal of child in sexual manner; establishes crime of leader of child pornography network.
Appropriates $71,700,224 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Appropriates $8,992,898 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Passed the Senate · 1
Amends "Law Against Discrimination" to include crime victims as protected status.
Out of committee · 19
Criminalizes possession and sale of alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), commonly known as "flakka," or "flocka."
Requires State reimbursement to municipalities of cost of disabled veterans' total property tax exemption.
Increases amount annually credited to Shore Protection Fund to $50 million.
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities; upgrades crimes committed against such individuals; and improves tranparency and accountability in investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of such individuals; designated as
Establishes "Superstorm Sandy Homeowners Protection Act."
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Requires life imprisonment without parole for persons convicted of the murder of a minor under the age of 18 in the course of the commission of a sex crime.
Wounded Warrior Caregivers Relief Act; Provides income tax credit to family caregivers of certain armed service members with physical disabilities.
Extends veteran's property tax exemption to tenant shareholders in cooperatives and mutual housing corporations.
Increases the personal income tax's pension and retirement income exclusion fivefold over three years.
Increases exclusion amount under New Jersey estate tax; phases out estate tax over five years.
Requires interior light of motor vehicle be turned on when stopped by law enforcement under certain circumstances.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
Establishes failure to maintain lane may constitute recklessness under reckless vehicular homicide statute; designated as Eileen's Law. **
Extends expiration date of certain permits for one year in Superstorm Sandy-impacted counties.
Creates "New Jersey Criminal Justice Information Sharing Environment Coordinating Council."
Establishes process for recovery of Superstorm Sandy aid overpayments and makes General Fund appropriation.*
Concerns temporary registration certificates for automobiles.
In committee · 18
Provides that English shall be the official language of the State.
Eliminates power of DRPA to finance economic development; changes composition of board; imposes restrictions regarding financing, contract procedures, conflicts of interest, and review audits; creates commuter's council.
Requires labeling of foods containing genetically modified material.
Requires prescribers and pharmacists to check prescription monitoring program prior to prescribing and dispensing Schedule II drugs.
Reestablishes senior citizen supplemental stabilization aid.
Allows certain drug dealing offenses to be graded by "units," rather than weight, of controlled dangerous substances.
Eliminates transfer inheritance tax and increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amounts under New Jersey estate tax in accordance with provisions of federal tax law.
Provides governance, transparency, and accountability reforms at PANYNJ.
Makes reforms to mental health treatment; clarifies law governing purchase of firearms by persons with history of mental illness.
Makes a $3 million supplemental appropriation for increased Per Capita Library Aid.
Phases out estate tax over five-year period.
Establishes a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
Eliminates State aid growth limit for school districts in which individuals age 65 and over comprise more than 33.3 percent of the population.
Prohibits animal cruelty violators from working at, or owning or operating, an animal-related enterprise; designated as "Moose's Law."
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Reforms procedures concerning provisions of affordable housing; repeals "Statewide Non-Residential Development Fee Act."
Establishes four-year pilot program in Ocean County for electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence offenders; designated as "Lisa's Law"; appropriates $2.5 million.
"Consumer Freedom From Unwanted Expense in Health Insurance Coverage Act."