Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, General Assembly.
Declan J. O'Scanlon Jr.
Sponsored
Passed the General Assembly1
Requires State Auditor to conduct performance review audit of SHBP at least every three years and to annually conduct limited audit to ensure that only eligible persons are receiving benefits.
In committee43
Prohibits certain elected officials and appointed officers from receiving dual health benefit coverage.
Abolishes legislative leadership committees; reduces contributions to State political party committees to $12,500 per year, to county committees to $10,000 per year and to municipal committees to $5,000 per year.
Requires filing of financial and conflict disclosure statements as condition of development approval.
Makes position of treasurer of school moneys optional.
Requires LBFO to prepare fiscal note on any bill having local government cost.
Establishes Property Tax Impact Review Commission to review legislation potentially impacting property taxes.
Reduces property taxes for owner-occupied primary residences.
Prohibits enrollment in PERS of public employee who is also public contractor; requires member to designate only one position as basis of enrollment.
Limits payment to $15,000 for accumulated sick leave upon retirement for local public employees.
Prohibits county committee of a political party from contributing to or accepting contribution from another such county committee.
Prohibits simultaneous holding of certain State, county and municipal elective and appointive positions.
Provides for mandatory imprisonment and forfeiture of retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of certain crimes.
Provides for establishment, by NJT and its contract carriers, of customer feedback response programs.
Increases enrollment threshold in PERS and TPAF to $10,000; requires assessment of adding annual minimum hour requirement to qualify for service credit.
Requires local officer or employee employed by more than one local unit to submit combined timesheet to discourage double billing; increases certain fraud penalties; establishes biometric fingerprint scanner grant program.
Requires Treasurer and Divisions of Pensions and Benefits and Investment Directors to report on status of State-administered pension plans to Legislature by April 15 and December 15 each year.
Requires that SHBP prescription drug plan use bulk purchasing.
Revises membership and duties of Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission.
Requires that ordinary disability retirement in certain State-administered retirement systems be granted only if member has qualified for federal Social Security Disability benefits.
Allows pension calculation to be based on compensation increase in excess of actuarially assumed experience only if employer pays unfunded liability.
Restricts use of accumulated sick leave by public employees in year prior to retirement.
Limits payment upon retirement to $10,000 to State and local public officers and employees for accumulated sick leave.
Prohibits certain public officers and employees from receiving dual health care benefit coverage.
Prohibits member of Legislature from entering into contract with public entity located within member's legislative district.
Requires NJ Transit to provide on-time performance data for bus passenger service in its annual report.
Clarifies that retention of unearned wages by a public servant is theft under certain circumstances.
Requires prospectively that public employees, appointees and elected officials work 35 or more hours per week with annual compensation equivalent to 1820 times State minimum wage for health care benefits.
Creates incandescent light bulb replacement program in BPU.
Provides increased representation on receiving district boards of education for certain sending districts.
Appropriates $2,825,903 from the Clean Waters Fund for sewerage infrastructure improvements at the former Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital.
Requires legislators to designate one covered position of elected office or employment for PERS credit.
Prohibits local government officer or employee who recuses himself from matter in which he has interest from engaging in activity that might be construed as lobbying or advocating for interest.
Repeals "Statewide Non-Residential Development Fee Act"; prohibits COAH from basing prospective need portion of fair share obligation on commercial development.
Permits approval of certain regional contribution agreements through December 31, 2009.
Authorizes COAH to credit municipalities with 1.5 units of fair share affordable housing obligation for each housing unit occupied by a veteran; permits municipalities to satisfy fair share affordable housing obligation through 35 percent set aside housi
Authorizes COAH to credit municipalities with 1.5 units of fair share affordable housing obligation for each unit of transitional housing occupied by a veteran.
Implements constitutional amendment establishing office of Lieutenant Governor.
Requires sending districts to pay the tuition and provide certain transportation services for their students attending approved vocational programs at certain comprehensive high schools.
Provides that deed restrictions on affordable housing units are not extinguished by foreclosure proceedings.
Makes members of county boards of taxation ineligible for membership in State-administered retirement system or for health care benefits coverage under plan for public employees.
Provides a gross income tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualified home purchases made by certain first-time homebuyers in the remaining portion of taxable year 2009, taxable year 2010 and taxable year 2011.
Reduces corporation business tax rate and provides an additional rate reduction for three years for taxpayers that relocate corporate headquarters to New Jersey.
Revises Business Employment Incentive Program to spur economic growth.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 17
Provides "Patriots Corner" tribute in State House to New Jersey residents serving in US Armed Forces, reserve components and New Jersey National Guard.
Amends stalking law to broaden protections for victims.
Designates bridge carrying State Highway Route No. 9 over Throckmorton Street in Freehold Township as "Corporal Philip A. Reynolds Memorial Bridge."
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to Community Food Pantry Fund and to Cat and Dog Spay/Neuter Fund. *
Provides veterans' organizations right to receive unclaimed veterans' cremains after one year. *
Enacts "Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children."
Exempts Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans' Memorial Cemetery from law requiring reforestation plans.
Eliminates throwout of receipts in allocation of entire net income under the corporation business tax; eliminates "regular place of business" requirement to allocate less than 100% of income to New Jersey. *
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects.
The "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
Grants immunity to certain underage persons for unlawful possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Establishes the "New Jersey-Israel Commission" as a permanent commission in the Department of State.
Provides for adjustment and notice of date on which certain elections can occur if date coincides with period of religious observance.
Permits standardbred permit holder at Meadowlands Racetrack to decrease annual number of race dates to no less than 141, and permit holders at Freehold Raceway to no less than 168, upon agreement with representative horsemen's organization.
Requires member of New Jersey National Guard to apply for tuition benefits under Post-911 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to qualify for tuition-free enrollment at public institutions of higher education. *
Establishes New Jersey Special Education and Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force.
Vetoed · 2
Lengthens service life of certain school buses to 15 years. **
Expands scope of New Jersey Regulatory Flexibility Act dealing with economic impact of rules on small businesses.
Passed the General Assembly · 21
Creates a civil "rape shield" law. *
Prohibits local government agency from employing person on paid leave from local government agency of another county or municipality.
Prohibits access to police vehicle global positioning system.
Provides for the expeditious roadway removal of certain disabled vehicles.
Requires certain elected officials and appointed officers eligible for dual health benefits coverage to choose coverage by one public entity. *
Provides exemption from 3-day cancellation provision of home improvement contract in case of bona fide emergency.
Updates statutory references from "persons with head injury" to "persons with traumatic brain injury."
Requires account numbers to be truncated on certain sales receipts. *
Requires Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission to study financial impact of all enacted mandated health benefits.
Requires DHSS to establish "New Jersey Autism Website."
Requires applications for certain professional and occupational licenses and certain registrations for controlled dangerous substance distribution to include information on applicant's membership in Armed Forces.
Creates New Jersey Honor Guard Ribbon.
Authorizes alternate route trained police officers to be hired as parole of sheriff's officers. **
Includes limitations on amount of retirement compensation which may be provided by a school board in the employment contracts of superintendents of schools, assistant superintendents of schools, and school business administrators.
Requires that school districts use a model contract developed by the Commissioner of Education when employing a superintendent of schools.
Authorizes institutions of higher education to grant college credit to high school students who complete the Jersey Boys State or Jersey Girls State program. *
Makes it a crime to communicate or transmit sexually suggestive communications to a minor under certain circumstances.
Upgrades certain sex crimes against minors.
Authorizes wiretap orders for investigation of luring or enticing a child, identity theft, stalking and harassment under certain circumstances.
Requires State Treasurer to issue cost benefit analysis and security report for conversion of military housing to civilian housing at Earle Naval Weapons Station and places moratorium on issuance of certain State permits and plan approvals.
Allows DMVA to fundraise for handicap accessible vehicle purchase.
Out of committee · 24
Authorizes deer hunting with bow and arrow on Sundays.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" increases sentences for sex offenders and persons who harbor them.
Upgrades penalties for tampering with witnesses and informants; upgrades hindering apprehension or prosecution under certain circumstances. *
Increases funding of Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program.
Provides that in the event a state of emergency is declared due to failure to enact appropriation law casinos and racetracks may remain open under certain conditions. *
Prohibits legislative aide who works, or worked, directly for legislator in district office from making political contribution greater than $30 per election to that legislator; prohibits receipt of such contribution. **
Permits student whose high school special education program requires instruction beyond four years to participate with his class in graduation ceremony and to receive certificate of attendance.
"Public Access and Marina Safety Task Force Act." *
Requires DHS to verify income of applicants for Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare with Department of the Treasury records.
Increases carryover period of net operating loss deduction under corporation business tax. *
Provides that tuition assistance or additional compensation for graduate degree provided under employment contracts for certain school district administrators may only be provided if degree is conferred by accredited institution.
Establishes a permanent Interdistrict Public School Choice Program.
Requires certain conditions be met in order for school districts to provide their employees with tuition assistance for coursework or additional compensation upon acquisition of academic credits or completion of a degree program.
Establishes system for the issuance of special vehicle registration plate decals and medallions and provides for the discontinuance of certain special license plates. *
Revises New Jersey False Claims Act to comply with federal Deficit Reduction Act for purposes of entitling State to enhanced recovery in Medicaid fraud cases; establishes an annual reporting requirement for the Attorney General. *
The "Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act."
Appropriates $27.75 million from "2007" Farmland Preservation Fund" and "Garden State Farmland Preservation Fund" for planning incentive grants to municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $49.65 million from "2007" Farmland Preservation Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $120,123,420 from various Green Acres funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Appropriates $19,919,700 from various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $15,557,201 from various historic preservation funds to provide grants for certain historic preservation projects, and appropriates $574,805 from certain historic preservation bond funds for associated administrative expenses.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for active duty members of United States Armed Forces, Reserve components thereof, and National Guard from New Jersey. *
In committee · 53
Implements the economic indicator recommendations of the Commissioner of Education on Abbott district designation.
Limits fair share affordable housing obligation in planning areas 4 and 5.
The "Najeeb Green-Lewis Law," requires motor vehicle rental companies to confirm driving status of driver as condition of renting certain vehicles.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Establishes pilot program in Department of the Treasury to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children residing in Camden, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Newark, Orange, Paterson and Trenton.
Revises vicious and potentially dangerous dog law; designated Congo's Law.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Provides immunity from civil liability to anyone who in good faith uses an automated external defibrillator in an emergency.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
"Kyleigh's Law"; revises laws concerning provisional driver's licenses.
Caps bond counsel legal fees and costs on public issuers' bond transactions and requires a competitive selection process for retaining bond counsel.
Requires ballot question on approval of State bond issue to disclose total amount of debt of State or other entity, debt service on which is funded through annual State appropriation.
Makes elected officials with compensation less than $50,000 ineligible for health care benefits on the 61st day after enactment.
Permits the appointment of joint municipal court judges by agreement of affected municipalities.
Decreases BPU membership from five to three members.
Reduces number of paid holidays from 13 to 10 for all State and local government employees.
Exempts child care centers operating in public schools from certain environmental review licensing requirements.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Repeals law providing benefits for family temporary disability leave.
Provides that municipalities with minimum amounts of developable land may file certification with the Council on Affordabe Housing, even if no petition for substantive certification is filed.
"Urban Enterprise Zone Jobs Scholarship Act"; establishes pilot program in Department of the Treasury to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children in certain urban enterprise zone municipalities.
"Jessica Lunsford Act;" concerns sentencing of sex offenders and persons who harbor them; requires electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders and creates child protection zones.
Prohibits public employers from reimbursing tuition or awarding promotions or compensation based on degrees or certifications obtained from unaccredited institutions.
Prohibits termination of certain telephone service.
Designated the Shop Here, Save Money, Secure Jobs Act of 2008; establishes sales and use tax rate reduction period from November 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009, sets reduction period tax rate at 3.5%.
Requires disclosure of campaign contributions received or expenditures made by individual seeking election to political party committee chair or any other office in such committee filled by election.
Provides that certain permits and approvals for critical infrastructure projects must be acted upon within 45 days.
Revises certain provisions of farmland assessment law.
Prohibits member of Legislature from seeking certain grants or loans through annual appropriations act or legislatively-controlled program.
Provides full forfeiture of pension of elected or appointed official convicted of any crime touching office.
Revises laws governing provision of affordable housing; reestablishes regional contribution agreement as method of meeting affordable housing obligation; repeals Statewide non-residential development fee.
Provides procedures for crediting certain dwellings used by agricultural laborers in determination of municipality's fair share housing obligation.
Delays implementation of paid family leave for two years.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Abolishes Council on Affordable Housing for failure to comply with legislative directives.
Increases fine for defacement of private property including property used for religious purposes.
Offers surviving spouse of TPAF or PERS member with 25 or more years of service choice of deferred pension instead of current return of contributions and non-contributory life insurance.
Modifies tax levy growth limitation for certain school districts in sending-receiving relationships.
Amends the "Public Corruption Profiteering Penalty Act."
Establishes 18-month moratorium on promulgation of new administrative rules and issuance of new policy circular letters by State agencies.
Provides that MIA-OON flag be displayed at certain public buildings annually for 30 days beginning September 11.
Establishes mandatory term of imprisonment for unlawful sales, purchases, and transfers of firearms.
The "New Jersey Right to Home Defense Law."
Revises standards used by charitable organizations in determining permissible expenditures of endowment funds.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in companies with ties to terrorists.
Allows gross income tax credit for certain contributions to New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) Program and to certain other federally qualified tuition savings programs.
Prohibits permanent change of child custody during period of active military service; provides that absence due to active military duty, by itself, is insufficient justification to modify a child custody or visitation order.
Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues.
Exempts from sales tax for two years certain hybrid and highly fuel efficient vehicles and energy efficient appliances.
"Tara's Law"; Establishes registry of offending community care residence providers and requires written monthly case manager reports of individuals with developmental disabilities residing in community care residences.
Protects municipalities that have complied with affordable housing obligations from being required to provide more than their fair share.