Bills in the 2004–2005 Session, Senate.
Joseph F. Vitale
Sponsored
Became law22
Modifies the Charitable Immunity Act.
Permits certain emergency management volunteers to display blue emergency warning lights on vehicles.
Requires insurers that provide outpatient prescription drug benefits and State Health Benefits Program to cover costs of prescription female contraceptives. *
"Patient Safety Act"; establishes medical error reporting system. *
Adds two members to Public Health Council.
Provides that TPAF and PERS veterans' retirement with 35 years of service shall be based on highest benefit year rather than last year of service.
Expands duties performed by advanced practice nurses.
Provides that label of bottled water contain date on which water was bottled.
Establishes Alternative to Discipline Program for impaired nurses through NJ Board of Nursing.
Establishes "NJ Express Enrollment for Children's Health Care Coverage" pilot program; appropriates $90,000.
Establishes licensing requirements and standards for pharmaceutical wholesale distribution.
"Health Care Professional Responsibility and Reporting Enhancement Act."
Credits coverage under Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare towards employer's minimum participation rate under NJ Small Employer Health Benefits Program.
Authorizes DHSS to reallocate flu vaccine to high-risk persons.
"Emergency Health Powers Act."
Allows participation in SHBP for certain union elected officers and employees.
"Family Health Care Coverage Act"; reestablishes NJ FamilyCare Program, expands eligibility for Medicaid program for parents and adults without dependent children and provides for pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates for GA program. *
Permits certain minors to consent to medical care or treatment for HIV infection or AIDS.
Requires health clubs to have defibrillator on site and employees trained to use defibrillator.
"Health Claims Authorization, Processing and Payment Act."
Reforms State's workforce investment system, establishes Center for Occupational Employment Information.
Revises criteria for placing juveniles in detention.
Passed the Senate4
Permits adopted person and certain others access to adopted person's original birth certificate and other related information; appropriates $1,000,000. *
Establishes procedures for placement of individuals in Division of Developmental Disabilities Moderate Security Unit.
Supplemental appropriation of $4,998,581 to DHSS for AIDS Drug Distribution Program and other AIDS services. *
Provides for commencement of short term tax exemptions and abatements as of date of completion of project.
Out of committee24
"New Jersey Medical Care Access and Responsibility and Patients First Act."
Proposes series of amendments to statutes governing SCI.
Restores Department of the Public Advocate as principal department in Executive Branch. **
Revises statutory mental health coverage requirements and requires all health insurers and SHBP to cover treatment for alcoholism and other substance-use disorders under same terms and conditions as for other diseases or illnesses.
Provides for separate presidential primary election on last Tuesday in February. *
"Statewide Immunization Registry Act."
Permits physician assistants to prescribe controlled dangerous substances.
Requires hospitals and nursing homes to compile and provide certain staffing information to the public.
"Cigarette Sales Act;" facilitates collection of taxes on retail sales of cigarettes shipped from outside this State. *
Requires health care providers to offer parents of infants option to screen for disorders for which State does not require screening.
Clarifies sentencing provisions for certain drunk driving offenses.
Establishes "Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative" in Office on Minority and Multicultural Health.
Appropriates $170,000 from Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund to DHSS to develop Palliative Care Network for Children and Youth.
Supplemental appropriation of $200,000 to DHSS for a grant to the Lakewood Resource and Referral Center.
Appropriates $302,500 to the DEP from the "Natural Resources Bond Act of 1980" for a grant to a certain local government for a clean water project.
Permits units of local government to limit award of public contracts to business entities that make political contributions; requires certain business entities to file annual disclosure statement. *
Establishes "Task Force on Health Care Professional Responsibility and Reporting."
Clarifies and expands duties and powers of Office of the Child Advocate and makes child advocate member of certain State child welfare boards.
Authorizes issuance of bonds for refurbishment of certain public safety vehicles.
Establishes New Jersey Gifted Disabled Community Needs Study Commission.
Revises experience requirements for eligibility to be licensed as a marriage and family therapist.
Provides that gift certificates and cards are redeemable at full face value in perpetuity.
Designates ten collective negotiations unit categories for State Executive Branch employees.
Concerns contributions to special funds made through the gross income tax return.
In committee65
Prohibits firearm possession by persons convicted of domestic violence crime or domestic violence disorderly persons offense, convicted of stalking, or subject to domestic violence restraining order.
"Health Care Claims Payment Responsibility Act."
Reduces blood alcohol level at which a person is considered to be guilty of drunk driving from 0.10% to 0.08%.
Eliminates statute of limitations for kidnapping and increases statute of limitations for other serious crimes to 10 years.
Directs DEP to conduct feasibility study of assessing air pollution sources in and around certain airports and military bases.
Requires meningococcal vaccinations for new residential students at four-year institutions of higher education.
Allows release of AOC records concerning domestic violence to adoption agencies conducting home studies of prospective adoptive parents.
Establishes limits on resident's hours in hospitals.
Limits school bus idle time to five minutes with certain exceptions.
Increases membership of Drug Utilization Review Board to include two advanced practice nurses.
"New Jersey Health Care Access and Patient Protection Act."
Requires Medicaid coverage of HIV drug resistance testing.
Requires notification of rape care advocate under certain circumstances by law enforcement, prosecutors and medical providers.
Establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities.
Requires health insurers to cover Hepatitis B vaccination costs.
Allows gross income tax deduction for 50% of contributions of $100 or more to domestic violence shelters.
Requires health insurers to cover well baby visits during the first two years of life.
Establishes "Governor's Advisory Council on Home and Community-Based Care."
"Nursing Student Incentive Loan and Loan Redemption Program Act"; appropriates $5 million.
Defines routine foot care services under an insurance policy.
Establishes "Zero Lift Pilot Program" in DHSS; appropriates $300,000.
Establishes "Commission to Examine Strategies for Strengthening Familial Bond Between Children and Incarcerated Parents."
Requires health insurers to provide coverage for certain infant formulas.
Prohibits black bear hunting for five years; requires development of plan for bear population control; and appropriates $95,000.
Incorporates regional water resource management considerations within county master planning, site plan and subdivision approval.
Requires public school districts to include anger management instruction as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Increases additional penalty assessment for drunk driving; dedicates revenue to VCCB.
Authorizes counties, with voter approval, to impose special levy to fund water resources preservation and restoration projects.
Provides for "grandfathering" of certain persons as licensed professional counselors.
Establishes Medication Management, Outreach and Support Program in DHS; appropriates $8 million.
Supplemental appropriation of $200,000 to Jewish Renaissance Foundation for Perth Amboy Medical Health Care Center.
Defines "mobile home park" as "multiple dwelling" for inspection purposes.
Requires HMOs to report number of children screened for lead poisoning under Medicaid program.
Reduces the maximum annual partnership information return filing fee to $150,000 for publicly traded partnerships.
Supplemental appropriation of $40 million to DHSS for HIV/AIDS programs and services.
Requires SHBP and health insurers providing dependent coverage to cover unmarried dependent children until their 26th birthday.
Provides that person may not obtain adult hunting license until age 18; imposes certain education requirements on persons who possess youth hunting license.
Permits counties and municipalities to impose limits on politicals contributions made by business entities that receive contracts; requires disclosure of political contributions by certain business entities.
Authorizes limited outside employment of assistant prosecutors.
Reestablishes "Parents' Education Program" as "Children First Education Program;" requires parties involved in custody and parenting time proceedings to attend program.
Supplemental appropriation of $2.0 million for grants to certain nursing schools to address shortage of nursing faculty.
Supplemental appropriation of $750,000 for Jack Fay Forum for Long-Term Living at Rutgers Center for State Health Policy.
Permits limited pharmacy sales of syringes and needles without prescription.
Deletes State registration requirement to dispense controlled dangerous substances.
Restricts third-party use of federal Drug Enforcement Administration registration numbers.
Revises procedures for independent review of mandated health benefits bills.
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Provides for separate presidential primary on last Tuesday in February. *
Provides for mandatory forfeiture of retirement benefits of elected official convicted of crime involving office held.
"Medicaid Managed Care Quality Improvement Assessment Act."
Provides immunity from liability for persons who install or inspect child restraint systems.
"Community Health Service Pilot Initiative Act."
Supplemental appropriation of $395,000 to the NJ Collaborating Center for Nursing at Rutgers University.
Prohibits municipalities from adopting zoning ordinances that prohibit construction or use of antenna structures by federally licensed amateur radio operators.
Allows identity theft victims to apply for police incident record and judicial determination of factual innocence.
Designates September 11 each year "September 11 Remembrance Day" in New Jersey.
Prohibits sale of flavored tobacco products.
Creates an integrated State medical examiner system by increasing the authority of the State Medical Examiner regarding forensic investigations, establishing regional medical examiner offices, and eliminating the county medical examiner system.
Requires DHSS and DOE to provide information on meningococcal meningitis to parents or guardians of certain school-aged children.
Revises death record requirements.
Upgrades offense of simple assault to aggravated assault when victim is employee of DHS and clearly engaged in duties conducting investigation.
Makes it a crime of the third degree to practice psychology without a license and prohibits certain unlicensed employees of nonprofit community agencies from using title of psychologist.
Provides for increase in relocation assistance amounts based on increase of CPI.
Requires "just compensation" for condemnation of single-family residence to be based on cost of comparable relocation properties within 20 mile radius.
Requires certain ambulatory care facilities to provide services to patients without regard to ability to pay or source of payment.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 13
The "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act"; creates Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council; and dedicates a portion of realty transfer fee revenue annually for certain State aid purposes in the Highlands Region and the pinelands area. *
Ends automatic adjustment of campaign contribution limits for committees; adjusts limits for candidate committees.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses providing employment to qualified handicapped persons at sheltered workshops.
Requires employer notifications to workers regarding temporary disability benefits.
Revises pilotage laws.
Reduces from 0.10% to 0.08% the blood alcohol content at which a person is considered guilty of operating a boat while under the influence.
Requires hospital and satellite emergency departments to provide care to sexual assault victims and information about emergency contraception and the contraceptives upon request. *
"New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act"; prohibits smoking in indoor public places and workplaces.
Increases the minimum wage; creates New Jersey Minimum Wage Advisory Commission. *
Requires DHS to apply for Home and Community-Based Services waiver for DDD and provide status reports to Legislature. *
Updates provisions in Titles 9 and 30 of the Revised Statutes to conform with DYFS child welfare reform plan.
Raises minimum age for sale and purchase of tobacco products from 18 to 19. *
Establishes Internet gambling public awareness campaign.
Passed the Senate · 2
Enhances penalties for trespassing on private or posted property while possessing a firearm.
Authorizes NJEDA to issue cigarette tax revenue bonds to fund stem cell research facilities, biomedical research facilities, and State park, forest, and wildlife management area capital projects; designated the Capital Facilities Financing Act of 2005."
Out of committee · 31
Authorizes the State, with prior approval by the State House Commission, to use eminent domain power to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes provided lands are protective of drinking water sources.
Establishes Prostate Cancer Awareness, Education and Research Program in DHSS; appropriates $1 million.
Establishes State rental assistance program patterned after federal section 8 program; permits allocation of funds under the Fair Housing Act to program as permitted purpose. *
Requires acquisition of defibrillators for use in public and nonpublic high schools and training of certain personnel in usage; appropriates $900,000. *
May require child support to continue past emancipation if the child has a severe mental or physical incapacity which causes the child to be financially dependent on a parent. *
Requires insurers and SHBP to cover mammograms for women under 40 under certain circumstances. *
Changes laws governing financial liability for patients in psychiatric facilities and eliminates financial liens for persons treated at State and county psychiatric facilities. *
Prohibits participating providers under managed care plans from charging certain fees; establishes penalties therefor. *
Appropriates $300,000 to DHS for grant to Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
Empowers United States Department of Defense police officers to make arrests for certain violations of New Jersey law.
Supplemental appropriation of $1,793,000 to Judiciary to expand the drug court program Statewide.
Establishes defibrillator grant program in DCA.
Creates Health Enterprise Zones in certain municipalities to encourage establishment of certain primary care practices in medically underserved areas.
Requires nursing homes to have defibrillator on site and employees trained to use defibrillator.
Creates "Task Force to Improve the Treatment of Offenders with Mental Illness."
Supplemental appropriation of $3.6 million in State and federal funds to expand the Traumatic Brain Injury waiver.
The "Identity Theft Prevention Act" *
Requires carriers that cover behavioral health care services to disclose certain information to their insureds.
Requires reporting of all cases of severe hyperbilirubinemia to DHSS. *
Prohibits campaign contributions by business entities seeking or holding State contracts in certain circumstances.
Supplemental appropriation of $1.5 million to Social Services for the Homeless program. *
Prohibits pharmacists from refusing to dispense medication solely for philosophical, moral or religious reasons.
"Polysomnography Practice Act."
Requires health insurers and SHBP providing dependent coverage to provide for election of coverage by certain dependents until their 30th birthday. *
Directs DOE to include information about State adult disability services in booklet for parents of special education students and to require schools to designate staff member as parent liaison.
Creates the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act" to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. *
Imposes mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment and forfeiture of pension and retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of crimes involving or touching their office or employment.
Establishes prevailing wage standards for State building service contracts.
Increases penalty amounts to $1,500 and $3,000 for violations of certain laws regulating retail sale of motor fuel.
Establishes health care quality improvement fund grant program funded from tax rate increase on small cigars. *
Makes FY2006 supplemental General Fund appropriations of $4 million to DHS for home heating assistance and $9 million for energy assistance programs. *
In committee · 68
Clarifies role of community providers in early childhood education in the Abbott districts and specifies certain goals and services for that education.
Supplemental appropriation of $1,500,000 to Division of Local Government Services in DCA to fund Newark City's plane crash costs.
Makes a supplemental appropriation of $50,000 for an endowment to the Wynona Moore Lipman Ethnic Studies Center to be established at Kean University.
Limits contributions by certain public contractors; limits contributions by county and municipal political party committees.
Prohibits imposition of death penalty on mentally retarded defendants.
Requires health insurers to provide coverage for hearing aids.
Requires long-term care facilities to provide list of certain services related to care of patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Requires certain long-term care facilities to provide training in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Provides for convening of State constitutional convention to reform system of property taxation.
Designated the "Clean Indoor Air Act."
Revises current laws concerning ethics in State, county and municipal governments; requires greater disclosure by legislative agents and lobbyists; limits certain campaign contributions; prohibits nepotism; requires ethics training for legislators.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Permits use of hands-free wireless phones in moving vehicles.
Permits local governments to restrict smoking in public places.
Requires the Governor's annual budget recommendations to establish the State share of public school costs at 50 percent by dedicating growth in certain State revenues.
"Nurse Retention Stipend Program Act"; appropriates $1 million.
Requires removal of certain sites from contaminated site list within 90 days after completion of cleanup.
Increases annual funding of Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund.
Requires DHSS to establish public awareness campaign and develop policies and procedures for physicians and facilities concerning women with bleeding disorders.
Appropriates $25,000,000 to restore funding to statutory level for Homestead Property Tax Reimbursement program.
Modifies definition of Abbott districts to include urban districts within DOE's district factor groupings A or B.
Requires health insurance coverage for hair headpieces for patients receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
Concerns workers' compensation for firefighters with cancer.
Establishes New Jersey Rx Program to reduce prescription drug prices.
Requires that NJ FamilyCare Program cover pediatric medical day care services for all children covered by program.
Prohibits penalizing pharmacist for dispensing fraudulent prescription approved by Medicaid, PAAD or Senior Gold.
Increases PFRS disability, accidental death and special retirement benefits; increases members' contribution rate.
Authorizes special Distinguished Flying Cross license plates.
Provides for automatic enrollment in PAAD and Senior Gold programs under certain circumstances.
Establishes Institute of Law and Mental Health.
Requires Domestic Security Preparedness Planning Group to include a representative of New Jersey State First Aid Council.
Authorizes State Treasurer to sell certain surplus real property to the Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Provides $100,000 military death benefit to State citizens killed on federal active duty; establishes "Fallen Patriots Memorial Fund."
Provides penalties for leaving individual with disability unattended in a motor vehicle.
Prohibits awarding of certain types of public contracts to members of the Legislature.
Establishes statutory minimum amounts for medical malpractice liability insurance coverage.
Revises health wellness insurance benefits.
Requires ATM facilities to be equipped with access to emergency telephone service.
Allows deduction against gross income for unreimbursed expenses incurred by organ donor.
Clarifies that municipalities may establish sterile syringe access programs.
Requires dissemination of organ and tissue donation by State Treasurer, Personnel Commissioner, State contractors, and preparers of advanced health care directives; designates April of each year as Donate Life Month.
Requires adopted person or birth parent to notify approved agency when hereditary disease is diagnosed after adoption is finalized.
Provides that an individual's genetic information is the property of the individual.
"Bloodborne Disease Harm Reduction Act"; permits establishment of sterile syringe access programs.
Establishes regional substance abuse treatment facilities; appropriates $100 million.
Provides compensatory time off for certain essential attendance State employees.
Exempts from realty transfer fees, sales of homes of certain New Jersey members of the military.
Establishes regional lead treatment centers in the State.
Mandates testing for lead toxicity as condition for certain school, nursery school, or child care attendance.
Repeals law expediting certain State permits.
Restores fiscal integrity and enhances funding to Transportation Trust Fund.
Supplemental appropriation of $1 million to DHSS for establishment of UMDNJ Center for Research and Treatment of Ocular Inflammatory Disease.
"Prompt Health Care Claims Processing and Reimbursement Act."
Establishes Prescription Monitoring Program in Division of Consumer Affairs.
Amends "Law Against Discrimination" concerning gender identity or expression discrimination.
Requires DHSS to review standard of care at health care facilities in which 40% or more of direct patient care nursing staff are temporary hires.
Requires interactive computer service to remove images, information, or data which depicts child engaged in prohibited sexual act from computer server or other storage device controlled or owned by the interactive computer service.
Requires DHSS to apply for federal Home and Community-Based Services Medicaid waiver for certain early intervention services.
Designates November 3 in each year as "Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Day."
Directs Division of Developmental Disabilities to prepare plan to ensure persons with developmental disabilities recommended for community placement move from institutions to community within five years.
Prohibits sex offenders from using or possessing erectile dysfunction drugs; prohibits provision or sale of erectile dysfunction drugs to sex offenders.
Appropriates $99,000 to DCA for grant to Women Helping Women.
Establishes registry of community agency employees providing services to persons with developmental disabilities.
Prohibits motor fuel wholesaler from increasing price more than once in 24-hour period.
Establishes the Commercial and Technology Part in the Superior Court.
Makes changes concerning Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism.
Authorizes special "Born to Run" license plate with proceeds to benefit Community FoodBank of New Jersey.