Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, General Assembly.
Joseph P. Cryan
Sponsored
Became law18
Eliminates role of State Board of Education in the appeal of Commissioner of Education decisions in disputes arising under the State school laws.
Reduces notice that school district is required to give superintendent of schools if district determines not to reappoint. *
Adds contact via electronic device to prohibited contact enumerated in permanent restraining orders for convicted stalkers. **
Establishes Organized Retail Theft Task Force.
Permits siting of NJ Hall of Fame project anywhere in State; clarifies responsibility of NJ Sports and Exposition Authority to establish corporation to operate project and specifies membership of corporation. *
Expands definition of "place of business" under Franchise Practices Act.
Caps bids municipalities may require for certain hotel liquor licenses.*
"New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act"; requires each four-year public institution of higher education to provide on its website certain information regarding its costs, faculty, and graduation rates.
Eliminates required mailing of sample ballots to inactive voters.
Permits electors of president and vice president to meet in State building within State House Complex or War Memorial in Trenton.
Requires DHS to develop procedures to enable hospitals to promptly transfer emergency department patients with mental illness to appropriate treatment setting. *
Requires DHS and DCF to establish standardized admission protocols and medical clearance criteria for admission to behavioral health care facilities. *
Requires DHS and DCF to identify available mental health services and perform needs assessment. *
Requires health care service firms to file annual cost report with DHS as condition of Medicaid reimbursement. *
Concerns taxation of certain lines of insurance and dedicates certain additional revenues to the Health Care Subsidy Fund.
Extends prevailing wage requirements to certain maintenance-related projects.
Requires additional information on State's long-term liabilities be presented in State annual debt report.
Extends pilot program in DOE to address State's shortage of mathematics and science teachers by 12 months.
Passed the General Assembly11
Authorizes municipalities and fire districts to require physician's certificate as condition for service or continuing service by volunteer fire fighters; requires municipalities and fire districts to reimburse them for out-of-pocket costs. *
Prohibits free housing for cabinet members.
Allows State agencies, counties and municipalities to comply with certain publication requirements by means of Internet. *
Outlines procedures for conducting drug tests involving State law enforcement officers.
Establishes timeframes for certain stages in interest arbitration procedures.
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.
Establishes new motorcycle safety provisions. *
Creates e-mail registration requirement for convicted stalkers.
Clarifies school district employees subject to statutory provisions concerning supplemental compensation for unused sick leave and vacation carry forward requirements.
Extends time period for renewal of lapsed alcoholic beverage retail licenses.
Establishes registry of offenders of individuals with developmental disabilities in DHS.
Out of committee15
Decreases certain public document copy fees to up to $0.10 or less per letter size page and up to $0.15 or less per legal size page.
"Parkinson's Disease Public Awareness and Education Act."
"Statewide Drought Management Act."
Concerns unwanted delivery of newspapers.
Requires certain cities of the second class to establish a Second Chance Council to develop a plan to increase jobs for released criminals and high school dropouts.
Centralizes non-tax debt management functions for State government in Division of Revenue.
Permits parent of stillborn child to request certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth directly from State registrar.
Requires legal action against certain licensed persons to be brought within two years.
Provides DOE statutory authority for State-issued high school diplomas and rulemaking authority in regard to not for profit third parties that administer General Educational Development (GED) testing.
Revises law concerning tastings and samplings conducted by certain alcoholic beverage licensees. *
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.
Reduces required local employer contributions to PERS and PFRS for State fiscal years 2009 through 2011. *
Concerns certain disciplinary procedures, collective bargaining, and binding arbitration in public employment.
Establishes in DOE a four-year Community Service Phase Two Pilot Enhancement Program.
Re-establishes State Board of Education as the rule-making authority under several school district accountability statutes and reinstates its role in considering appeals from any Commissioner of Education determination.
In committee70
Requires health insurance coverage for hair headpieces for patients receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
Requires disclosure of juvenile sex offenses in criminal background checks.
Requires drug and alcohol testing of adult inmates within 72 hours prior to furlough, work release or similar programs under certain conditions.
Establishes lawn watering restrictions; authorizes DEP to adopt water conservation regulations and to reduce water supply application backlog; and requires installation of automatic rain sensor devices under certain circumstances.
Requires that certain information on school district expenditures and student achievement be printed on the ballot and sample ballot for the annual school election.
Provides $100,000 military death benefit to State citizens killed on federal active duty; establishes "Fallen Patriots Memorial Fund."
Requires the Commissioner of Education to study the issue of school district consolidation and to develop a plan to eliminate local school districts and establish a county-based educational system.
The "Public School Employee Collective Bargaining Reform Act."
Requires the reporting of criminal offenses occurring on school property to law enforcement authorities.
Permits publication of legal notices by governments and individuals on official government website instead of newspaper.
Eliminates cap banking for public school districts.
Exempts sales of energy and utility service to manufacturing facilities from the sales and use tax and the transitional energy facility assessment (TEFA) unit rate surcharge.
Increases sheriffs' fees for executing arrest warrants in Special Civil Part.
Eliminates cosmetic dentistry from the cosmetic medical procedures gross receipts tax and subjects tattooing procedures to the tax.
Requires State budget to include funds for annual cost-of-living adjustment to certain contracted providers of services.
Limits punitive damages in certain cases involving two or more comparatively negligent defendants.
Permits municipalities to use auxiliary police in non-emergency situations.
Repeals certain requirements for certain prescription drug plans.
Requires newspapers publishing official advertising to publish views of certain candidates for office free of charge.
Ensures that the sales and use tax will not be imposed upon Internet access service.
Prohibits the sale of stolen goods on websites governed by Internet based resale companies.
Repeals cosmetic medical procedure gross receipts tax.
Requires hospitals to report to DHSS number of applications completed by parents or caretakers of children presumptively eligible for NJ FamilyCare or Medicaid programs.
Authorizes a motion to dismiss in a cause of action (a "SLAPP" suit) arising from a defendant's valid exercise of the constitutional rights of freedom of speech.
Allows child support payor to petition court for accounting of recipient's disposition of child support funds under certain circumstances.
Establishes pilot program in DOC for removal of certain tattoos.
Supplemental appropriation of $2,000,000 to DLPS to support Juvenile Justice Commission Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.
Requires certain newspapers to provide free advertising space to candidates.
Requires reporting of public high school, district and Statewide drop-out and graduation rates.
Requires boards of education to reimburse public institutions of higher education for student remedial instruction costs.
Permits certain motor vehicle offenders to apply for a restricted use license.
Establishes a two-week period for commercial mobile service providers to mail certain service agreements to customers.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Clarifies rights of State law enforcement officers to participate in political activities.
Requires BPU approval prior to sale or change of organizational control of electric public utilities.
Prohibits counties from requiring county law enforcement officers to reside in county.
Authorizes paid leaves of absence for certain delegates of employee organizations representing corrections officers attending conventions.
Requires inmates in State correctional facilities to earn high school equivalency certificate prior to parole or discharge.
Requires notice of sheriff's sale of goods to be published in newspapers and on county sheriff websites.
Establishes uniform lower contribution limits and requires greater disclosure of all campaign contributions received by candidates; repeals laws regulating campaign contributions by entities performing certain public contracts.
Authorizes Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation for child in proceedings after parental rights have been terminated.
Permits adopted person and certain others access to adopted person's original birth certificate and other related information, and establishes council to search for certain birth parents; appropriates $90,000.
Exempts certain databases from public access under Open Public Records Act under certain circumstances.
Prohibits State Board of Education from authorizing use of special review assessment as an alternative for meeting graduation requirements.
Makes it unlawful practice to sell certain products via Internet auction.
Requires certification and establishes registry in DHS of community agency employees working with persons with developmental disabilities.
Requires complaint filed with Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to be in writing and signed and to contain certificate of acknowledgement; bars faxing of complaint to joint committee.
Makes chief of police contractual municipal employee and requires peer review and performance evaluation for contract renewal.
Provides for the removal of a State Board of Education member for failure to attend three consecutive board meetings without good cause.
Restricts the use of school buses owned or leased by a district.
Requires matching of DOE and DOLWD data files to identify persons who are working in school districts despite having committed a disqualifying crime or having failed to undergo the required criminal history record check.
Requires designated hospitals to provide Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare eligibility determination and enrollment outside of normal business hours.
Permits the issuance of restraining orders against persons charged with certain prostitution related offenses.
Requires date of purchase and return policy on sales receipts.
Requires State agencies to file copies of certain individual employment contracts with office of Secretary of State.
Requires psychologists to video record sessions conducted with children alleged to be abused or neglected.
Prohibits public safety directors from exercising police powers.
Prohibits certain persons who completed pretrial intervention program or who are convicted of crime of stalking from obtaining certain government records.
Concerns newspaper publication of notice of certain real estate sales.
Permits certain persons holding elective public office to remain eligible for enrollment in PERS.
Authorizes a special permit allowing State and county jails to dispense opioid treatment medications.
Provides that the salary of an administrator of an approved private school for students with disabilities may not exceed median salary of comparable school district administrators.
Provides for certain surplus lines producer fees to be determined by regulation.
Increases loss ratio reporting and disclosure requirements for carriers offering individual and group health insurance plans; applies loss ratio requirement to large group health insurance plans.
Concerns the delivery and oversight of coverage under certain health benefits plans; establishes Health Care Patient Ombudsperson.
Regulates physician profiling programs used by managed care networks.
Increases reimbursement rate for certain special education costs.
Provides that executive reorganization plan cannot take effect unless approved by the Legislature within 60 days of transmittal.
Requires vacancies in US Senate be filled only by special election.
"Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority Act."
Carried from the Senate
Became law5
Centralizes non-tax debt management functions for State government in Division of Revenue.
Permits parent of stillborn child to request certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth directly from State registrar.
Provides DOE statutory authority for State-issued high school diplomas and rulemaking authority in regard to not for profit third parties that administer General Educational Development (GED) testing.
Revises law concerning tastings and samplings conducted by certain alcoholic beverage licensees. *
Establishes in DOE a four-year Community Service Phase Two Pilot Enhancement Program.
Passed the Senate1
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 a degree.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 22
Permits nonpartisan municipal elections to be held on same day as general elections. **
Provides "Patriots Corner" tribute in State House to New Jersey residents serving in US Armed Forces, reserve components and New Jersey National Guard.
Requires developers to offer solar energy systems in certain new home construction. *
Amends stalking law to broaden protections for victims.
Redefines role and qualifications of purchasing agent in "Local Public Contracts Law."
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to Community Food Pantry Fund and to Cat and Dog Spay/Neuter Fund. *
Broadens small qualified business exception under UEZ sales tax rebate program. *
Eliminates automatic disqualification from Intensive Supervision Program of persons who previously participated in the program.
The "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
Increases EDA bonding limit for State share of school facilities projects; specifies debt service for these bonds will first be payable from revenues received from gross income tax; establishes priority categories for non-SDA district projects. *
Establishes licensing program for site remediation professionals; changes laws concerning site remediation. *
Permits counties to create County Homelessness Trust Funds. *
Prohibits sale and distribution of novelty lighters. *
Establishes the InvestNJ Business Grant Program in NJEDA to stimulate certain capital investment and job creation in New Jersey during a limited period, makes appropriations. *
Adds non-voting member to NJT board.
Makes FY 2009 supplemental appropriations totaling $22,500,000 to provide food, energy and legal aid assistance to individuals and families under the "New Jersey Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan."
Establishes the "Main Street Business Assistance Program;" appropriates $50 million.
Concerns hospital asset transformation program.
Appropriates $12,500,000 from Long Term Obligation and Capital Expenditure Fund and $51,471,000 in federal funds for housing related purposes.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Requires confirmation of financial assistance for eligible homeowners voluntarily closing or replacing petroleum underground storage tanks, and expands eligibility for financial assistance. *
Establishes certain electoral and campaign finance requirements for Lieutenant Governor candidates.
Passed the General Assembly · 11
Establishes Task Force to study the benefits of student recess and make recommendations on advisability of mandatory recess in school districts.
Expands eligibility for veterans' civil service preference; creates additional preference benefits.
"Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act."
The "Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2008." *
Provides exemption from 3-day cancellation provision of home improvement contract in case of bona fide emergency.
Prohibits persons under age 19 from smoking or carrying a lighted tobacco product in an outdoor public place.
Requires the adoption of nepotism policies by school districts and charter schools. *
Requires that school districts use a model contract developed by the Commissioner of Education when employing a superintendent of schools.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Permits bars and restaurants to serve alcohol at bingo games on premises.
Provides that contracts for maintenance, repair or improvement of State buildings and facilities may require use of certain skilled labor.
Out of committee · 15
Allows certain undocumented aliens to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education.
Raises age requirement of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years old. *
Provides for allocation of $25 million from available balances from societal benefits charge revenues for utility assistance grants for qualified households. **
Creates a credit card do-not-solicit list. *
"Grace's Law;" requires health insurers, State Health Benefits Program and NJ FamilyCare to provide coverage for hearing aids for covered persons 15 and younger.
Provides surviving spouses of certain fire and police personnel who die in line of duty with workers' compensation for entire period of survivorship.
Regulates certain credentialing and trade practices of insurance producers, and provides private cause of action for insurance producer violations.
Changes statutory provisions regarding who may interpret and perform evoked potentials or nerve conduction studies.
Authorizes special Gold Star Parent motor vehicle plates for parents of military personnel who died while on active duty.
Increases carryover period of net operating loss deduction under corporation business tax. *
Provides for improved structure and fiscal management of higher education in New Jersey. *
Concerns urban enterprise zones.
Establishes "New Jersey Lung Cancer Research Fund"; provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns.
Extends service prevailing wage requirements to food service contracts and to local units and State authorities.
Permits certain managers and deputy attorneys general of the State to negotiate collectively under the "New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act"; changes definition of managerial executive and removes confidential status of deputy attorney generals an
In committee · 63
Requires public and nonpublic schools to adopt a Code Adam program.
Establishes NJ FamilyCare coverage buy-in program for certain small employers.
"Steven's Law;" prohibits use of non-wood bats in certain organized games.
"Billy's Law"; establishes Council on Out-of-State Placement of Children and registry of qualified out-of-State residential schools and programs in DCF.
Eliminates statute of limitations in wrongful death actions arising out of murder, aggravated manslaughter or manslaughter where a conviction was not obtained.
Establishes professional standards for county sheriffs and their employees.
Requires health care facilities to report certain information about their health care staff to their respective professional boards or DHSS.
Makes chief of police contractual municipal employee and establishes in DLPS "Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission."
Requires breath or blood test of drivers in fatal accidents.
Clarifies test for determining when personal property is not a taxable fixture attached to real property.
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.
Establishes the "Veterans Home Health Care Demonstration Program"; appropriates $1 million.
Creates the "New Jersey Security and Financial Empowerment Act" to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Requires hang tag for holders of provisional driver's license and windshield sticker for holders of special learner's permit and examination permit.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Prohibits the use or possession of cellular picture phones to invade another person's privacy and prohibits camera or picture cell phones in schools.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Authorizes assessment of development impact fees by municipalities.
Authorizes adoption of timed-growth ordinances by municipalities.
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Concerns workers' compensation for firefighters with cancer.
Makes temporary insurance and temporary domestic security local cap exceptions permanent; exempts pre-July 7, 2004 contract obligations from current, lower cap.
Requires emergency first aid and first responder retraining for local law enforcement officers; establishes a "duty to act" in emergency situations for on-duty local law enforcement officers.
Exempts certain persons enrolled in public institutions of higher education from payment of undergraduate tuition at nonresident rates.
Removes limousine services from sales and use tax imposition.
Caps supplemental compensation for unused sick leave for school administrators at $15,000.
Establishes low interest mortgage program in HMFA for volunteer fire and rescue squad members.
Provides PFRS members in federal or State military service who is injured or killed with disability or death benefits.
Provides that repayment of liquid assets by certain former constituent districts of dissolved limited purpose regional district be made over ten-year period.
Changes from two to four number of consecutive general elections where more than 750 votes or less than 250 votes may be cast before election district is redrawn.
Lowers the minimum full-time jobs requirement for business relocation and retention tax credits.
Authorizes civil action for certain economic damages against owner or keeper of pet animal that injures or kills another person's pet animal.
Restores point of sale sales tax exemption on purchases by businesses located in UEZ.
Clarifies procedures for closing active child protective services cases.
Excludes membership fees, initiation fees, and dues of certain nonprofit health and fitness clubs and organizations from sales and use tax.
Exempts charges for residential storage space and dues for residential health and fitness facilities from the sales and use tax.
Establishes special license plates to fund diabetes research and education.
Establishes "Matthew's Law Limiting the Use of Restraints."
Reduces drug free school and public property zones to 200 feet.
"Kyleigh's Law"; revises laws concerning provisional driver's licenses.
Appropriates $1,000,000 to Department of State to continue the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative Statewide database program.
Provides parity between school boards and municipalities with respect to the prevailing wage threshold.
Requires abandoned gift card balances to escheat to State.
Permits certain special law enforcement officers to carry firearms at all times when in State.
Requires that automated external defibrillators be located on every floor of State House and State House Annex; requires training for State Police.
Authorizes SDA school districts to construct school facilities projects and receive State debt service aid.
Revises law concerning meetings of public bodies.
"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.
Provides for licensing and regulation of private process serving businesses.
Requires certain arbitrators to file financial disclosure statements.
Establishes a random selection process for PERC arbitrators.
Provides an additional month for the completion of a school district's annual audit.
Modifies "Revenue Allocation District Financing Act" and "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law" to increase availability of revenue allocation district financing; modifies "Redevelopment Area Bond Financing Law" and authorizes special assessments for envi
Removes confidential employee status of certain Casino Control Commission employees.
Imposes a one-year moratorium on the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association reorganization of certain school athletic conferences under certain circumstances.
Requires Secretary of State to provide voter registration forms to newly naturalized citizens.
Removes licensing requirement for recreational bingo games.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to the "American Red Cross-NJ Fund".
Requires the State and local contracting units to purchase biodiesel or biodiesel blended fuel manufactured in NJ.
Requires State entities to purchase biofuels in place of fossil fuels when it is reasonable, prudent and cost effective to do so.
Prohibits persons convicted of certain crimes from serving on political party committees.
Disqualifies member of board of education for conviction of certain crimes and requires member to undergo criminal history background investigation.
Requires State Treasurer to follow usual procurement process prior to entering into cooperative purchasing agreements.
Filed · 1
Adjusts required local employer contributions to PERS and PFRS for State fiscal year 2009.