Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, General Assembly.
Joseph P. Cryan
Sponsored
Became law1
Encourages the establishment of "breakfast after the bell" programs in school districts, public school, and nonpublic schools participating in the federal school breakfast program.*
Passed the General Assembly11
"Christopher's Law;" provides court with option of ordering juveniles adjudicated delinquent to receive interactive instruction in preventing gang involvement and gang and youth violence.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide to prospective students certain cost, loan, and debt information in financial aid shopping sheet.
Requires mail-in ballot applications be available at polling places on election day for voting in future elections; requires establishment of Intrnet webpages to provide instructions for completing mail-in ballot applications.*
Requires driver's license examination to include questions on distracted driving; makes it a violation for motorists to talk or text on hand-held wireless devices while vehicle is temporarily stopped.
Requires independent colleges report certain consumer information on their websites; requires information on remedial instruction to be provided by certain colleges; directs how remedial education is delivered at four-year public and independent colleges.
Prohibits four-year public and independent institutions of higher education from increasing New Jersey resident undergraduate tuition and fees for nine continuous semesters following student's initial enrollment.*
Prohibits four-year public and independent institutions of higher education from requiring students to purchase meal plans and permits the institutions to only offer meal plans in the form of a spending allowance.
Requires closure of a four-year public institution of higher education that fails to achieve a six-year graduation rate of at least 50% for full-time undergraduate students.
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to revoke proprietary school's license to award academic degrees if school fails to achieve certain minimum graduation rates.
Requires State Auditor to conduct audit of fees charged by public institutions of higher education.
Establishes third degree crime for certain trespasses involving victim of domestic violence.
Out of committee5
Requires incarcerated individual be counted for redistricting purposes at previous address if State resident and not counted if incarcerated and not State resident.
Modifies certain fees charged by, and requirements imposed on, check casher licensees.
Provides standards for, and requires registration of, home elevation contractors.
Requires State to pay its pension contributions quarterly on July 15, October 15, January 15 and April 15.
Requires annual report on costs of projects funded by NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust.
In committee38
Requires reporting of public high school, district and Statewide drop-out and graduation rates.
"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.
Increases sheriffs' fees for executing arrest warrants in Special Civil Part.
Permits the issuance of restraining orders against persons charged with certain prostitution related offenses.
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.
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.
Requires four-year institutions of higher education to achieve a minimum 50% five-year graduation rate for full time students within five years.
Lowers gross income tax rates by ten percent over three years for taxpayers that file jointly with $100,000 or less of taxable income and certain taxpayers that file individually with $50,000 or less of taxable income.
Lowers gross income tax rates by ten percent over three years for taxpayers that file jointly with $150,000 or less of taxable income and certain taxpayers that file individually with $75,000 or less of taxable income.
Lowers gross income tax rates by ten percent over three years for taxpayers that file jointly with $250,000 or less of taxable income and certain taxpayers that file individually with $125,000 or less of taxable income.
Lowers gross income tax rates by ten percent over three years for taxpayers that file jointly with $200,000 or less of taxable income and certain taxpayers that file individually with $100,000 or less of taxable income.
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish performance-based funding plan for public institutions of higher education.
Establishes the Higher Education Reorganization Oversight Board to facilitate coordination of any reorganization of Rutgers University, UMDNJ, and Rowan University.
Provides three years of partial funding to urban enterprise zone assistance fund for Hurricane Sandy relief.
"Vegetation Management Response Act"; concerns vegetation management related to electric public utility infrastructure.
Reduces lawful maximum capacity of certain ammunition magazines in New Jersey.
Establishes a ballistics identifier program for certain firearms.
Requires firearms to be unloaded and securely locked or stored within home.
Requires firearms seizure when mental health professional determines patient poses threat of harm to self or others.
Strengthens State's assault weapons ban.
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish performance-based funding plans for public institutions of higher education.
Disqualifies persons with three drunk driving or refusal convictions in five years from purchasing firearm.
Limits public college immunity from municipal land use restrictions on large-scale development projects.
Establishes public awareness campaign concerning safety of certain pedestrians.
Establishes $800,000,000 program of tax credits for qualified residential projects; restricts $200,000,000 for 100 percent-dedicated affordable housing.
Provides that the New Jersey Supreme Court shall have the authority to administer juror challenges through its rulemaking process.
Prohibits use of facial recognition systems except in certain circumstances.
Establishes "knockout game" assault as second-degree aggravated assault.
Establishes loan redemption program for teachers in certain fields to redeem loan amounts received under New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students Loan Program through employment in certain failing schools.
Allows certain law enforcement officers to have access to medical records of inmates under certain circumstances.
Requires AG to notify certain legislators of decision not to defend validity of challenged State statute in court.
Authorizes retired law enforcement officers to provide security in public schools.
"Economic Opportunity Act of 2014, Part 1."
Requires institutions of higher education to develop open textbooks available to students at no charge and requires buyback of used textbooks at 50 percent of purchase price.
Allows gross income tax deduction for certain student loan interest.
Establishes voluntary program to provide caregivers of children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities with GPS tracking devices; designated as "Avonte's Law."
Requires State to make pension contribution payments quarterly; provides reduction in State employee contribution rate of 0.1% and penalty for State of 0.1% of payroll for each month State is in arrears for pension payment.
Directs enhanced training for law enforcement and criminal justice personnel in interacting with African American victims of domestic violence; bars certain defendants from participation in Pretrial Intervention.
Carried from the Senate
Became law2
Provides standards for, and requires registration of, home elevation contractors.*
Modifies certain fees charged by, and requirements imposed on, check casher licensees.
Vetoed1
Requires State to pay its pension contributions quarterly on July 15, October 15, January 15 and April 15.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 7
Allows for waiver of school bus requirements for mobility assistance vehicle technicians who transport students with medical needs to and from school.
Prohibits school district from denying student school breakfast or school lunch because payment is in arrears without prior notice to parent.
Creates financial planning assistance program for disabled veterans and their caregivers.
Increases income eligibility cap to receive respite care for certain veterans.*
Permits municipality to enact ordinance allowing voluntary registration of private outdoor video surveillance cameras.*
Requires DOC to make reports containing information concerning treatment and reentry initiative participation; requires AOC to establish program that collects recidivism data and make reports concerning adults sentenced to period of probation.*
Requires installation of carbon monoxide detectors in certain structures; designated as "Korman and Park's Law."
Vetoed · 3
Requires an annual State debt affordability analysis be included in the State Debt Report.
Requires certain bidders for prevailing wage public work to provide proof that the prevailing wage will be paid.
Credits increases in employee contributions required by P.L.2011, c.78 as additional contributions to TPAF, JRS, PERS, PFRS, and SPRS unavailable to reduce normal contributions of State and local employers for actuarial valuations beginning July 1, 2015.
Passed the General Assembly · 13
Concerns reviews of State's economic development incentives.
Exempts veterans' organizations from nonprofit corporation annual report filing fee.
Establishes pilot program within Office of Emergency Management to provide zero-interest loans to certain gas stations that install appropriate wiring for generators.
Provides that President of Municipal Clerks' Association of New Jersey and one additional public member serve as members of Government Records Council.
Clarifies that certain types of sewage and sewage sludge do not constitute hazardous substances under "Spill Compensation and Control Act."
"Aid in Dying for the terminally Ill Act"; permits qualified terminally ill patient to self-administer medication to end life in humane and dignified manner.**
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish a communication and incentive plan to encourage re-enrollment in college; requires Statewide reverse transfer agreement.
Requires county colleges to develop plan to achieve three-year graduation rate of at least 33 percent for full-time degree-program students by 2019-2020 academic year.
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish common course numbering system for public institutions of higher education.*
Requires New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority to annually prepare report on debt held by public institutions of higher education.
Requires certain undergraduate students to file degree plan and requires public institutions of higher education to develop pathway systems to graduation.
Authorizes special motion to dismiss a "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" ("SLAPP").
Wounded Warrior Caregivers Relief Act; Provides income tax credit to family caregivers of certain armed service members with physical disabilities.
Out of committee · 19
"Property Tax Lien Pilot Program," establishes pilot program to allow certain municipalities greater control over sale of tax liens.
"Garden State Manufacturing Jobs Act."
Requires DOC to conduct quarterly site visits at residential community release programs.
Prohibits certain persons charged with first, second, or third degree crimes from being in halfway houses prior to adjudication.*
Requires disclosure of water damage prior to household appliance sales.
Requires paint producers to implement or participate in paint stewardship program.*
Requires Division of Purchase and Property to award contracts to halfway houses; sets forth certain contract requirements.
Prohibits treatment, discharge, disposal, application to roadway, or storage of wastewater, wastewater solids, sludge, drill cuttings or other byproducts from natural gas exploration or production using hydraulic fracturing.*
Concerns low emission and gas emission vehicles; establishes Clean Vehicle Task Force.
Enhances penalty for leaving the scene of boating accident.
Requires high school students to be assessed using college placement cut scores to determine readiness for college-level course work, and Commissioner of Education to develop plan to improve college and career counseling for students.
Requires development of longitudinal data system that maintains individuals' data from preschool through entry into workforce.
Requires all school districts and public institutions of higher education to offer dual enrollment programs to provide college-level instruction to high school students and requires these students be charged a reduced tuition rate.
Establishes crimes of dog fighting and leader of a dog fighting network, and updates crime of animal fighting; amends RICO concerning dog fighting.**
Requires use of goods made in the United States for public contracts; requires disclosures by businesses that receive public contracts or development assistance.**
Directs Governor to withdraw from compact establishing Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor; dissolves compact and commission; transfers commission's NJ operations to State Police.
Increases statutory mandatory retirement age for Superior Court and Tax Court judges from 70 to 75.
Requires Internet gaming affiliates to be licensed as casinos; prohibits waiver of licensing requirements.
Expands category of lists from which a single juror source list is compiled to include recipients of cash assistance or food stamps.
In committee · 60
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to victims injured in September 11th and 1993 World Trade Center attacks.
Requires certain entities to be equipped with generators and allows those entities to qualify for NJEDA loans for cost of generators.
Clarifies enforcement responsibility of State Housing Code concerning multiple dwellings from municipalities to the State under the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law."
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.
Concerns urban enterprise zones.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Requires the adoption of nepotism policies by school districts and charter schools.
Upgrades harassment under certain circumstances; restricts cyberbullying offenders' access to the Internet.
Requires DHSS to authorize Jersey City to issue certified copies of birth certificates by December 31, 2010.
Provides that certain personal identifying information may be redacted from certain public records in certain circumstances.
Reduces number of voters for whom person can serve as messenger; limits to three number of voted mail-in ballots transmittable by bearer; modifies conviction standard under vote by mail law.
Requires certain electric public utilities to file emergency response plan with Board of Public Utilities.
Requires certain arbitrators to file financial disclosure statements.
Requires at least one State developmental center in each region of State; requires certain factors to be considered for transfer of residents between developmental centers.
Provides for disclosure of person's medical records related to AIDS or HIV infection for investigations or prosecutions of crime of diseased person committing act of sexual penetration; makes crime ineligible for expungment.
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."
Requires any State entity administering State or federal public benefit programs to verify recipient's personal information against death records to prevent payment to deceased individual.
Establishes mutual aid assistance request protocols for 9-1-1 ambulance dispatchers.
Creates Task Force on Distracted Driving.
Establishes special license plates supporting American Red Cross.
Requires prevailing wage be paid to certain workers.
"Steven's Law;" prohibits use of non-wood bats in certain organized games.
Requires State Treasurer to follow usual procurement process prior to entering into cooperative purchasing agreements.
Requires PANYNJ to conduct noise and land use compatibility survey.
Authorizes special Ancient Order of Hibernians license plate.
Establishes "Rutgers, The State University Study Commission."
Requires certain State public employees and officers and members of Legislature to file financial disclosure statement with State Ethics Commission or Joint Legislative Committee on Ethics.
Makes changes to manner in which State-administered retirement systems operate and to public employee pension benefits.
Prohibits imposition of parking fees in Meadowlands Sports Complex.
Requires reimbursement to State for costs related to provision of New Jersey State Police at certain Meadowlands Sports Complex events.
Requires background check for private gun sales.
Provides for life imprisonment without parole for killing an emergency responder.
Permits municipalities to establish weapons free zones around schools and public facilities.
Creates grant program for newly established small businesses engaged in life sciences.
Creates matching grant program for small businesses engaged in life sciences.
Prohibits persons convicted of certain crimes from serving on political party committees.
Establishes driving privilege cards for New Jersey residents who cannot prove lawful presence in United States.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
Creates new offenses and penalties regarding animal fighting.
Directs NJTA to study and report on potential revenue generating services of NJTA rest areas and service plazas.
Establishes the New Jersey School Counts County College Scholarship Program.
Prohibits a person from charging a fee to stop publishing personal identifying information obtained through the criminal justice system.
Requires written residential leases to be provided in both English and Spanish in certain municipalities.
Requires practitioners prescribing Schedule II drugs to check prescription monitoring program prior to issuing prescription and to report prescriptions for Schedule II drugs to program; expands access to program.
Strengthens requirements regarding prescription monitoring program and broadens access to prescription monitoring program by law enforcement agencies.
Requires pharmacies to report dispensation of Schedule II drugs to prescription monitoring program at least once every five days.
Eliminates restriction on placement of special education students in sectarian schools.
Establishes "Opioid Abuse Prevention Commission."
Prohibits sale of certain mobile telecommunications devices unless device includes technology to remotely render device inoperable.
Increases statutory mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court Justices, Superior Court Judges, Tax Court Judges, Administrative Law Judges, Workers' Compensation Judges and county prosecutors from 70 to 72.
Permits pharmacists to offer customers purchasing prescription drugs discounts and rebates.
Prohibits pharmacies from charging additional fee for processing prescriptions transmitted by telephone or electronic means.
Excludes certain Medicaid income from gross income tax.
Establishes immunity from civil liability and criminal prosecution to persons who forcibly enter motor vehicle to remove child in danger.
Prohibits bail bondsmen from accepting bail fees in installments.
Prohibits MVC from imposing duplicate license or identification card fee and digitized picture fee if duplicate is requested to reflect change in organ donor status.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to certain students with military obligations.
Permits certain school districts to be monitored by DOE under the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum every six years; requires development of electronic reporting system.
Directs the Department of Corrections to advise new inmates of child support obligations and modification procedures.