Bills in the 2010–2011 Session, Senate.
Joseph Pennacchio
Sponsored
Became law2
Designates March 13 of each year as "K9 Veterans Day."
Abolishes the Department of the Public Advocate and transfers certain functions, powers and duties.
Passed the Senate1
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website; requires certain public entities receiving State funds to establish similar website. *
Out of committee1
Requires sex offenders in satellite-based monitoring program to pay for certain equipment and monitoring costs.
In committee38
Creates matching grant program in DCA to assist counties in retrofitting county parks to enhance usage by handicapped children; appropriates $525,000.
Waives fee for volunteers and affiliates of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America to obtain State and national criminal history record background checks.
Requires managed care plans to allow any clinical laboratory to participate in provider network.
Discontinues use of phrase "usual, customary and reasonable" or other words of similar import, on health insurance policies, contracts or related forms.
Excludes from gross income the contributions that certain federal employees classified as criminal investigators make to the federal Thrift Savings Fund.
Directs State acquisition of Troy Meadows Natural Area, Morris County, for recreation and conservation purposes and designates it as natural area and wildlife sanctuary.
Revises method of determining reimbursement costs when a law enforcement entity hires a recently trained officer from another law enforcement entity.
Decreases sales and use tax rate from 7% to 6%.
Provides for reduced sales tax imposition on certain sales in certain Highlands Region Preservation Area municipalities.
Directs NJ Sports and Exposition Authority to conduct feasibility study of Meadowlands convention center project.
Provides that committing a sex act with a minor constitutes sexual assault against the minor under certain circumstances.
Directs AG to enter into memorandum of understanding with U.S. Attorney General empowering certain corrections officers to investigate immigration status of inmates.
Supplemental appropriation of $2.5 million to dredge Greenwood Lake in Passaic county.
Exempts construction, expansion or renovation of public institutions of higher education, public schools, and police and fire academies from "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Requires DHSS to study relationship between autism and ultrasounds and issue protocol for the use of ultrasounds.
Requires DOE to make certain determinations concerning the provision of educational services to a child residing in a domestic violence shelter and modifies calculation of tuition under certain circumstances.
Bars State from speculative investment of pension and annuity funds in oil futures.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Concerns dissolution of free public libraries.
Increases income eligibility limit for reduction or abatement of municipal or county utility authority fees.
Authorizes use of retail coupons for purchase of milk by consumers.
Requires immediate resumed qualification as dependent covered person under certain health benefits plans after military duty under certain circumstances.
Requires that Greenwood Lake Commission receive monetary fines resulting from certain violations committed on the lake.
Adds aneutronic fusion to types of Class I renewable energies as defined for purposes of "Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act."
Concerns certain workers' compensation supplemental benefits for surviving dependents of public safety workers who die in the line of duty.
Clarifies certain protections for civil union couples.
Provides that committing a sex act with a minor under certain circumstances constitutes aggravated sexual assault or sexual assault.
Reduces unemployment benefits and employer unemployment taxes; establishes "shared work" unemployment benefits program.
Requires notaries public to be U.S. citizens and mandates notaries public under certain circumstances to advertise information to public regarding limitations on their scope of authority.
Provides that expression of a political view or of a personal opinion on a school district budget by school board member does not constitute action that may form the basis of a school ethics complaint.
Permits ambulatory care facility to deduct Medicaid payments when calculating gross receipts assessments.
Permits ambulatory care facility to deduct up to $125,000 in Medicare reimbursements when calculating gross receipts assessment.
Makes changes to retirement benefits for members of the State-administered retirement systems and eliminates future COLAs.
Forbids members of the State Investment Council from voting on transactions concerning investment with which a member has certain financial or familial conflicts and requires removal for violations thereof.
Revises statutes concerning dental hygienists and dentists.
Permits board of chosen freeholders to change title to "board of county commissioners" and "freeholder" and "chosen freeholder" to "county commissioner"; requires county that changes terms to update website.
Clarifies right to access the judicial system in PIP benefit disputes.
Replaces TPAF, PERS, PFRS and SPRS accidental disability benefits with reduced work-related disability benefit; modifies JRS disability benefit.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 9
Makes various pension system changes concerning eligibility, retirement allowance formula, compensation definition, position eligible for service credit, non-forfeitable rights, prosecutors part, PFRS special retirement, employer contributions. *
Makes various changes to SHBP and SEHBP concerning eligibility, cost sharing, plan choice, benefit change application, coverage waiver, multiple coverage; requires contributions toward health care benefits by public employees and certain retirees. *
Makes various changes concerning payments to public employees for unused sick leave, sick leave injury in State service, and PERS and TPAF disability retirement.
Makes certain requirements concerning downhill skiing.
Eliminates dock fees and establishes penalty for boat permit violations on Greenwood Lake.
Authorizes special Gold Star Family motor vehicle license plates for certain family members of military personnel who died while on active duty. *
Requires four weeks pre-notification of exhaustion of UI benefits. *
Makes various changes to pension and health care benefits for public employees.
Appropriates $28,364,422,000 in State funds and $13,204,231,842 in federal funds for the State budget for fiscal year 2010-2011.
Passed the Senate · 1
Prohibits payment of temporary disability benefits to incarcerated individuals.
Out of committee · 9
Establishes Governor's authority over approval of minutes of certain regional commissions.
Allows public contractors paying benefits to count benefit costs toward compliance with local "living wage" ordinances. *
"Historic Property Reinvestment Act"; provides credits against certain taxes for certain costs of rehabilitating historic properties.
Establishes a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program under the New Jersey gross income tax for home purchases during a qualified period. *
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to the "American Red Cross-NJ Fund".
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers, and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.*
Authorizes certain municipalities and rural electric cooperatives to establish a municipal shared services energy authority.*
Requires State Comptroller to review, and make recommendations for improvement of, the procurement process of the State, public institutions of higher education, independent State authorities, units of local government, and boards of education.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support NJ SHARES.
In committee · 30
Requires public referendum prior to issuance of general obligation bonds by local units.
Ends the transitional energy facilities assessment, caps the State use portion of State energy tax revenues and ensures the balance of such State revenues are paid annually as municipal aid.
Establishes Lake Hopatcong Fund, dedicates $700,000 annually from pleasure boat registration fees to that fund, and appropriates $700,000 for FY2009.
Abolishes offices of superintendent of elections and deputy superintendent; transfers powers and duties thereof to county commissioner of registration or county board of elections.
Authorizes special Gold Star Family license plates.
Revises laws governing provision of affordable housing; reestablishes regional contribution agreement as method of meeting affordable housing obligation; repeals Statewide non-residential development fee.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act"; increases sentences for sex offenders and persons who harbor them.
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.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
Requires municipality to comply with State audit prior to receiving State aid.
Requires specific reduction of sulfur content in heating oil, and scheduled increase of blending biofuels therein after July 1, 2011, unless requirements are waived by Governor pursuant to Executive Order.
Requires posting on State and local government websites information concerning assignment and use of vehicles.
Prohibits the employment of unauthorized aliens and requires employers to use the E-Verify program.
Amends Kyleigh's Law to remove requirement that holder of a special learner's permit, examination permit, and probationary driver's license display decal.
Provides for two-year post-employment restriction on certain employees of the Department of Banking and Insurance.
Repeals "Global Warming Response Act" and related sections of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative implementing law.
Amends law concerning conversion of age-restricted communities to define substantial detriment and makes other clarifications.
Provides credit against ambulatory care facility assessment liability for value of unreimbursed care provided to hospital charity care patients.
Restores the death penalty for certain murders.
"New Jersey Jobs Protection Act;" requires verification of employment.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for services performed to certain prewritten computer software delivered electronically.
Decreases the minimum corporation business tax on certain New Jersey subchapter S corporations by 25%.
Eliminates limit on application of corporation business tax research credit to 50% of liability otherwise due.
Increases filing threshold for the New Jersey estate tax to $1,000,000.
Repeals Highlands planning and environmental permitting provisions of "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act," and amends various statutes to reflect repeal thereof.
Establishes a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
Excludes military compensation of military personnel serving outside of this State from gross income tax.
Conditions receipt of special State financial assistance on implementation of efficiency and oversight measures; permits use of State aid for certain administrative and oversight costs.