Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, Senate.
M. Teresa Ruiz
Sponsored
Out of committee7
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."
Authorizes BPU to use Retail Margin Fund monies to provide grants for combined heat and power production, energy efficiency projects and programs promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency; makes an appropriation. **
Revises membership of New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Permits payments in subsidized adoption until child becomes 21 years of age under certain circumstances.
Makes revisions to personal assistance services program in DHS.
Concerns on-site generation facilities.
Revises the representation of proprietary schools on New Jersey Presidents' Council and on its executive board.
In committee4
Exempts certain persons enrolled in public institutions of higher education from payment of undergraduate tuition at nonresident rates.
Authorizes Essex County to establish a central municipal court.
Creates program for installing standby emergency power generators in new senior housing.
Grants State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey additional powers to refuse to issue, suspend or revoke license to practice mortuary science.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 24
Revises certain restrictions on permit holders and provisional driver's licensees; renames provisional license "probationary." *
"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.
Requires certain fiduciaries to post bond, and provides for accounting to court if beneficiary is developmentally disabled. *
Revises criteria for eligibility to receive senior and disabled homestead property tax reimbursement.
Expands NJ FamilyCare, establishes mandate for health care coverage of children, makes various reforms to individual and small employer insurance markets and certain dependent coverage; appropriates $1 million. **
"Mortgage Stabilization and Relief Act"; creates Mortgage Stabilization Program and Housing Assistance and Recovery Program; imposes additional requirements on lender foreclosing mortgage; appropriates $40 million from the "Long Term Obligation and Capi
Clarifies that certain sports and entertainment projects are an essential public and governmental use and purpose and exempt from property taxation.
Provides for improved structure and fiscal management of higher education in New Jersey. *
Allows UEZ municipalities to include certain homeland security expenses as eligible for funding from enterprise zone assistance fund.
Requires proof of workers' compensation coverage with certain legally required annual reports of employers. *
Concerns emergent medical care under workers' compensation.
Requires Insurance Fraud Prosecutor to establish liaison with DOLWD and authorizes its investigation of cases of failure to provide workers' compensation coverage. *
Establishes Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program. *
Requires DHSS to report certain patient safety indicators on a hospital by hospital basis and prohibits hospitals from charging for certain medical errors. **
The "Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act." *
Establishes a pilot program in DOE to address the State's shortage of mathematics and science teachers.
Requires public bodies to provide funds for outreach and training programs for minority group members and women in connection with certain construction contracts.
Appropriates $66 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," "2007 Green Acres Fund," and "2007 Blue Acres Fund" for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects.
Appropriates $120,123,420 from various Green Acres funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
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.
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.
Requires chief administrator to establish certain promotional payment incentives. *
Provides for allocation of $25 million from available balances from societal benefits charge revenues for utility assistance grants for qualified households. *
Passed the Senate · 6
Provides for annual cost-of-living increase in amount of Lifeline Credit and Tenants' Lifeline Assistance payment. *
Requires DHSS to provide written notice to certain federal, State and local elected officials upon the filing of application for certificate of need to close hospital.
Encourages purchase of "Jersey Fresh" and other NJ agricultural products by State agencies, departments and facilities.
Makes technical corrections to individual health coverage and small employer health benefits programs and to NJ FamilyCare.
Expands eligibility, clarifies qualifications and limits certain provisions under the "Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act." ***
Directs Medicaid to establish medical home demonstration project.
Out of committee · 49
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Establishes the "Main Street Business Assistance Program;" appropriates $50 million.
Broadens small qualified business exception under UEZ sales tax rebate program.
Appropriates $12,500,000 from Long Term Obligation and Capital Expenditure Fund and $51,471,000 in federal funds for housing related purposes.
Provides for parole eligibility and supervision, prison visitation, and training and education standards for incarcerated persons.
Requires facility where patient dies to provide medical examiner with contact information for next-of-kin so medical examiner may obtain additional information about death. *
Provides for automatic enrollment in PAAD and Senior Gold programs under certain circumstances.
Provides for programs and services for inmates and formerly incarcerated persons; institutes certain administrative procedures. *
Modifies laws concerning inmate income and complaints; requires certain correctional officer training; creates uniform identification cards for attorneys to enter State correctional facilities. *
Daniel Mackay's Law; requires certain information be given to next of kin of relatives killed or incapacitated in motor vehicle accident; caps certain abandoned vehicle storage fees.
Requires schools to notify certain students of potential eligibility for NJ STARS Program.
Directs the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to establish adapted athletic programs.
Requires pharmacists to include on prescription drug label name of brand name drug and generic drug when generic drug is dispensed. **
The "New Homebuyers' Bill of Rights Act."
Allows certain undocumented aliens to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public institutions of higher education.
Requires boards of education to permit public participation at board meetings.
Establishes "Women and Families Strengthening Act." *
Extends payment of accidental death benefit in PFRS, SPRS, PERS and TPAF to survivors of certain members of reserve component of Armed Forces and National Guard. *
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. *
Authorizes public entities to implement energy savings improvement programs. *
Establishes a "Silver Alert System." *
Prohibits individuals from purchasing more than one handgun in a calendar month.
Provides period of extension for repayment of introductory rate mortgages on residential property under certain circumstances.
The "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," authorizes bonds for $400 million; appropriates $5,000. **
Authorizes court to waive or reduce parole ineligibility or grant probation for drug-free school zone violations under certain circumstances.
Permits victim of domestic abuse to terminate residential lease under certain circumstances; provides procedure for tenant to recover security deposit.
Requires DEP Commissioner to establish list and recognition program for certain environmentally responsible companies.
Eliminates automatic disqualification from Intensive Supervision Program of persons who previously participated in the program.
Enacts the "Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act."
"Health Care Stabilization Fund Act"; creates fund in DHSS to provide grants to health care facilities to maintain access to essential health care services.
Requires the adoption of nepotism policies by school districts and charter schools. *
Establishes the Troops to College Program in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to assist veterans in making the transition into the college classroom. *
Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to high school seniors.
Establishes the "New Jersey-Israel Commission" as a permanent commission in the Department of State.
"New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act of 2009"; appropriates $15 million to "New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund." **
Permits counties to create County Homelessness Trust Funds.
Revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.
Adds non-voting member to NJT board.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to Community Food Pantry Fund and to Cat and Dog Spay/Neuter Fund. *
Requires school security drills to improve emergency preparedness. *
Requires confirmation of financial assistance for eligible homeowners voluntarily closing or replacing petroleum underground storage tanks, and expands eligibility for financial assistance. *
"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.
Codifies recommendations of Governor's Advisory Committee on Police Standards. *
Establishes New Jersey Special Education and Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force.
Clarifies provisions of "Law Against Discrimination" concerning persons with an autism spectrum disorder.
Revises eligibility for expungement of criminal and juvenile delinquency records.
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 standards and requirements set forth in Executive Order No. 151 (2009) for use of funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Extends pilot program in DOE to address State's shortage of mathematics and science teachers by 12 months.
In committee · 18
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as State song.
Authorizes Commissioner of Education to increase the State share of certain county vocational school district school facilities projects.
Provides additional core curriculum standards aid for county vocational school district students who reside in Abbott districts.
Requires insurers and SHBP to provide coverage for expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer.
Requires DHSS to make reported information about certain adverse events publicly available.
The "Toxic-free Children's Products Act."
Reduces drug free school and public property zones to 200 feet.
Establishes "Court Security Enhancement Fund" and increases court fees.
Authorizes special Gold Star Family license plates.
Authorizes certain municipalities to impose a tax on the storage of empty shipping containers to fund redevelopment plan activities.
Allows certain members of PFRS to serve until age 70 upon approval by municipal governing body.
Requires written residential leases to be provided in both English and Spanish in certain municipalities.
Directs Attorney General to develop guidelines for positive identification of suspects before release.
Enhances PFRS accidental death pension benefit for survivors of member serving in nonsupervisory rank.
Exempts sales to homeowner assistance and recovery programs from realty transfer fees.
Provides additional penalties for certain crimes involving cemeteries and other property.
Requires DOE to submit evaluation report to Legislature prior to fully implementing secondary education redesign proposal.
Concerns dispensation by an optometrist or ophthalmologist to a patient of drugs delivered to the eye through a contact lens.
Filed · 2
Prohibits local government agency from employing person on paid leave from local government agency of another county or municipality.
Establishes the "New Jersey Foreclosure Fairness Act"; imposes additional foreclosure notice requirements; amends "Mortgage Stabilization and Relief Act."