Bills in the 2016–2017 Session, General Assembly.
Gary S. Schaer
Sponsored
Became law16
Expands definition of "acquisition," for purposes of county and municipal open space trust funds, to include demolition, removal of debris, and restoration of lands being acquired.
Requires local governments and authorities to obtain financing cost estimate from NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust for certain projects.*
Expands eligibility of inmates for medical parole and requires inmate's enrollment in Medicaid under certain circumstances.
Requires development and maintenance of data dashboard report to advise of open bed availability in residential facilities providing behavioral health services.
Requires DLPS to establish and make available to law enforcement agencies cultural diversity training materials and online tutorial.*
Establishes New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and Business Partnerships.
"Secure Schools for All Children Act"; establishes State aid program for security services, equipment, or technology to ensure safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.
Provides protections for children under the age of 18 with developmental disabilities and individuals with developmental disabilities ages 18-21 receiving services from Division of Children's System of Care.
Concerns regulation of guaranteed asset protection waivers by DOBI.**
"Rosa-Bonilla Family Act"; concerns development of carbon monoxide poisoning educational program for drivers.
Allows certain fuel dealers and distributors refunds of petroleum products gross receipts tax and credits against motor fuel tax for certain bad debts from sale of fuel.
Revises priority schedule for issuance of converted tax credits under Business Employment Incentive Program.
Establishes "High School to College Readiness Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations to enhance student preparation for postsecondary education.
Provides increased tax credit amounts under Grow New Jersey Assistance Program for certain businesses that have collaborative research relationships with colleges or universities.*
Appropriates $34,670,313,000 in State funds and $15,823,846,768 in federal funds for the State budget for fiscal year 2017-2018.
Amends and supplements various language provisions in Fiscal Year 2017 annual State appropriations act.
Vetoed2
Establishes "breakfast after the bell" incentive fund.
Establishes Office of Student Loan Ombudsman; regulates student loan servicers.
Passed the General Assembly22
Authorizes wiretap orders for investigation of luring or enticing a child, identity theft, stalking and cyber-harassment under certain circumstances.
Provides for appointment to board of directors of New Jersey Automobile Insurance Risk Exchange by Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for recipients of Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income who are veterans or spouses of veterans and provides for annual cost-of-living increase in allowance.
Eliminates five percent down payment requirement for bond ordinances approved by counties and municipalities.
Requires electric public utilities to provide priority power restoration to certain medical facilities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.
Adds to property tax levy cap exclusions increases in flood insurance premiums.
Creates exclusion from municipal property tax levy cap for amounts necessary to provide required matching funds to qualify for grants and other funds.
Requires DCA to make information on homeless prevention programs and services available on its Internet website.
Conditions appropriation for State professional boards on expenditure of budget allocation to Board of Nursing to process and eliminate home health aide application backlog.
Requires certification of diligent inquiry in residential mortgage foreclosure actions to be filed by attorneys.
Requires DOH to establish Zika Virus State Action Plan.
Establishes "Succeed in New Jersey" student loan reimbursement program for certain New Jersey residents employed in designated fields.
Requires businesses to report email address to Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services.
Establishes licensing and permit requirements and provides for adoption of standards and regulations for inspection of asbestos in certain structures.
Requires employers within construction industry to notify employees of certain rights.
Requires continuing identification and remediation of waste tire sites.
Concerns Early Intervention Support Services program in DOH and expansion of program to all counties.*
Concerns expansion of services provided by DOH mental health screening services.*
Establishes Behavioral Health Services Task Force.*
Requires certain notice to be provided by public utility, county, or municipality prior to initiating certain infrastructure projects.*
Increases motor vehicle surcharge to fund "New Jersey Forensic DNA Laboratory Fund."
Increases fee for processing fingerprint criminal history record background checks.
Out of committee17
Directs Attorney General to establish a criminal firearms recovery clearing house.
Establishes a joint legislative and executive branch New Jersey Revenue Advisory Board to provide consensus revenue forecasting advice for State budget purposes.
Regulates deed procurement services.
Prioritizes investment of State administered pension funds in in-state infrastructure project investments over comparable out-of-state infrastructure project investments.
Establishes "Neighborhood Solar Energy Investment Program."
Concerns victim's right to rape care advocate under certain circumstances.
Requires issuance of conditional certifications for homemaker-home health aides within seven days and issuance of final certification within 120 days.
Permits installation of GPS navigation devices which do not obstruct motor vehicle operator's vision.
Appropriates $34,800,995,000 in State funds and $15,706,712,000 in federal funds for the State budget for fiscal year 2016-2017.
Makes fiscal year 2016 State supplemental appropriations and amends language provisions.
Concerns certain unused portions of tax credits issued to insurance premiums taxpayers under the Business Employment Incentive Program; exempts certain purchasers of business development incentives from certain State tax notification requirements.*
Requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to establish income-driven repayment option and loan rehabilitation program for borrowers under New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program.
Establishes "New Jersey College Ready Students Program Act"; provides tuition-free dual enrollment opportunity at county college for certain high school students.
Requires certain notification prior to mosquito spraying applications.
Provides for increase in salary of certain public employees; permits receipt of compensation for published works by certain Executive Branch public officers.
Requires DOH to permit certain health care facilities to use shared clinical space when providing primary health care and behavioral health care for mild to moderate behavioral health conditions.
Transfers State Lottery Enterprise to TPAF, PERS, and PFRS.
In committee55
The "Health Care Provider Network Transparency Act"; establishes requirements for granting access to certain health care provider discounts.
Limits amount of appeal bond in civil actions to $50 million.
Requires insurers writing homeowners insurance policies in the State to offer certain coverage for heating oil tanks.
Allows health maintenance organizations to include charity care assessments for purposes of meeting certain loss ratio requirements.
Permits counties to share county tax administrators.
Establishes Center for the Study of Health Care Billing Data.
Allows certain students including undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria to qualify for State student financial aid programs.
Requires health care provider participating in carrier network to give notice to covered person of provider's referral to out-of-network provider.
"Uncompensated Pending Medicaid Beneficiary Payment Relief Act"; provides compensation relief to nursing facilities when resident's Medicaid eligibility determination is delayed more than 90 days.
Permits service of parking tickets by mail.
Makes changes to procedures used by medical examiners for autopsies or dissections performed over religious objections.
Limits payments under health benefits plans to in-network amounts in certain circumstances; prohibits out-of-network health providers from charging carriers more than 150 percent of Medicare rate in certain circumstances.
Creates Clinical Trials Working Group.
Establishes uniform timelines for charter schools to accept applications, conduct lottery, and notify parents of students' acceptance.
Permits charter school to limit admission to single gender, students at-risk of academic failure, students with disabilities, or English language learners.
Modifies process for renewals and revocations of charters under which charter schools operate.
Requires that definition of occurrence in certain property damage liability insurance policies include coverage for faulty workmanship.
"Protection for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in Institutional and Community Settings Act."
Requires DOH to establish "New Jersey Autism Website."
Permits up to 10 children to be cared for by a registered family day care provider.
Requires adoption agency, court, or DCPP to maintain child's religious upbringing when placing child in adoptive or resource family home.
Imposes requirements on certain pediatric emergency departments; requires DOH to include information on pediatric emergency departments in its annual hospital performance report.
Requires child's religion not be changed due to foster care or adoption.
Requires practitioners to disclose business relationship with out-of-State facilities when making patient referrals to those facilities.
Eliminates 15% fee charged by cemetery company on transfer of graves, crypts and niches.
Prohibits retail mercantile establishments from imposing surcharges on consumer credit card purchases.
Requires State to provide recipients of State tax refunds, unemployment insurance benefits and State employee compensation certain payment options.
Establishes waiver, rebate or payment of insured's deductible, copayment, or coinsurance by health care practitioner as a form of insurance fraud subject to criminal and civil penalties.
Requires certain arbitrators to file financial disclosure statements.
"Healthcare Disclosure and Transparency Act."
Requires carriers to classify medically necessary procedures as covered benefits and remit certain payments to hospitals for services rendered.
Permits conversion of life insurance policies to pay for Medicaid long-term care.
Increases reimbursement rate for providers of adult medical day care services.
Establishes that only non-violent offenders should have their cases reviewed by the parole board every three years.
Establishes procedures for determining enforceability of standard form contracts; invalidates certain indemnification clauses.
Makes permanent certain temporary authorizations that expanded permitted investment by Director of Division of Investment of State of New Jersey Cash Management Fund and State pension funds.
Establishes temporary mortgage relief programs for certain owners of real property impacted by "Superstorm Sandy."*
Establishes pilot program for incentive-based value payment system for home health agencies and health care service firms.
Establishes pilot program for incentive-based value payment system for nursing homes.
Requires DOH to establish standardized requirements for registration of vendors in health care facilities.
Establishes program to provide free tuition under State Tuition Aid Grant Program to certain students who are accepted to public four-year institutions of higher education and elect to attend county college for first two years.
Establishes New Jersey Commission on Health Insurance Network Adequacy.
Establishes "College Credit Requirement Commission" to examine academic credit requirements for associate and baccalaureate degree programs and academic majors at New Jersey's institutions of higher education.
Creates Joint Apprenticeship Incentive Grant Program.
Requires that school counselor preparation programs include credits on college and financial planning and that school districts provide professional development opportunities to school counselors on these topics.
Requires Center for Occupational Employment Information to share labor market information with school districts and public institutions of higher education.
Concerns licensure of persons possessing barbering license in another state or foreign country.
Establishes DEP Permitting Review Commission.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide alternative arrangements to students unable to complete certain assignments by regular due date or register for courses because of day of religious observance.
Provides that salary and other costs associated with Commissioner of Education's appointment of State monitor and other staff under "School District Fiscal Accountability Act" will be paid by State.
Concerns lead reduction expenditures and Superstorm Sandy recovery.
Establishes "Higher Education Manufacturing Grant Program" for public institutions of higher education to establish or expand programs in manufacturing fields.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross tax returns for New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research.
Establishes the "New Jersey Electronic Plan Review System."
Concerns application of residential rental property inspection findings in rental assistance determinations and eviction actions.
Carried from the Senate
Became law6
Appropriates $34,800,995,000 in State funds and $15,706,712,000 in federal funds for the State budget for fiscal year 2016-2017.
Regulates deed procurement services.
Makes fiscal year 2016 State supplemental appropriations and amends language provisions.
Concerns certain unused portions of tax credits issued to insurance premiums taxpayers under the Business Employment Incentive Program; exempts certain purchasers of business development incentives from certain State tax notification requirements.*
Requires DOH to permit certain health care facilities to use shared clinical space when providing primary health care and behavioral health care for mild to moderate behavioral health conditions.
Transfer State Lottery Enterprise to TPAF, PERS, and PFRS.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 22
Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act"; establishes State Transportation Infrastructure Bank within NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust; renames NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust.
Adjusts certain State taxes to support strengthened investments in public and private assets in this State.*
"New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act"; authorizes issuance of $125,000,000 in general obligation bonds to finance capital projects at public libraries; appropriates $5,000.
Requires NJT to hold public hearing and provide notice prior to any curtailment of certain bus and rail services.
Establishes Chief Diversity Officer to monitor participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State contracting.*
Allows installment payments for senior and disabled property taxpayers to repay overpayments of homestead credits and homestead property tax reimbursements.
Grants drivers additional time to resolve parking violations prior to license or registration suspension.*
Authorizes use of emergency reserve fund or proceeds from bonds issued by EDA to finance school security improvements.
Clarifies scope of corporate by-laws; provides that by-laws may include forum selection clause.
Prohibits NJTA from requiring county guarantee to provide maintenance of pedestrian bridge under certain circumstances when determining approval for construction of pedestrian bridge.
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities; upgrades crimes committed against such individuals; and improves tranparency and accountability in investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of such individuals; designated as
Establishes New Jersey Military Skills Council.
Allows NJ STARS and NJ STARS II scholarship recipients to maintain program eligibility in the event that medical condition or recent death of parent or spouse prevents enrollment as full-time student.
Repeals law suspending certain licenses, registrations and certifications for failure to repay student loans.
Establishes New Jersey School Safety Specialist Academy in Department of Education and requires school districts to designate school safety specialist.
Requires certain school security measures to be incorporated in architectural design of new school construction and certain school security measures for existing buildings.
Requires annual school security training for school employees to be conducted collaboratively with emergency responders; requires law enforcement officer to annually attend at least one school security drill.
Permits certain public institutions of higher education to make purchases and contract for services as participating contracting units in cooperative pricing systems and through use of nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreements.
Provides that certain corporations bidding for public contracts may submit federal Securities and Exchange Commission filings to comply with requirement to disclose certain interest holders; requires submission by limited liability companies.*
Establishes Gold Star Family Counseling Program in DMVA; creates tax credit for certain health care professionals.
Requires analyses and reporting of investment performance of pension funds; requires disclosure of fees paid to managers of certain funds in which State invests pension funds.
Establishes Montclair State University as public research university.
Vetoed · 11
Raises minimum wage rate to $10.10, makes further increases over a four-year period, and maintains annual cost of living increases.*
Increases amount of benefits under Work First New Jersey program.*
Increases amount of benefits under Work First New Jersey program by 30 percent over three years and according to Social Security cost of living increases thereafter.
Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.
Requires DHS to give priority to temporary rental assistance over use of hotels or motels in emergency assistance to Work First New Jersey recipients.
Provides $21 minimum annual energy assistance to qualified families; qualifies families to receive additional nutritional assistance.
"Healthy Small Food Retailer Act"; provides funding to small food retailers to sell fresh and nutritious food.
Automatically registers or updates voter registration as part of driver's license application or renewal.
Concerns employer inquiries about worker's wage and salary experience.*
Prohibits investment of pension and annuity funds by State in entities that avoid Superfund obligations to State.
"Safe Transportation Jobs and Fair Employment Rules Act."
Passed the General Assembly · 13
Increases New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit to 40 percent of federal benefit amount beginning in Tax Year 2016.
Increases personal needs allowance to at least $50 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities.
Enhances the reporting and disclosure requirements concerning State tax expenditures and limits the duration of new State tax expenditure enactments.
"Disaster Victims Protection Act"; requires Governor to allocate federal and State disaster aid to municipalities in proportion to amount of catastrophic physical damage sustained within each municipality.
Establishes task force to study issues related to the establishment of full-day kindergarten.
Makes FY 2016 supplemental Grants-in-Aid appropriation of $10 million to DCA for Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund.
Provides for jurisdiction for prosecution for certain crimes against minors committed outside New Jersey.
Revises definition of "necessary care" in the State's animal cruelty law to include more specific requirements.
Prohibits firearm possession by persons convicted of certain offenses.*
Establishes "Blue Alert System."*
Imposes corporate business tax and gross income tax on income attributable to certain investment management services that a corporate or individual partner provides on behalf of a partnership.
Requires DOT to compensate local government entities for contractual delay damages resulting from shutdown of transportation projects funded by Transportation Trust Fund; authorizes local government entities to use certain funds for transportation project
Includes crime of creating false public alarms as form of bias intimidation.
Out of committee · 26
Adjusts certain State taxes to support strengthened investments in public, private, and charitable assets in this State.
Transfers management of PFRS to Board of Trustees of PFRS.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to certain students with military obligations.
Creates "New Jersey Life Sciences Internship Challenge" program.
Directs installation of electric vehicle charging stations at service areas on State's toll roads.
Expands eligibility for veterans civil service preference.
Requires the adoption of nepotism policies by school districts and charter schools.
Prohibits investment of pension and annuity funds by state in companies that boycott Isreal or Israeli businesses.*
Permits newly created regional school districts or enlarging regional school districts to determine apportionment methodology for their boards of education on basis other than population.
Imposes certain requirements on telephone service contracts for inmates in certain correctional facilities.*
Increases reporting requirements for the NJ Basic Skills Training Program for Economic Growth.
Concerns employment status of certain truck operators.*
"Out-of-network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment and Accountability Act."
Dedicates 30 percent of all UEZ sales tax revenues to respective UEZ account and 70 percent of UEZ sales tax revenues to General Fund.
Requires students enrolled in public institutions of higher education to complete course on financial literacy.
Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to forgive certain student loans in the event of student borrower's death or total and permanent disability and grant deferment for temporary total disability.*
Permits hospitals to establish system for making performance-based incentive payments to physicians.
Authorizes additional $90 million worth of Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program tax credits.*
Requires municipalities to conduct lead paint inspections in single- and two-family dwellings; requires reporting of inspection results to State.
Permits holding companies of eligible New Jersey emerging technology companies to receive investments under "New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act."
Allows filing of birth certificate to be delayed for religious reasons, for up to 15 days after birth, in order to allow for naming of child.
Creates Veterans Diversion Program to divert eligible servicemembers away from criminal justice system and into appropriate case management and mental health services.
Eliminates certificate of need requirement for inpatient hospital beds for treatment of psychiatric and substance use disorder dual diagnosis.
"Improving Energy Infrastructure through Public-Private Partnership Act."
Requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to establish repayment assistance program for borrowers under New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students Loan Program who suffer material loss of income.
Authorizes NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2018.
In committee · 39
Revises procedure for transferring motor vehicles under certain circumstances.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Permits State Lottery Commission to authorize video lottery terminals at Meadowlands horse racetrack, subject to voter approval.
Permits State Lottery Commission to authorize video lottery terminals at Meadowlands racetrack, upon voter approval; dedicates 1/3 net proceeds to General Fund, 1/3 to State education aid, and 1/3 to horse racing industry.
Requires certain entities to be equipped with generators and allows those entities to qualify for NJEDA loans for cost of generators.
Removes statutory requirement that health officers and registered environmental health specialists employed by municipalities receive maximum salary within their range within five years from date of appointment.
Dedicates $140,000 of revenue from motor vehicle violations to DHS for brain injury services.
Provides State Investment Council must report private money managers' fee information and that council's regulations addressing political contributions will apply to federal or national committees and non-State political committees.
"Holocaust Reparations Tax Exemption Act"; exempts value of certain payments to Holocaust survivors and their eligible descendants from transfer inheritance and estate taxes.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Concerns credit card interchange fees and consumer protection.
Establishes the "New Jersey Safe and Responsible Driver Act."
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities through accountability and transparency; upgrades crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities.
Authorizes creation of urban enterprise zones in Garfield, Harrison, Keansburg, and two joint urban enterprise zones, one in Cliffside Park and Fairview, and one in Buena Vista Township and Buena Borough.
"Garden State Manufacturing Jobs Act."
Establishes Behavioral Mental Health Advisory Board in Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in DHS.
"Higher Education Citizenship Equality Act;" defines domicile for dependent students for the purpose of eligibility for State student loans, grants, or scholarships and resident tuition rate.
Prohibits possession of ammunition capable of penetrating body armor.
Provides enhanced penalties for certain crimes when victim is 65 years of age or older, or disabled.
Criminalizes purchase or possession of firearms ammunition by persons convicted of certain crimes.
Provides gross income tax credit for certain expenses paid or incurred for care and support of qualifying senior family member; designated as Caregiver's Assistance Act.
Provides gross income tax credit for certain contributions to New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) program.
Permits developer to qualify for low-interest loan from NJEDA when building a high performance green building.
Prohibits legislative aide who works, or worked, directly for legislator in district office from making political contribution greater than $30 per election to that legislator; prohibits receipt of such contribution.
Decreases the premium receipts tax for surplus lines insurance coverage.
Establishes approval process for proposed offshore wind energy projects and certain benefits to facilitate development of offshore wind energy.
Requires audits of managed care plan provider networks.
Concerns enterprise zone assistance fund project approval; dedicates certain revenues to UEZs or UEZ municipalities.
Establishes "The Democracy Act" to modify various voter registration and voting procedures.
Requires that police obtain warrant to seize cell phone data.
Requires that police obtain warrant to attach GPS device to suspect's motor vehicle.
Provides that settlement agents are not responsible for transmitting estimated gross income tax payment and forms for certain nonresident real estate transactions unless so responsible pursuant to contract.
Requires municipalities to conduct lead paint inspections in single- and two-family dwellings.
Excludes paraffin used in manufacture of candles from petroleum products gross receipts tax.
Appropriates $110,000 from General Fund to DOE for Commission on Italian and Americans of Italian Heritage Cultural and Educational Programs.
Requires Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to facilitate establishment of four new recovery community centers.
Prohibits four-year public institutions of higher education from increasing New Jersey resident undergraduate tuition and fees above certain percentages.
Establishes Dual Enrollment Study Commission.
Establishes Edison Innovation Science and Technology Fund in EDA to provide grants for certain science and technology-based university research; appropriates $5 million.
Filed · 2
Requires study of program allowing community service in lieu of paying motor vehicle surcharges.
Appropriates $12.3 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for recreation and conservation purposes to DEP for State capital and park development projects.