Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, Senate.
Samuel D. Thompson
Sponsored
Became law1
Abolishes Landscape Irrigation Contractors Examining Board in the Department of Environmental Protection and transfers regulation of landscape irrigation contractors to Department of Community Affairs.
Out of committee1
Requires certain school buses to be equipped with lap and shoulder seat belts.
In committee28
Provides immunity from liability for certain recreational activities and from injuries caused by acts of God.
Requires the Director of the Division of Taxation to establish a gross income tax payment system by credit card or debit card.
Authorizes DMV to offer a red heart-shaped identifying symbol on personalized license plates.
Allows property taxpayers an additional year to file tax appeal after revaluation.
Includes auxiliary police officers in Emergency Services Length of Service Award Program.
Establishes that passenger vehicles other than police vehicles have a useful life of five years and allows local units to bond for such vehicles.
Reduces statute of limitations for medical malpractice liability actions to four years.
Requires health insurers to cover treatment ordered by health care provider for covered person based on generally accepted standards of health care practice, subject to appeal; creates Carrier Appeals Program.
Concerns medical malpractice procedures and liability.
Requires penalties to be levied against renters and homeowners who violate affordability controls on affordable housing units.
Limits to $5,000 per election amount contributed to and by county committee of a political party.
Prohibits former elected official from receiving for five years compensation from charitable or non-profit organization when official's candidate committee donated campaign contributions to organization.
Requires insurers and State health care coverage programs to cover cost of HIV vaccine.
Eliminates requirement that candidate campaign treasurer reports be filed with county clerk for legislative, local and school board candidates.
Implements measures to strengthen oversight of hospital charity care subsidies.
Prohibits solid waste collectors from billing for residential collection services more than 30 days in advance of the service.
Clarifies that certain former New Jersey National Guard members may be eligible for higher education tuition assistance.
Clarifies calculation of at-risk weight in school funding formula.
Requires certain persons on boats less than 21 feet long to wear personal flotation device between November 1st and May 1st.
Clarifies breath test warnings provided to persons arrested for intoxicated driving and boating need only be in English and those warnings are not element of offense of refusing breath test.
Permits complainant to withdraw complaint from county or municipal ethics board if decision not rendered within 180 days of receipt and submit to Local Finance Board.
Requires Motor Vehicle Commission to issue one license plate instead of two.
Removes provision permitting dismissal of de minimis violations for offenses involving corruption of public resources.
Prohibits the use of county and municipal vehicles by part-time elected local government officers.
Transfers New Jersey State Forestry Services and related entities to Department of Agriculture.
Establishes the "Mental Health Treatment Reform and Violence Prevention Act."
Establishes Office of Economic Research in Department of State.
Eliminates applicable court costs in certain medical event-related motor vehicle accidents.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 5
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Regulates pharmacy benefits managers and requires certain disclosures concerning multiple source generic drug pricing.
Streamlines responsibilities of Division of Local Government Services and local governments; designated as the Division of Local Government Services Modernization and Local Mandate Relief Act of 2015.*
Creates "Fishing Buddy License."
Prohibits Division of Developmental Disabilities from compelling transfers of individuals with developmental disabilities from out-of-State to in-State facilities unless certain exceptions apply.
Vetoed · 2
Requires paint producers to implement or participate in paint stewardship program.*
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.
Passed the Senate · 2
Concerns expedited process for foreclosing vacant and abandoned residential properties in uncontested actions.*
Establishes Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security in public and nonpublic schools.
Out of committee · 10
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act"; imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances. *
Requires municipalities to exempt 100% disabled veterans from construction permit surcharge fees for improvements to promote living unit accessibility.*
Eliminates requirement that candidates file with county clerk duplicate copy of report of contributions and expenditures; requires each county to provide link to ELEC website on county Internet site.*
Establishes notification, signage, and monitoring requirements related to combined sewer overflows.
Eliminates duplication and redundancy in registration of certain apartments.
Establishes forest stewardship program for State-owned lands.
Establishes certain requirements for hospitals regarding patient-designated caregivers.
Prohibits existing child care subsidy recipient from being treated as a new applicant for subsidy after moving to a new county of residence.
Requires municipal land use plan element of master plan to address smart growth and storm resiliency, and environmental sustainability issues.
"New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program Act"; establishes retirement savings program for certain workers.
In committee · 16
Requires tenure charges be filed against any public school employee found to have bullied a student and requires the employment of any nontenured public school employee be terminated for such activity.
Makes a $3 million supplemental appropriation for increased Per Capita Library Aid.
Requiring electric public utilities and municipal and county shade tree commissions to meet annually concerning vegetation management; requires commissions to implement vegetation management plans.
Designates Pine Barrens treefrog as New Jersey State Amphibian.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as State song.
Modifies current law regarding regulation and restrictions on business entities who are public contractors and make campaign contributions to certain office holders, candidates and political organizations.
Requires certain commissions to maintain meeting minutes; establishes Governor's authority to approve or veto the minutes of those commissions.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under gross income tax, eliminates income cap on exclusion.
Clarifies that crime victim has a right to make a victim impact statement directly to the defendant at sentencing.
Eliminates power of DRPA to finance economic development; changes composition of board; imposes restrictions regarding financing, contract procedures, conflicts of interest, and review audits; creates commuter's council.
Creates pilot program concerning domestic violence; creates additional Superior Court judgeships.
Reforms procedures concerning provision of affordable housing; reinstates moratorium on Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.
Provides expedited procedure for foreclosing residential properties in uncontested actions.
Implements certain governance and transparency reforms at PANYNJ.
Provides governance, transparency, and accountability reforms at PANYNJ.
Requires public school students with concussion to be evaluated by licensed health care professionals before return to school; requires school districts to provide restrictions or limitations to student as needed.