Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, Senate.
Christopher Bateman
Sponsored
Became law2
Appropriates $8,430,250 from various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Requires assisted living facilities to have defibrillator on site and employees trained to use defibrillator.
Passed the Senate4
Establishes 6-member "Prescription Drug Labeling Task Force." *
Expands type of school bus driver required to undergo DOE criminal record check process and requires matching of data files to ensure school bus drivers remain qualified pursuant to records maintained by DOE and MVC. *
Requires Executive Branch departments or agencies to notify Legislature of completion of certain draft school district audit reports and submit copy of final report to Legislature. *
Clarifies when penalty points are to be assessed for convictions of driving in an unsafe manner.
Out of committee5
Prohibits payment of temporary disability benefits to incarcerated individuals.
Creates crime of threatening the life of certain animals.
Authorizes creation of non-lapsing Attorney ID Card Program trust fund by counties.
Exempts certain State authorities and local government contracting units from bidding requirements when goods and services are procured below prices available under State contract; modifies process for contracting through certain cooperative purchasing a
Requires insurance producers to notify Commissioner of Banking and Insurance of any disciplinary action taken by non-governmental regulatory authority.
In committee42
"Common Interest Community and Homeowners' Association Act."
Establishes Community Dispute Resolution Commission to facilitate community association dispute resolution.
Limits homeowners' association right to certain statutory lien; establishes alternative dispute resolution procedures; appropriates $99,000.
Provides certain enforcement powers to DCA concerning homeowners' associations; requires registration.
Authorizes DCA to establish bidding and conflict of interest guidelines for homeowners' associations.
Alters transition period for control of homeowners' association board; clarifies when developer has ceased actively selling under "The Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act."
Amends condominium laws to require certain standards in bylaws.
Establishes standards of fairness, due process and accountability for homeowners' associations concerning meetings, access to records and audits.
Provides for certification of real estate property managers.
Appropriates $2,000,000 for New Jersey Fire Engine and Equipment Museum.
Expands implied consent statute to include blood testing; permits use of reasonable force to obtain blood sample in certain cases.
Permits municipalities to apply excess development fees collected to certain infrastructure improvement costs.
Decreases certain motor vehicle fines.
Bases certain UI surcharges on total wages paid and allows all employers option of treating surcharge for Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund as payroll deduction.
Provides reimbursement of group life insurance premiums to members of National Guard, appropriates $1,000,000.
Eliminates provision excluding parents of pupils in special education classes from group of parents that may pay certain field trip costs.
Requires fingerprinting for certain disorderly persons offenses.
Appropriates $1 million to Bound Brook and $1 million to Manville for flood damage assistance.
Excludes deferred compensation of certain public school and federal tax-exempt organization employees from current taxation under the gross income tax.
Indexes the maximum gross income tax deduction for homestead property taxes to certain changes in the State average residential property tax.
Requires public school districts to provide an annual, in-school community service opportunity for high school pupils; requires DOE to include community service statistics in annual school report card.
Exempts solar energy systems from real property taxation and from fees for municipal construction permits.
Provides for certification of real estate property managers.
Revises Medicaid reimbursement methodology for certain special hospitals and specifies reimbursement methodology for certain group homes whose residents use the special hospital.
"Plastic Carryout Bag and Film Plastic Recycling Act."
Requires the design of new public schools to incorporate the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) guidelines.
Requires decal for holder of a provisional license; upgrades penalties for provisional license offenses.
Establishes pilot program in DEP for chemical cleanouts in schools.
Abolishes Department of the Public Advocate.
Establishes special license plates for members of the United States Armed Forces.
Prohibits double-trailer truck combinations on certain portions of U.S. Route 206 in Mercer and Somerset counties.
Eliminates all Type I school districts.
Defines exclusionary zoning for purposes of New Jersey constitutional obligation.
Establishes recreational saltwater fishing license.
Prohibits sale of merchandise designed to conceal license plates.
Adds two student representatives to board of governors of Rutgers University.
"Uniform Trust Code."
Revises laws governing provision of affordable housing; reestablishes regional contribution agreement as method of meeting affordable housing obligation; repeals Statewide non-residential development fee.
Prohibits health care institutions from discharging medications into sewer or septic systems.
Extends the deadline for submission of petition for substantive certification by a municipality to June 30, 2009.
Prohibits adoption of subcode requiring installation of fire sprinklers in one- and two-family residential buildings.
Delays application of gross income tax to certain New Jersey lottery prize winnings.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 12
Permanently disqualifies certain persons convicted of child endangerment from working with children.
Exempts certain renewable energy systems from real property taxation. **
Permits student whose high school special education program requires instruction beyond four years to participate with his class in graduation ceremony and to receive certificate of attendance.
"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.
Establishes forest stewardship and forest certification programs in DEP; establishes Forest Stewardship Incentive Fund. *
Establishes involuntary commitment to outpatient treatment for person in need of involuntary commitment to treatment. *
Appropriates $33 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Renames the Primary Care Physician and Dentist Loan Redemption Program and makes various other changes to the program.
Concerns biomass, solar, and wind energy generation on farms. **
Appropriates $27.75 million from "2007" Farmland Preservation Fund" and "Garden State Farmland Preservation Fund" for planning incentive grants to municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
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.
Passed the Senate · 9
Permits local government units to grant Length of Service Award Program points to certain activated military members.
Establishes measures to deter steroid use among students.
Prohibits sale and possession of disguised knives.
Allows municipalities to provide free or reduced fee beach badges to active military and NJ National Guard personnel.
Permits eligible claimant who is proportionate owner paying entire property tax bill to collect entire homestead property tax reimbursement amount.
Allows certain organizations to file complaints with the Council on Local Mandates.
Requires certain conditions be met in order for school districts to provide their employees with tuition assistance for coursework or additional compensation upon acquisition of a degree.
Modifies laws concerning affordable housing and makes an appropriation to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues.
Out of committee · 24
Authorizes imposition of additional fines for overcrowding.
Establishes Veterans' Oral History Foundation.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Requires prompt parental and staff notification of contaminated soil found on school property. *
Requires pharmacists to include on prescription drug label name of brand name drug and generic drug when generic drug is dispensed. **
Requires bittering agent to be added to certain engine coolants and antifreeze to render it unpalatable.
Exempts certain volunteer fire, first aid, ambulance, emergency, and rescue companies, corps, and squads from registration and associated fee requirements of "Charitable Registration and Investigation Act." *
Creates Solar and Wind Energy Commission.
Amends stalking law to broaden protections for victims.
Imposes moratorium on harvest and possession of horseshoe crabs.
Authorizes court to provide alternatives for persons who default in payment of fines.
Authorizes public entities to implement energy savings improvement programs. *
Lengthens service life of certain school buses to 15 years. **
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. **
Establishes licensing program for site remediation professionals; changes laws concerning site remediation. *
The "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
Caps bids municipalities may require for certain hotel liquor licenses.*
Requires member of PERS or TPAF who holds concurrently more than one PERS-covered or TPAF-covered public position to designate one position as basis of membership.
Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to high school seniors.
Establishes "Solar Roof Installation Warranty Program" in NJ EDA; appropriates $2 million from "Global Warming Solutions Fund." *
Revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.
"The Solar Energy Advancement and Fair Competition Act."
Requires confirmation of financial assistance for eligible homeowners voluntarily closing or replacing petroleum underground storage tanks, and expands eligibility for financial assistance. *
Grants immunity to certain underage persons for unlawful possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
In committee · 57
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.
"Jessica Lunsford Act;" concerns sentencing of sex offenders and persons who harbor them; requires electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders and creates child protection zones.
Limits contributions by certain public contractors; limits contributions by county and municipal political party committees.
Establishes "Volunteer Emergency Services Highway Reimbursement Fund."
Permits certain persons 70 and older to prove identity by affidavit for purpose of renewing driver's license.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as State song.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Decreases sales and use tax rate from 7% to 6%.
"Historic Property Reinvestment Act"; provides credits against certain taxes for certain costs of rehabilitating historic properties.
Limits contributions to certain candidates and elected officials by certain public contractors; limits contributions by certain political party committees; repeals certain campaign contribution prohibitions.
Prohibits campaign contributions between county party committees; makes such contributions a third degree crime; increases to third degree crimes certain other campaign finance offenses.
Prohibits campaign contributions by certain individuals, businesses or other organizations performing public contracts.
Directs ELEC to collect fees from certain firms that employ legislative agents; increases certain penalties imposed by ELEC and Executive Commission on Ethical Standards; dedicates funds to those commissions.
Prohibits campaign contributions by certain individuals, businesses or other organizations that purchase or acquire property involved in eminent domain proceedings.
Prohibits certain elected officials and appointed officers from receiving dual health benefit coverage.
Prohibits county committee of a political party from contributing to or accepting contribution from another such county committee.
Prohibits simultaneous holding of certain State, county and municipal elective and appointive positions.
Establishes stricter limits on contributions to county committees of political parties and by county committees to candidates; prohibits contributions between county committees.
Eliminates provision that permits current members of Legislature who hold more than one elective public office on February 1, 2008 to continue to do so if service is continuous.
Exempts veterans from $15 fee for open and competitive civil service examinations and from local residency requirements.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Sets States mileage reimbursement rate at IRS rate for business use of automobile.
Expands Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission purpose to provide assistance for purchase of specialized vehicle to transport person over 21 years old with severe chronic disability.
Requires DHSS to request a minimum of $1,250,000 in annual funding for Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey.
Extends useful life of certain school buses from 12 to 16 years.
Provides for conscientious exemption to mandatory immunizations.
"Judy and Nikki's Law"; provides for life imprisonment without parole for persons convicted of murder of a child 16 years of age or younger.
Requires physicians and other prescribers to obtain informed consent from parents or guardians of minors for certain medications with "black box warning."
Requires filing of annual financial reports by certain businesses when receiving more than $25 million from public entities for any redevelopment or environmental remediation project or projects.
Requires DEP to submit annual financial report on status of certain fund balances.
Prohibits electric public utilities from cutting or removing agricultural items located on certain right-of-way easements on private property.
Excludes certain federal employee Thrift Savings Fund contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
Permits solar panels in or on locally zoned historic sites or historic districts.
Authorizes special Gold Star Family license plates.
Designates four State songs.
Requires DEP to establishes free recreational saltwater fishing registry.
Revises Special Municipal Aid program.
Designated the Shop Here, Save Money, Secure Jobs Act of 2008; establishes sales and use tax rate reduction period from November 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009, sets reduction period tax rate at 3.5%.
Criminalizes the manufacture, distribution and possession of Salvia divinorum.
Consumer Relief Act of 2009; establishes temporary sales and use tax rate reduction periods for sales of certain goods and services.
Establishes "Solar Equipment Purchase and Installation Assistance Program" in NJ EDA.
Provides consumer protections under certain telecommunications service provider contracts.
Increases the application fee and provides for an admission fee to pre-trial intervention; dedicates fee increase for victim services.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Requires the placement of defibrillators on certain trains.
Requires school districts to provide for the safe operation of electrically operated partitions in classrooms or other school facilities.
Requires Division of Taxation to display Senior Gold prescription program information on tax return instructions.
Authorizes Council on Affordable Housing to enter into memoranda of understanding with certain planning entities; establishes presumption of compliance with council's regulations; establishes moratorium on builder's remedy.
Permits sale of home-baked goods under certain circumstances.
Provides life imprisonment without eligibility for parole for all murders.
Requires Commissioner of Community Affairs to compile and annually update list of all unfunded State and federal mandates on municipalities and counties.
Requires Commissioner of Education to compile and annually update list of all unfunded State and federal mandates on school districts.
Protects municipalities that have complied with affordable housing obligations from being required to provide more than their fair share.
Requires the State and local contracting units to purchase biodiesel or biodiesel blended fuel manufactured in NJ.
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 State entities to purchase biofuels in place of fossil fuels when it is reasonable, prudent and cost effective to do so.