Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, General Assembly.
BettyLou DeCroce
Sponsored
In committee31
Establishes a grant program for school districts to establish substance abuse prevention programs for eighth grade students.
Increases threshold amount at which MLUL escrow deposits must be deposited in interest bearing accounts.
Requires genetic testing to determine paternity in non-dissolution cases.
Requires in public schools instruction on the contributions of United States veterans and the observance of patriotic exercises on certain holidays.
Directs State acquisition of Troy Meadows Natural Area, Morris County, for recreation and conservation purposes and designates it as natural area and wildlife sanctuary.
Establishes New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center and authorizes establishment of Foundation for the New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center.
Requires State Office of Emergency Management to study and recommend evacuation routes in Trenton for inclement weather conditions or other emergency situations.
Requires electric utility bills to separately list the amount of State sales tax, societal benefits charge and transitional energy facility unit rate assessment surcharge.
Provides that certain permits and approvals for critical infrastructure projects must be acted upon within 45 days.
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.
Authorizes development of public-private transportation demonstration projects.
Adds child molestation and endangerment to crimes that subject public school employee offender to pension and retirement benefit forfeiture.
Provides school district tax levy cap adjustment for certain special education costs; limits sending district per pupil tuition increase to 2%; and provides increased representation on receiving board of education for certain sending districts.
"New Jersey Residents' Power Protection Act"; requires use of emergency power generators by various facilities and businesses; provides related tax incentives.
Provides gross income tax deduction for costs of purchasing and installing battery backups for certain home solar electrical generators.
Requires screening of certain high-risk pregnancies and reporting of fetal deaths.
"Transparency in Government Legal Billing Act;" requires that bill for legal services rendered for public entity contain certain information as condition of payment.
Requires certain energy drinks to be labeled with warning for young consumers.
Requires each school district to offer a summer payment plan for school district employees.
Makes it unlawful for a private citizen to record a communication unless all parties to the communication have previously consented.
Prohibits employees of revaluation firms from employment by companies that may appeal assessed value of real property following municipal-wide revaluation.
Establishes Park Prescription Program authorizing medical practitioners to prescribe free State park access passes to patients with obesity-related conditions.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for pediatric cancer research.
Establishes "Government Crowdfunding Act" to allow government entities to conduct fundraising for certain government projects.
Provides "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act" exemption for synthetic turf field construction by local government units.
Excludes portion of Bloomingdale Borough in Passaic County from Highlands preservation area.
Requires 10 percent bail; prohibits installment payments.
Eliminates transfer inheritance tax for step-grandchildren.
Provides assistance to manufacturing businesses by having certain State agencies promote economic development and identify credentials needed for careers in modern manufacturing.
Establishes appraisal method for taxation of watershed lands.
Provides that Secretary of State, as leader of tourism and economic development, will have authority to designate and prepare special commemorative day, week, month, or year for the State.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 13
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for development of Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
Designates May of each year "Military Appreciation Month" in New Jersey.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.
Concerns sale of certain motor fuel during certain emergencies.
Requires issuance of one free copy of a veteran's death certificate to certain authorized persons upon request.
Dedesignates portions of Route 24.
Prohibits administration of standardized assessments in kindergarten through second grade.
Allows gross income taxpayers to use their gross income tax returns to make voluntary contributions to ALS Association for services to New Jersey residents.
Requires police departments of certain educational institutions to adopt Attorney General Guidelines on internal affairs policies and procedures.
Upgrades violation of a stalking restraining order to a crime of the third degree.*
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2016.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2016.
Appropriates $88,592,361 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Vetoed · 1
Reinstates moratorium on imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.
Passed the General Assembly · 7
Requires Adjutant General of DMVA to issue State flag to resident enrolling in federal service academy.
Establishes task force to study issues related to the establishment of full-day kindergarten.
Establishes special license plates for honorably discharged veterans.
Permits tenant to be removed from leased housing due to criminal activity under certain circumstances.
Requires school districts and charter schools to annually provide to parents or guardians of enrolled students information on certain tests to be administered during the school year.
Allows parent or guardian to exclude student from administration of certain assessments.
Requires NJT to limit fare increases under its discount program for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and college students; designated as "Fare Affordability and Ridership Empowerment (FARE) Act."
Out of committee · 8
Appropriates $22,463,000 in 2003 bond act monies for loans to fund dam restoration projects.*
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Authorizes establishment of Achieving a Better Life Experience accounts for persons with certain disabilities.*
Designates State Highway Route 15 in Sussex County as "Senator Robert E. Littell Memorial Highway."
Establishes "New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission" to review before-school, after-school, and summer programs.
Prohibits institutions of higher education from requiring students who have children to purchase meal plans, live in on-campus housing, or pay gym fees.
Establishes Main Street Economic Growth Program to encourage business development in small, highly developed municipalities.
In committee · 68
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Permits county correctional facilities to seek reimbursement from inmate welfare fund for certain medical services provided in county jails.
Provides that no more than four of the seven public members appointed to the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council may be of the same political party.
Prohibits payment to public employees at retirement for certain unused sick leave, provides for forfeiture of payment for unused sick leave for certain criminal convictions, and requires documentation for use of sick leave.
Requires managed care plans to disclose allowed amounts for out-of-network health care services under certain circumstances.
Directs BPU to adopt best practices and standards for public utility disaster response.
Tax Relief for New Jersey Families Act; provides income tax credits for property tax relief, quadruples the homestead property tax credit and increases the earned income tax credit.
Prohibits contributions by certain entities doing business with State; limits amount of contributions by principals and officers of such entities.
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.
Provides that limitation on lawsuit option does not apply in accident caused by drunk driver.
Creates first degree crime of home invasion, makes crime subject to No Early Release Act, and upgrades burglary of a residence to a second degree crime under certain circumstances.
Clarifies application of business personal property tax on local exchange telephone companies that were subject to tax as of April 1, 1997.
Allows gross income tax refunds to be credited against a taxpayer's delinquent local property taxes.
Repeals Highlands planning and environmental permitting provisions of "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act," and amends various statutes to reflect repeal thereof.
Requires DCA to provide accounting of monies remitted to the "New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund" by municipality and allows for municipal affordable housing credit for funds remitted.
Clarifies that crime victim has a right to make a victim impact statement directly to the defendant at sentencing.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Requires Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to provide information on life insurance plans to borrowers of student loans and requires authority to contract with life insurance company to offer policies to borrowers.
Prohibits awarding alimony to domestic violence offenders; permits termination of alimony based on conviction for crime or offense involving domestic violence.
Provides for priority consideration, by State, of permit applications by counties and municipalities with 10 or more shared services.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Specifies failure to restrain a cat, dog, or other domestic companion animal while the animal is riding in a motor vehicle is not cruel or inhumane transport.
Expands number of safe havens for leaving newborn infants.
Provides that committing a sex act with a minor under certain circumstances constitutes aggravated sexual assault or sexual assault.
Repeals Kyleigh's Law decal requirement; requires MVC to provide parents of graduated driver license applicants detailed information about program's conditions and restrictions; imposes penalties on parents when licensees fail to comply.
Establishes criminal penalties for killing, injuring or interfering with a service animal or guide dog; designated as "Dusty's Law."
Repeals traffic control signal monitoring system pilot program; prohibits future use of red light cameras in State.
Permits municipalities to enter into shared service agreement for tax assessment.
Modifies school funding law to incorporate recommendations of DOE's Education Funding Report.
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
Eliminates transfer inheritance tax and increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amounts under New Jersey estate tax in accordance with provisions of federal tax law.
Establishes pilot program to utilize value-based benefit design in SHBP to increase health benefits coverage for certain employees concerning chronic health conditions.
The "Green Building and Infrastructure Tax Credit Act"; provides tax credits for certain green buildings and wood utility poles.
Prohibits terminal leave compensation for local government employees.
Eliminates transfer inheritance taxes on brothers and sisters of a decedent.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employer-provided child care expenditures.
Enacts the "NJ Family First Employer Act"; establishes award for certain employers.
Concerns importation and delivery of motor fuel during certain emergencies.
Provides $3,000 gross income tax deduction for certain taxpayers providing home care for an elderly relative.
The "New Jersey Parental Rights and Property Tax Reduction Act."
Authorizes Office of Emergency Management to order lowering of reservoir levels prior to certain severe weather events.
Allows courts to issue restraining orders prohibiting persons charged with firearms and gang related offenses from entering premises, locations, or areas where the offense occurred.
Provides immunity from civil liability for person who sends text message to motor vehicle operator.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for sales of services performed to certain prewritten computer software delivered electronically.
The New Jersey Battlefield to Boardroom Act; Provides corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits for qualified wages of certain veterans.
"New Jersey Housing Assistance for Veterans Act," establishes pilot program to assist certain veterans with housing modification and rehabilitation; appropriates $5 million.
Requires public body to publish notice of public meeting on official Internet website.
Establishes "New Jersey Out-of-School Time Advisory Commission" to review before-school, after-school and summer programs; appropriates $60,000.
Permits juveniles to be admitted to drug court program under certain circumstances.
Concerns workers' compensation for firefighters with cancer.
Requires beneficiary photo to be included on State-issued benefit debit cards.
Clarifies that only products assembled in U.S. meet "Buy-American" standards of public contracts laws.
Provides corporation business tax and the gross income tax credits for insourcing business to New Jersey.
Prohibits sale of certain mobile telecommunications devices unless device includes technology to remotely render device inoperable.
Revises exemption from "unemployment compensation law" for operators of certain motor vehicles.
Increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amount for the New Jersey estate tax to $5 million over period of five years.
Requires professional boards to provide for online processing of application for licensure or renewal.
Requires DOC to transport inmate to county where crime was committed upon release from correctional facility.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to certain students with military obligations.
Limits authority of court to order one or both parents to pay post-high school education expenses on behalf of a child if both parents agree that they will not pay such expenses.
Requires hospital patient's medical record to include notation if patient has Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Stipulates that retail motor fuel dealers, when paying interchange fees, shall not be charged for costs associated with certain taxes.
Exempts transfers of property to Class C beneficiaries from transfer inheritance tax and increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amount under estate tax to $5,000,000 over five-year period.
Requires tuition bills of public institutions of higher education to include details on student fees and opt-out provision for student-managed entertainment fees, and requires certain institutions' websites to include student fee information.
Establishes criminal penalties for unlawful control over weapons of any law enforcement officer and interface with equipment or duties of law enforcement officers and emergency services personnel.
Provides governance, transparency, and accountability reforms at PANYNJ.
Requires health insurers to limit patient cost-sharing and provide appeal process concerning certain prescription drug coverage.
Gives priority to applicants for firearms purchaser identification card and permits to purchase handguns when domestic violence restraining order is in effect.