Bills in the 2016–2017 Session, Senate.
Ronald L. Rice
Sponsored
Became law11
Requires racial and ethnic impact statement for certain bills and regulations affecting sentencing.
Requires local government units to certify compliance with certain federal hiring requirements when filing annual budgets.
Exempts person who remediates property in environmental opportunity zone from remediation funding source requirement.
Requires report on status of lead-safe program in DCA.*
Provides for notification of emergency contact in event of death of senior citizen in certain housing facilities.*
Directs Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development to work to promote basic skills training through organizations dedicated to the economic empowerment of specific segments of society, such as the African American Chamber of Comme
Requires DOH regulations regarding elevated blood lead levels in children, and appropriate responses thereto, to be consistent with latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
Authorizes additional $90 million worth of Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program tax credits.*
Permits certain municipalities to impose and collect payroll tax of up to 1 percent of employer's payroll.
Establishes Women's Vocational Training Pilot Program to promote economic self-sufficiency of low-income women through increased participation in high-wage, high-demand occupations; authorizes allocation of certain funds therefor.*
Requires study of program allowing community service in lieu of paying motor vehicle surcharges.
Vetoed2
Establishes program allowing certain applicants to perform community service in lieu of paying motor vehicle surcharges.
Authorizes certain local government utilities to impose additional connection fees; requires certain new credits and reductions for these fees.
Passed the Senate5
Establishes database with certain information about individuals elected to public office in this State.
Provides foreclosure stay of proceedings for certain residential borrowers and exempts certain lenders that offer sustainable mortgage modifications.*
Requires board of education to provide an individual textbook for each student enrolled in a class.
Requires health insurance consultants and carriers to provide certain information to certain local units, boards of education, and county colleges; requires local units, boards of education, and county colleges to review information.**
Allows municipalities to adjust deadline to apply for short-term exemption or abatement for dwellings; requires provision of notice to purchasers of dwellings in areas in need of rehabilitation under certain circumstances.
Out of committee17
Establishes Division of Minority and Women Business Development and State Chief Disparity Officer to monitor efforts to promote participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State contracting.
Requires correctional facilities to provide voting rights information packets to inmates.*
Imposes tax on certain State lottery winnings to finance grant program for not-for-profit entities operating after school programs in certain districts.
Establishes Clean Energy Technology Center and Alternative and Clean Energy Investment Trust Fund for purposes of creating clean energy-related employment opportunities; allocates revenues from societal benefits charge to support its activities.
"Healthy Small Food Retailer Act"; provides funding to small food retailers to sell fresh and nutritious food.
Codifies the Judiciary's Foreclosure Mediation Program; dedicates monies from foreclosure filing fees and fines.
Requires boards of education to conduct student vision screenings that include evaluation of acuity and binocular vision.
Concerns expedited process for foreclosing vacant and abandoned residential properties in uncontested actions.
Establishes New Jersey Council on Responsible Fatherhood and Responsible Fatherhood Fund.
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.
Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.
Establishes manufacturing business assistance program to encourage manufacturing in certain areas of the State.
Increases to under $15,000 from under $10,000 amount of permitted annual compensation paid to TPAF retiree reemployed as athletic coach by former school district within 180 days of retirement.
Establishes For-Hire Vehicle License Plate Task Force; requires issuance of uniquely colored license plate for certain for-hire vehicles and registration of certain for-hire vehicles.
Changes composition of State Employment and Training Commission.
Establishes the "Safe Sanitary Subsidized Rental Housing Bill of Rights."
Excludes amount of certain early withdrawals from qualified retirement plans in determination by Higher Education Student Assistance Authority of applicant's eligibility for and amount of State tuition aid grant.
In committee60
Reestablishes and revises public contract set-aside program.
Establishes a three-year moratorium on the establishment of new charter schools.
Establishes division in Department of Treasury to oversee and enforce equal employment opportunity requirements with regard to public works contracts.
Strengthens criminal sanctions for intentionally damaging a rental premises to establish a warranty of habitability violation.
Expands role of temporary guardian to include arranging placement of alleged incapacitated person in appropriate, less restrictive environment.
Allows a gross income tax credit to certain taxpayers for capital improvements made to principal residence.
Permits creation of local hire programs for public work contracts of political subdivisions.
Expands ability of the court to order payment of attorney fees and costs by parties who file frivolous lawsuits.
Establishes minimum and maximum sentences and penalties for election officers and employees convicted of fraud.
Requires Commissioner of Transportation to publish notice of certain transportation-related infrastructure projects and activities on Internet website, and directs State Comptroller to monitor publication of those notifications.
Protects certain politically active employees from retaliatory action by employers.
The "New Homebuyers' Bill of Rights Act."
Permits sealing of certain criminal records.
Places five-year limit on State control of any school district; requires local control to be returned in any area of district effectiveness under State intervention for which district meets 80 percent or more of standards.
Concerns eviction of residential tenants.
Prohibits certain school districts under State intervention from leasing building if purchase price would be less than total costs of lease.
Requires that information about legal rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords in rental dwelling units be kept up to date in both English and Spanish.
Makes residential mortgage fraud a separate crime.
Requires chairs of certain ward political party committees to have same rights and responsibilities as chairs of municipal political party committees; specifies certain cities not required to have municipal chairs.
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."
Requires Legal Services of New Jersey to submit annual report to Legislature on its staffing, caseload, and resources.
Enhances procedures for enforcement of visitation and parenting time when parents' access to child has been denied.
Creates a Land Use Court.
Provides a gross income tax deduction for certain water supply and sewerage charges.
Permits municipality to hire private company to provide construction officials, subcode officials, and technical assistants.
Authorizes certain municipalities to impose a tax on the storage of empty shipping containers to fund redevelopment plan activities.
Transit Ridership Innovation and Participation Act; provides income tax credits for employer-provided public transportation benefits.
Establishes Statewide database of beds in shelters for the homeless.
Concerns membership and management of homeowners associations.
Requires various measures to address effects of low levels of lead exposure.
"Transparency, Responsibility, and Accountability for New Surcharges and Increases in Ticketing (T.R.A.N.S.I.T.) Act"; increases number of public hearings NJT is required to hold prior and subsequent to fare increase or change or abandonment of service.
Provides that a school district may be placed under full or partial State intervention pursuant to the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC) for no longer than five years.
Allows establishment of county-wide purchasing system for certain school district services in certain counties; offers employment protections for certain food or custodial services employees; and regulates subcontracting by districts and public higher edu
Enhances protections afforded purchasers in planned real estate developments.
Provides that deed restrictions on affordable housing units are not extinguished by foreclosure proceedings.
Modifies laws regarding compensation and leaves of absence for certain public employees who served in the military; requires public employers follow certain policies and procedures for leaves of absence.
Authorizes EDA to approve additional Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant program tax credits; reconciles simultaneous legislative enactments to clarify law which limits tax credits under that program.
Limits amount of appeal bond in civil actions to $50 million.
Establishes certain benefits for Class Two special law enforcement officers; allows arson investigators to carry a firearm at all times.
Concerns procedure applicable to applicants for professional or occupational licenses who would otherwise be barred from licensure due to certain child support or related obligations.
Requires evaluation of school buildings for air quality and mold.
Eliminates partial and full State intervention under New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum.
Provides transition period of 90 days during which building service employees subject to certain building service transfers must be retained.
Increases monetary thresholds for certain theft offenses.
Requires firearms purchaser identification card, permit to purchase handgun, or permit to carry handgun for temporary transfer of firearm at firing range.
Requires firearms purchaser identification card, permit to purchase handgun, or permit to carry handgun for use of firearm at firing range.
Permits use of electronic smoking devices in vapor retail establishments.
Makes technical change to law concerning title recordation.
Authorizes political subdivisions to set aside 0.5 percent of public works funds to recruit and train women and minorities and promote local hiring.
Requires Center for Occupational Employment Information to share labor market information with school districts and public institutions of higher education.
Requires external managers authorized to invest assets of State pension or annuity funds to have physical place of business within State.
Requires State agencies and local government units to report certain information concerning bids on public contracts by minority- and women-owned business enterprises; prohibits discrimination against such enterprises.
Consolidates ethics training for members of Legislature.
Establishes two-generational school readiness and workforce development pilot program for certain low-income households.
Requires Commissioner of Education to develop guidelines to encourage high school students to participate in apprenticeship training.
Prohibits disqualification of certain minority-owned and women-owned businesses for certification.
Requires Director of Division of Investment to attempt to use qualified minority and women-owned financial institutions to provide brokerage and investment management services.
Enhances protections against fraudulent deed recordings.
Establishes pilot reentry court program.
Allows municipalities to regulate and inspect certain premises that sell alcoholic beverages on international airport property.
Carried from the General Assembly
Became law3
Establishes Chief Diversity Officer to monitor participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State contracting.*
Increases to under $15,000 from under $10,000 amount of permitted annual compensation paid to TPAF retiree reemployed as athletic coach by former school district within 180 days of retirement.
Excludes amount of certain early withdrawals from qualified retirement plans in determination by Higher Education Student Assistance Authority of applicant's eligibility for and amount of State tuition aid grant.
Vetoed2
Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.
"Healthy Small Food Retailer Act"; provides funding to small food retailers to sell fresh and nutritious food.
Passed the General Assembly1
Changes composition of State Employment and Training Commission.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 4
Establishes "Small Business Bonding Readiness Assistance Program" in EDA to assist certain small businesses meet State or federal contract surety bond requirements.*
Changes the time when child placement review hearings are initiated from 45 days to 60 days.
Adjusts reference to population for library director position in unclassified civil service.
Establishes gubernatorial veto power over Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor's meeting minutes; expands gubernatorial oversight powers over commission.
Vetoed · 4
Requires hospital patient's medical record to include notation if patient is at increased risk of confusion, agitation, behavioral problems, and wandering due to dementia related disorder.*
Establishes restricted use driver's license endorsement for certain motor vehicle offenders with suspended license.
Makes supplemental appropriations totaling $9,563,415 to DOH for grants of $7,765,325 to Newark Beth Israel Hospital and $1,798,090 to St. Francis Medical Center to implement improved health outcomes and sustainable transformation of healthcare delivery.
Provides that AG handle investigation and prosecution of crime involving person's death by law enforcement officer while acting in officer's official capacity or while in custody; requires trial in venue outside county where incident occurred.
Passed the Senate · 7
Adds two public members to NJT board and provides that all NJT board members are voting members. *
Revises definition of "landlord" to include rooming and boarding house owners and operators with regard to ordinances holding landlords to certain standards of responsibility.
Establishes "New Jersey Investing in You Promise Neighborhood Commission"; appropriates $2million.*
Repeals family cap in Work First New Jersey program.
Concerns long term tax exemptions on certain age-restricted low-income housing.
Prohibits sale of certain toy guns and imitation firearms.
Concerns application of residential rental property inspection findings in rental assistance determinations and eviction actions.
Out of committee · 18
Revises requirements and training standards for first responders under New Jersey Highway Traffic Safety Act of 1987.
Requires law enforcement agencies in this State to establish minority recruitment and selection programs; establishes reporting requirement.
Concerns earned sick leave.
Increases personal needs allowance to at least $50 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities.
Concerns Code Blue alert plans to shelter at-risk individuals. *
Requires DCPP to implement policies and procedures to ensure caseworker safety; "Leah's Law."
Permits certain breweries to sell beer at seasonal farm markets. *
Establishes Medicaid program to provide housing-related services to individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.
Requires municipalities to conduct lead paint inspections in single- and two-family dwellings; requires reporting of inspection results to State.
Provides gross income tax deduction for certain home elevation expenses.
Prohibits sale of unsafe supplemental mattresses designed for children's products.
Permits increase in municipal free public library tax upon voter approval.
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.
Requires financial literacy instruction to pupils enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight.
Provides that limitation on hours of retail sale of alcohol be consistent throughout licensed premises.
Dedicates $140,000 from NJ Brain Injury Research Fund for community based services provided by Statewide alliance dedicated to assisting persons with brain injury through advocacy, education, information and resources, outreach, and support services.
Requires health care providers, carriers, and employers to make certain disclosures regarding health care costs and allows SHBP to negotiate directly with hospitals in certain circumstances.
Permits smoking in certain facilities for purpose of medical or health-related scientific research.
In committee · 33
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.
Revises exemption from "unemployment compensation law" for operators of certain motor vehicles.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
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.
Requires charter schools to annually submit to Commissioner of Education salary and benefit information for certain employees.
Authorizes State-chartered banks, savings banks, savings and loans, and credit unions to conduct certain savings account promotions.
Establishes requirements for training programs for homemaker-home health aides in care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Requires Attorney General to appoint special prosecutor when criminal complaint is filed against law enforcement officer.
Provides for Attorney General to handle investigation and prosecution of crime involving death caused by law enforcement officer while in performance of officer's duties; requires officer indictment by State grand jury.
Requires notice of development applications be given to residential tenants on that property.
Allows application for PERS accidental disability benefit for injury sustained while employed at State psychiatric institution or correctional facility immediately prior to PERS membership.
Requires BPU to issue written decision concerning utility rate increase approvals to public via its website.
Revises requirements related to public hearings on proposed public utility rate increases.
Establishes "The Democracy Act" to modify various voter registration and voting procedures.
Requires law enforcement officers to wear body cameras.
Requires health care practitioners to inform patients of addiction potential of controlled dangerous substances prior to issuing prescription.
Increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain evidence-based behavioral health services.
Establishes gross income tax credit for cost of certain postage for sending goods to members of United States Armed Forces and National Guard who are serving their country away from home.
Requires "just compensation" for condemnation of single-family residence to be based on cost of comparable relocation properties within 20 mile radius.
Authorizes restricted breweries to annually sell up to 1,000 barrels of beer to in-State and out-of-state retailers.
Allows consumption of food on limited brewery premises.
Provides dedicated funding for promotion of apprenticeships and apprenticeship programs from Workforce Development Partnership Fund.
Requires public utilities to set bill due date to no earlier than 28 days past postmarked date if mailed by regular mail or 28 days past sent date if sent electronically.
Requires public and nonpublic schools to test drinking water for lead and install lead filters or treatment devices on drinking fountains and food preparation sinks; appropriates funds therefor.
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.
Removes black bear from list of game species.
Expands membership of NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.
"Consumer Freedom From Unwanted Expense in Health Insurance Coverage Act."
Codifies and enhances use of breach of implied warranty of habitability as defense to certain eviction actions.
Establishes confidentiality of landlord-tenant court records; addresses adverse actions on rental applications.
Provides gross income tax exclusion for capital gains from sale of certain employer securities by qualified businesses that result in net positive benefit to State.
Expands liability of certain individuals associated with limited liability companies and other commercial entities, when acting as residential landlord.
"Voter Privacy Act"; establishes protections for privacy of voters; prohibits automated programs to remove names of ineligible voters from official lists of eligible voters; prohibits sharing of certain voter information with federal government.