Bills in the 2012–2013 Session, General Assembly.
David W. Wolfe
Sponsored
Out of committee1
Requires water purveyors to notify municipalities they service regarding water supply and water quality issues.*
In committee56
Authorizes the appointment of an independent counsel to investigate allegations concerning the New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation.
Allows TPAF retiree to be employed as certificated superintendent or administrator for limited time frame due to critical need without TPAF reenrollment.
Requires State agencies to review operations and to implement use of Internet to conduct public business when cost savings may be realized, with certain exceptions.
Requires public body to publish notice of public meeting on official Internet website.
Requires Family Part under certain circumstances to dispose of charge of contempt of a domestic violence order on an emergency basis, without setting bail.
Creates new $100 assessment for convictions of certain sexual offenses to fund counseling for victims and their families; establishes Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund.
Provides New Jersey certification as a school administrator or principal to any applicant with similar certification in another State.
Allocates at least $100 million from Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for coastal and inland Blue Acres land acquisition projects in flood-prone areas.
Denies custody and visitation rights to minor child by family members of individuals convicted of certain crimes.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program beginning in tax year 2002.
"Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act"; provides State reimbursement for 50% of school property taxes paid by seniors, 65 years and older.
Allows adopted person access to his original birth certificate and other related information; appropriates $90,000.
Concerns telemarketing political calls.
Provides for the election of school board members at November general election.
Prohibits members of the Legislature from acting on certain bills in which they have personal interest; redefines personal interest.
Eliminates the public vote on a school district budget which is within cap.
Eliminates remarriage prohibition for PFRS death benefits; provides retirement allowance to certain survivors of PFRS members.
Requires private vocational schools to provide adequate written notification when planning to close facilities.
Increases annual income limits for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement.
Authorizes criminal history record background checks of employees and volunteers of nonprofit domestic violence victim serving organizations.
Establishes Autism Education Council.
Provides that PFRS definitions of widow, widower and spouse will include domestic partners of all PFRS members.
Requires members of NJ Legislature to file statement of financial affairs.
Supplemental appropriation of $5 million to DHS to develop community residences for Division of Developmental Disabilities clients on the waiting list.
Provides NJ STARS II Program eligibility to certain students who attained an associate's degree through a joint program offered by a school district and a county college.
Increases penalties for violations committed by provisional driver's license holder.
Permits voter registration up to 29 days before an election; reduces polling place hours by one hour in the morning.
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Changes political party affiliation deadline from 50th to 21st day before primary; changes date after which absentee ballots must be available from 40th to 21st day before any election.
Restricts gifts to certified homemaker-home health aides from patients.
Enhances penalty for leaving the scene of a boating accident.
Requires certain veterinarians to provide written notification to animal owner if boarded animal will not be subject to 24-hour supervision; "Betsy's Law."
Requires candidates for teacher certification to complete technology training program.
Provides temporary reduction of annual cap on corporation business tax benefit certificate transfer program for certain technology and biotechnology companies and temporarily suspends certain tax credits for certain film and digital media content product
Imposes criminal penalties for discharges of untreated sewage from containment devices installed on watercraft.
Requires reporting of suspected abuse of institutionalized elderly to police and that facility employees receive notice of reporting requirement annually; designated as "Peggy's Law."
Prohibits the use of urea for melting, preventing the formation of, or removing ice.
Includes screening for toxoplasmosis in newborn screening program.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Expands scope of serological testing of certain defendants to include blood-borne diseases.
Requires labeling of foods containing genetically modified material.
Changes law regulating size limits of lobsters.
Upgrades penalty for certain aggravated assaults when victim suffers serious bodily injury.
Requires school districts to provide instruction on the dangers of texting while driving as part of the Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Designates portion of State Highway Route No. 35 as "Chosin Few Memorial Highway."
Transfers responsibility for establishment and enforcement of ethical standards for local officials and school officials to the State Ethics Commission.
Requires Director of Division of Taxation to include sales of properties in age-restricted developments by third parties in table of equalized valuations.
Modifies school funding law to incorporate recommendations of DOE's Education Funding Report.
Requires newly-constructed grocery stores to have generators.
Requires electric distribution lines be located underground in areas affected by severe weather or natural disasters.
Requires local governing body and DCA to suspend collection of certificate of occupancy and related inspection fees for homes being rented by persons identified by FEMA as displaced individuals.
Provides certain immunities from spectator-based lawsuits arising from youth sports events.
Prohibits additional jughandles on roads or highways in the State.
Prohibits sale, distribution, and use of urea as an ice melt.
Requires labeling of ingredients and restricts phosphorus in household cleansing products.
Requires driver's license to display license holder's blood type.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 8
Establishes study of technology for the tracking of domestic violence offenders; designated as "Lisa's Law."***
Establishes Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program in DEP and appropriates $200,000 therefor from Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund.
"Janet's Law"; requires public and nonpublic schools to have automated external defibrillators and to establish emergency action plans for responding to sudden cardiac events.*
Alex DeCroce's Law; enhances crime victims' rights under the "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights."
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2013.
Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act."
Appropriates $38.5 million from "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" and "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" to State Agriculture Development Committee for county planning incentive grants.
Requires homeowners insurance consumer information brochure to contain one page summary of policy.
Passed the General Assembly · 7
Regulates advertising of manufacturer's rebates by retail mercantile establishments.
Establishes the four-year "New Jersey Innovation Inspiration School Grant Pilot Program" in DOE to fund non-traditional STEM programs.*
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act": imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.**
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
Authorizes certain municipalities and rural electric cooperatives to establish a municipal shared services energy authority.
Provides for certain psychologists to prescribe medications.
Authorizes a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate.
Out of committee · 18
Designates State Highway Route 31 as the "Tri-County Purple Heart Memorial Highway."
Prohibits first responders from photographing persons being assisted or disclosing photographs of such persons without their consent.
Revises penalties for animal cruelty, increasing degree of certain offenses; designated as Patrick's Law.
Revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for sales of services performed to certain prewritten computer software delivered electronically.*
Permits affordable housing occupancy preferences for veterans through municipal agreements with developer.*
Immunizes from civil liability first responders who forcibly enter property to provide emergency assistance.
Establishes pilot program for municipalities and school districts to contract for video monitoring systems to assist in enforcing law against unlawfully passing a school bus.*
Establishes the "New Jersey Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act."
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2013.
Requires labeling of all foods containing genetically modified material.
Requires Adjutant General of DMVA to issue State flag to resident enrolling in federal service academy.
Allows certain drug dealing offenses to be graded by "units," rather than weight, of controlled dangerous substances.
Requires mortgage lenders to maintain vacant, age-restricted dwelling units during foreclosure.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2014.
Authorizes NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2014.
Concerns assessment of penalties for certain fraudulently obtained unemployment benefits and requires recovered penalties deposited into unemployment compensation fund.
Designates State Highway Route No. 71 bridge between Borough of Belmar and Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea as "Robert A. Briant, Sr. Memorial Bridge." *
In committee · 90
Provides for the election of school board members at November general election and eliminates vote on school budgets except for separate proposals to spend above cap which will also occur at general election.
Increases membership of PFRS board of trustees from 11 to 13 members.
Eliminates PERS credit and health care benefits for appointees to State or local agency, board, commission, authority or instrumentality with annual compensation less than $20,000 and weekly hours fewer than 35.
Prohibits nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies based on proximity to water or risk of windstorm related claims.
Prohibits the employment of unauthorized aliens and requires employers to use E-Verify program.
Prohibits use of volunteer driving activities in underwriting for private passenger automobile insurance; revises charitable immunity statute as applied to volunteer drivers.
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Recodifies offenses against animals under State criminal code; increases degree of crime for certain offenses.
Establishes offense of soliciting image of minor with unlawful purpose.
Ensures operation of certain motor fuel storage, distribution and dispensing facilities during disasters and emergencies.
Eliminates supplemental realty transfer fee.
Permits use of overseas absentee ballots for all elections.
Requires municipalities to reimburse qualified private communities for street paving costs.
Provides State income tax credit for removal of lawns near Barnegat Bay.
"Barnegat Bay Protection Act"; establishes Barnegat Bay Protection Fund, dedicates portion of sales tax on lawn fertilizer, authorizes special license plates, and provides for donations.
Clarifies that fishing license is not required to fish at a private community lake.
Eliminates use of vaccines containing mercury over three years.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Establishes a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
Requires DEP to assume responsibility for dredging of waterways providing boat access to lagoon communities; appropriates $6,000,000.
Establishes special dredging account; directs $5,000,000 of sales tax collected annually be deposited therein; directs DEP to administer account and dredging program with certain requirements.
Appropriates $26,140,000 for dredging projects and dredged material disposal projects related to navigational waterways.
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.
Expands eligibility under the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act by broadening certain municipal qualifier provisions.
Directs Attorney General to publicize information about human trafficking hotlines; mandates law enforcement training on responding to the needs of victims of the crime of human trafficking.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Establishes in DEP the Environmental Science Review Board and Environmental Policy Review Board to review proposed environmental regulations for consistency with planning policies and science.
Prohibits elected officials and public employees from enrolling for health benefits with more than one public entity; provides civil action for treble expenses by public entity providing additional coverage.
Authorizes courts to include animals in domestic violence restraining orders.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Prohibits sale of food and beverage packaging and containers made with bisphenol A.
Requires school districts to provide for the safe operation of electrically operated partitions in classrooms or other school facilities.
Provides for the designation of new charter school authorizers.
Prohibits the use of certain fishing gear on artificial reefs.
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 siting of industrial wind turbines within 2,000 feet of any residence or residentially zoned property.
Establishes "Smart Housing Incentives Act."
Provides for mandatory imprisonment and forfeiture of retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of certain crimes.
Repeals "Global Warming Response Act" and related sections of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative implementing law.
Requires and permits preference in awarding certain contracts.
Prohibits contributions by certain entities doing business with State; limits amount of contributions by principals and officers of such entities.
Limits contributions by certain public contractors; limits contributions by county and municipal political party committees.
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Permits municipality to enact ordinance to curb gang related loitering and criminal activity.
Requires health care facilities to report certain information about their health care staff to their respective professional boards or DHSS.
Requires that school districts use a model contract developed by the Commissioner of Education when employing a superintendent of schools.
Requires DOE to develop and distribute information regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and expands role and membership of New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force.
Reduces maximum rate of interest to be charged for delinquent taxes from 18% to 12%.
Reduces number of paid holidays from 13 to 10 for all State and local government employees.
Requires investigating law enforcement officer to contact next of kin of unconscious motor vehicle accident victim who has been transported to hospital emergency room.
Provides full forfeiture of pension of elected or appointed official convicted of any crime touching office.
Requires, after assessment, DEP to adopt total maximum daily loads for Barnegat Bay ecosystem.
Requires health benefits coverage for mammograms for women under 40 who lack access to family medical history due to their or their parent's adoption.
"Janet's Law"; requires public and nonpublic schools to have automated external defibrillators and to establish emergency action plans for responding to sudden cardiac events.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
Concerns eligibility for unemployment benefits for certain seasonal workers.
Ends transitional energy facilities assessment (TEFA), caps State use portion of State energy tax revenues and ensures balance of such State revenues are paid annually as municipal aid.
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.
Establishes NJ Animal Abuser Registry.
Establishes a "Blue Alert System."
Establishes designated driver motor vehicle license plates.
The "Healthy Puppies and Kittens Assurance Act."
Establishes bribery in official and political matters applies to person soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept benefit as consideration to act even though not yet in office or otherwise qualified to act.
Provides gross income tax credit for certain tolls paid via E-ZPass.
Changes various provisions of "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act."
Permits exterior-based property reassessments within eight years of last municipal-wide revaluation.
Exempts commercial motor vehicle drivers from enforcement of snow and ice removal requirements until appropriate removal equipment is available.
"The Reliability, Preparedness, and Storm Response Act of 2012"; requires public utilities to file certain information concerning emergency preparedness with BPU and increases certain penalties.
"Plastic and Paper Bag Reduction Act"; requires certain retailers to provide recyclable, compostable or reusable bags instead of plastic or paper carryout bags.
Establishes mandatory penalties for committing burglary and theft during a state of emergency.
Directs BPU to study whether State's electric distribution system meets certain standards.
Appropriates $20,000,000 from General Fund to the Department of State for travel and tourism advertising and promotion to communicate that New Jersey's tourism destinations are operational despite damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Allows municipality to petition county for removal of abandoned vessel; provides that vessel shall not be deemed abandoned for period of not more than six months following declared state of emergency.
Prohibits public utility from filing rate increase petition under certain circumstances.
Requires installation of emergency power supply systems to certain common areas of new planned real estate developments; provides related tax incentives.
Clarifies crime of unlawful access concerning certain password protected communications in electronic storage.
Establishes task force to study the relationships among video games, mental health, and violence.
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.
Concerns valuation of property condemned for dune construction or beach replenishment.
Revises alimony laws, including eliminating permanent alimony and establishing guidelines for amount and duration of alimony awards.
Provides gross income tax deduction for costs of purchasing and installing battery backups for certain home solar electrical generators.
Increases criminal penalties if leaving loaded firearm within easy access of minor results in injury or death.
"Art Therapist Licensing Act."
Concerns access to information maintained by Prescription Monitoring Program.
Permits adoptees and certain others to obtain adoptee's original birth certificate and other related information.
Requires each school district to offer a summer payment plan for school district employees.
Requires prescribers and pharmacists to check prescription monitoring program prior to prescribing and dispensing Schedule II drugs.
Limits upfront costs for oral anticancer medications for persons covered under certain health benefits plans.