Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, General Assembly.
David W. Wolfe
Sponsored
Became law2
Requires certain veterinarians at for-profit veterinary facilities to provide written notification concerning absence of supervision after normal business hours; designated as "Betsy's Law." *
Provides that eligibility for NJ STARS Program be based on class rank at completion of student's junior year or senior year of high school.*
Passed the General Assembly2
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Requires water purveyors to notify municipalities they service regarding water supply and water quality issues.
Out of committee1
Imposes criminal penalties for discharges of untreated sewage from containment devices installed on watercraft.
In committee50
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.
Prohibits members of the Legislature from acting on certain bills in which they have personal interest; redefines personal interest.
Eliminates remarriage prohibition for PFRS death benefits; provides retirement allowance to certain survivors of PFRS members.
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.
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.
Enhances penalty for leaving the scene of a boating accident.
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."
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.
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 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.
Prohibits additional jughandles on roads or highways in the State.
Requires public body to publish notice of public meeting on official Internet website.
Requires private vocational schools to provide adequate written notification when planning to close facilities.
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.
Permits voter registration up to 29 days before an election; reduces polling place hours by one hour in the morning.
Requires Family Part under certain circumstances to dispose of charge of contempt of a domestic violence order on an emergency basis, without setting bail.
Allows TPAF retiree to be employed as certificated superintendent or administrator for limited time frame due to critical need without TPAF reenrollment.
Restricts gifts to certified homemaker-home health aides from patients.
Makes General Fund supplemental appropriation of $350,000 to DMVA for Council on Armed Forces and Veterans' Affairs for preservation of military installations in case of base realignment and closure.
Requires DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to use only native vegetation for landscaping, land management, reforestation, or habitat restoration.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for employing immediate family members of members of the Armed Forces of the United States who were killed in action.
Allows shore municipalities to provide spouse and dependent children of veterans free or reduced cost access to beaches.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 11
Establishes durational limits and enumerates certain factors concerning modification and termination of alimony; establishes "open durational" alimony.*
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.
"Art Therapist Licensing Act."
Requires New Jersey School Report Card to include indicators of student career readiness.
Requires preparation programs for teachers and school counselors to include programming to improve student career readiness.*
Establishes four-year County Vocational School District Partnership Grant Program in DOE.
Allows school districts and requires public colleges to enter into dual enrollment agreements to provide college-level instruction to high school students through courses offered on college or high school campuses.*
Provides that if a career and technical education program of a school district is taught in an industry setting, off-site location will be exempt from certain State regulations.*
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
Provides State aid for certain adult education programs.
Passed the General Assembly · 7
"Transparency in Government Act"; provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Requires Adjutant General of DMVA to issue State flag to resident enrolling in federal service academy.
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Imposes moratorium on DHS transitions and transfers of certain individuals with developmental disabilities to new residential placements until certain conditions are met. *
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.
"Secure Schools for All Children Act"; establishes State aid program for security services, equipment, or technology to ensure safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.
"Linnette Lebron's Law" modifies procedures for marriage or civil union where a party is terminally ill.*
Out of committee · 20
Authorizes a teacher leader endorsement to the instructional certificate.
Establishes the four-year "New Jersey Innovation Inspiration School Grant Pilot Program" in DOE to fund non-traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs.*
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities through accountability and transparency; designated as "Stephen Komninos' Law."
Creates cause of action for failure to maintain certain vacant properties; requires out-of-state creditors to designate in-State representative.
Permits adoptees and certain others to obtain adoptee's original birth certificate and other related information.
Requires labeling of foods containing genetically engineered material.*
Establishes one-year moratorium on replacement of copper-based landline telephone service with wireless telephone service; requires BPU to report to Governor and Legislature. *
Enhances penalty for leaving the scene of boating accident.
Grants prescriptive authority to certain psychologists.
Revises certain provisions of New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program.
Requires DCA to post on its website information about inspection reports for residential health care facilities, boarding homes, and emergency shelters for the homeless, and requires notifications to DHS and counties.*
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.
Establishes additional requirements, and penalties for failure to comply, concerning information to be provided to persons purchasing cats or dogs from pet shops. *
Establishes "Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Program."
Requires interior light of motor vehicle be turned on when stopped by law enforcement under certain circumstances.*
Increases mandatory retirement age for Administrative Law Judges, Workers' Compensation Judges and county prosecutors from 70 to 75.
Designates State Highway Route No. 35 bridge between Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach as "Veterans of All Wars Memorial Bridge."
Requires a public school district to provide a daily recess period for students in grades kindergarten through 5.
Revises laws concerning real estate licensees.
In committee · 99
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
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.
"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.
Concerns eligibility for unemployment benefits for certain seasonal workers.
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.
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.
Phases out estate tax over five-year period.
Provides for the designation of new charter school authorizers.
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.
Authorizes courts to include animals in domestic violence restraining orders.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Establishes a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Requires school districts to provide for the safe operation of electrically operated partitions in classrooms or other school facilities.
Concerns access to information maintained by Prescription Monitoring Program.
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.
Reestablishes senior citizen supplemental stabilization aid.
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.
Allows certain drug dealing offenses to be graded by "units," rather than weight, of controlled dangerous substances.
Expands eligibility under the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act by broadening certain municipal qualifier provisions.
Prohibits nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies based on proximity to water or risk of windstorm related claims.
Makes a $3 million supplemental appropriation for increased Per Capita Library Aid.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under gross income tax, eliminates income cap on exclusion.
Increases membership of PFRS board of trustees from 11 to 13 members.
Provides for mandatory imprisonment and forfeiture of retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of certain crimes.
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.
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.
"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.
Establishes NJ Animal Abuser Registry.
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.
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.
Prohibits public utility from filing rate increase petition under certain circumstances.
Increases criminal penalties if leaving loaded firearm within easy access of minor results in injury or death.
Requires mortgage lenders to maintain vacant, age-restricted dwelling units during foreclosure.
Requires prescribers and pharmacists to check prescription monitoring program prior to prescribing and dispensing Schedule II drugs.
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
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 transfer inheritance tax and increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amounts under New Jersey estate tax in accordance with provisions of federal tax law.
Permits exterior-based property reassessments within eight years of last municipal-wide revaluation.
Reduces maximum rate of interest to be charged for delinquent taxes from 18% to 12%.
Establishes a "Blue Alert System."
Provides gross income tax deduction for costs of purchasing and installing battery backups for certain home solar electrical generators.
Requires each school district to offer a summer payment plan for school district employees.
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.
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.
Prohibits sale of food and beverage packaging and containers made with bisphenol A.
Regulates advertising of manufacturer’s rebates by retail mercantile establishments.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for sales of services performed to certain prewritten computer software delivered electronically.
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.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
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.
Requires certain NJ Transit Corporation employees to undergo criminal history background checks and wear photo identification.
Ensures operation of certain motor fuel storage, distribution and dispensing facilities during disasters and emergencies.
Concerns valuation of property condemned for dune construction or beach replenishment.
Excludes certain public works contracts related to Hurricane Sandy recovery from prevailing wage requirements.
Omits State Police detectives from Open Public Records Act.
Limits upfront costs for oral anticancer medications for persons covered under certain health benefits plans.
Provides State income tax credit for removal of lawns near Barnegat Bay.
Prohibits smoking at State-owned beaches.
Establishes "Opioid Abuse Prevention Commission."
Revises certain provisions of New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program concerning reporting of and access to information, and mandatory use by practitioners and pharmacists.
Revises exemption from "unemployment compensation law" for operators of certain motor vehicles.
Requires State arts, historical, and cultural grant recipients to offer information on food and lodging in vicinity of event funded.
Establishes electronic database of occupants of hotels and multiple dwellings for use by fire safety and emergency service providers.
Requires fire suppression systems in all elementary and secondary schools 12,000 square feet or larger.
Enhances penalties imposed on drivers who have never been issued a driver's license.
Changes mandatory retirement age for Workers' Compensation Judges from age 70 to age 75.
Concerns Superstorm Sandy recovery.
Requires anyone receiving opioid antidote to treat drug overdose be provided with information concerning substance treatment programs and resources.
Requires public utility to reimburse business customer during period when business ceases operations due to utility repairing or replacing its equipment on business customer's property.
Prohibits local governments from requiring private employers to provide paid sick leave.
Establishes crime-fraud exception to marital and civil union partnership privilege; amends evidence statute.
Establishes animal cruelty offenses pertaining to chaining or other restraint of animals.
Authorizes veterans to deduct two years military service from age requirement for police officer under certain circumstances.
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 insurers that sell flood insurance to provide certain policyholders with certain information.
Requires State to lower compensation rate of civilly committed sexually violent predators to same level as State inmates for institutional work.
Increases amount annually credited to Shore Protection Fund to $50 million.
Makes fiscal year 2016 State supplemental appropriation and reduces State appropriation to transfer appropriation from preschool education aid to TPAF.
Regulates tethering of, and outdoor shelter for, dogs.
Prohibits utility from billing customer for costs incurred for certain upgrades to utility infrastructure; allows costs for certain upgrades to utility infrastructure be recovered in utility's rate base.
Establishes "Superstorm Sandy Homeowners Protection Act."
Requires health care practitioners to discuss risk of addiction when prescribing certain drugs to patients who are minors.
Amends definition of "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" in Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act."