Bills in the 2016–2017 Session, General Assembly.
David W. Wolfe
Sponsored
Passed the General Assembly3
Creates new $100 assessment for convictions of certain sexual offenses to fund counseling for victims and their families; establishes Sexual Offender Victim Counseling Fund.
Allows shore municipalities to provide spouse and dependent children of veterans free or reduced cost access to beaches.
Provides that PFRS definitions of widow, widower and spouse will include domestic partners of all PFRS members.
Out of committee4
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
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."
Changes law regulating size limits of lobsters.
Requires DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to use only native vegetation for landscaping, land management, reforestation, or habitat restoration.
In committee46
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.
Authorizes criminal history record background checks of employees and volunteers of nonprofit domestic violence victim serving organizations.
Establishes Autism Education Council.
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.
Includes screening for toxoplasmosis in newborn screening program.
Expands scope of serological testing of certain defendants to include blood-borne diseases.
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 State.
Requires water purveyors to notify municipalities they service regarding water supply and water quality issues.
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.
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.
Imposes criminal penalties for discharges of untreated sewage from containment devices installed on watercraft.
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.
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.
"Homestead School Property Tax Reimbursement Act"; provides State reimbursement for 50% of school property taxes paid by seniors, 65 years and older.
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.
Requires health care facility staff to provide certain counseling following miscarriages and State registrar to establish certificate of birth.
Increases income eligibility limit for homestead property tax reimbursement program.
Requires tenure charges be filed against any public school employee found to have bullied a student and requires the employment of any nontenured public school employee be terminated for such activity.
Requires State reimbursement to municipalities of cost of disabled veterans' total property tax exemption.
Requires health care practitioners prescribing opioid medications on first-time basis, or to minor children, to limit amount of prescribed medication to seven-day supply, except in certain circumstances.
Establishes Task Force on School District Regionalization.
Creates Advisory Committee on New Jersey's Historic Commercial Fishing Grounds.
Increases fines for failing to have required markings on commercial vehicles.
Requires issuance of tourniquets to law enforcement officers; requires emergency service vehicles be equipped with tourniquets.
Establishes certain best practices for maternal care, and establishes Maternal Mortality Review Commission to annually review maternal death rates and causes and recommend further improvements in maternal care.
Carried from the Senate
Became law2
Requires DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to use only native vegetation for landscaping, land management, reforestation, or habitat restoration.
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."
Co-sponsored
Became law · 12
Allows fire district elections to be moved to November; eliminates certain fire district budget referenda; and eliminates certain fire district capital purchase referenda.
Establishes certain penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.*
Authorizes use of emergency reserve fund or proceeds from bonds issued by EDA to finance school security improvements.
Establishes "Secondhand Valuables Transaction Reporting Task Force."
Allows NJ STARS and NJ STARS II scholarship recipients to maintain program eligibility in the event that medical condition or recent death of parent or spouse prevents enrollment as full-time student.
Authorizes counties to issue promotional labeling for county agricultural products.
Establishes Farm to School Coordinating Council.
Establishes New Jersey School Safety Specialist Academy in Department of Education and requires school districts to designate school safety specialist.
Requires certain school security measures to be incorporated in architectural design of new school construction and certain school security measures for existing buildings.
Requires annual school security training for school employees to be conducted collaboratively with emergency responders; requires law enforcement officer to annually attend at least one school security drill.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
Passed the General Assembly · 10
"Transparency in Government Act"; provides for establishment of State public finance website.
"Linnette Lebron's Law" modifies procedures for marriage or civil union where a party is terminally ill.
Directs Commissioner of Education to encourage implementation of Natural High Drug Prevention Program in school districts.*
Establishes NJ "Farm-to-Table Restaurant" awards program.*
Establishes "New Jersey Farm to Public Institution of Higher Education Program."
Allows qualified school to be called "New Jersey Farm Fresh School."
Permits school participating in NJ "Farm to School" program to submit recipe for posting on Dept. of Agriculture website.
Increases penalties for energy "slamming" practices.
"The Smarter Lunchroom Act;" promotes healthy food choices in school cafeterias.
Expands health insurance coverage for behavioral health services and autism and enhances enforcement and oversight of mental health parity laws. *
Out of committee · 21
Establishes four-year pilot program in Ocean County for electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence offenders; designated as "Lisa's Law"; appropriates $2.5 million.
Requires annual General Fund appropriation to DMVA for purposes of base realignment and closure. *
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Requires each board of education to adopt policy establishing temperature control standards and guidelines for school district facilities.
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.
Reduces maximum rate of interest to be charged for delinquent taxes from 18% to 12%.
Requires Commissioner of Education to include data on chronic absenteeism and disciplinary suspensions on School Report Card and requires public schools to make certain efforts to combat chronic absenteeism.
Requires anyone administered opioid antidote to treat drug overdose be provided with information concerning substance treatment programs and resources.*
Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to forgive certain student loans in the event of student borrower's death or total and permanent disability and grant deferment for temporary total disability.*
Increases amount annually credited to Shore Protection Fund to $50 million.
Establishes requirements concerning necessary care of dogs, domestic companion animals, and service animals, and for tethering of dogs.***
Establishes "Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Program."
Provides gross income tax deduction for certain home elevation expenses.
Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend additional sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2017.
Amends list of environmental infrastructure projects approved for long-term funding for FY 2017 to include new projects and revise allowable loan amounts for already approved projects.
Authorizes NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2018.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2018.
Directs State Board of Education to review and incorporate within New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education instructional standards on water safety.*
Amends list of environmental infrastructure projects approved for long-term funding for FY2018 to include new projects and revise allowable loan amounts for already approved projects.
Authorizes NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend additional sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2018; allocates funds from Local Aid Infrastructure Fund for operating and administrative expenses for transportation
In committee · 120
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.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under gross income tax, eliminates income cap on exclusion.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
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.
Limits certain unused sick leave pay and vacation leave carry-forward for school and local employees; limits sick leave use by new public employees before retirement.
Concerns eligibility for unemployment benefits for certain seasonal workers.
Requires health care practitioners to discuss risk of addiction when prescribing certain drugs to patients who are minors.
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.
Expands eligibility under the Urban Transit Hub Tax Credit Act by broadening certain municipal qualifier provisions.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Establishes a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
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.
Phases out estate tax over five-year period.
Prohibits nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies based on proximity to water or risk of windstorm related claims.
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.
"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.
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.
Exempts senior citizens and blind or disabled persons from certain realty transfer fees.
Prohibits certain sex offenders from working in ice cream trucks and amusement parks.
Authorizes special parking insignias for passenger automobiles used to transport the developmentally disabled.
Provides credit under corporation business tax and gross income tax for marinas and boatyards that follow certain environmentally sound management practices.
Establishes NJ Animal Abuser Registry.
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.
Establishes new offenses concerning the unlawful possession and use of credit card scanners.
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.
Requires installation of emergency power supply systems to certain common areas of new planned real estate developments; provides related tax incentives.
Clarifies that fishing license is not required to fish at a private community lake.
Provides State income tax credit for removal of lawns near Barnegat Bay.
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.
Exempts military personnel receiving combat zone pay from the gross income tax.
Establishes "Superstorm Sandy Homeowners Protection Act."
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Prohibits sale of food and beverage packaging and containers made with bisphenol A.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Requires certain CATV companies issued system-wide franchise agreement to make CATV service available throughout its franchise area.
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.
Revises laws concerning real estate licensees.
Permits exterior-based property reassessments within eight years of last municipal-wide revaluation.
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
Provides State aid for certain adult education programs.
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 Adjutant General of DMVA to issue State flag to resident enrolling in federal service academy.
Provides full forfeiture of pension of elected or appointed official convicted of any crime touching office.
Concerns Superstorm Sandy recovery.
Grants prescriptive authority to certain psychologists.
Enhances penalties imposed on drivers who have never been issued a driver's license.
Makes fiscal year 2016 State supplemental appropriation and reduces State appropriation to transfer appropriation from preschool education aid to TPAF.
Increases penalties for unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing fentanyl.
Regulates tethering and confinement of, and proper shelter for, dogs.
Prohibits smoking at State-owned beaches.
Terminates imposition of general purpose fee under realty transfer fee and one percent assessment on purchases of residential real property selling for more than $1,000,000.
Establishes electronic database of occupants of hotels and multiple dwellings for use by fire safety and emergency service providers.
Authorizes municipalities to require subdivision approval prior to or as condition of creation or conveyance of certain condominiums or units thereof.
Establishes affirmative defense against builder's remedy lawsuits.
Requires a public school district to provide a daily recess period for students in grades kindergarten through 5.
Limits upfront costs for oral anticancer medications for persons covered under certain health benefits plans.
Requires insurers that sell flood insurance to provide certain policyholders with certain information.
Requires fire suppression systems in all elementary and secondary schools 12,000 square feet or larger.
Requires public schools to include instruction on cursive handwriting.
Authorizes veterans to deduct two years military service from age requirement for police officer under certain circumstances.
Requires explosive gas detectors to be installed in certain residential properties.
Increases the personal income tax's pension and retirement income exclusion fivefold over three years.
Eliminates use of vaccines containing mercury over three years.
Permits municipalities impacted by Hurricane Sandy to borrow for current expenses through December 31, 2017, and repay special emergency notes over a 10-year period.
Increases exclusion amount under New Jersey estate tax; phases out estate tax over five years.
Prohibits certain sex offenders from holding position or participating in youth ministry.
Requires Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to facilitate establishment of four new recovery community centers.
Establishes reasonableness standard for persons lawfully transporting firearm who deviate from course of travel.
Requires installation of ignition interlock device if sentence for DWI is stayed pending appeal.
Requires public and nonpublic school to provide student with more information about NJ STARS Program and improve notification of potenial eligibilty.
Establishes senior freeze credit applied directly to property tax bills.
Increases exclusion amount under New Jersey estate tax; phases out estate tax over four years.
Establishes one New Jersey Suicide Prevention Advisory Council in DOH.
Provides gross income tax deduction for certain E-ZPass tolls paid.
Excludes passenger and freight rail projects from purposes for which revenue from increase in petroleum products gross receipts tax revenue may be used.
"Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act"; requires Internet-connected devices to have blocking capability in certain circumstances.
Permits short-term tax exemption for certain improvements to dwellings damaged by natural disasters.
Imposes moratorium on affordable housing litigation through December 31, 2017.
Establishes "Affordable Housing Obligation Study Commission."
Limits payment to certain public employees for accumulated sick leave upon retirement; requires fine and reprimand or termination for violation of sick leave by public employee.
Limits use and supplemental compensation for certain leave.
Restricts use of accumulated sick leave by public employees in year prior to retirement.
Limits certain unused sick leave pay and vacation leave carry-forward for public officers and employees.
Requires State aid reduction to municipalities and school districts by amount of accumulated absences paid to employees upon their retirement.
Eliminates payments for unused sick leave earned after effective date; limits carry forward of unused vacation leave; requires suspension and forfeiture of certain payments; limits use of unused sick leave in year before retirement.
Allows certain drug dealing offenses to be graded by "units," rather than weight, of controlled dangerous substances.
Requires defendants charged with certain crimes to be placed in home confinement prior to trial.
Permits certain firefighter training courses to be taken online.
Revises test for employment or independent contractor status under certain State labor laws.
Establishes Red Tape Review Commission.
Reduces taxable wage base applied to certain tax contributions.
Requires school districts to provide instruction on water safety as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Filed · 3
Appropriates $8,992,898 to DEP from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $71,700,224 from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues and various Green Acres funds to DEP for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Appropriates $12.3 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for recreation and conservation purposes to DEP for State capital and park development projects.