Bills in the 2006–2007 Session, General Assembly.
Jim Whelan
Sponsored
Became law4
"Independence, Dignity and Choice in Long-Term Care Act"; reallocates State long-term care expenditures.
Enhances penalties for possessing, receiving, and transferring community guns.
Provides for instruction in autism and other developmental disabilities awareness and methods of teaching students with autism and other developmental disabilities for candidates for teaching certificates and current teachers and paraprofessionals. **
Makes certain changes to the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Financing Program.
Passed the General Assembly1
Imposes stricter regulation on issuance of absentee ballots; imposes penalty for failure to promptly count absentee ballots.
Out of committee6
Authorizes transfer of the Atlantic City Convention Center project to the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority.
Provides a corporation business tax credit for contributions to support facilities construction, expansion, renovation and upgrade at New Jersey public and independent institutions of higher education.
Provides that if an annual appropriation act is not enacted at the beginning of a State fiscal year casino gambling operations shall continue and all State employees shall be deemed essential. *
Prohibits application of certain temporary "black" or "blue" henna tattoos. *
Restricts receipt of things of value by members of the Legislature and legislative staff from lobbyists and governmental affairs agents; increases certain penalty provisions. *
Removes appropriations for gypsy moth suppression from the municipal expenditure cap and county and municipal tax levy cap.
In committee5
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Establishes fixed dates for employment contracts of certain State college professors and other employees.
Allows the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority to finance working capital loans for institutions of higher education, revenue-generating projects through institution affiliates, and projects of out-of-state institutions benefiting New Jersey stud
Requires government records to be made available on the Internet.
Provides that in event of State government shutdown due to failure to enact appropriation act casinos will remain open and State Police will replace Casino Control Commission inspectors.
Carried from the Senate
Passed the Senate1
Restricts receipt of things of value by members of the Legislature and legislative staff from lobbyists and governmental affairs agents; increases certain penalty provisions. *
Co-sponsored
Became law · 20
Revises qualifications to carry firearms for certain retired police officers.
Authorizes trained and qualified county corrections to carry a firearm at all times in New Jersey.
Establishes New Jersey Prescription Drug Retail Price Registry in Division of Consumer Affairs. **
Extends eligibility for higher education tuition assistance to certain former members of New Jersey National Guard and increases number of tuition-free credits available to National Guard members and their dependents.
Makes it a disorderly persons offense to purposely disrupt funeral through certain conduct. *
Limits Internet publication of financial disclosure statements of Casino Control Commission and Division of Gaming Enforcement employees and agents to those statements filed by employees and agents in policy-making management positions. *
Extends eligibility for New Jersey World Trade Center Scholarship Program to dependents and spouses of persons who died as a result of illness caused by exposure to attack sites.
The "Global Warming Response Act."
Permits certain motorcycle dealers to offer State-approved motorcycle safety education course.
Appropriates $8,552,405 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in southern NJ.
Establishes pilot program to conduct comprehensive eye examinations for second grade students.
Provides for the transfer of certain college credits.
Establishes the position of Ethics Counsel and mandates certain ethics consultation and training in the Legislative Branch of State government.
Concerns Early Intervention Program services for children with autism.
Establishes New Jersey Adults with Autism Task Force.
Extends funding for autism medical research and treatment.
Appropriates $40 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.
The "Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007"; authorizes issuance of $200 million in bonds; appropriates $5,000.
Revises statutory law concerning shellfisheries.
Vetoed · 1
Repeals cosmetic medical procedure gross receipts tax.
Passed the General Assembly · 19
Reconstitutes membership of Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to eight public members only; permits committee to require additional financial disclosure by legislators. *
Creates a credit card do-not-solicit list for certain persons. **
Prohibits certain elected officials from receiving dual health benefit coverage.
Requires written security plan when school is polling place and open to students; provides that schools may be used as polling places only under certain circumstances; makes appropriation.
Establishes innovation zone program to stimulate technology industry clusters around New Jersey's research universities, colleges or research hospitals.
Authorizes release of sex offender registration information to DHS and county welfare agencies.
The "Consumer Telephone Records Protection Act of 2006."
Imposes surcharge on drunk drivers to establish Drunk Driving Prevention and Education Grant Fund.
Requires that any United States or State of New Jersey flag purchased with State funds be manufactured in the United States.
Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to high school seniors.
Authorizes civil action for certain economic damages against owner or keeper of pet animal that injures or kills another person's pet animal.
Prohibits sending unsolicited advertising by text messaging.
Requires annual review of all released sex offenders to determine if they were registered and tiered.
Provides for funding of casino regulation during period when annual appropriations act is not in effect.
Prohibits display of gift card account numbers.
Requires DHSS and DHS to establish autism and intellectual and other developmental disabilities awareness program for emergency medical technicians, police officers, and firefighters. *
Provides additional enforcement provisions under "Health Care Quality Act"; allows certain private causes of action for violations; expands administrative remedies; establishes enforcement fund.
Requires DHSS to make reported information about certain adverse events publicly available.
Amends stalking law to broaden protections for victims.
Out of committee · 34
Establishes the Dana Christmas Scholarship for Heroism Program.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" increases sentences for sex offenders and persons who harbor them. *
Revises "Off-Track and Account Wagering Act". *
Permits in-person wagering at casinos on results of professional sports events, subject to voter approval.
Establishes sex offender monitoring program. *
Authorizes grants to New Jersey Transit Police Department to purchase body vests.
Provides for civil and criminal penalties for giving false information pertaining to violations of environmental laws. *
"Bloodborne Disease Harm Reduction Act"; establishes demonstration program to permit operation of sterile syringe access programs; appropriates $10 million. *
Allows release of sex offender information to DYFS.
Establishes the crime of corruption of public resources.
Recodifies Title 4 criminal animal cruelty offenses in State criminal code; increases level of certain offenses and crimes; establishes new offenses; revises civil penalties; repeals various sections of law; designated as Angel's Law. **
"Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority Act." *
Establishes the New Jersey Task Force on Domestic Violence and Abuse.
Allows counties and municipalities to comply with certain publication requirements by means of Internet.
Establishes the "Public Corruption Profiteering Penalty Act."
Exempts from sales tax all hybrid and certain highly fuel efficient vehicles.
Upgrades tampering generally; upgrades tampering with prescribed medicine to second degree crime under certain circumstances.
Increases membership of PFRS board of trustees from 11 to 13 members.
Includes electronic communication in definition of public school "harassment, intimidation or bullying."
Requires lottery prizes over $600 be offset to satisfy debt owed to State government.
Authorizes DCA Commissioner to prepare and make available to the public a green building manual.
Requires written notice to be provided to county health departments and local health agencies concerning contaminated sites. *
Allows authorized representative of deceased or incapacitated dentist to contract with another dentist to continue practice for one year.
Allows certain public entities to join with State under certain circumstances for purchase of certain energy services for their facilities.
Requires the State Police to establish a recently relocated offenders section within the Megan's Law sex offender Internet registry. *
Consumer Electronics Warranty Lemon Law.
Prohibits municipal prosecutors from making certain recommendations to the court. *
Establishes New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.
Revises requirements for voter disqualification of persons lacking capacity to understand the act of voting.
Makes changes concerning Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism.
Makes it a primary offense for motorists to talk on or text message with hand-held wireless telephone or electronic communication device while driving. *
Requires hospitals to implement infection prevention programs.
Requires hospitals to report certain information concerning infection rates to DHSS and requires DHSS to make information public.
Expands program eligibility and enhances benefit amount under the New Jersey earned income tax credit program.
In committee · 38
Establishes Violence Free School Zones for public elementary and secondary schools.
The "Public Dam Rehabilitation Project Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $90,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
Extends useful life of certain school buses from 12 to 16 years.
Creates "Task Force on the Extension of Route 55."
Establishes voluntary Statewide physician joint purchasing alliance.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Increases drunk driving enforcement surcharge.
Changes reimbursement structure for various transportation services provided to Medicaid recipients.
Enhances penalties for driving when license revoked.
Requires forfeiture of public office upon conviction of fourth degree crime or higher; disqualifies person from future office upon conviction of fourth degree crime or higher or conviction of crime involving dishonesty.
Prohibits school districts from hiring governmental affairs agents.
The "New Jersey Consumer Catastrophe Preparedness and Protection Act"; creates "New Jersey Catastrophe Fund"; appropriates $10,000,000.
Authorizes POW license plates for leased vehicles.
Includes adult with onset physical disabilities as eligible criteria for assistance through Special Needs Housing Trust Fund.
Establishes universal credit equivalency program to provide seamless transfer of college credits by institutions of higher education.
Codifies COAH growth share methodology; permits municipally-funded rental vouchers to be used to satisfy affordable housing obligation and requires their use prior to regional contribution agreement.
Eliminates a parent's right to inherit under certain circumstances.
Requires that public employees who are married or with domestic partners receive health care benefits from only one public employer.
Requires motor vehicle dealer to pay off loan on trade-in within five days.
Requires physicians and other prescribers to obtain informed consent from parents or guardians of minors for medications with "black box warnings."
Raises age requirement of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 17 years.
Establishes prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse public awareness campaign; designated Jason's Law.
Creates "New Jersey Voter Reward Act."
Requires newly manufactured handguns be micro-stamped.
Authorizes COAH to credit municipalities' fair share affordable housing obligations with certain housing units occupied by employees of a State or regional cultural center located within 3,000 feet of the housing units.
Provides that if wireless telephone service subscriber terminates service, any applicable subscriber termination fee is to be prorated.
Prohibits commercial mobile service providers from requiring subscribers to purchase new cellular telephone equipment in certain cases.
Wireless Telephone Consumer Protection Act; establishes certain consumer protections for wireless telephone subscribers.
Authorizes special Gold Star Family license plates.
Prohibits commercial mobile service providers from requiring subscribers to pay a charge for calling emergency 9-1-1 service.
Clarifies that all documents pertaining to the issuance of bonds for public recreation purposes are public records.
Authorizes school districts to enter into 10-year lease purchase agreements for the acquisition of equipment and 20-year lease purchase agreements for improvements or additions to school buildings.
Provides certain part-time faculty members at public institutions of higher education with partially paid health care benefits.
Affords employment protection to certain volunteer emergency responders.
Provides "Patriots Corner" tribute in State House to New Jersey residents serving in US Armed Forces, reserve components and New Jersey National Guard.
Requires health insurers to provide benefits for Pap smears at least annually.
Requires hang tag for holders of provisional driver's license and windshield sticker for holders of special learner's permit and examination permit.
Establishes New Jersey Reading Disabilities Task Force.