Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, Senate.
Diane B. Allen
Sponsored
Became law2
Recognizes American Sign Language as a world language for meeting high school graduation requirements.
Upgrades simple assault to aggravated assault if committed against certain law enforcement officers and employees because of job status.
Vetoed1
Prohibits the restraint of prisoners during and immediately after childbirth.
Passed the Senate1
Establishes the four-year "New Jersey Innovation Inspiration School Grant Pilot Program" in DOE to fund non-traditional science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs.
Out of committee10
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act"; imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances. *
Requires public school students in grades 9 through 12 to receive instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automated external defibrillator prior to graduation*
Exempts storage facility space furnished to active duty military personnel from sales and use tax.
Requires issuance of one free copy of a veteran's death certificate to certain authorized persons upon request.
Concerns exemptions from permits for certain agricultural activities under "Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act". *
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.*
Requires annual General Fund appropriation to DMVA for Council on Armed Forces and Veterans' Affairs for purposes of base realignment and closure.*
Creates workforce training program for former casino workers.
Mandates public school teachers complete professional development related to appropriate professional teacher-student relationships.
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.
In committee84
Requires "just compensation" for condemnation of single-family residence to be based on cost of comparable relocation properties.
Prohibits municipal officers and employees serving on redevelopment or housing agencies from voting to condemn property.
Eliminates general purpose, supplemental and mansion realty transfer fees.
Expands civil rights protections to include pregnancy and breast-feeding; requires employers to provide daily break to breast-feeding mothers.
Shortens term of municipal court judges from three years to one year.
Requires DHSS to post on website information concerning hospital emergency department staffing and services for pediatric patients.
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.
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Prohibits animal cruelty violators from working at, or owning or operating, an animal-related enterprise; designated as "Moose's Law."
Extends alternate route police training certification for military personnel for time deployed.
Establishes the "Veterans Court Pilot Program," in two vicinages including Burlington County.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employer-provided child care expenditures.
Increases fine for violation of certain laws concerning pedestrian safety and traffic control; dedicates funds to certain roadways.
Requires percentage of motor vehicle fines be used to support safe routes to school initiatives.
Increases penalties for motor vehicle violations resulting in serious bodily injury or death to certain persons in highway.
Requires certain disclosures in advertisements by health care professionals.
Affords emergency services peer counselors confidentiality privileges.
Makes a $3 million supplemental appropriation for increased Per Capita Library Aid.
Allows Attorney General to prevent halfway house placement of murderers.
Creates the crime of victimization of a senior citizen or a person with a disability.
Clarifies that "entering" a public place for a drug deal is conduct included in C.2C:33-2.1.
Places temporary moratorium on use of eminent domain; creates Eminent Domain Study Commission to examine its use Statewide.
Requires certain persons licensed or appointed to inspect homes to pass criminal history background check.
Eliminates transfer inheritance taxes on brothers and sisters of a decedent.
Allows refundable gross income tax credit for certain unreimbursed hearing aid expenses.
Excludes certain federal employee retirement fund contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Allows persons affected by certain plant closings, transfers and mass layoffs to receive one year suspension of payment of interest on mortgage loan.
Upgrades offense of simple assault to aggravated assault when victim is employee of DHS and clearly engaged in duties conducting investigation.
Requires adult Work First New Jersey recipients to complete secondary education under certain circumstances and receive life skills training.
Requires DEP to conduct vibration analysis along routes for disposal of dredged material from Delaware River.
Permits a tax deduction under the New Jersey gross income tax for taxpayers who operate or maintain for their employees a licensed child care center or who have paid the cost of outside child care.
Concerns special needs trusts for persons with developmental disabilities.
Creates special fallen firefighter plates with proceeds to children of fallen firefighters.
Revises procedures for the use of eminent domain and compensation for loss of business in municipal redevelopment programs.
"Family Home Occupation Act;" classifies certain home-occupations as accessory uses needing no use variances in residential zone; authorizes municipalities to limit or exclude certain warehousing, manufacturing or retailing activities.
Provides that records of convictions for carjacking and promoting prostitution of a child shall not be expunged.
Provides for a mandatory minimum term for assaulting a law enforcement officer.
"New Jersey Housing Assistance for Veterans Act," establishes pilot program to assist certain veterans with housing modification and rehabilitation; appropriates $5 million.
Enacts the "NJ Family First Employer Act"; establishes award for certain employers.
Requires court to issue animal protection order against person found guilty of abusing an animal.
Requires municipal court to hear certain violations of animal cruelty statutes within 14 days of the summons date.
Immunizes employers from civil liability for certain disclosures regarding employees and former employees.
Authorizes the AG or the Commissioner of DOLWD to obtain expedited injunction for violations of law requiring prenotification of certain plant closings, transfers and mass layoffs.
Concerns free access to certain job training courses for employees affected by plant closings, mass layoffs or transfer of operations.
Provides for full State funding of the special education costs of students who reside in resource family homes.
Establishes NJ Task Force on Utility Sub-metering.
Creates a civil "rape shield" law for certain civil suits.
Exempts certain New Jersey teachers' purchase of qualified teaching materials from sales and use tax.
Requires certain official State forms to contain the language oath or affirmation and swear to or affirm when the forms are reprinted.
Provides additional State school aid to certain districts with expenditures below districts' adequacy threshold.
Requires payment of certain attorney's fees, expenses and costs in identity theft cases; adds debit card numbers to definition of "personal identifying information".
Prohibits certain drunk driver claims against licensed alcoholic beverage servers.
Allows identity theft victims to petition for judicial determination of factual innocence.
Requires school districts to provide information to high school students on cancers of the reproductive system as part of the health curriculum.
Requires Department of Education to encourage boards of education to offer instruction in media literacy.
Requires school districts and child care centers to distribute information on Megan's Law and instructions on how to access the Megan's Law sex offender registry website.
Requires school districts to notify DOE whenever law enforcement is called to respond to incident occurring at school.
Eliminates imposition of sales and use tax on charges for initiation fees, membership fees, or dues for access to or use of certain health and fitness clubs and organizations.
Provides PFRS member in federal or State military service who is injured or killed with disability or death benefits.
Concerns leases of publicly-owned land for agricultural or horticultural use.
Requires school facilities projects to maintain the character of historic school facilities.
Requires candidates for teacher certification to complete technology training program.
Schedules the termination of the realty transfer fees.
Increases State contract sum eligible for payment and performance bond waiver to not more than $300,000; provides for CPI inflation adjustment every four years.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employers engaged in farming operations.
Exempts nursing mothers from jury duty.
Concerns subcontracting agreements entered into by public school districts and higher education institutions.
Establishes "Right to Try Act" permitting terminally ill patients to access investigational drugs and treatment.
Establishes pilot project to permit certain overseas and military voters to vote in certain elections using Internet; makes an appropriation.
Requires disclosure of breach of security of online account.
Prohibits cloud computing service providers from disclosing data collected from public, private, or charter school.
Requires laboratory analysis of waste or material generated by hydraulic fracturing; requires DEP permit, and disclosure of plans, methods, or processes to treat, store, process, or dispose of such waste or material.
Establishes right of sexual assault victim to notification of certain developments in criminal case.
Permits religious institutions to request DCF conduct child abuse record checks of certain prospective and current employees and volunteers.
Requires annual suicide prevention instruction for public school teaching staff members as part of professional development requirement.
Establishes Commission on Career and Technical Education and creates initiatives that promote career and technical education programs in State.
Requires denial of grant by NJEDA or other State agency to include critique of how applicant business falls short of requirements and standards.
Requires DHS to prioritize placement of parents of children receiving services from DCPP in mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
Requires local units and agencies to extend family health coverage for six months to surviving spouse and dependents of public safety officers who had family medical coverage but did not die in the line of duty.
Establishes P-20 Workforce Development Advisory Council to advise various State agencies of workforce development needs.
Provides that teacher committing act of sexual penetration with student who is 18 or older is guilty of sexual assault under certain circumstances.
Establishes Licensed Prevailing Wage Inspection Professional Program.
Requires inspection of nail salons by NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling.
Requires health insurers, SHBP, and SEHBP health benefits coverage for eating disorders.
Carried from the General Assembly
Became law1
Concerns exemptions from permits for certain agricultural activities under "Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act". *
Vetoed1
Creates workforce training program for former casino workers.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 14
Provides that nonpublic school nursing services may include nursing services for a preschool pupil in the event of an emergency.
Requires school districts to adopt policies concerning electronic communications between employees and students.
Establishes Office of the Special Education Ombudsman in DOE.
Permits adoptees and certain others to obtain adoptee's original birth certificate and other related information.
Establishes "College Affordability Study Commission" to examine issues and develop recommendations to increase the affordability of higher education in New Jersey.
Appropriates $22,463,000 in 2003 bond act monies for loans to fund dam restoration projects.*
Requires each State agency to review permits issued by the agency and make necessary changes to expedite and facilitate permitting.
Regulates pharmacy benefits managers and requires certain disclosures concerning multiple source generic drug pricing.
Permits successful completion of special probation drug court program notwithstanding use od medication-assisted treatment.*
Requires earlier mandatory polling hours for school elections; requires discretionary additional polling hours be consistent with current primary and general elections.*
Establishes requirements for training programs for homemaker-home health aides in care of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.*
Clarifies that Alzheimer's disease and related disorders may be listed as secondary cause of death on death certificate when appropriate.
Prohibits Division of Developmental Disabilities from compelling transfers of individuals with developmental disabilities from out-of-State to in-State facilities unless certain exceptions apply.
Authorizes establishment of recovery high school alternative education programs.
Vetoed · 8
Authorizes certain gestational carrier agreements.
Establishes in DOC, supervised community reintegration program for certain victims of domestic abuse.*
Revises procedure for issuance of amended birth certificate for person who has undergone change in sex.
Establishes Office of State Dental Director and New Jersey Oral Health Commission.**
Establishes time periods for adverse possession of certain property.
Provides for licensure of ambulatory care facilities to provide integrated primary care services including behavioral health care.
Establishes Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Advisory Council.*
The "Municipal Volunteer Property Tax Reduction Act"; permits certain municipal property owners to perform volunteer services in return for property tax vouchers.
Passed the Senate · 18
Requires Commissioner of DHSS to convene a strategic planning summit to analyze the State's physician workforce supply.
Requires reservation of portion of tenant vouchers under State rental assistance program for veterans.
Provides for representation of certain regions of State on New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Permits municipality to establish civil penalty for smoking in public places.
Revises Newborn Screening program in DHSS.
Permits municipalities and school districts to contract for video monitoring systems to assist in enforcing law against unlawfully passing a school bus.
Extends veteran's property tax exemption to tenant shareholders in cooperatives and mutual housing corporations.
Designates portion of State Highway Route No. 35 as "Chosin Few Memorial Highway."
Establishes pilot program in DOE to recruit disadvantaged or minority men to teach in certain failing schools under alternate route program.
Designates May of each year "Military Appreciation Month" in New Jersey.
Concerns NJ Transit's treatment of people with guide or service dogs; establishes Access Link Customer Service Group.
Requires health care practitioners to inform patients of addiction potential of controlled dangerous substances prior to issuing prescription.
Requires review of Core Curriculum Content Standards to ensure guidence for substance abuse instruction provided to public school students incorporates most recent evidence-based standards and practices.*
Upgrades crime of stalking when stalking activity is carried out or assisted by installation or use of communication or location monitoring program or device on cellular phone or wireless mobile device.*
Establishes "Atlantic City Growth Tax Credit Program" to grant tax credits to promote the development of non-rental housing in Atlantic City.
Requires hospital patient's medical record to include notation if patient has Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
Establishes Class Three special law enforcement officers to provide security in public and nonpublic schools.
Provides tuition benefits at public institutions of higher education to New Jersey residents who are members of reserve component of Armed Forces of United States.
Out of committee · 52
Requires certain bidders for prevailing wage public work to provide proof that the prevailing wage will be paid.
Creates New Jersey Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act.
Establishes State Transportation Infrastructure Bank within New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust.
Requires use of bear-resistant containers, dumpsters, or food boxes in certain areas located in black bear habitat under certain circumstances, including garbage collection, and prohibits certain actions that would result in feeding of black bears.
Requires public institutions of higher education to waive or reimburse application fees and transcript fees for veterans and members of the military.
"New Jersey Tuition Equality for America's Military (NJTEAM) Act"; provides in-State tuition at New Jersey public institutions of higher education to military veterans and certain family members living in New Jersey.
Reinstates moratorium on imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.*
Increases State hotel and motel occupancy fee revenues required to be annually appropriated to fund certain arts and cultural, historical, and tourism-related programs and activities.
Establishes the "New Jersey Family Collaborative Law Act." *
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for active duty members of United States Armed Forces, Reserve components thereof, and National Guard from New Jersey.
Extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers, with some restrictions.
Prohibits sending unsolicited advertising by text messaging, and requires companies offering text messaging services to allow customers to block all incoming and outgoing text messages.*
Prohibits certain unsolicited checks.
Requires State Board of Education regulations regarding school nurse certification to include certain minimum eligibility requirements.
Clarifies that first aid, ambulance or rescue squads, as entities, have immunity from civil damages in certain circumstances.
Authorizes public financing of primary election campaigns to fill gubernatorial vacancy and general election campaigns to fill vacancy in offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor.
Enables collection of voluntary contributions for New Jersey Nonprofit Veterans Organizations through gross income tax returns.
Creates the option to make a voluntary contribution for the support of local libraries on gross income tax returns.
Encourages the establishment of "breakfast after the bell" programs in school districts, public school, and nonpublic schools participating in the federal school breakfast program.
Makes construction work on public utilities subject to "The Public Works Contractor Registration Act."
Provides for increase in allowance paid to veterans with certain wartime service-connected disabilities.
Requires a board of education to consult with appropriate nonpublic school representatives prior to any change in the provision of nursing services.
Implements current car seat safety recommendations.
Requires one-time application for requesting services for individuals with developmental disabilities from DCF and DHS.
Permits a child whose parent or guardian is ordered into active military service to remain enrolled in the school district where the child's parent or guardian resided prior to active military service.
Provides that beginning with the 2016-2017 grade nine class, Advanced Placement computer science course may satisfy a part of the mathematics credits required for high school graduation.*
Prohibits manufacture, sale or promotion of personal care products containing microbeads.*
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. *
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.*
Establishes four-year County Vocational School District Partnership Grant Program in DOE.
Provides additional State school aid to county vocational school districts in which enrollment increases by more than 10%.
Provides State aid for certain adult education programs.
Requires teachers of health and physical education in grades kindergarten through six in public schools to possess the appropriate endorsement to the instructional certificate, and includes a "grandfather" provision.
Designates cheerleading as interscholastic sport; requires safety harness at health clubs with members who are cheerleaders.
Requires each school district with middle school or high school to establish food services advisory committee to consider menu options that reflect students' cultural, traditional, and dietary preferences.
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. *
Allows charitable assets set aside from the sale of a nonprofit hospital to a for-profit entity to be allocated to a successor nonprofit hospital acquiring the for-profit hospital.
Establishes a three-year Statewide "Veterans Treatment Court Pilot Program." *
Upgrades violation of a stalking restraining order to a crime of the third degree.*
Establishes program to provide assistance to qualified veterans in in-patient and out-patient treatment programs to travel to medical counseling in State.*
Requires Adjutant General to create informational webpage for female veterans.
Requires development and maintenance of database to advise public about open bed availability in residential substance use disorders treatment facilities.
Requires continuing care retirement communities to provide residents with information on influenza vaccines for older adults.
Allows dispensation of certain nutritional supplements by physician or podiatric physician.
Provides that strangulation of victim resulting in bodily injury during commission of act of domestic violence constitutes aggravated assault.
Mandates health benefits coverage for opioid analgesics with abuse-deterrent properties.
Establishes Military and Defense Economic Ombudsman in Department of State; makes appropriation.
Facilitates coordination of land use planning between civilian and military interests to preserve viability of federal military installations within State.
Provides preference to certain employers applying for workforce development grants.
Establishes New Jersey Military Skills Council.
In committee · 66
Provides loan redemption for certain physicians who work in State 10 years.
Requires hospital to notify patient admitted for observation of possible increased prescription charges and allow patient to use patient's own medication.
"Volunteer Medical Professional Health Care Act."
Requires school districts to incorporate age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education in grades preschool through 12 as part of Core Curriculum Content Standards in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
Establishes "Commission on College Tuition."
Immunizes from civil liability first responders who forcibly enter property to provide emergency assistance.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Clarifies definition of reasonably necessary deviation when legally transporting firearm or weapon in motor vehicle.
Establishes one-year moratorium on replacement of copper-based landline telephone service with non-copper-based landline or wireless telephone service; requires BPU to report to Governor and Legislature.
Requires two-way communications equipment on school buses.
Upgrades crime of soliciting or recruiting for criminal street gang while on school property.
Modifies various aspects of charter school program including student enrollment procedures, revocation of charter, monitoring of charter schools, and collaboration between school districts and charter schools.
Permits a child who moves out of a school district due to a family crisis to remain enrolled in that district until the end of the school year.
Requires DOE to train teachers and administrators and monitor districts on bias and discrimination in special education classification.
Requires each school district to annually submit interscholastic athletic opportunity report to the Commissioner of Education.
Authorizes public schools to serve to students certain produce grown in community garden.
Allows deduction against gross income for unreimbursed expenses incurred by organ donor.
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 reporting of suspected abuse of institutionalized elderly to police and that facility employees receive notice of reporting requirement annually; designated as "Peggy's Law."
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as State song.
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
Increases filing threshold for the New Jersey estate tax to $1,000,000.
Increases penalty for harboring or concealing certain sex offenders.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act"; imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.
Upgrades the disorderly persons offense of desecration of a venerated object to a crime of the third degree if the object desecrated is a military monument.
"Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensing Act."
Removes statute of limitations in certain civil actions for sexual abuse; expands categories of defendants liable in such actions.
Establishes civil action for damages against organizations that support terrorism.
Revises "Contractors Registration Act" to include water remediation services.
Clarifies that non-credit courses are eligible courses under the volunteer tuition credit program.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for sales of services performed to certain prewritten computer software delivered electronically.
Prohibits emergency service fees.
Specifies that certain images generated by body scans violate State statutes prohibiting invasion of privacy, pornography, and endangerment of child welfare under certain circumstances.
Allows gross income tax refunds to be credited against a taxpayer's delinquent local property taxes and adjusts administration of setoffs against gross income tax refunds and homestead rebates or credits.
Provides civil immunity for certain volunteer physicians, nonprofit clinics, and federally qualified health centers.
Requires coverage of medication therapy management in Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare.
Codifies in statute case law developed legal standards for establishing grandparent and sibling visitation with a child when visitation objected to by child's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
Prohibits use of body imaging scanners to screen passengers and airline crew members.
Grants immunity from civil liability to persons reporting information concerning crimes related to terrorism.
Conforms Megan's law to requirements of federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Makes certain body searches third degree crime of sexual assault under certain circumstances.
Makes various statutory changes to "Child Care Licensing Act."
Provides for oversight of DHS contracts with providers serving persons with developmental disabilities.
Requires release of bid list prior to bid date under "Local Public Contracts Law."
Allows public contractors paying benefits under collective bargaining agreements to count benefit costs toward compliance with local "living wage" ordinances.
Makes revisions to the "Contractors' Registration Act."
Authorizes issuance of restraining orders for situations in which domestic violence statutes do not apply.
Prohibits sale of certain laser pointers that exceed certain power output.
Prohibits awarding alimony to domestic violence offenders; permits termination of alimony based on conviction for crime or offense involving domestic violence.
Eliminates penalties for asset transfers up to $500 per month during look-back period for determining eligibility for Medicaid long-term care services.
Requires that certain inmates with detainers be provided access to drug treatment programs.
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.
Establishes the "Mental Health Treatment Reform and Violence Prevention Act."
Adds cyber-harassment to the domestic violence statutes.
Authorizes health care practitioners to provide health care services through telemedicine.
Implements certain governance and transparency reforms at PANYNJ.
Updates factors for consideration for grandparent and sibling petitions seeking visits with child over objection of parent, guardian, or custodian; adds preference for child's temporary placement with grandparent under "Child Placement Bill of Rights Act.
"New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act"; authorizes issuance of $125,000,000 in general obligation bonds to finance capital projects at public libraries; appropriates $5,000.
Refines process of real property assessment in certain counties.
Requires certain health care facilities to provide information concerning palliative care and hospice services.
Provides governance, transparency, and accountability reforms at PANYNJ.
Gives priority to applicants for firearms purchaser identification card and permits to purchase handguns when domestic violence restraining order is in effect.
Requires public school students with concussion to be evaluated by licensed health care professionals before return to school; requires school districts to provide restrictions or limitations to student as needed.
Limits time continuing care retirement communities may retain refundable entrance fee after resident vacates facility to no more than one year.
Provides incentives for certain businesses associated with military installations.