Bills in the 2012–2013 Session, Senate.
Jennifer Beck
Sponsored
Became law5
Revises certain provisions of farmland assessment law.
"Tara's Law"; provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities residing in community care residences and for investigations of abuse of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Establishes task force to study various issues related to improving special education programs and services for public school students.
Allows SPRS members to purchase SPRS credit for prior military service.
School bond validating act.
Vetoed2
Requires physicians to complete survey as condition for biennial registration with Board of Medical Examiners and requires board to maintain and disseminate survey data as appropriate.*
Permits certain former members and employees of NJ Racing Commission to work for, or hold interest in, licensee thereof if State Ethics Commission finds no conflict of interest following membership or employment.**
Out of committee3
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
Prohibits local officer or employee from lobbying or advocating before any body of the municipality where officer or employee serves.
Permits persons at racetracks, off-track wagering facilities, and casino simulcasting facilities to place instant racing wagers.
In committee63
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.
Prohibits simultaneous holding of certain State, county and municipal elective and appointive positions.
Provides for mandatory imprisonment and forfeiture of retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of certain crimes.
Clarifies that retention of unearned wages by a public servant is theft under certain circumstances.
Provides full forfeiture of pension of elected or appointed official convicted of any crime touching office.
Establishes the "Corrupt Gains Restitution Act."
Amends the "Public Corruption Profiteering Penalty Act."
Repeals "Statewide Non-Residential Development Fee Act"; prohibits COAH from basing prospective need portion of fair share obligation on commercial development.
Provides a gross income tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualified home purchases made by certain first-time homebuyers in the remaining portion of taxable year 2009, taxable year 2010 and taxable year 2011.
Exempts from sales tax for two years certain highly fuel efficient vehicles and energy efficient appliances.
Reduces corporation business tax rate and provides an additional rate reduction for three years for taxpayers that relocate corporate headquarters to New Jersey.
Prohibits county committee of a political party from contributing to or accepting contribution from another such county committee.
Suspends pension of any retired public employee who resumes public employment with compensation more than $15,000.
Concerns liability and insurance coverage for medical malpractice actions.
Upgrades penalties for certain criminal offenses committed against elderly and disabled persons.
Allows Eatontown, Oceanport, and Tinton Falls mayors to designate council member to represent them as members of Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority.
Establishes public bidding and contracting procedures for Rutgers, the State University that mirror those in place for the State colleges.
Directs Division of Gaming Enforcement, in consultation with New Jersey Racing Commission, to establish and oversee slot machine gambling operations at horse racetracks.
Provides sales and use tax rebate on supplies and materials purchased for the construction or reconstruction of certain horse racetrack grandstands.
Provides sales and use tax rebate on supplies and materials purchased for the construction or reconstruction of certain horse racetrack grandstands.
Penalizes permittees who acquire construction permits and certificates of occupancy by illegally influencing the permit procurement process; requires posting of bonds in certain situations; permits civil fines.
Requires filing of financial and conflict disclosure statements as condition of development approval.
Provides for establishment and operation of casino at Meadowlands Complex.
Requires forfeiture of public office, position or employment upon conviction of certain offenses.
Amends law concerning conversion of age-restricted communities to define substantial detriment and makes other clarifications.
Requires health care representative to make health care decisions for incapacitated patient in accordance with patient's religious beliefs.
Provides for drug testing of licensees of community care residences and adult household members.
Requires State Treasurer, in consultation with State Comptroller, to promulgate rules and regulations concerning best practices for awarding independent State authority contracts.
Provides for establishment, by NJT and its contract carriers, of customer feedback response programs.
Establishes measures to improve transparency and accountability of regional authorities of this State; enhances oversight of those authorities by Governor and State Comptroller.
Creates cigar night smoking ban exemption at racetracks and off-track wagering facilities.
Amends Kyleigh's Law to suspend requirement that graduated driver licensees display decal until certain technology developed.
Provides a gross income tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualified home purchases made by certain first-time homebuyers in the remaining portion of taxable year 2012, taxable year 2013 and taxable year 2014.
Clarifies position of NJT on avoiding destructive competition against private entities providing certain public transportation services.
Restricts business entities who make campaign contributions from performing certain local government contracts.
Makes theft, misappropriation, or wrongful operation of certain motorbuses a second degree crime.
Establishes Office of the Advocate for Private Commuter Bus Services Consumers and bill of rights for customers of privately operated motorbus regular route services.
Concerns replacement of natural gas pressure regulators in downtown commercial districts.
Establishes Rail Passenger Bill of Rights and authorizes Division of Consumer Affairs to enforce provisions.
Requires insurance producers to perform bona fide services for public entities in order to share commissions; requires disclosure of commission sharing.
Authorizes penalties for failure to file certain public employment contracts; clarifies requirement for electronic posting of public employment contracts and interest arbitration awards.
Modifies school funding law to incorporate recommendations of DOE's Education Funding Report.
Increases the State earned income tax credit from 20 percent to 25 percent of the federal earned income tax credit over two taxable years.
Permits all municipalities to adopt ordinances requiring bond from landlords in certain circumstances and increases penalties for subsequent offenses.
Allows host municipalities to offer property tax abatements on former Fort Monmouth property under terms and conditions established by those municipalities.
Increases certain time frames governing arbitration in police and fire contract disputes.
Imposes requirements on certain pediatric emergency departments; requires DOH to include information on pediatric emergency departments in its annual hospital performance report.
Directs the executive county superintendent of schools to select a new district of residence for students who reside on certain federal property who are not the dependent children of military personnel.
Clarifies DOBI's regulatory authority over certain flood insurance claims.
Requires SHBP to provide certain information to participating public employers.
Revises the "Contractors' Registration Act."
Repeals "Statewide Non-Residential Development Fee Act."
Authorizes innocent spouse relief under the gross income tax.
Provides sales and use tax exemption for certain energy products and services used for consumption at certain manufacturing facilities.
Authorizes New Jersey Racing Commission to grant special permit for horse racing on beach.
"Michael Massey's Law"; requires sanitation vehicles display flashing lights in certain circumstances and imposes conditions on drivers approaching sanitation vehicles displaying flashing lights.
Revises "Contractors Registration Act" to include water remediation services.
Requires insurers writing homeowners insurance policies in the State to offer certain coverage for heating oil tanks.
Provides gross income tax deduction for the provision of certain medical and dental services free of charge.
Establishes best practices for procurement and payment of legal services by local governments and school districts.
Prohibits location of off-road vehicle training or recreation facility within five miles of residential zone.
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities through accountability and transparency; designated as "Stephen Komninos' Law."
Reinstates moratorium on imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 20
Permits veterans' organizations to use net proceeds from games of chance for organizations' support.
Exempts from sales tax cosmetic makeup services provided in conjunction with reconstructive breast surgery; designated as "Jen's Law." *
The "Common Sense Shared Services Pilot Program Act"; concerns shared service agreements and joint contracts, in certain municipalities, for certain tenured local employees under "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act."**
Requires insurers to cover breast evaluations and other additional medically necessary testing under certain circumstances and requires certain mammogram reports to contain information on breast density.***
Establishes real property assessment demonstration program.
Prohibits State and local public contracts with persons or entities engaging in certain investment activities in energy or finance sectors of Iran. *
Provides surviving spouses of certain fire and police personnel who die in line of duty with workers' compensation for entire period of survivorship.
Designates portion of U.S. Route 206 bypass in Hillsborough Township as "Peter J. Biondi Bypass."
"Scholastic Student-Athlete Safety Act;" establishes measures to ensure health of student-athletes.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2013.
Establishes bill of rights for continuing care retirement community residents.
Establishes grant program to provide rebate of sales and use tax paid for purchase of certain materials and supplies used for construction of certain off-track wagering facilities.
Appropriates $55 million from "2009 Green Acres Fund" for local government open space acquisition and park development projects, and approves $2,400,800 from 1995 bond act for coastal blue acres projects.
Appropriates $8,930,975 from "2009 Green Acres Fund" for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $45 million from "2009 Green Acres Fund" and $12 million from "2009 Blue Acres Fund" for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects.
"Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act"; provides student-athletes, parents, and coaches with information on sudden cardiac arrest and establishes protocol concerning removal-from-play for athletes exhibiting symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest.
Revises statutes and enhances penalties for offenses involving child pornography; makes crime of causing a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act subject to "No Early Release Act."
Clarifies charitable contributions are not a factor in determining where person is domiciled under New Jersey gross income tax.
"Autumn Joy Stillbirth Research and Dignity Act"; requires DOH to establish protocols for stillbirths, establishes stillbirth research data base.
Prohibits discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions.
Vetoed · 5
Enacts the "Marriage Equality and Religious Exemption Act."
Provides loan redemption for certain physicians who work in State four years.*
Establishes notification signage, and monitoring requirements related to combined sewer overflows.*
Sets forth certain standards to be followed by law enforcement agencies and fire departments when utilizing drones.
Provides standards for, and requires registration of, home elevation contractors.*
Passed the Senate · 7
Requires Commissioner of DHSS to convene a strategic planning summit to analyze the State's physician workforce supply.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" imposes mandatory term of 25 years to life for aggravated sexual assault against a child under 13 and increases penalties for harboring certain sex offenders.**
Permits Governor to notify local governments to fly United States and State flags at half-staff upon death of member of Armed Forces of United States or National Guard who was State resident.*
Requires constitutionally dedicated moneys be used to provide grants toward the replacement of certain diesel vehicles and diesel equipment with lower emission vehicles and equipment.**
Revises penalties for certain drunk driving offenses, including mandating installation of ignition interlock device, and creates restricted use driver's license.*
Concerns importation and delivery of motor fuel during certain emergencies.
Concerns sale of certain motor fuel during certain emergencies.
Out of committee · 40
Creates crime of threatening the life of certain animals; designated as Dano and Valder's Law.**
Establishes Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program in DEP and appropriates $200,000 therefor from Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund.
Prohibits drilling technique of hydraulic fracturing.
Prohibits treatment, discharge, disposal, or storage of wastewater, wastewater solids, sludge, drill cuttings or other byproducts from natural gas exploration or production using hydraulic fracturing.*
Requires State Comptroller to review, and make recommendations for improvement of, the procurement process of the State, public institutions of higher education, independent State authorities, units of local government, and boards of education.
Requires, for roof mounted solar photovoltaic systems, identifying emblem on certain structures, and fire department notification for all structures. *
Provides partial sales tax exemption for energy and utility service to certain manufacturers.
Provides for indication of veteran status on driver's licenses and identification cards issued by MVC.*
Prohibits cemetery company from charging additional fee for rendering certain services on Sunday.
Establishes temperature control guidelines and standards for school facilities.
Allows municipalities to provide veterans free or reduced cost access to beaches.
Extends burial of indigent veterans to those who did not serve in time of war; clarifies role of DMVA in identifying deceased veterans; provides additional funding, subject to availability, for burial of indigent veterans.*
Establishes certain apprentice hunting licenses.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools.*
Establishes "Naturally Occurring Retirement Community" pilot program; appropriates $250,000.
Provides sales and use tax rebate for supplies and materials purchased for construction of off-track wagering facilities.
Changes certain eligibility criteria for TPAF, JRS, PERS, PFRS and SPRS disability benefits; requires Attorney General to establish fraud unit; creates temporary committee to recommend accidental disability standard for systems.
Eliminates restriction on placement of special education students in sectarian schools.
Directs Board of Nursing to encourage nursing schools to give academic credit to students for training received in US military as corpsmen and medics.
Eliminates duplication and redundancy in registration of certain apartments.
Revises law concerning certain professional and occupational licenses.
Authorizes placement of horse racing wagers using mobile gaming devices at in-State racetracks subject to commission rules and regulations.
The "Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act."
Prohibits certain energy suppliers from making false and misleading claims to potential customers; prohibits suppliers' calls to customers where no business relationship exists.*
Requires each State agency to review permits issued by the agency and make necessary changes to expedite and facilitate permitting.
Allows monies statutorily dedicated to standardbred or thoroughbred horse racing purses to be used for benefit of horse racing industry, subject to agreement between permitholder and representative horsemen's organization.*
Codifies regulation exempting firearms records from State's open public records law. *
Imposes oversight upon Hurricane Sandy recovery funds.
Requires that certain HIV testing be performed within 48 hours of request by victim.
Requires consideration of increased property value due to dune construction or beach replenishment in determining compensation provided for condemned beachfront property.*
Concerns various authorities, boards, commissions, councils, divisions, and task forces.
Establishes a School Security Task Force.
Creates Office of Clean Energy in BPU.*
Requires Energy Master Plan to include long-term capacity planning and infrastructure planning.
Expands Sire Stakes Program to include newly-established Standardbred Development Program; allocates funds from Sire Stakes Program.
Requires hospitals and birthing facilities to provide new mothers with information about pertussis vaccines for adults.
Designates State Highway Route No. 35 bridge between Borough of Brielle and Borough of Point Pleasant Beach as "Robert A. Briant, Sr. Memorial Bridge."
Establishes four-year pilot program in Ocean County for electronic monitoring of certain domestic violence offenders; designated as "Lisa's Law"; appropriates $1 million.
Authorizes extension of time for completion of investigation of certain contaminated sites prior to DEP undertaking direct oversight.*
Allows nonpublic schools to participate in joint purchasing agreements entered into by two or more school districts.
In committee · 48
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as State song.
Makes various changes to civil service law concerning seasonal appointments, temporary layoffs, and rescinding adoption of civil service.
Restores the death penalty for certain murders.
Eliminates seniority in Civil Service and other jurisdictions for reductions in force in certain circumstances.
Replaces references to Civil Service Commission with chairperson of commission to clarify duties and responsibilities of chairperson.
Imposes two-year moratorium on certain new outpatient radiation oncology services and establishes Outpatient Radiation Oncology Services Task Force in DHSS.
Establishes moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for purpose of natural gas exploration or production until certain conditions are met.
Repeals "Global Warming Response Act" and related sections of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative implementing law.
Decreases sales and use tax rate from 7% to 6%.
Establishes the authority of the court to order electronic monitoring of certain convicted domestic violence offenders.
Requires that Board of Pharmacy compile and publish list of certain tamper-resistant opioid drugs and that certain conditions be met for pharmacist to substitute for tamper-resistant opioid drug.
Establishes bill of rights for parents of persons with developmental disabilities.
Authorizes imposition of additional fines for overcrowding.
Requires services be provided for sexually exploited juveniles charged with certain offenses; creates an affirmative defense regarding prostitution.
Directs Attorney General to publicize information about human trafficking hotlines; mandates law enforcement training on responding to the needs of victims of the crime of human trafficking.
Amends State college law to remove certain employees from civil service system and allow boards of trustees to conduct collective bargaining.
Concerns collective negotiations for public institutions of higher education.
Requires certain commissions to maintain meeting minutes; establishes Governor's authority to approve or veto the minutes of those commissions.
Removes limousine services from sales and use tax imposition.
Concerns attorney fees for workers' compensation awards.
Establishes Governor's authority over approval of minutes of certain regional commissions.
Requires each hospital board of trustees to adopt a written policy governing conflicts of interest.
Authorizes executive county superintendent of schools to require implementation of shared services arrangements and to approve school district collective negotiations agreements prior to execution of agreement.
"Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensing Act."
Establishes deadlines for filing financial disclosure statements with State Ethics Commission.
Increases penalty for illegal firearms' sale within 1,000 feet of school.
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."
Permits certain deer control activities; prohibits deer feeding; and establishes check-off donation on hunting license applications to support venison donation program.
The "Wildlife Rehabilitation Act"; establishes Wildlife Rehabilitation Board and continuing education requirements and permit program for wildlife rehabilitators.
Repeals traffic control signal monitoring system pilot program; prohibits future use of red light cameras in State.
Increases annual gross receipts limit for exemption from Unit Price Disclosure Act; concerns court appearances.
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.
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.
Transfers responsibility for establishment and enforcement of ethical standards for local officials and school officials to the State Ethics Commission.
Lengthens amber light at traffic signal with red light camera; sets penalty for failing to stop before turning right on red when detected by red light camera; implements half-second delay for red light camera violations.
Requires BPU to issue written decision concerning utility rate increase approvals to public via its website.
Revises requirements related to public hearings on proposed public utility rate increases.
Requires public utilities to provide customers notice of request for increase in rates; revises requirements related to hearings on proposed rate increases.
Requires public utilities to mail customers detailed explanation of rate settlement agreements prior to final BPU vote.
Provides businesses impacted by Hurricane Sandy a corporation business tax or gross income tax credit for certain replacement and repair of business property.
"Consumer Protection Act of 2012."
Directs all fines imposed by municipalities for violations of red light cameras to Highway Safety Fund.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employer-provided child care expenditures.
Requires at least one State developmental center in each region of State; requires certain factors to be considered for transfer of residents between developmental centers.
Clarifies that crime victim has a right to make a victim impact statement directly to the defendant at sentencing.
Upgrades theft to a crime of the first degree if amount involved is $500,000 or more.
Permits charter schools to establish an enrollment preference for certain student populations and requires a uniform application for admission to a charter school which will be prescribed by the Commissioner of Education.
Makes revisions to the "Contractors' Registration Act."
Filed · 1
Requires State pay educational costs of students who reside in domestic violence shelter or transitional living facility outside district of residence for more than one year.