Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, General Assembly.
Samuel L. Fiocchi
Sponsored
In committee58
"Direct Tax Relief for New Jersey Families Act"; Establishes the New Jersey Direct Property Tax Relief Program; increases the renter's gross income tax credit for property taxes; and increases the earned income tax credit.
Prohibits harassment of farmers engaged in farming operations.
Increases minimum civil fine for harassing person taking wildlife and increases criminal penalty for subsequent offenses.
Authorizes the court to issue restraining orders to defendants charged with a crime as a condition of release on bail.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain employers engaged in farming operations.
Creates the crime of victimization of a senior citizen or a person with a disability.
Clarifies law concerning the advertising and promoting of NJ farm products.
Allows Attorney General to prevent halfway house placement of murderers.
Establishes "County Tourism Incentive Grant Fund" within Department of Treasury to provide funding for grants to counties to support tourism advertising and promotion.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain seasonal employers.
Reduces number of manufacturing jobs required to qualify for NJEDA financing and incentive programs.
Provides partial sales tax exemption for energy and utility service to certain manufacturers.
Permits EDA to provide financial assistance to businesses that relocate to NJ from sites in Asia.
Prohibits for 10 years applicability of new State and local rules and regulations to certain manufacturing facilities.
Establishes construction workforce recruitment and training program in DOLWD.
Prohibits plea bargaining for certain repeat criminal offenders.
Implements constitutional amendment providing for pretrial detention of certain criminal defendants.
Provides county vocational school districts with the authority to name themselves in a manner that more accurately reflects their mission.
Permits municipalities having population under 5,000 to withdraw from civil service by ordinance.
Establishes Partners for Growth Council in DOLWD.
Requires State arts, historical, and cultural grant recipients to offer information on food and lodging in vicinity of event funded.
Establishes publicly accessible Internet registry of offenders who cause bodily harm, or property theft or damage, against disabled persons, senior citizens, or veterans.
Requires EDA and Dept. of State to encourage businesses considering relocation to locate within chronically high unemployment region.
Requires individuals to upload employment resume on Internet website upon filing claim for unemployment insurance benefits.
Extends authority to appoint Class Two special law enforcement officers to perform court security duties to all county sheriffs.
Clarifies that law enforcement officers may possess firearms in casinos.
Concerns penalties for violations of wage and hour requirements by certain employers.
Concerns penalties for violations of wage and hour laws.
Provides a corporation business tax credit for certain investment in manufacturing equipment, facility renovation, modernization, and expansion.
Authorizes EDA to establish program to promote manufacturing businesses on website and collect funding for projects on behalf those businesses.
Establishes "County Career Technical Education Annual Recognition Awards" to annually recognize best programs implemented by county vocational school districts.
Provides for early termination of terms of office for certain appointed municipal court positions when two or more municipalities enter into agreements to establish joint or shared municipal courts.
Establishes "Career and Technical Education Scholar Awards" to annually recognize outstanding career and technical education students.
Prohibits discontinuance of certain State facilities and services in counties with chronic high unemployment.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for student loan debt relief.
Requires DOC to transport inmate to county where crime was committed upon release from correctional facility.
Establishes time limits for DOT to resolve excess land requests.
Establishes high technology corridor program in EDA to attract and retain high technology businesses.
Requires adoption of business attraction, expansion, and retention master plan for southern New Jersey.
Upgrades penalty for theft of an emergency vehicle.
Allows deduction of certain patent income under gross income tax and corporation business tax for high technology corridor businesses.
Provides corporation business tax credit for certain investment in broadband infrastructure in underserved communities.
Expands eligibility for property tax reimbursement program.
Requires Division of Travel and Tourism to advertise and promote tours of breweries in the State.
Establishes New Jersey Eco-Ag Tourism Council.
Requires DOT to place tourist oriented directional signs for agri-tourism and natural attractions on State roads; expands sites that qualify as natural attraction.
Requires consideration of ecotourism when evaluating and ranking applications by local government units or qualifying tax exempt nonprofit organizations for acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Establishes annual photography competition to promote ecological and agricultural wonders of NJ.
Requires Division of Travel and Tourism to establish Internet webpage promoting and advertising ecological and agricultural tourist attractions on division's website.
Requires survey of certain businesses having more than 100 full-time employees in certain areas of Philadelphia and Wilmington region regarding their back office operations.
Establishes workforce training program for underemployed individuals.
Requires DEP and Division of Travel and Tourism to include ecologically based tourism areas on official State travel and tourism map.
Establishes specialty agriculture development program in Department of Agriculture.
Establishes JerseySource Supply Network database and business visitation program for NJ businesses in EDA.
Delaware Bay Fishing Empowerment Act; requires DEP to pursue changes to certain fishing laws and regulations; provides tax exemptions for sales of noncommercial ships and boating and fishing-related goods and services in certain counties.
Requires tuition bills of public institutions of higher education to include details on student fees and opt-out provision for student-managed entertainment fees, and requires certain institutions' websites to include student fee information.
Provides use tax exemption for certain boats and other vessels used in connection with qualified fishing contests.
Concerns minimum wage for certain farm laborers.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 41
Requires Department of Agriculture to post on its website certain information regarding State's farm to school program.
Requires schools to maintain supply of epinephrine and permit administration of epinephrine to any student having anaphylactic reaction.
Reestablishes certain historic driving privileges afforded holders of agricultural driver's licenses in operating farm equipment and vehicles.*
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.
Requires pharmacies and prescribers to notify patients about how to ensure proper and safe disposal of unused prescription drugs.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.
Requires training program for school bus drivers and school bus aides on interacting with students with special needs, and requires development and use of student information cards.*
Extends Right to Farm Act protections to commercial beekeepers, with some restrictions.
Establishes exclusive State regulatory authority over apiary activities and allows for delegation of monitoring and enforcement authority to municipalities.
Requires hiring preference for veterans seeking position with State Police.
Provides that crime victims do not have to pay fees to obtain records relating to the crime and that requests for such records are not public information.*
Extends protections of the new vehicle "lemon law" to new farm tractors purchased or leased in New Jersey.*
Requires issuance of one free copy of a veteran's death certificate to certain authorized persons upon request.
Designates certain interchanges of Garden State Parkway in honor of Melvin M. Loftus and Christopher Meyer.*
Authorizes rural electric cooperative and certain municipalities to establish municipal shared services authority.*
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support farm to school and school gardens programs.
Allows contributions to "New Jersey Farm to School Program.*
Establishes "Best in New Jersey 'Farm to School' Awards Program" to annually recognize the best farm to school programs implemented by a school or school district.
Directs the Dept. of Agriculture to establish a clearinghouse website for farmers to offer produce and dairy products for use by school breakfast programs, school lunch programs, and food banks.*
Establishes Menhaden Personal Use and Limited Sale License, and permits use of certain gear for taking of menhaden.
"Military Dependents Scholarship Fund Act"; provides college scholarships to the spouses and children of those killed, missing in action or disabled in Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn.
Requires timeframe of standardbred mare residing in New Jersey breeding farm be inclusive of foaling instead of between foal's conception and birth.
Provides that certain field sports conducted or occurring in agricultural production area in pinelands area constitute low intensity recreational use under pinelands comprehensive management plan.***
Allows gross income taxpayers to use their gross income tax returns to make voluntary contributions to ALS Association for services to New Jersey residents.
Allows military personnel and veterans to present certain identifying documents in lieu of municipal beach tags to gain admission to certain beaches.
Requires New Jersey School Report Card to include indicators of student career readiness.
Requires preparation programs for teachers and school counselors to include programming to improve student career readiness.*
Establishes four-year County Vocational School District Partnership Grant Program in DOE.
Allows school districts and requires public colleges to enter into dual enrollment agreements to provide college-level instruction to high school students through courses offered on college or high school campuses.*
Exempts guide dogs and service dogs temporarily placed in foster homes from dog licensing and registration tag requirements.*
Upgrades violation of a stalking restraining order to a crime of the third degree.*
Requires BPU to provide links to pricing information to customers from electric and gas public utilities, and third-party electric power and gas suppliers.*
Requires BPU to establish procedures allowing electric power and gas supplier customers to switch energy suppliers.
Imposes contract standards between customers and third-party electric power and gas suppliers.
Exempts certain vehicles owned or leased by certain health care facilities and other facilities licensed by Department of Human Services or Department of Health from "Angelie's Law."*
"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.
"Sexual Assault Survivor Protection Act of 2015"; authorizes the court to issue protective orders for victims of certain nonconsensual sexual conduct.
Permits holders of certain alcoholic beverage licenses to be issued amusement game license and updates definition of recognized amusement park.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2016.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2016.
Appropriates $88,592,361 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Vetoed · 1
Reinstates moratorium on imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.
Passed the General Assembly · 13
Requires Adjutant General of DMVA to issue State flag to resident enrolling in federal service academy.
Revises grades and sentencing determinations for certain controlled dangerous substances.**
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Establishes special license plates for honorably discharged veterans.
Permits a witness who is under the age of 16 or a victim of any age to testify by closed circuit television in prosecutions for crimes or offenses involving domestic violence.
Establishes penalty for unlawfully using parking placard issued to person with qualifying disability.
Provides that farm, farmstand, or other agricultural operation selling firewood obtained from property other than seller's shall not be considered a lumber yard.
Allows municipality to petition county for removal of abandoned vessel; provides that vessel after declared state of emergency.**
Requires written contract between customers and third-party electric power and gas suppliers.
Wounded Warrior Caregivers Relief Act; Provides income tax credit to family caregivers of certain armed service members with physical disabilities.
Establishes third degree crime for certain trespasses involving victim of domestic violence.
Extends urban enterprise zone designation in all qualifying municipalities for additional 10 years. *
Concerns enterprise zone assistance fund project approval; dedicates certain revenues to UEZs or UEZ municipalities.
Out of committee · 21
Authorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations and William J. Hughes Technical Center.*
Allows commercial farmer to recover reasonable costs and attorney fees of defending against unreasonable complaints under "Right to Farm Act."
Requires DOH to establish "New Jersey Autism Website."
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities through accountability and transparency; designated as "Stephen Komninos' Law."
Requires that certain health care facilities be generator ready; allows health care facilities to qualify for NJEDA loans for cost of generators.
Establishes one-year moratorium on replacement of copper-based landline telephone service with wireless telephone service; requires BPU to report to Governor and Legislature. *
"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.
Authorizes special "We Support the Arts" license plates with proceeds to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Designates September 11 each year "September 11 Remembrance Day" in New Jersey.
Increases maximum municipal contribution to fire districts and volunteer fire companies; indexes amount biennially for inflation.
Requires DHS to develop timeline for use by individuals with developmental disabilities to gain benefit of State and federal programs; requires posting timeline on DHS, DCF, and DOE websites.
Requires Secretary of Higher Education, in consultation with various entities, to design a manufacturing career pathway to provide students with skills necessary to gain employment in manufacturing sector.
Authorizes issuance of multi-species depredation permit for wildlife control on farmland.
Requires DCA to post on its website information about inspection reports for residential health care facilities, boarding homes, and emergency shelters for the homeless, and requires notifications to DHS and counties.*
Designates Dept. of Agriculture as sole agency to administer "Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program."
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Establishes additional requirements, and penalties for failure to comply, concerning information to be provided to persons purchasing cats or dogs from pet shops. *
Requires DHS and DOC to formulate joint arrangement and plan to ensure provision of mental health and substance use disorder services to inmates. *
Conforms Megan's Law to requirements of federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.*
Limits increase in annual budget requests of certain county entities.
In committee · 67
Permits layoff plans as substitute for employment reconciliation plans for joint meetings or shared service agreements under certain circumstances.
"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.
Exempts individuals with certain types of military service from certain professional and occupational fees and continuing education requirements.
Phases out estate tax over five-year period.
Allows military member to qualify for resident tuition rate at county college.
Provides employers with various tax incentives for hiring persons with disabilities under insurance premiums tax, corporation business tax and gross income tax.
Provides certain veteran benefits to veterans of the global war on terror conflicts and those of certain military engagements served during certain periods.
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.
Requires persons convicted of possessing child pornography to register as sex offenders.
Provides public access to certain information received or possessed by legislators.
Revises qualifications for handgun permit, establishes crimes for certain handgun use; establishes annual fee of $100.
Concerns special needs trusts for persons with developmental disabilities.
"PANYNJ Transparency and Accountability Act."
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.
Clarifies "knockout game" assault as third-degree aggravated assault; provides mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for such assault.
Exempts military personnel receiving combat zone pay from the gross income tax.
Provides that certain permits and approvals for critical infrastructure projects must be acted upon within 45 days.
Requires bars, restaurants, and liquor stores to post penalties for DWI.
Enacts the "NJ Family First Employer Act"; establishes award for certain employers.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
Provides for life imprisonment without parole for killing an emergency responder.
The "New Jersey Right to Home Defense Law."
Requires certain user fees for the provision of traditional municipal services to be included within the 2% municipal and county property tax levy cap.
Restores the death penalty for certain murders.
Permits juveniles to be admitted to drug court program under certain circumstances.
Requires bi-state transportation authorities to make advance notification of certain projects or operations expected to impede traffic.
Permits holders of certain alcoholic beverage licenses to be issued amusement game license.
Eliminates presumption of non-imprisonment for theft of a firearm.
"Disaster Information Access Act"; requires utility service providers to report severe weather and emergency related service interruptions; directs utility service providers and State Office of Emergency Management to present reported information online a
Establishes a manufacturing reinvestment account program to incentivize capital investment and workforce training in New Jersey with income tax rate reductions, deferrals, and accelerated deductions.
Provides corporation business tax and the gross income tax credits for insourcing business to New Jersey.
Establishes manufacturing machine and metal trade apprenticeships tax credit program.
Requires NJ State Council on the Arts to establish "Artist Colony" designation and select certain municipalities or areas therefor.
Creates special license plates supporting Autism Awareness.
Upgrades and expands crime of criminal mischief under certain circumstances.
Requires annual review of all released sex offenders to determine if they were registered and tiered.
Requires telemarketers to provide name, mailing address, and telephone number of person on whose behalf call is made.
Authorizes all county sheriffs to appoint Class Two special law enforcement officers to perform court security duties.
Requires display of State vehicle abuse hotline bumper stickers on all State vehicles.
Increases filing threshold and applicable exclusion amount for the New Jersey estate tax to $5 million over period of five years.
Concerns Superstorm Sandy recovery.
Directs Division of Gaming Enforcement to prohibit certain deed restrictions limiting use of casino hotel facility properties.
Limits number of casino licenses issued to person.
Provides casino licensee must repay any grants received from State entity when casino hotel facility is not sold at fair market value and used for casino gambling.
Provides courts with sentencing discretion for certain convictions concerning possession of a firearm.
Establishes veterans' preference for affordable housing in certain housing projects.
Prohibits MVC from imposing duplicate license or identification card fee and digitized picture fee if duplicate is requested to reflect change in organ donor status.
Makes Fiscal Year 2015 General Fund appropriation of $250,000 for restoration and maintenance of A.J. Meerwald.
Requires institutions of higher education to provide greater assistance to certain students with military obligations.
Requires Office of Information Technology to review Consolidated Assistance Support System development project and issue recommendations.
Requires DHS to use funds awarded from performance bonuses to increase staffing for processing certain applications and providing certain services.
Establishes Children's Health Promotion Fund.
Upgrades crime of false public alarm under certain circumstances.
Provides assistance to manufacturing businesses by having certain State agencies promote economic development and identify credentials needed for careers in modern manufacturing.
Allows qualifying counties and municipalities to become "agriculture development counties" and "agriculture development municipalities" and provides certain associated resulting benefits therefrom to encourage, protect, and preserve agriculture and relate
Limits authority of court to order one or both parents to pay post-high school education expenses on behalf of a child if both parents agree that they will not pay such expenses.
Increases amount annually credited to Shore Protection Fund to $50 million.
Revises definition of "antique firearm" to include handguns.
Provides gross income tax credit for income derived from certain live performances contracted for and rendered by A-list performing artists within the Atlantic City Tourism District on a recurring basis and within the State.
Requires reimbursement of certain Casino Reinvestment Development Authority grants and payment of those grants to Atlantic County for property tax relief.
Requires certain funds paid to CRDA to be awarded to Atlantic County for property tax relief.
Authorizes installation of automatic standby generators in certain residences without zoning or planning board approval.
Authorizes establishment of regional economic development partnerships.
Requires Director of Division of Taxation to study impact of State business income taxes on business out-migration, business formation, and employment.
Requires DOH license additional angioplasty facilities, with at least one facility in each county.
Gives priority to applicants for firearms purchaser identification card and permits to purchase handguns when domestic violence restraining order is in effect.
"Empower the Principal Act"; eliminates local school superintendents and prohibits schools from having more than one assitant or vice-principal.