Bills in the 2014–2015 Session, General Assembly.
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Sponsored
Became law2
Authorizes special Alpha Kappa Alpha license plate.
"The Opportunity to Compete Act;" establishes certain employment rights for persons with criminal record.*
Passed the General Assembly2
Enhances opportunities for qualified residential projects under the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Program.
Prohibits award of State contracts and development subsidies to inverted domestic corporations.*
Out of committee2
Creates Foreclosure Prevention and Neighborhood Stabilization Revolving Trust Fund; places temporary surcharge on mortgage foreclosure complaints.
Establishes procedures for the approval of the closure of a public school.
In committee15
Concerns eligibility for certain leave and benefit programs.
Requires payment to municipality for use of municipal services by for-profit lessee of property owned by county or county improvement authority.
Establishes Trenton Capital City Aid program.
Raises age requirement of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years old.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses employing qualified ex-offenders.
Authorizes eight hours of leave for parents and guardians from work for school-related events of children.
Requires lowest possible price for inmate telephone calls.
Establishes a magnet school pilot program in DOE.
Establishes loan redemption program and bonus program for teachers employed in schools in need of improvement.
Requires full-day kindergarten in all school districts and establishes uniform age requirement for enrollment in kindergarten.
Prohibits certain domestic corporations that reorganize overseas from being awarded State contracts.
Prohibits State administered pension fund investment in corporations shifting ownership or operations outside the U.S. for tax purposes.
Prohibits corporations from qualifying for or maintaining State development subsidy grants if corporation qualifies as inverted domestic corporation.
Requires school district or nonpublic school that is a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to certify that its student-athletes have completed character education program.
Provides additional deduction and accelerated expensing under corporation business tax for certain purchase and installation of mechanical insulation property.
Carried from the Senate
Vetoed1
Establishes procedures for the approval of the closure of a public school.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 21
Shortens waiting periods for expungement of criminal and other records and information; makes various changes to other expungement procedures and requirements.**
Requires schools to maintain supply of epinephrine and permit administration of epinephrine to any student having anaphylactic reaction.
Requires public schools to weight courses in visual and performing arts equally with other courses worth same number of credits in calculating grade point average.
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 a board of education to consult with appropriate nonpublic school representatives prior to any change in the provision of nursing services.
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.*
Provides for licensure of dementia care homes by DOH.
Requires hiring preference for veterans seeking position with State Police.
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.*
Requires certain police vehicles to be equipped with cameras.
Requires Division of Addiction Services to grant residential drug treatment program licenses to certain programs operating in State correctional facilities and county jails.
"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.
Codifies "Project Medicine Drop" program; requires Division of Consumer Affairs to maintain secure prescription medicine drop-off receptacles at certain law enforcement agencies.*
Permits certain zero emission vehicle manufacturers to directly sell motor vehicles to consumers and requires them to operate service facilities.
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.*
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.*
Allows reemployment by school district of TPAF retiree as coach of athletic activity when compensation is under $10,000.
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.
Vetoed · 17
Requires school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.
Enhances the reporting and disclosure requirements concerning State tax expenditures and limits the duration of new State tax expenditure enactments.
Establishes New Jersey Council on Responsible Fatherhood and Responsible Fatherhood Fund.
Requires an annual State debt affordability analysis be included in the State Debt Report.
Requires certain bidders for prevailing wage public work to provide proof that the prevailing wage will be paid.
Requires Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development to review construction work on public utilities.*
Prohibits health insurance carriers from requiring optometrists to become providers with vision care plans as condition of becoming providers in carriers' panel of providers.
Revises penalty provisions for certain drunk driving violations, including use of and applicable time periods covering driver's license suspensions and installations of ignition interlock devices on motor vehicles.*
Requires DOE to review Core Curriculum Content Standards to ensure they incorporate standards regarding engineering where appropriate.*
Reinstates moratorium on imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until January 2015.
Reduces maximum capacity of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds; exempts firearms with .22 caliber tubular magazines from 10 round limitation. *
Requires certain State departments, divisions, commissions, and authorities to consider use of green or blue roof in construction of certain new State buildings, facilities, and structures.
Establishes "Energy Infrastructure Study Commission."
Provides Medicaid coverage for family planning services to individuals with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
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 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.*
Passed the General Assembly · 17
"Transparency in Government Act"; provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Establishes task force to study issues related to the establishment of full-day kindergarten.
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Authorizes special license plates with proceeds to the families of NJ troops overseas.
Requires health benefits coverage for mammograms for women under 40 who lack access to family medical history due to their or their parent's adoption.
Creates self-defense justification for victims of domestic violence.
Requires law enforcement officers to search domestic violence restraining order registry upon conducting an arrest.
Authorizes Attorney General to impose a fine against institution of higher education that fails to appropriately respond to a student's allegation of sexual assault by another student.*
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 the New Jersey Task Force on Domestic Violence and Abuse.
Requires oversight reporting on Hurricane Sandy recovery funds.
Authorizes issuance of restraining orders for situtations in which domestic violence statutes do not apply.
Establishes "Task Force To Review Residential Community Release Programs" to review this State's halfway houses and make recommendations concerning security and inmate services.
Directs Secretary of Higher Education to establish common course numbering system for public institutions of higher education.*
Requires Attorney General to establish Statewide gun buyback program.
Requires school districts and charter schools to annually provide to parents or guardians of enrolled students information on certain tests to be administered during the school year.
Creates Education Reform Review Task Force; delays implementation of certain assessments and certain changes to teacher evaluation system.
Out of committee · 28
Establishes "Naturally Occurring Retirement Community" pilot program; appropriates $250,000.
Requires posting of information about availability of services from substance abuse treatment facilities on county and DHS websites.
Grants certain leaves of absence for Vietnam Veterans of America conventions.
"Garden State Manufacturing Jobs Act."
Establishes pilot project to permit voters in military service on active duty overseas, and their eligible family members, to vote in certain elections using the Internet; makes appropriation.*
Concerns prompt payment of construction contracts.
Requires DOC to conduct quarterly site visits at residential community release programs.
Prohibits certain persons charged with first, second, or third degree crimes from being in halfway houses prior to adjudication.*
Establishes the four-year "New Jersey Innovation Inspiration School Grant Pilot Program" in DOE to fund non-traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs.*
Establishes the "Sexual Assault Victim's Bill of Rights."
Provides protections for individuals with developmental disabilities through accountability and transparency; designated as "Stephen Komninos' Law."
Requires labeling of foods containing genetically engineered material.*
Requires Division of Purchase and Property to award contracts to halfway houses; sets forth certain contract requirements.
Establishes pilot program in DOE to recruit disadvantaged or minority men to teach in certain failing schools under alternate route program.
Implements constitutional amendment providing for pretrial detention of certain criminal defendants; establishes non-monetary bail alternatives for release; authorizes Judiciary to revise fees for certain legal programs and services.*
Prohibits treatment, discharge, disposal, application to roadway, or storage of wastewater, wastewater solids, sludge, drill cuttings or other byproducts from natural gas exploration or production using hydraulic fracturing.*
"Wage Transparency Act"; requires reporting of public contractor employment information.
"Unfair Wage Recovery Act"; provides that unlawful employment practice occurs each time individual is affected.
Concerns earned sick leave.
Establishes the "Superstorm Sandy Bill of Rights."*
Expands school breakfast program to all schools with 5% or more of students eligible for free or reduced price meals.
Establishes procedures and standards regarding public services privatization contracts.
Prohibits employment discrimination based on applicant employment status.
Designates Black Swallowtail butterfly as State Butterfly.
Establishes crimes of dog fighting and leader of a dog fighting network, and updates crime of animal fighting; amends RICO concerning dog fighting.**
Appropriates $22,463,000 in 2003 bond act monies for loans to fund dam restoration projects.*
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2015.
Requires State Board of Education to develop rigorous computer science curriculum guidelines and school districts to incorporate those guidelines in grades six through 12.
In committee · 63
"Historic Property Reinvestment Act"; provides credits against certain taxes for certain costs of rehabilitating historic properties.
Decriminalizes possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana, imposes civil penalties, and establishes fund for drug education.
Prohibits certain sales of alcoholic beverages within 1,000 feet of schools or religious institutions.
Requires mandatory registration of family day care providers.
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 eviction for good cause of tenants who are creating nuisance; requires court to notify landlord when restraining order has been issued barring tenant from residential rental property.
Establishes professional standards for county sheriffs and their employees.
Requires health care facilities to report certain information about their health care staff to their respective professional boards or DHSS.
Concerns urban enterprise zones.
Permits automatic expungement for certain persons completing a sentence to drug court under the special probation statute.
Extends time municipalities have to commit fees and payments-in-lieu of constructing affordable units to six years.
Allows corporation business tax or gross income tax credits to developers for certain capital investments for repurposing qualified health care facilities.
Extends moratorium on the imposition of Statewide non-residential development fees until 2018; establishes the "New Jersey Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act."
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Provides for priority consideration, by State, of permit applications by counties and municipalities with 10 or more shared services.
Provides a corporation business tax credit for certain investment in manufacturing equipment and manufacturing facility renovation, modernization and expansion.
Prohibits public and private employers from discriminating against ex-convicts.
Establishes linked deposit program allowing State Treasurer to deposit State funds at below market interest rates with certain banks.
Amends special probation statute to give judges additional discretion to admit certain offenders to "drug court" program.
Prohibits public and private employers from automatically disqualifying ex-offenders from employment.
Provides that student truancy cases would be heard in municipal court and requires truants to attend an appropriate intervention program.
Provides that certain personal identifying information may be redacted from certain public records in certain circumstances.
Establishes State pension fund preference for certain in-State infrastructure investment.
Requires certain energy tax receipts to be paid directly to municipalities.
Affords immunity to private colleges and their police officers in certain cases.
Revises law concerning ticket sales.
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Establishes "Victim-Witness Scholarship Fund;" establishes "Witness Protection Fund;" and concerns State forfeiture funds.
"Higher Education Citizenship Equality Act;" defines domicile for dependent students for the purpose of eligibility for State student loans, grants, or scholarships and resident tuition rate.
Establishes certain consumer protections related to arbitration organizations.
Establishes the number of students to be supported under the veterinary medicine education program and a service requirement for students who participate in the program.
Allows corporation business tax credits as incentives for redevelopment of distressed shopping centers.
Subjects certain municipal and school property to property taxation.
Prohibits possession of ammunition capable of penetrating body armor.
Establishes "Rutgers, The State University Study Commission."
Permits developer to qualify for low-interest loan from NJEDA when building a high performance green building.
Increases PFRS employee contribution rate; requires new members to be age 50 for special retirement; creates cap on PFRS retiree COLA; restructures PFRS board of trustees and gives it control over fund investments.
Requires background check for private gun sales.
Permits municipalities to establish weapons free zones around schools and public facilities.
Establishes a pilot program in DOE to increase the length of the school day and school year and provides tax credits for corporate contributions to fund the program.
Requires each charter school to annually employ teachers who hold special education endorsements.
Establishes pilot program in DOE to address school climate issues related to harassment, intimidation, and bullying in public schools.
Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Secretary of Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.
Establishes grant program for constructing kitchen facilities in licensed child care centers; appropriates $1,000,000.
Requires carbon monoxide detectors in school buildings.
Restricts bail for persons charged with violent crimes; establishes bail alternatives for non-violent offenders.
Prohibits State departments and agencies from charging a fee to an applicant solely to correct clerical errors on any application form.
Establishes the "Neighborhood Scholar Revitalization Pilot Program."
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
Eliminates requirement that at least one of two licenses issued under small-scale and staged casino facility pilot program must be staged casino facility license; permits these facilities to be located in renovated buildings.
Creates new offenses and penalties regarding animal fighting.
"Economic Opportunity Act of 2014, Part 1."
Requires nonpublic secondary schools and independent institutions of higher education to make payment to school districts for educational costs of students residing in tax-exempt housing upon adoption of resolution by municipal governing body.
Requires nonpublic secondary schools and independent institutions of higher education to reimburse school districts for educational costs of students residing in tax-exempt housing and adjusts recipient districts' tax levy growth limit.
"Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator Act"; establishes licensure requirements for wildlife rehabilitators.
Lowers age of compulsory school attendance to age five and requires that all school districts establish kindergarten programs.
Permits manufacturer to sell electric motor vehicles to consumers under certain conditions.
Requires law enforcement officer to verify vehicle registration with MVC before issuing summons for violation of red light camera.
Requires that if a school district satisfies 80% or more of the required NJ Quality Single Accountability Continuum standards in an area of district effectiveness under State intervention, the State must return that area to local control.
Permits expungement for one-time disorderly persons offense after a period of two years.
Authorizes local public contract set-aside program for employers who hire former prisoners.
Requires prosecutorial or law enforcement review of fatal incidents involving police officers or State Police.
Requires public and nonpublic school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.