Bills in the 2012–2013 Session, General Assembly.
Upendra J. Chivukula
Sponsored
Became law3
Authorizes certified celebrants to solemnize marriages and civil unions.
Clarifies requests for proposals of public entities implementing energy savings improvement program contracts.*
Requires BPU to regulate rates and terms and conditions of service of alternate operator telephone service providers to protect users of those services.
Vetoed2
Requires Energy Master Plan to include long-term capacity planning and infrastructure planning.
Creates Office of Clean Energy in BPU.*
Passed the General Assembly7
Requires electric, gas, and water public utilities to provide bill credits to volunteer fire companies, first aid, rescue, and emergency squads, and nonprofit homeless and domestic violence assistance organizations.
Expands State's energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements. **
Requires State to use energy-efficient outdoor lighting fixtures.
Expands scope of New Jersey Regulatory Flexibility Act dealing with economic impact of rules on small businesses.
Authorizes certain municipalities and rural electric cooperatives to establish a municipal shared services energy authority.
Requires BPU to conduct study on how electric chiller equipment and natural gas cooling equipment would increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings.*
"Government Energy Reliability and Savings Public-Private Partnership Act."
Out of committee13
Provides immunity to institutions of higher education for food donations.
Establishes alternative distributed energy generating requirement; provides financial incentives for certain alternative distributed energy generating facilities.**
Permits affordable housing occupancy preferences for veterans through municipal agreements with developer.*
Imposes certain registration and reporting requirements to prevent illegal trade of tigers.
Establishes uniform real property taxation for commercial renewable energy systems and limits municipal construction permit fees for non-commercial renewable energy systems.
Requires BPU to establish uniform Statewide reliability standards for electric and gas public utilities.*
Revises certain solar renewable energy programs and requirements; provides for aggregated net metering of electricity consumption related to properties owned by certain governmental bodies and school districts.**
Permits NJ boat manufacturers to qualify for EDA loans for renewable energy technology, equipment, or systems.
Permits compressed natural gas as fuel source to power school buses.
Classifies energy derived from hydrothermal decomposition as Class I renewable energy.
Requires electric public utilities to conduct vegetation management adjacent to service lines on certain real properties.*
Allows use of master meter system in residential dwellings under certain conditions.
Enhances retail competition in electric power and gas supply industries.
In committee19
Establishes innovation zone program to stimulate technology industry clusters around New Jersey's research universities, colleges or research hospitals.
Requires electric power suppliers to pay retail power prices for purchase of certain renewable energy production.
Provides for submission to voters in each county a binding referendum on the establishment of a county administrative school district to govern and operate all public schools in the county.
Establishes governance structure for county administrative school districts.
Provides corporation business tax incentives for life sciences research.
Requires COAH to promulgate rules and regulations providing for veterans' affordable housing assistance preference.
Requires development and implementation of mitigation plans for radon contamination in certain child care centers; requires DOE to develop such plans for child care centers operating in public schools, request funding, and implement plans when funded.
Establishes temperature control guidelines and standards for school facilities.
Increases host community benefit for municipalities wherein solid waste transfer stations are located from fifty cents to one dollar per ton of solid waste processed at such facilities.
Requires the State and local contracting units to purchase biodiesel or biodiesel blended fuel manufactured in NJ.
Authorizes educational services commissions to purchase goods or services through nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreement.
"Save New Jersey Electric and Gas Public Utility Customer Service and Call Center Jobs Act"; requires notification by electric and gas utilities when relocating customer and call centers out of State.
Provides gross income tax exclusion for capital gains from sale of certain employer securities.
Provides for $250,000 grant program encouraging compressed natural gas and electric vehicle conversion training programs.
Provides for $5 million grant program encouraging compressed natural gas fueling stations and electric charging stations.
Amends Offshore Wind Economic Development Act concerning offshore wind energy facilities and wind energy zones.
Requires slow moving vehicle emblems to be affixed to rear of farm vehicles.
Requires MVC to publish driver's manual on website in certain languages.
Allows law enforcement agencies to utilize electronic signatures on police reports; requires Attorney General to adopt uniform guidelines.
Carried from the Senate
Became law3
Provides immunity to institutions of higher education for food donations.
Permits affordable housing occupancy preferences for veterans through municipal agreements with developer.*
Revises certain solar renewable energy programs and requirements; provides for aggregated net metering of electricity consumption related to properties owned by certain governmental bodies and school districts.***
Vetoed2
Imposes certain registration and reporting requirements to prevent illegal trade of tigers.
Permits NJ boat manufacturers to qualify for EDA loans for renewable energy technology, equipment, or systems.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 40
Requires Commissioner of Education to change deadline for municipal review of defeated school budgets whenever he changes the annual school election date.
Establishes crime of entering into certain restricted airport areas.
Provides for indication of veteran status on driver's licenses and identification cards issued by MVC.*
Requires Department of Education to biannually distribute a letter to school districts reminding districts of requirement to enroll resident students regardless of immigration status.
Prohibits health care facilities from discharging prescription medications into sewer or septic systems in certain circumstances.***
Affords emergency services peer counselors confidentiality privileges.
Requires State Treasurer to disseminate information about organ and tissue donation; designates April each year as "Donate Life Month."
Requires a review of corporation business tax credit and gross income tax credit programs for payments to interns.*
Requires plans, specifications, and bid proposal documents for certain local public contracts to address soil contamination, and requires contracting unit to approve change order under certain circumstances related thereto.*
Revises "Electronic Waste Management Act."
"Janet's Law"; requires public and nonpublic schools to have automated external defibrillators and to establish emergency action plans for responding to sudden cardiac events.*
Allows license suspension or revocation of certain health care professionals and medical waste facilities, generators, and transporters for willful illegal or improper medical waste disposal.*
Requires private entity primarily engaged in business of providing transportation for passengers in wheelchairs to secure passengers in wheelchairs using four-point securement system and to secure unoccupied wheelchairs.
Allows municipalities to provide veterans free or reduced cost access to beaches.
Eliminates requirement for CATV companies to provide advance notification of price decreases or addition of channel offerings. *
Authorizes BPU to promulgate regulations requiring electricity providers to provide information so customers may compare prices and services.*
Revises State designation of "Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month" from February to September.
Establishes program in DOE to address State's shortage of mathematics and science teachers.
Permits chief administrator of MVC to waive CDL skills test for certain applicants with military experience operating commercial motor vehicles.*
Provides that a school district may implement bullying prevention programs and anti-bullying training programs at no cost through various entities; and appropriates $1 million.
Requires professional boards to provide credits toward requirements for licensure for veterans with substantially equivalent training.*
Allows certain military spouses with out-of-State teaching license to receive temporary instructional certificate in New Jersey.
Sets forth certain reporting requirements when out-of-State law enforcement entities conduct counter-terrorism investigations within New Jersey.*
Provides unemployment benefits for certain ex-service members.
Allows certain business combinations between resident domestic corporations and interested stockholders.
Allows corporate shareholder meeting participation by remote communication and clarifies remedies for dissenting shareholders.
Concerns various authorities, boards, commissions, councils, divisions, and task forces.
Revises law concerning derivative proceedings and shareholder class actions.
Revises "New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority Act."
The "Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act."
Changes pejorative terminology referring to mental capacity of individuals.
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.*
Provides for licensure of pediatric respite care facilities. *
Establishes School Security Task Force.*
Appropriates $38.5 million from "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" and "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" to State Agriculture Development Committee for county planning incentive grants.
Appropriates $4,083,320 from "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund," "2007 Farmland Preservation Fund," and "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for grants to certain nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes.
Codifies protections set forth in certain case law and limits use of eminent domain under the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law."
Permits counties and municipalities to use snow removal reserve funds for clearance of debris following declaration of emergency by President or Governor.
Appropriates $1,393,084 from 2009 Historic Preservation Fund to provide historic site management grants for certain historic preservation projects.
Provides extended validity to wastewater service area designations and sewer service area designations, and revises certain aspects of wastewater management planning process.
Vetoed · 14
Authorizes prescribed burning in certain circumstances.
"Good Samaritan Emergency Response Act"; eliminates criminal liability for persons who seek medical assistance in response to drug overdose. *
Regulates mailed manufacturer's rebates.
Requires fire suppression systems in new single and two family homes.
"New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act."
Requires Financial Policy Review Board to issue quarterly reports and create and maintain website.
Clarifies intent of Legislature to protect certain senior tenants; aligns housing age restrictions with federal law.**
Increases distributions to municipalities from Energy Tax Receipts Property Tax Relief Fund over five years to restore aid reductions; extends "poison pill" protection to total formula aid provided to each municipality.
Limits motor vehicle rental companies vehicle license cost recovery fee to good-faith estimate of actual costs; requires company to annually adjust fee to reflect actual costs.*
Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in companies manufacturing assault firearms for civilian use.**
Permits two or more candidates for school board member to circulate petitions jointly and be bracketed together on ballot for same term.
Grants immunity from liability for certain professional services rendered during emergencies under certain circumstances.
Requires Commissioner of Banking and Insurance to establish public awareness campaign about new federally required health insurance exchange.
Requires certain police vehicles to be equipped with cameras.
Passed the General Assembly · 35
Requires DHSS to establish carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide air quality standards and certification requirements for ice arenas. *
Makes permanent certain temporary authorizations that expanded permitted investment by Director of Division of Investment of State of New Jersey Cash Management Fund and State pension funds.
Requires court to issue animal protective orders against persons found guilty of abusing animals.
Provides corporation business tax credit and gross income tax credits for purchase and installation of certain electric vehicle charging stations.
Authorizes Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation for child in proceedings after parental rights have been terminated.
Revises notice requirements by CATV companies for changes to station channel positions to be consistent with federal law.*
Concerns permits, letters of exemption, and enforcement with regard to agricultural activities under "Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act".
Authorizes State and local governments to enter into group purchasing agreement for advanced technology vehicles and alternative fueled vehicles. *
Directs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Secretary of Higher Education to promote the establishment of higher education and business partnerships.*
Requires NJ Transit to do study of platform safety issues at rail stations.
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.
Clarifies authority of municipal court to suspend driver's licenses.
The "Real Estate Installment Contract Act."
Concerns time frames for establishing or enforcing property rights related to adverse possession.**
Increases penalties for failing to secure a child in a child passenger restraint system or booster seat while operating a motor vehicle.
Permits sale of home-baked goods under certain circumstances.
Requires voter approval at the annual school election or by the board of school estimate prior to designation as charter school district of residence or expansion of a charter school.
Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for qualified investment in certain biotechnology businesses.
Clarifies the effective date of the "New Jersey False Claims Act."
Establishes the "New Jersey Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act"; provides expedited process for foreclosing abandoned residential properties.
Provides for increase in allowance paid to veterans with certain wartime service-connected disabilities.
Requires State to enable applicants for State agency-issued permits to track online the progress and status of their permit application.
Provides bonus awards to certain businesses who hire employees who were previously unemployed for more than 13 weeks.
Requires Secretary of State to establish secure Internet website for online voter registration; authorizes use of digitized signature from New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission database.*
Requires debt collectors, in certain circumstances, to cease debt collections against certain victims of identity theft.
The "Residential Mortgage Satisfaction Act"; places certain requirements on issuance of mortgage pay-off letters; provides additional process for discharging mortgages of record.
Provides procedure to cancel mortgage of record by affidavit of entitled person under certain conditions.
Authorizes professional and occupational boards to recognize continuing education approval entities.
Requires forms and materials for individuals with developmental disabilities to be available in languages other than English.
Requires notification of certain domestic violence victims through the Victim Information and Notification Everyday System (VINE).
Exempts veterans' organizations from nonprofit corporation annual report filing fee.
Requires follow-up studies of developmental center residents transitioning to the community.
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.
Allows gross income taxpayers to use their gross income tax returns to make voluntary contributions to the Rutgers Oral History Archives.
Creates first degree crime of home invasion, makes crime subject to No Early Release Act, and upgrades burglary of a residence to a second degree crime under certain circumstances.
Out of committee · 32
Prohibits drilling technique of hydraulic fracturing.
Permits cancellation of municipal charges and fees under $10.
Directs Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to forgive certain student loans in the event of the student borrower's death.
"New Jersey Angel Investor Tax Credit Act;" provides credits against corporation business and gross income taxes for investing in New Jersey emerging technology businesses.
Authorizes local public contract set-aside program for business enterprises that are owned by or that employ veterans.
Revises the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.
The "Common Sense Shared Services Act"; concerns shared service agreements for certain local personnel under "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act."*
Establishes certain procedures for awarding design-build projects.*
Allows tax credits for development of qualified wind energy facilities in certain portfield sites.
Clarifies intent of P.L.2007, c.340 regarding NJ's required participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
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 "New Jersey Yellow Dot" program in MVC.*
Requires adoption agency, court, or DYFS to maintain child's religious upbringing when placing child in adoptive or resource family home.
Permits veterans' organizations to use net proceeds from games of chance for organizations' support.
Establishes the Office of Dropout Prevention and Reengagement of Out-of-School Youth in DOE, and the Student Dropout Prevention Task Force.
Revises definition of "necessary care" in the State's animal cruelty law to include more specific requirements. *
Establishes forest stewardship program for State-owned lands.*
Concerns dissolution of free public libraries.
The "Opioid Antidote and Overdose Prevention Act."
"New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act."
Requires labeling of all foods containing genetically modified material.
Establishes animal cruelty offense of cruel confinement of a gestating pig.
The "New Jobs for New Jersey Act."
Requires owner or operator of industrial establishment applying for de minimis exemption from "Industrial Site Recovery Act" to certify as to no actual knowledge of contamination exceeding remediation standards.
Requires DEP to update Shore Protection Master Plan.
"New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training Provider Demonstration Project Act."
Prohibits retail mercantile establishments from imposing surcharges on consumer credit card purchases.
Clarifies charitable contributions are not a factor in determining where person is domiciled under New Jersey gross income tax.
Allows SPRS members to purchase SPRS credit for prior military service.
Sets forth certain standards to be followed by law enforcement agencies and fire departments when utilizing drones.
Prohibits PANYNJ from imposing cargo facility charge in certain instances.
Provides standards for home elevation contractors.
In committee · 84
Transfers Bureau of Securities to Department of Banking and Insurance.
Authorizes "100 percent Disabled Veteran" license plates for qualified veterans; entitles holders to handicapped parking privileges.
Eliminates smoking ban exemption for casinos and simulcasting facilities.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Requires third-party disbursement service organization that contracts with local government unit or board of education to post bond against failure to meet obligations.
Establishes special motorcycle license plates for veterans.
Expands parity between certain State-chartered financial institutions, and permits interstate banking by such institutions through de novo branching or expanded authority to acquire existing branches or institutions.
Directs BPU to establish online process for submission of required documents by BPU regulated and licensed entities.
Directs installation of electric vehicle charging stations at service areas on State's toll roads.
Requires Chief Administrator of Motor Vehicle Commission to establish standards for average customer wait times at facilities.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Revises New Jersey Safe Haven Infant Protection Act and other laws relating thereto.
Prohibits use of certain underwriting guidelines by insurers pertaining to guide dogs, service dogs, or hearing assistance dogs harbored on the insured property.
The "Smart Container Act."
Provides rental and lease protections for domestic violence victims.
Requires certain motor vehicle reinspections be conducted at licensed private inspection facilities.
Establishes public-private alternative fueling station pilot program.
Prohibits local governments from acquiring by condemnation any airport that has had its development rights purchased.
Establishes Division of Minority and Women Business Development and State Chief Disparity Officer to monitor efforts to promote participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses in State contracting.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns to support the Girl Scouts councils in New Jersey.
Creates Office of Energy Savings to implement program to improve energy efficiency and conservation for all State agencies.
Creates grant program for newly established small businesses engaged in life sciences.
Creates matching grant program for small businesses engaged in life sciences.
Requires the "Commission to Review Criminal Sentencing" to examine activities which victimize persons, particularly women and children, and are not codified in the Code of Criminal Justice and recommend appropriate legislation for establishing such crime
Concerns transfer of PANYNJ contracts related to marine terminals.
Prohibits the sale of certain children's products containing lead, mercury, or cadmium.
Establishes pilot project to permit overseas and military voters to vote in certain elections using Internet; makes an appropriation.
Prohibits certain sex offenders from selling from ice cream trucks.
Requires insurers to provide coverage for medications and dose-intensive chemotherapy/bone marrow transplants and umbilical cord blood transplants for treatment of sickle cell anemia.
Requires Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission to study financial impact of all enacted mandated health benefits.
Provides a plan to rebalance State resources to provide community services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities.
Establishes a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program under the New Jersey gross income tax for home purchases during a qualified period.
Prohibits the use of certain fishing gear on artificial reefs.
Qua-Daishia's Law: bars disclosure of personal identifying information contained in grand jury materials; creates fourth degree offense for unauthorized disclosure.
Provides for continuing education for real estate brokers, broker-salespersons and salespersons, and creates a new licensing category of referral agents.
Eliminates award of attorneys' fees, filing fees and costs of suit for technical violation of the consumer fraud act.
"Historic Property Reinvestment Act"; provides credits against certain taxes for certain costs of rehabilitating historic properties.
Requires that police obtain warrant to seize cell phone data.
Requires that police obtain warrant to attach GPS device to suspect's motor vehicle.
Requires and permits preference in awarding certain contracts.
Allows homestead property tax reimbursement program participants who lose income eligibility due to an IRA withdraw for certain purposes to maintain base year upon requalification.
Requires health insurers to disclose broker commissions to purchasers.
Provides corporation business tax credits and gross income tax credits for purchase of certain electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Establishes crime of participation in criminal street gang initiation ritual.
Establishes Statewide database of beds in shelters for the homeless.
Expands existing film and digital media production tax credit programs; designated as the Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act.
Establishes a closing fund to provide financial resources for certain economic development projects.
Requires certain appointed public officials to work 35 hours or more per week to be eligible for PERS and SHBP; requires termination of PERS and SHBP participation of certain appointed officials whose term of appointment expires.
Establishes a Business Part in the Superior Court.
Creates a Business Court.
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Permits master deed of condominium to reflect proportional common and limited common elements interests of each owner as fractions.
Requires health care facilities to report certain information about their health care staff to their respective professional boards or DHSS.
Requires health benefits coverage for orthotic and prosthetic appliances and provides reimbursement therefor.
"New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act."
Requires use of biometric technology to verify coverage under Medicaid program.
Requires health insurers to provide coverage for certain infant formulas.
Expands the Tuition Aid Grant program to part-time undergraduates.
Requires health insurance carriers to use standard explanation of benefits form.
Requires DOE to develop and distribute information regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and expands role and membership of New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force.
Increases civil penalties for medical waste violations and intentional ocean pollution.
Requires investigating law enforcement officer to contact next of kin of unconscious motor vehicle accident victim who has been transported to hospital emergency room.
Permits developer to qualify for low-interest loan from NJEDA when building a high performance green building.
Requires installation of operational automatic rain sensor on lawn sprinklers as condition of sale and on lawn sprinklers on commercial, retail or industrial property and in common interest communities within specified timeframes.
Provides supplemental appropriation of $2,700,000 to DCA for Neighborhood Preservation Program.
Provides for review and consolidation of certain toll free telecommunications services maintained and operated by certain State and local entities.
Designates Pine Barrens treefrog as New Jersey State Amphibian.
The "Safe Playing Fields Act"; restricts use of lawn care pesticides at child care centers and certain schools, playgrounds, and recreational fields.
Revises law concerning meetings of public bodies to provide public with greater access to meetings and to information about meetings.
Concerns eligibility for unemployment benefits for certain seasonal workers.
Provides a NJHOPE credit, increases the current gross income tax homestead property tax credit, and increases the gross income tax rate on taxable income exceeding $1,000,000.
Increases tobacco products wholesale sales and use tax rates to be on par with tax rate imposed on cigarettes under cigarette tax; dedicates revenue for smoking and tobacco use cessation programs.
Requires use of uniform silver flags to mark certain pesticide applications.
Provides matching grant program for local governments to facilitate energy efficiency and conservation of resources in public buildings; appropriates $50 million.
Requires certain companies providing local telephone service within 10-mile radius of nuclear electric generating facility to adhere to certain service quality standards.
Establishes Hunterdon-Somerset Flood Advisory Task Force.
Requires BPU to report annually on certain public utility bill assistance program expenditures.
Authorizes marriage by same-sex couples, and provides for issuance of marriage license to same-sex couples, including those previously joined in civil union, subject to voter approval.
Clarifies that crime victim has a right to make a victim impact statement directly to the defendant at sentencing.
Directs public utilities and pipeline operators to reimburse municipalities for certain emergency services.
Establishes "Rutgers, The State University Study Commission."
"Solar Installation and Wind Turbine Decommissioning Act."
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.
Provides certain issuers of securities with exemption from registration.