Bills in the 2012–2013 Session, General Assembly.
Gary R. Chiusano
Sponsored
Became law1
Establishes a process for renewal of DOE issued authorization of certified educational facilities manager.
Out of committee1
Establishes right to immediate interlocutory appeal from determinations as to class certification in class action lawsuits.
In committee20
Provides that farm, farmstand, or other agricultural operation selling firewood obtained from property other than seller's shall not be considered a lumber yard.
Prohibits use of public funds for embryonic stem cell research.
Allows certain self-employed business owners to deduct their own pension plan contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Provides for no net loss of DEP lands for fishing, hunting, and trapping purposes.
Requires "permanent injury" under limitation on lawsuit threshold to seriously impact life of injured person to pierce threshold.
Establishes "New Jersey Commission on Government Efficiency and Cost Control" to recommend measures for efficiency and cost reduction in State government.
Requires high-mounted rear stoplights on certain passenger vehicles.
Requires principals and teachers of public schools to conduct an oral recitation from the Declaration of Independence before the opening of school each day in grades 3-12; appropriates $10,000.
"New Jersey Jobs Protection Act;" requires verification of employment.
Provides that sales by UEZ retailers of items delivered to location outside of the UEZ shall not qualify for partial exemption from the sales tax.
Grants municipal courts discretion to assess court costs for certain dismissals and changes court costs for certain violations.
Prohibits elected officials and public employees from enrolling for health benefits with more than one public entity; provides civil action for treble expenses by public entity providing additional coverage.
The "New Jersey Self-Defense Law."
"The Abortion Mandate Opt-Out Act"; prohibits certain qualified health plans that provide abortion coverage from participating in health benefits Exchanges in the State.
Revises current juror compensation.
Prohibits dual elective office holding and holding of elective office and public office or position.
Allows certain fuel dealers and distributors refunds of petroleum products gross receipts tax and credits against motor fuel tax for certain bad debts from sale of fuel.
Applies driving while intoxicated law to operation of certain motor vehicles in certain circumstances.
Exempts employees and school board members of federal impact aid districts from certain out-of-state travel restrictions.
Establishes per se standard for driving under influence of inhalant; designated as "Kimmie's Law."
Co-sponsored
Became law · 11
Requires all lamps and lighting devices on motor vehicles be kept in working order.
Establishes Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program in DEP and appropriates $200,000 therefor from Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund.
Extends expiration date of certain permits pursuant to the "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
Modifies process for contested case hearings by OAL with regard to telephone and video conferences, delegation of final decision authority, oral decisions, checklist decisions, electronic filings, and settlements.
Alex DeCroce's Law; enhances crime victims' rights under the "Crime Victim's Bill of Rights."
Requires Director of Division of Fire Safety to review preparation of local fire mutual aid plans and determine necessity of designated fire command structure.*
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2013.
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.
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 $16,250,000 from "2009 Farmland Preservation Fund" for planning incentive grants to municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
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.
Vetoed · 1
Requires printers to display average cost per 1,000 printed pages and ink cartridges to display yield.
Passed the General Assembly · 16
Requires independent State authority member to disclose contractual relationship between authority and authority member's relatives. *
Establishes reporting requirements and permissive inference for violations by motor vehicle operators approaching or passing certain horses, ponies and mules.
Forbids members of the State Investment Council from voting on transactions concerning investment with which a member has certain financial or familial conflicts and requires removal for violations thereof.
Imposes restrictions concerning Delaware River Port Authority commissioners, officers, and employees regarding employment, gifts, and compensation.
Imposes restrictions concerning Delaware River and Bay Authority commissioners, officers, and employees regarding employment, gifts, and compensation.
Imposes restrictions concerning Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission commissioners, officers, and employees regarding employment, gifts, and compensation.
Imposes restrictions concerning Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioners, officers, and employees regarding employment, gifts, and compensation.
Dedesignates portions of Route 24.
The "Real Estate Installment Contract Act."
Provides for appointment of certain municipal court judges at the local or county level.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act": imposes mandatory term of imprisonment; provides for negotiated reduction of mandatory term under certain circumstances.**
Includes reverse rate evasion as form of insurance fraud and provides for civil and criminal penalties.
Expands scope of New Jersey Regulatory Flexibility Act dealing with economic impact of rules on small businesses.
Upgrades crime of manslaughter to aggravated manslaughter under certain circumstances.
Makes direct deposit the default distribution method for gross income tax refunds and allows gross income tax refunds via prepaid debit cards.*
Modernizes the form of disbursement for certain State and local government payments to individuals and business entities.*
Out of committee · 11
Establishes and enhances certain insurance fraud prevention measures.
The "Common Sense Shared Services Act"; concerns shared service agreements for certain local personnel under "Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act."*
Revises "Administrative Procedure Act" concerning conflicts between rules of different State agencies.
Authorizes deer hunting with firearm on Sundays on private property.
Immunizes from civil liability first responders who forcibly enter property to provide emergency assistance.
Permits county clerk or register of deeds and mortgages to create identification cards for certain veterans for certain purposes.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2013.
Lieutenant Scott Jenkins' Law; creates certain new criminal offenses aimed at theft from carriers; amends theft statutes.*
The "Bio-based Heating Oil Act."
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.
Establishes microenterprise training program and assistance for micro entrepreneurs.
In committee · 148
Prohibits simultaneous holding of certain State, county and municipal elective offices; provides for transition period between offices.
Requires State Treasurer to post information about State contracts for legal services on special website.
Regulates receipt of things of value by members and employees of Legislature and officers and employees of Executive Branch.
Revises child pornography law.
Requires school districts to provide transportation to public and nonpublic school pupils living along hazardous routes.
Limits amount of appeal bond in civil actions to $50 million.
Requires public bodies to allow public comment at every meeting.
Eliminates dual governmental pay to members of Legislature for legislative duties.
Prohibits the employment of unauthorized aliens and requires employers to use E-Verify program.
Bars sex offenders from jobs which primarily consist of contact with children.
Adds certain cannabis-like chemical substances to list of controlled dangerous substances.
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 a formula for the distribution of State aid to school districts.
Excludes certain illegal aliens from workers' compensation and temporary disability benefits.
Bars companies which hire illegal aliens from public contracts, grants, loans, or tax incentives for seven years.
Ends the transitional energy facilities assessment, caps the State use portion of State energy tax revenues and ensures the balance of such State revenues are paid annually as municipal aid.
Authorizes free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and free admission to State parks and forests for individuals with certain types of military service.
Excludes certain federal employee Thrift Savings Fund contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Prohibits soliciting of campaign contributions on any public property by elective public office candidates; prohibits persons from making contributions to such candidates on any public property.
Prohibits certain political activity by members and employees of local boards of education.
Requires MVC to immediately suspend driver's license of alleged drunk drivers who cause a death.
Adds "significant bodily injury" to assault by auto or vessel statute; upgrades penalties for inflicting serious bodily injury.
Requires voter registration forms be made available when applying for hunting, fishing, or trapping license.
Provides that public official may refuse to solemnize civil unions if solemnization conflicts with public official's conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs.
Clarifies certain standards for regulation of recreational vehicles as housing.
Prohibits State departments and agencies from considering or requiring compliance by Highlands planning area municipalities with Highlands regional master plan in certain circumstances.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Clarifies that licensed dealers may provide firearms for display at fund raising events sponsored by certain tax exempt organizations.
Sunsets "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act" five years after date of enactment unless certain conditions are met.
"Ovarian Health Protection Act"; prohibits procurement or use of human eggs for research or experimentation.
Limits the salaries of school business administrators, superintendents of schools, and assistant superintendents of schools to the salary of the Commissioner of Education.
Prohibits placing primary election candidates into political party lines on primary ballot.
"Transparency in Government Act;" provides for establishment of State public finance website.
Requires physicians to provide patients opportunity to undergo obstetrical ultrasound or sonogram within 48 hours of performing abortion.
Eliminates $500 minimum tax on New Jersey S corporations with New Jersey gross receipts less than $100,000 under Corporation Business Tax.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Prohibits housing allowance in contract between State Board of Education and State district superintendent.
Requires proof of lawful presence in the United States to obtain certain benefits.
Establishes separate license for dealers of non-motorized trailers.
Clarifies that Fish and Game Council has sole authority to regulate freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping.
Eliminates prohibition against purchasing more than one handgun in calendar month.
Repeals certain restrictions on future retail sales of handguns.
Suspends pension of any retired public employee who resumes public employment with compensation more than $15,000.
Requires certain public entities to issue requests for proposals for purchase of certain insurance products and services; requires disclosure of commissions paid.
Requires law enforcement agency to issue retired law enforcement officer identification card to certain qualified retirees.
Authorizes municipalities that petition for or receive substantive certification pursuant to the "Fair Housing Act" to make certain affordable housing units available on a preferential basis to certain eligible persons.
Provides that no more than four of the seven public members appointed to the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council may be of the same political party.
Allows for exclusion of certain properties from Highlands preservation area.
Repeals sections of law pertaining to transfer of civil service and non-civil service employees of terminated local health agency to superseding agency.
Concerns hazardous waste transporter fee.
Eliminates expansion of preschool education programs in "School Funding Reform Act of 2008."
Establishes in DEP the Environmental Science Review Board and Environmental Policy Review Board to review proposed environmental regulations for consistency with planning policies and science.
Exempts contaminated and industrially-zoned sites from affordable housing rules.
Prohibits the imposition of affordable housing need and related fees upon the local transfer or move of a business.
Decreases sales and use tax rate from 7% to 6%.
Increases membership of Fish and Game Council and clarifies it has sole authority to regulate freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping.
Eliminates seniority in Civil Service and other jurisdictions for reductions in force in certain circumstances.
Requires women incarcerated in county correctional facilities to cover full cost of abortion.
Provides for drug testing of adult recipients of Work First New Jersey program benefits.
Makes various changes to civil service; permits institution of temporary layoffs; permits government entities to opt-out of civil service; requires civil service examinations be offered on continual basis.
Provides for automatic waiver of juvenile case to adult court for repeat juvenile offenders.
Establishes farm brewery and winery-brewery beverage license and permits farm wineries to produce hard cider.
Requires interpretive statements of State general obligation bond act public questions to include certain fiscal information.
"The New Jersey Healthcare Choice Act"; permits health insurers licensed in other states to provide coverage in New Jersey under certain circumstances.
Clarifies right of employers to require employees to speak English while engaged in work.
Caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice actions at $250,000.
Excludes overtime pay of certain employees from gross income tax.
"Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act in New Jersey."
Places restrictions on unsolicited school budget communications sent by a board of education to school district residents 90 days prior to annual school election.
"Medical Philanthropy Act"; provides physicians who provide uncompensated care with $250,000 cap on noneconomic damages in actions alleging medical malpractice.
Eliminates public school district budget reduction appeals to the Commissioner of Education.
"Home-Based Jobs Creation Act"; classifies certain home businesses as accessory uses needing no use variances in residential zone; authorizes municipalities to limit or exclude certain warehousing, manufacturing, or retailing activities.
Restores the death penalty for persons who commit certain murders.
Authorizes Sunday bow hunting on federal military installations.
Limits right of appeal of disciplinary action taken by employer against certain public employees.
Creates alternate voting members on county agriculture development boards.
Repeals Highlands planning and environmental permitting provisions of "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act," and amends various statutes to reflect repeal thereof.
Extends "whistleblower" protections to employee disclosure of governmental mismanagement, waste and abuse.
Provides gross income tax credit for certain small business employers that provide health care benefits to employees.
Requires the supervisor of a school bus driver to inspect the school bus for pupils remaining at the end of the transportation route.
Requires Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission to study financial impact of all enacted mandated health benefits.
Prohibits the use of certain fishing gear on artificial reefs.
Eliminates imposition of sales and use tax on charges for initiation fees, membership fees, or dues for access to or use of certain health and fitness clubs and organizations.
Provides for conscientious exemption to mandatory immunizations.
Eliminates award of attorneys' fees, filing fees and costs of suit for technical violation of the consumer fraud act.
Provides public servant is guilty of official misconduct if he knowingly obtains, arranges or provides "no-show" job for himself or another.
Prohibits simultaneous holding of certain State, county and municipal elective and appointive positions.
Establishes a 2.0 percent cap on annual appropriations increases for certain State government spending.
Replaces TPAF, PERS, PFRS and SPRS accidental disability benefits with reduced work-related disability benefit; modifies JRS disability benefit.
"Women's Right to Know Act."
Revises procedures for securing a permit to carry a handgun.
Repeals "Global Warming Response Act" and related sections of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative implementing law.
Permits licensed dealers to display and auction firearms at fund raising events sponsored by certain tax exempt organizations.
Expands duties of State Auditor to include performance audits at request of legislator; establishes Performance Audit Committee, consisting of eight public members, to help conduct performance audits.
Extends certain federal income tax advantages of individual health savings accounts to individual taxpayers under the New Jersey gross income tax.
Requires withholding of the State operating aid of any public or independent institution of higher education that enrolls students who are not lawfully present in the U.S.
Concerns liability, standards of care, and insurance coverage for medical malpractice actions.
Requires sex offenders in satellite-based monitoring program to pay for certain equipment and monitoring costs.
Excludes certain contributions to deferred compensation plans and provides deduction for certain individual retirement savings under the gross income tax.
Prohibits payment of temporary disability benefits to incarcerated individuals.
Prohibits terminal leave compensation for local government employees.
Extends expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation programs from 2009 to 2014.
Expands range of local units eligible to join an insurance fund established by a municipality or county under certain circumstances.
Establishes Lane Splitting Task Force.
Prohibits DOT from putting tolls on I-78 and I-80 and from transferring jurisdiction to independent authority or entity.
Revises "Administrative Procedure Act" concerning socio-economic impact statements for proposed rule-making.
Revises statutes concerning permissible length of time between certain public questions in certain municipalities.
Provides for direct property tax relief from Highlands Property Tax Stabilization Fund.
Provides certain retirees from public police departments the right to hawk, peddle and vend.
Revises definition of religious employer in statute concerning insurance coverage of prescription female contraceptives.
Establishes sex-selection and race-selection abortions as third degree crimes and permits civil actions.
Prohibits MVC from charging certain fees for renewal of boat or motor vehicle registrations.
Repeals law requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information for menu items.
Directs AG to enter into agreement with U.S. Attorney General to empower certain corrections officers to investigate immigration status of inmates.
Prohibits candidates and elected public officials charged with crimes from using campaign contributions for their legal defense.
Designates New Jersey Route No. 15 as "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway."
Permits board of chosen freeholders to establish "Sharing Resources" grant and loan program to encourage shared services and municipal consolidation.
Replaces references to Civil Service Commission with chairperson of commission to clarify duties and responsibilities of chairperson.
Bars certain employees of certain public agencies from participating in PERS; repeals law permitting PERS and TPAF members on leave who work for labor organization to purchase pension credit.
Expands scope of review of Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission.
Provides that certain absentee ballots will be counted if received within ten days of election.
Eliminates supplemental realty transfer fee and one percent fee on transfers of certain commercial real estate and tax on sale of controlling interests in certain commercial real property.
Concerns eligibility for unemployment benefits for certain seasonal workers.
Provides certain limits on benefits coverage by health insurers, SHBP, and SEHBP for certain services related to infertility.
Requires condominium and homeowners' associations to provide information to federal home loan insurance providers at no cost to potential buyers.
Increases filing threshold and the applicable exclusion amount for the New Jersey estate tax to $1,000,000.
Prohibits filling of vacancy among candidates nominated at primaries after 48th and before 14th day before general election, except due to death; prohibits filling subsequent vacancies before elections.
Establishes the New Jersey State Commission on Education Reform to develop academic outcome-based per pupil public school funding amounts.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses providing employment to certain National Guard or reservists.
Establishes motor vehicle registration for street rods and custom motor vehicles.
Establishes Lake Hopatcong Fund, dedicates $400,000 annually from certain power vessel operator license fees to the fund, and appropriates $400,000 for FY2012.
Mandates NICS check be the exclusive method law enforcement uses to determine whether an applicant is qualified to purchase and possess a firearm.
Extends time period for municipalities to commit to expend collected development fees and payments-in-lieu of constructing affordable units.
Establishes bribery in official and political matters applies to person soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept benefit as consideration to act even though not yet in office or otherwise qualified to act.
"Opportunity Scholarship Act"; establishes pilot program in Department of Treasury providing tax credits to entities contributing to scholarships for low-income children; appropriates $1,500,000 to Treasury.
Eliminates certificated superintendent and administrator exceptions to TPAF retiree reenrollment requirement.
Repeals traffic control signal monitoring system pilot program; prohibits future use of red light cameras in State.
Allows charitable contribution tax deductions under New Jersey gross income tax.
Requires any candidate convicted of crimes or offenses to return campaign contributions to donors; freezes most campaign funds of candidates indicted for crimes or offenses.
Clarifies local government unit obligations with regard to DEP loan awards for dam repairs.
Reduces gross income tax rates by 10 percent over three years.
Modifies "inherently beneficial use" definition for purposes of zoning variance to discourage siting of wind and solar energy facilities on agricultural land and open space.
Repeals requirement for general hospitals and State psychiatric hospitals to hold annual public meetings.
Restricts use of electronic benefit cards by cash assistance recipients.
Requires eligibility checklist and audit for enrollment in PERS of certain public employees who provide professional services; imposes fine on certifying officer or supervisor for ineligible enrollments.
Amends Fiscal Year 2013 annual appropriations act to prohibit application of budget adjustment factor when determining Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain nursing facilities.
Requires certain contractors to verify work authorization of newly hired employees.
Filed · 1
Requires minimum geographic cost adjustment for school districts in all counties.