Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, General Assembly.
Caridad Rodriguez
Sponsored
Became law2
Clarifies obligation of cemeteries to hold consumer prepayments for cemetery services in trust accounts.
Requires installment payments for maternity services covered by certain health benefits plans.
Passed the General Assembly1
Establishes the "Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact."
Out of committee1
Includes nurse midwives among medical professionals authorized to certify medical condition of individuals under "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" and "Work First New Jersey Act." *
In committee6
The "Health Insurance Affordability and Accessibility Reform Act."
Limits point assessment for unsafe driving.
Creates new offenses and penalties regarding animal fighting.
"Expanding Access to Health Care Act"; requires certain large employers to either provide specified level of health benefits to employees or pay assessment to State.
Consolidates individual and small employer health benefits programs under one board.
Creates "New Jersey Catastrophic Health Care Claims Reinsurance Program."
Carried from the Senate
Became law1
Includes nurse midwives among medical professionals authorized to certify medical condition of individuals under "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" and "Work First New Jersey Act."
Co-sponsored
Became law · 37
Provides for automatic enrollment in PAAD and Senior Gold programs under certain circumstances.
Requires boards of education to permit public participation at board meetings.
Regulates operation of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and dirt bikes, and certain other vehicles and off-road vehicles; requires DEP to designate three sites on State-owned land where snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and dirt bikes may be used. **
Requires certain persons to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation against vulnerable adults.
Authorizes municipal planning boards to adopt green buildings and environmental sustainability municipal master plan element.
Prohibits unfair discrimination in the issuance, renewal or rating of life insurance policies based on future foreign travel.
Amends special probation statute to increase participation in drug program; permits court to reduce certain fees. *
Denies public access to extinguished psychiatric liens.
Allows certified public accountants licensed in other states to practice public accountancy and attest services in this State under certain circumstances.
Establishes a "Silver Alert System." *
The "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
Allows certain corporate notices to be provided via electronic transmission.
Allows director of corporation to provide notice of resignation, which resignation is only effective upon occurrence of certain event.
Provides one hour and two hour service options for expedited over the counter corporate service requests.
Provides that corporate by-laws may allow corporation to eliminate plurality voting for corporate directors.
Expands scope of unincorporated entities permitted to merge or consolidate with domestic corporations.
Allows officers of corporation to grant employees and officers of corporation shares of stock, rights or options.
Permits counties to create County Homelessness Trust Funds. *
Grants immunity to certain underage persons for unlawful possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Establishes the "New Jersey-Israel Commission" as a permanent commission in the Department of State.
Revises cosmetology and hairstyling statutes. *
Prohibits sale and distribution of novelty lighters. *
Creates Solar and Wind Energy Commission.
Increases civil penalties for medical waste violations and intentional ocean pollution. *
Adds non-voting member to NJT board.
Establishes the Troops to College Program in the Commission on Higher Education to assist veterans in making the transition into the college classroom.
Requires DHS to develop procedures to enable hospitals to promptly transfer emergency department patients with mental illness to appropriate treatment setting. *
Requires DHS and DCF to establish standardized admission protocols and medical clearance criteria for admission to behavioral health care facilities. *
Creates "Computer Crime Prevention Fund"; imposes penalties on certain offenders.
Requires the Director of the Division of Taxation to establish a 45-day State tax amnesty period that ends no later than June 15, 2009.
The "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," authorizes bonds for $400 million; appropriates $5,000. **
"New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act of 2009"; appropriates $15 million to "New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund." *
Establishes the "New Jersey Foreclosure Fairness Act"; imposes additional foreclosure notice requirements; amends "Mortgage Stabilization and Relief Act." *
Establishes "Women and Families Strengthening Act."
Provides for programs and services for inmates and formerly incarcerated persons; and institutes certain administrative procedures. *
Establishes New Jersey Special Education and Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force.
Brings State law into conformity with federal law concerning sharing of certain mental health information relating to the purchase and possession of firearms.
Passed the General Assembly · 30
The "Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act."
Clarifies definition of "primary care" in Primary Care Physician and Dentist Loan Redemption Program to include practice of geriatrics.
Increases fine for failing to secure a child in a child passenger restraint system or booster seat and for failing to secure the seat belts of passengers between the ages of 8 and 18. *
Provides DYFS caseworkers with personnel and law enforcement assistance when conducting DYFS investigations.
Requires retailers to post warnings of lead poisoning from improper paint removal.
Requires registration of certain additional securities investment advisers.
Requires ATM operators to disclose balance inquiry fees.
Provides that reports and publications produced by State be primarily available on Internet, provides for notice of availability of reports and publications.
"New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act."
Establishes "New Jersey Colon Cancer Research Fund;" provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns. *
Authorizes public providers of utility services to bill customers electronically upon customers' request.
Creates "New Jersey Senior Labor Task Force."
Eliminates 10 day advance notification of proposed effective date of certain shareholder action.
Concerns continuing education for dentists. *
Prohibits plea agreements for motor vehicle violations by drivers subject to the Graduated Driver Licensing law. *
Expands requirements for special learner's and examination permits.
Establishes procedures to prevent and eradicate bedbug infestations in certain residential property.
Expands membership of Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board.
Requires victims of the criminally insane to be notified upon release, escape, or transfer of offender from mental health facility.
Restricts sale or lease of certain ultrasound equipment.
Clarifies school district employees subject to statutory provisions concerning supplemental compensation for unused sick leave and vacation carry forward requirements.
Establishes registry of offenders of individuals with developmental disabilities in DHS.
Permits sheriffs, local police, and county corrections facilities to hire certain laid off officers without utilizing certain Civil Service lists. *
Makes Housing Assistance and Recovery Program effective immediately.
Makes it a crime to communicate or transmit sexually suggestive communications to a minor under certain circumstances.
Requires persons subject to Megan's Law registration to provide law enforcement with any Internet identifiers.
Authorizes wiretap orders for investigation of luring or enticing a child, identity theft, stalking and harassment under certain circumstances.
Allows DMVA to fundraise for handicap accessible vehicle purchase.
Establishes the "Domestic Violence Victim Protection Pilot Program."
Adds criminal coercion to offenses that may constitute domestic violence.
Out of committee · 51
Requires insurers to inform insureds whether certain coverages extend to rental automobiles.
Raises age requirement of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18 years old. *
Creates a credit card do-not-solicit list. *
Allows gross income tax deductions for contributions to the "NJBEST college savings program."
Requires New Jersey Transit Access Link drivers to undergo criminal history background checks and wear photo identification.
Eliminates inheritance rights and the right of recovery in certain civil actions for a surviving parent who abandoned a decedent child.
"Grace's Law;" requires health insurers, State Health Benefits Program and NJ FamilyCare to provide coverage for hearing aids for covered persons 15 and younger.
Establishes involuntary commitment to outpatient treatment for person in need of involuntary commitment to treatment. *
Requires drivers to make all reasonable efforts to remove ice or snow from vehicle; creates fine.
Permits municipality to determine permissible parking distance from intersection, crosswalk or "stop" sign.
Requires creditor to provide certain disclosures to borrower prior to residential mortgage loan closing.
Increases funding of Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Program.
Requires assisted living facilities to have defibrillator on site and employees trained to use defibrillator.
Permanently disqualifies certain persons convicted of child endangerment from working with children.
Regulates expiration dates and dormancy fees for certain prepaid bank cards, such as mall gift cards.
Allows credit against certain charges to CATV customers opting out of premium service within 30 days of CATV company notice of network or programming change.
Requires nursing homes to use pressure redistribution mattresses for all residents.
Prohibits employment and licensing background checks to go back further than seven years under certain circumstances.
"Dietitian/Nutritionist Licensing Act."
Provides for random drug testing and testing for cause of employees of State psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, and veterans homes and requires applicants for employment to undergo drug testing. *
Requires staff of shelters for victims of domestic violence and emergency shelters for homeless to undergo criminal history record background checks.
Requires State to purchase energy efficient and hybrid vehicles; provides for phase-in of the requirement.
"Kyleigh's law;" requires holders of special learner's permits, examination permits, and provisional driver's licenses to display certain decals. *
Revises certain restrictions on permit holders and provisional driver's licensees; renames provisional license "probationary."
Makes changes to certain grants for wastewater treatment system projects provided under P.L.2005, c.301.
Provides for improved structure and fiscal management of higher education in New Jersey. *
Upgrades unlawful possession of a machine gun or assault firearm to a crime of the second degree.
Makes various statutory changes to "Child Care Licensing Act."
Prohibits penalizing pharmacy for dispensing forged or fraudulent prescription approved by certain State prescription drug benefit programs. *
Requires licensure as insurance producer to sell certain funeral insurance policies; prohibits financing of certain preneed funeral arrangements with reverse mortgage.
Directs Medicaid to establish medical home demonstration project.
Establishes system for the issuance of special vehicle registration plate decals and medallions and provides for the discontinuance of certain special license plates. *
Concerns franchisors' assignment of interest relating to franchisees engaged in the retail sale of motor fuel.
Expands membership of Police Training Commission to include representative from Northern New Jersey and South Jersey chapters of National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.
Provides penalties for sexually offensive communication or harassing communication through social networking websites. *
Requires residential mortgage lenders to provide debtors with certain information about curing default prior to initiation of mortgage foreclosure action.
Establishes New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force.
Establishes "New Jersey Lung Cancer Research Fund"; provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns.
Establishes a pilot program in DOE to address the State's shortage of mathematics and science teachers.
Appropriates $66 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," "2007 Green Acres Fund," and "2007 Blue Acres Fund" for State acquistion of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects.
Appropriates $120,123,420 from various Green Acres funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Appropriates $19,919,700 from various Green Acres funds for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $15,557,201 from various historic preservation funds to provide grants for certain historic preservation projects, and appropriates $574,805 from certain historic preservation bond funds for associated administrative expenses.
Prohibits misleading use of senior-specific certifications or professional designations in connection with sales of securities.
Concerns suspension and revocation of employer licenses for repeated violations of wage, benefit and tax laws.
Establishes additional investigative and enforcement powers in Division of Consumer Affairs to deter individuals from engaging in unauthorized practice of professions and occupations.
Requires telecommunications companies to provide certain information to law enforcement officials in emergency situations. *
Requires public bodies to provide funds for outreach and training programs for minority group members and women in connection with certain construction contracts.
Authorizes courts to revoke fees at sentencing, include mediation as an alternative sentence, consider testimony from a defendant's family, and reduce the waiting period for certain expungements.
Requires chain restaurants to provide calorie information for food or beverage items offered for sale.
Concerns continuing education for dentists.
In committee · 42
Eliminates a parent's right to inherit under certain circumstances.
Designates Jersey tomato as State Vegetable.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Establishes grant program to rehabilitate veterans' organizations posts; appropriates $300,000.
Permits certain sheriffs to enforce truck weight limits.
Increases New Jersey Property-Liability Insurance Guaranty Association payment cap to $500,000, and immunizes policyholders protected by association from liability within policyholders' policy limits.
Establishes the "Mental Health Court Pilot Program."
Requires retail food establishments to provide certain nutritional information for food or beverage items sold to its customers.
Establishes the "Healthy Workplace Act."
Reduces municipal library tax levy cap from 15% to 4%.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for New Jersey National Guard members and their families in need of assistance.
Regulates certain service contracts to perform maintenance, repair, replacement, or service of property used for personal, family, or household purposes.
Creates crime of fiscal victimization against senior citizens or disabled persons.
Authorizes Office of Public Defender to provide legal representation for child in proceedings after parental rights have been terminated.
Expands definition of abused child to include youths between the ages of 18 and 21 who receive services from DCF.
Authorizes certain police officers to possess and use stun guns while on duty.
Limits payment upon retirement to $15,000 to local public officers and employees for accumulated sick leave.
Permits direct shipping of wine to New Jersey consumers.
Requires that automated external defibrillators be located on every floor of State House and State House Annex; requires training for State Police.
Strengthens public disclosure and monitoring requirements of "Open Public Meetings Act".
"Urban Enterprise Zone Jobs Scholarship Act"; establishes pilot program in Department of the Treasury to provide tax credits for contributions to entities which provide tuition scholarships to children in certain urban enterprise zone municipalities.
Permits advertising on exterior of school buses.
Includes midwives within definition of "licensed person" for purposes of affidavits of merit in certain actions filed on or after effective date.
Requires study of availability of certain health care services by independent entity.
Requires insurers to cover treatment for sickle cell anemia; requires DHSS to prepare and distribute informational booklet about sickle cell anemia; appropriates $95,000.
Establishes the "Healthy New Jersey Labor-Management" demonstration program.
Creates tax exemption for public parks and recreational facilities owned, maintained, or operated by joint municipal recreation commission.
Allows a gross income tax deduction for certain higher education tuition and fee expenses.
"The Muhammad Ali/Rocky Marciano Boxing Reform Act"; enhances regulation of boxing.
Requires small employer health insurance carriers to offer coverage for treatment of infertility.
Provides for attachment of real property relating to terrorism.
Extends the statute of limitations for certain sexual abuse cases.
Provides for an extended term of imprisonment, supervision for life and sex offender registration for the crime of human trafficking under certain circumstances.
Provides certain requirements for donation container solicitations by charities.
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.
Provides for registration and regulation of athlete agents.
Adds fraud via telecommunication or electronic means to list of prohibited activities for certain security transactions; increases penalties.
Establishes an urban job training and resource center for certain women.
Concerns per diem rates at hotels and motels that provide emergency housing to public assistance recipients.
Imposes New Jersey gross income tax on winnings from multistate lottery games in which New Jersey Lottery participates.
Requires Secretary of State to provide voter registration forms to newly naturalized citizens.
Establishes task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues.