Bills in the 2004–2005 Session, General Assembly.
Richard A. Merkt
Sponsored
In committee102
Classifies victim impact statements as confidential communications.
Appropriates $90,000 to Division of Fish and Wildlife for Hunters Helping the Hungry program.
Prohibits legislators from certain lobbying activities for two years after leaving office; provides additional civil penalties for violations.
Requires administrative rules adopted by State agencies to meet certain readability standards; creates Council on Administrative Rule Readability.
Authorizes DEP to reduce or waive certain water pollution penalties.
Empowers acting sheriffs to perform real estate sales in sheriffs' absences and empowers notaries public to take affidavits made attendant to those sales.
Replaces the New Jersey gross income tax with a New Jersey simplified income tax.
Exempts federally mandated safety-related activities at airports from freshwater wetlands permit requirement.
Authorizes county clerks to issue identification cards to county residents under age 18.
Establishes a grant program for school districts to establish substance abuse prevention programs for eighth grade students; appropriates $2,500,000.
Permits municipalities to establish "Senior Citizen Affordable Housing Support Program;" combines property tax relief with COAH credit.
Clarifies that crime victims' rights must be recognized by all courts in the State.
Provides property tax exemption for maximum of two parsonages of any congregation of any religious corporation in the State.
Establishes penalties for drunk and drugged supervising passengers under graduated driver license program.
Restricts the receipt of certain things of value by legislators or legislative staff and officers and staff members of the Executive Branch and limits certain gifts thereto.
Prohibits nepotism by public officials.
Allows a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and the recipient's dependent child and spouse to receive tuition-free postgraduate education at any public institution of higher education.
Establishes the required level of State aid for the Abbott districts.
Prohibits filling of vacancy among candidates if vacancy occurs within 51 days prior to day of general election.
Updates special license plates for emergency medical technicians from EMT-A to EMT.
Appropriates $85,000 to DEP for conservation officer for Split Rock Reservoir.
Creates the crime of victimization of a senior citizen or a person with a disability.
Prohibits certain contributions by certain entities and individuals doing business with counties or municipalities; limits amount of contribution by principals and officers of such entities.
Supplemental appropriation to DHSS for $30 million for comprehensive tobacco control programs.
Empowers officers of Bureau of Border Security and Transportation Security Administration to make arrests for certain violations of New Jersey law.
Establishes child protective services investigation pilot program in Morris county; appropriates $90,000.
Revises law on property which may escheat to State to undo recent changes.
Requires part-time service by new PERS members to be credited at one half the length of that service for certain benefit calculation purposes.
Eliminates legislative leadership committees.
Recouples the New Jersey estate tax to the federal credit for state death taxes paid; provides statute of limitation for lien of tax.
Eliminates supplemental realty transfer fee, and clarifies the law with respect to realty transfer fees generally.
Reduces to $20 threshold for reporting political contributions to ELEC.
"Attorney Licensing and Disciplinary Act."
Clarifies that Governor and Governor's Staff are subject to certain ethical standards.
Creates "Comprehensive Anti-Nepotism Act of 2004."
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.
Permits conveyance of surplus State real property at no cost to a county or municipality for certain public purposes.
Requires DOT to abide by municipal zoning and signage regulations when placing motorist service and tourist-oriented directional signs on State property.
Allows individuals a credit against gross income tax equal to 50 percent of fair market value of school supplies and equipment donated to a public school.
Adopts the "Uniform Trade Secrets Act."
Provides that DEP may only assess direct program costs in permit fees.
Reduces limits on contributions to legislative leadership committees and to political committees and continuing political committees.
Exempts public entities operating public recreational facilities from liability for damages resulting from personal injury.
Amends statute concerning notary publics.
Provides for DNA testing on certain evidence in murder cases and requires DNA testing if death sentence imposed if identity was at issue.
"Medical Savings Account Option Act" for SHBP.
Bans intentional feeding of deer.
Concerns pro rata exemptions from loss assessments under the New Jersey Individual Health Coverage Program.
Appropriates $3,400,000 to DCA to fund Watershed Moratorium Offset Aid.
Establishes separate presidential primary on last Tuesday in February.
Requires use of electronic voting machines in elections; reimburses certain counties for funds spent on election equipment.
Limits county committees and chairs thereof from controlling placement of party members on primary ballot and use of party designation.
Provides for temporary police chief appointment when activated military reserve police officer cannot take promotional examination.
Revises fines for drivers unable to exhibit a driver's license, insurance card or registration certificate.
Permits municipalities to designate segments of certain highways as recreation or government facilities zones with 25 MPH speed limits.
Excludes certain contributions to SIMPLE retirement plans from gross income under the gross income tax.
Requires collection of data on whether firearm used in offense was illegally possessed.
Eliminates transfer inheritance taxes on Class C beneficiaries and nieces and nephews of a decedent.
Creates offense of eluding law enforcement officer on all-terrain vehicle, sets penalties, and outlines disposition of fines.
Deletes references to Drug Utilization Review Council and provides for use of federal Orange Book.
Repeals certain restrictions on future retail sales of handguns.
Authorizes county clerks to issue ID cards; requires Motor Vehicle Commission to give cards primary ID status.
Extends validity of passenger motor vehicle and motorcycle registration certificates from 12 to 24 months; raises fees accordingly.
Provides for vehicle forfeiture for certain convictions of driving with revoked license.
Authorizes school boards to establish a firearm safety program.
Requires school districts to provide certain parents with the school report card.
Prohibits Legislature and members thereof from employing convicted criminals.
Allows a gross income tax deduction for certain higher education tuition, fee, housing and board expenses.
Narrows focus of uniform site improvement guidelines to engineering construction standards.
Exempts certain local public contracts from "buy American" requirement.
Establishes Defined Contribution Public Employees' Retirement Program.
Authorizes Eagle Scout license plate.
Permits two separate property tax bills to be sent to property tax payers.
Establishes the Public School Tuition Equity Study Commission.
Removes exemption for certain nonprofit organizations on limits for reimbursement or payment for travel or subsistence for Legislators and State officers and employees.
Prohibits municipalities from adopting rent control ordinance; requires municipalities with rent control to submit 10-year phase out plan to the Department of Community Affairs.
Increases statute of limitations for certain crimes involving political corruption from five years to seven years.
Appropriates $170,000 to the Palisades Interstate Park Commission for N.J. Highlands Preservation Project.
The "Water Resources Protection Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $2.5 billion and appropriates $5,000.
Establishes Public Employees' Defined Contribution Plan Study Commission.
Establishes limits on contributions county and municipal committees of a political party can give per election or per year to candidates and certain political committees.
Eliminates redundant fingerprinting for certain gun permit applicants.
Revises New Jersey's firearms statutes to conform with federal Brady Law.
Requires HIV testing for pregnant women and marriage license applicants.
Appropriates $500,000 to DHSS for the purpose of providing a grant to Daytop Village.
Disqualifies workers from UI benefits for illegal workplace drug use.
Supplemental appropriation of $235,000 to DHS for a grant to Homeless Outreach Program in Morris County.
Prohibits certain campaign contributions by State contractors.
Expands voter verification process used at polling place on election day; makes appropriation.
Provides that PERS member holding more than one position covered by PERS has to designate one position as the basis for enrollment.
Prohibits legislators from representing local government entities, or persons before local government entities.
Requires candidate for Governor or member of Legislature to file copy of federal income tax return with ELEC; replaces certain existing financial disclosure requirements.
Creates procedure for destruction of all records pertaining to juveniles who are arrested but subsequently not charged with delinquency.
Suspends contribution limits for candidates opposed by candidates who self-fund more than 20 percent of campaign costs.
Abolishes Department of the Public Advocate.
Changes membership of Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to increase number of public members.
Gives paratransit and special paratransit vehicles certain right of way privileges.
The "New Jersey Self-Defense Law."
Changes calculation of PERS final compensation from three-year average to ten-year average.
Terminates deposits to the Gubernatorial Election Fund for all taxable years after January 1, 2005.
Changes the voting requirements necessary to modify the method for apportioning costs in a regional district.
Requires enforcing agency to remove excessive accumulation of combustible materials inside a rental dwelling unit in certain cases.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 7
Provides for separate presidential primary on last Tuesday in February. *
Prohibits transmission of certain unsolicited fax advertisements over telephone lines.
Changes laws governing financial liability for patients in psychiatric facilities and eliminates institutional liens for persons treated at State and county psychiatric facilities. **
Appropriates $22,468,700 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in northern NJ.
Appropriates $25 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for planning incentive grants to municipalities and counties for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $18,000,000 to provide grants for certain historic preservation projects; approves $4,979,092 thereof for certain historic preservation projects in northern NJ.
Concerns availability, deductibles, and certain treatment under high deductible health plans paid through federally qualified health savings accounts.
Passed the General Assembly · 4
Establishes criminal penalties for operating or participating in pyramid promotional schemes.
Decreases certain motor vehicle fines and lengthens time to provide proof of insurance.
The "Health Insurance Affordability and Accessibility Reform Act."
Concerns availability, deductibles, and certain treatment under high deductible health plans paid through federally qualified health savings accounts. *
Out of committee · 15
Establishes early voting procedure; makes appropriation.
Provides penalties for injuring or killing search and rescue dogs.
Designates official entity constructing law enforcement memorial and museum.
Establishes identification guidelines and record-keeping requirements for notaries public.
Clarifies procedures for closing active child protective services cases.
Establishes "Alan M. Augustine Colorectal Cancer Research Fund"; appropriates $100,000. *
Credits coverage under Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare towards employer's minimum participation rate under NJ Small Employer Health Benefits Program.
Appropriates moneys from the "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003" for loans for dams restoration and repair projects and to finance the costs of State dam restoration and repair projects.
Authorizes State Medical Examiner to participate in research concerning sudden death in infancy and early childhood.
Establishes pilot program for satellite-based monitoring of certain sex offenders and authorizes certain sex offenders to submit to annual polygraph; appropriates $3 million. *
Appropriates $46.225 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $65,822,075 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds, and appropriates or reappropriates certain other moneys, for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in "ur
Appropriates $25,389,500 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in northern NJ.
Appropriates $15 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes in Highlands Region.
Appropriates $31,415,464 from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for planning incentive grants to counties and municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
In committee · 94
Permits master deed of condominium to reflect proportional common and limited common elements interests of each owner as fractions.
Eliminates certain fees charged to adoptive parents in particular cases.
Establishes "Matthew's Law Limiting the Use of Restraints."
Establishes procedures for court and DYFS to determine safety of minor child whose child's caretaker is incarcerated.
Requires interpretive statements of State general obligation bond act public questions to include certain fiscal information.
Allows vendors to retain 1% of sales tax collected as consideration for collecting and promptly remitting the same.
Death Tax Phase-Out Act; phases out the transfer inheritance tax over three years.
"The 10-20-Life Law."
Provides that certain municipal records concerning persons under age 18 will not be publicly accessible.
Allows certain self-employed business owners to deduct their own pension plan contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for contributions to certain entities providing educational scholarships to low-income children in New Jersey; provides an Educational Option Act.
Allows certain individuals and private small business employers to purchase SHBP coverage.
Authorizes the Director of the Division of Taxation to implement a federally-reimbursed State sales and use tax holiday.
Requires impact statement for any proposed regulation affecting volunteer ambulance squads and fire companies.
Immunizes employers from civil liability for certain disclosures regarding employees and former employees.
Provides tax credits for certain participants in federal Environmental Performance Track Program.
Eliminates the alternative minimum assessment under the corporation business tax.
Supplemental appropriation of $75,000 to DHSS for grant to Sunrise House Foundation, Inc.
Requires annual written authorization of payroll deductions for political contributions.
Prohibits Governor from appearing in certain State-funded advertisements.
Permits use of deadly force against black bears in certain cases.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
"Michael's Law;" imposes mandatory jail time and rehabilitation for third or subsequent drunk driving offenses.
Includes same sex marriages among marriages declared void; provides that New Jersey will not recognize marriages in other jurisdictions which are void in New Jersey.
Provides for commencement of short term tax exemptions and abatements as of date of completion of project.
Authorizes business entities to designate representatives in court proceedings without the necessity for representation by an attorney.
Requires award of grants to remediate discharges from home heating oil tanks for applications filed prior to July 1, 2007.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Appropriates $2,000,000 for New Jersey Fire Engine and Equipment Museum.
Exempts State-chartered credit unions from sales and use tax.
Upgrades offenses involving use of false government documents.
Transfers Bureau of Securities to Department of Banking and Insurance.
Requires wanted person check before release or transfer of inmates or suspects.
Protects certain compliant municipalities from builder's remedy under "Fair Housing Act" pending readoption of methodologies, criteria and guidelines.
Revises wills and estates.
Provides immunity to volunteer architects, landscape architects, land surveyors, professional engineers, construction managers and contractors during certain emergencies.
Establishes hiring preference for children of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty seeking appointment to municipal police forces.
Establishes a juror voluntary charitable contribution system.
Clarifies applicability to primary elections of campaign contribution and expenditures reporting act.
Requires members of NJ Legislature to file statement of financial affairs.
Imposes surtax on certain New Jersey wages and income of residents of a state that imposes taxes on New Jersey residents that it does not impose on its own residents.
Exempts government-owned property from adverse possession and eliminates statute of limitation period for recovery.
Provides incentive grants for school districts to establish educational foundations.
Requires breath or blood test of drivers in fatal accidents.
Supplemental appropriation of $2,000,000 to fund grant for New Jersey State Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum in Florham Park, New Jersey.
Creates matching grant program in DCA to assist counties in retrofitting county parks to enhance usage by handicapped children; approprates $525,000.
Provides for recoupling of the computation of the New Jersey estate tax in accord with the federal estate tax.
Removes income limit for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement.
Discontinues use of phrase "usual, customary and reasonable" or other words of similar import, on health insurance policies, contracts or related forms.
Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for those persons currently residing in nursing facilities, State hospitals or State developmental centers.
Allows for a gross income tax deduction for any honorably discharged member of the US Armed Forces, reserve unit or national guard.
Dedesignates portions of Route 24.
Provides for a presumption of joint physical custody in a child custody determination; addresses relocation.
Prohibits public and certain private affirmative action programs based upon race, ethnicity, sex, color or national origin.
Eliminates entitlement to workers' compensation cash benefits during imprisonment.
Provides for convening of State constitutional convention; appropriates $15 million.
Provides immunity against "wrongful birth" and "wrongful life" suits.
Restores the phase-out of corporation business taxes on the regular income of subchapter S corporations.
Raises to $150,000 in gross contributions the threshold requiring charitable organizations to file audited financial statements under the "Charitable Registration and Investigation Act."
Permits certain senior citizens to receive absentee ballots under certain circumstances.
Permits certain qualified nonprofit organizations to participate in State purchasing contracts.
Permits person registering to vote to declare political affiliation on voter registration form.
The Election Petition Consistency Act.
Prohibits contributions by certain entities doing business with State; limits amount of contributions by principals and officers of such entities.
Limits contributions by certain public contractors; limits contributions by county and municipal political party committees.
"Tabitha's Law"; requires parent or guardian to notify school administrators if pupil will be absent; requires school to notify parent in event of unexcused pupil absence.
Requires surcharge for passenger restraint violation; establishes Child Safety Seat Distribution Program Fund.
Establishes the Graduate Student Loan and Loan Redemption Program; appropriates $500,000.
Provides gross income tax exclusion for distributions from deferred compensation plans of New Jersey State and local governments, their authorities, school boards, and public institutions of higher education, and the federal government.
Establishes "Matthew's Law Limiting the Use of Restraints."
Directs State acquisition of Troy Meadows Natural Area, Morris County, for recreation and conservation purposes.
Establishes the offense of incest.
Removes restrictions on purchase of apparel by State agencies; voids Executive Order No. 20 of 2002.
Appropriates $1.5 million to the DEP for the Lake Hopatcong Commission.
Establishes enforcement and notice provisions for certain restrictions on distribution of election literature by school personnel.
Holds retailers harmless for pre-packaged slack-filled goods.
Prohibits the use of public sector union dues for political activities and requires specific written authorization for such use in the private sector.
Designates New Jersey Route No. 15 as "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway;" appropriates $2,500.
Eliminates public school district budget reduction appeals to Commissioner of Education.
Creates Division of Probation in DOC; transfers all probation functions and employees to DOC.
Concerns affordable housing in the Highlands Region.
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.
Exempts construction, expansion or renovation of buildings or other structures for police departments, fire departments, and volunteer first aid, emergency, ambulance or rescue squads from "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Exempts Picatinny Arsenal conversion plan from the provisions of the "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Revises calculation of budget caps and increases allowable surplus for public school districts.
Allows a corporation business taxpayer recognizing income, gain or loss pursuant to a plan of complete liquidation to deduct its net operating loss carryovers notwithstanding the limitations on such deductions during the 2002-2005 tax years.
Provides that the State collects 75 percent of punitive damages awarded in any civil action to be deposited in the General Fund.
Clarifies that Fish and Game Council has sole authority to regulate freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping.
Repeals law expediting certain State permits.
Establishes a pothole repair and research program in the Department of Transportation and provides funding from new motor vehicle tire fee revenue.
"Jessica Lunsford Act;" concerns sentencing of sex offenders and persons who harbor them; requires electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders and creates child protection zones.
"Jessica Lunsford Act;" concerns sentencing of sex offenders and persons who harbor them; requires electronic monitoring for certain sex offenders and creates child protection zones.
Appropriates $15 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes in Highlands Region.
Provides for plaque in State House to honor Walter Gilbert Alexander, first African-American Assemblyman.