Bills in the 2008–2009 Session, General Assembly.
Richard A. Merkt
Sponsored
In committee40
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.
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 legislative leadership committees.
Limits county committees and chairs thereof from controlling placement of party members on primary ballot and use of party designation.
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.
Reduces to $20 threshold for reporting political contributions to ELEC.
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.
Establishes Defined Contribution Public Employees' Retirement Program.
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."
Requires interpretive statements of State general obligation bond act public questions to include certain fiscal information.
Eliminates public school district budget reduction appeals to Commissioner of Education.
Prohibits legislators from certain lobbying activities for two years after leaving office; provides additional civil penalties for violations.
Creates "Comprehensive Anti-Nepotism Act."
Removes exemption for certain nonprofit organizations on limits for reimbursement or payment for travel or subsistence for Legislators and State officers and employees.
Requires HIV testing for pregnant women and marriage license applicants.
Eliminates general purpose, supplemental and mansion realty transfer fees.
Abolishes Department of the Public Advocate.
Prohibits public and independent institutions of higher education from admitting any student who is not a United States citizen or who does not hold lawful immigration status.
Establishes Division of Public Integrity in DLPS.
Eliminates urban enterprise zones.
Prohibits release of illegal immigrants from correctional facilities.
Establishes the "Corrupt Gains Restitution Act."
Restores the death penalty.
Repeals law requiring prenotification of certain plant closings, transfers and mass layoffs.
Requires impact statement for any proposed regulation affecting volunteer ambulance squads and fire companies.
Allows for certain variances, exemptions, and waivers under "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Changes membership of Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to increase number of public members.
Repeals increased penalties for violations in 65 mph zone.
Requires county board of chosen freeholders to approve, by resolution, county tax board expenditures of revenues generated from fees charged for property tax appeals.
Repeals the "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote."
Appropriates $600,000 to the Lake Hopatcong Commission from constitutionally dedicated Corporation Business Tax revenues.
Abolishes the School Ethics Commission.
Repeals law permitting project labor agreements.
Abolishes Council on Affordable Housing for failure to comply with legislative directives.
Reduces compensation of members of Legislature by 10%.
Restores the death penalty for persons who commit certain murders.
"New Jersey Jobs Protection Act;" requires verification of employment.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 3
Extends payment of accidental death benefit in PFRS, SPRS, PERS and TPAF to survivors of certain members of reserve component of Armed Forces and National Guard. *
The "Permit Extension Act of 2008."
"New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act"; requires each four-year public institution of higher education to provide on its website certain information regarding its costs, faculty, and graduation rates.
Passed the General Assembly · 4
Changes perimeter for bow and arrow hunting around occupied building.
Directs each institution of higher education to develop and coordinate a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan.
Provides for equal opportunity for businesses to apply for certain energy-related incentives and funding.
Requires certain elected officials and appointed officers eligible for dual health benefits coverage to choose coverage by one public entity. *
Out of committee · 9
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" increases sentences for sex offenders and persons who harbor them.
Appropriates $1,068,921 from "Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund" to provide historic site management grants for certain historic preservation projects.
Appropriates $54,917,725 from various Green Acres funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.
Permits student whose high school special education program requires instruction beyond four years to participate with his class in graduation ceremony and to receive certificate of attendance.
Appropriates $49.65 million from "2007" Farmland Preservation Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
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.
In committee · 71
Authorizes probation officers to exercise police powers.
Transfers all probation functions and employees to Bureau of Probation in State Parole Board.
Provides for conscientious exemption to mandatory immunizations.
Requires reduction in number of State employees to FY2000 level; establishes procedure to control creation of new State positions and filling of vacancies.
"Steven's Law;" prohibits use of non-wood bats in certain organized games.
Prohibits certain political activity by governmental employees and by public employee unions.
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.
Provides incentive grants for school districts to establish educational foundations.
Requires breath or blood test of drivers in fatal accidents.
Provides that English shall be the official language of the State.
Exempts government-owned property from adverse possession and eliminates statute of limitation period for recovery.
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.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Revises Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act; repeals law expediting certain State permits.
Prohibits use of public funds for embryonic stem cell research.
Provides for philosophical exemption to mandatory immunizations.
Requires school districts to inform the parent or guardian of a student recommended to use certain medications of the possible side effects and potential negative consequences of those medications.
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.
Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for those persons currently residing in nursing facilities, State hospitals or State developmental centers.
Prohibits candidates and elected public officials charged with crimes from using campaign contributions for their legal defense.
Establishes the offense of incest.
Repeals cosmetic medical procedure gross receipts tax.
Clarifies applicability to primary elections of campaign contribution and expenditures reporting 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.
Provides compensatory time off for certain essential attendance State employees.
Requires members of NJ Legislature to file statement of financial affairs.
Dedesignates portions of Route 24.
Designates New Jersey Route No. 15 as "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway;" appropriates $2,500.
Allows for a gross income tax deduction for any honorably discharged member of the US Armed Forces, reserve unit or national guard.
Revises procedures for securing a permit to carry a handgun.
Indexes for inflation taxable income brackets and capital gains under the gross income tax.
Prohibits certain political activity by governmental employees and by public employee unions.
Limits compensation and contracts of State and local government officers and employees.
Exempts membership fees, initiation fees, or dues for access to health and fitness, athletic, or sporting clubs of certain charitable organizations from sales and use tax.
Directs State acquisition of Troy Meadows Natural Area, Morris County, for recreation and conservation purposes and designates it as natural area and wildlife sanctuary.
Concerns affordable housing in the Highlands Region.
Prohibits local governments from acquiring by condemnation any airport that has had its development rights purchased.
Repeals Highlands planning and environmental permitting provisions of "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act," and amends various statutes to reflect repeal thereof.
Revises vicious and potentially dangerous dog law; designated Congo's Law.
Clarifies procedures for closing active child protective services cases.
Eliminates the alternative minimum assessment under the corporation business tax.
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.
Permits use of deadly force against black bears in certain cases.
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."
Clarifies that Fish and Game Council has sole authority to regulate freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping.
Establishes "Matthew's Law Limiting the Use of Restraints."
"Kyleigh's Law"; revises laws concerning provisional driver's licenses.
Revises certain exemptions to "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Authorizes MVC to give refunds for unexpired portions of motor vehicle registration periods in certain cases.
Caps bond counsel legal fees and costs on public issuers' bond transactions and requires a competitive selection process for retaining bond counsel.
Decreases BPU membership from five to three members.
Restricts the submission to the voters of the same school facilities project that has been defeated within the prior one-year period.
Restricts use of accumulated sick leave by public employees in year prior to retirement.
Limits payment upon retirement to $10,000 to State and local public officers and employees for accumulated sick leave.
Excludes certain federal employee Thrift Savings Fund contributions from gross income under the gross income tax.
Repeals law providing benefits for family temporary disability leave.
Restores the death penalty for certain murders.
Prohibits placing primary election candidates into political party lines on primary ballot.
Designates New Jersey Route No. 15 as "Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway."
Designated the Shop Here, Save Money, Secure Jobs Act of 2008; establishes sales and use tax rate reduction period from November 28, 2008 through January 4, 2009, sets reduction period tax rate at 3.5%.
Protects property owned by military personnel and first responders from condemnation.
Abolishes offices of superintendent of elections and deputy superintendent; transfers powers and duties thereof to county commissioner of registration or county board of elections.
Mandates NICS check be the exclusive method law enforcement uses to determine whether an applicant is qualified to purchase and possess a firearm.
Establishes 18-month moratorium on promulgation of new administrative rules and issuance of new policy circular letters by State agencies.
Removes authority of MVC to increase certain fees; sets certain fees by statute.
Requires aggrieved person to request refund prior to commencing suit under consumer fraud law under certain circumstances.
Appropriates $17.45 million in 1992 and 2003 bond act monies for loans to fund dam restoration projects.