Bills in the 2004–2005 Session, Senate.
Martha W. Bark
Sponsored
Became law2
Increases membership of Main Street New Jersey Advisory Board from 19 to 23 members. **
Extends expiration date of Pinelands Development Credit Bank.
Passed the Senate7
Permits boards of education to establish prepaid lunch programs.
Upgrades tampering generally; upgrades tampering with prescribed medicine to second degree crime under certain circumstances.
Allows counties and certain county bodies to provide funding assistance to constituent municipalities for purpose of eligibility for "Main Street New Jersey" program.
Requires State to purchase "Energy Star" products in public contracts.
Requires the State to consider life-cycle costs when procuring certain supplies.
Requires BPU to establish voluntary program for certification of renewable energy installers. *
Allows certain public entities to join with State under certain circumstances for purchase of certain energy services for their facilities. *
Out of committee11
Permits care and treatment of animals by certain persons and prohibits those persons from identifying themselves as veterinarians.
Delays imposition of new State fees and fee increases on counties, municipalities and local school boards until next local budget year. *
Allows qualifying counties to become " agriculture enterprise counties" and provides certain associated resulting benefits therefrom to encourage, protect, and preserve agriculture.
Requires county boards of elections to prepare reports concerning use of emergency and provisional ballots.*
Excludes veterans' entitlements from income for determination of PAAD eligibility.
Permits certain pupils to participate in interscholastic athletic programs.
Establishes Forest Health Advisory Council in DEP. *
Establishes Task Force on Hospital Technology to recommend incentives to encourage hospitals to integrate technology to improve patient care and safety.
Permits municipal utilities authorities to promote production and use of alternative electrical energy.
Appropriates $8 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes in pinelands area.
Authorizes boards of education to extend school day by one hour to make up for canceled days.
In committee71
Authorizes transfer of surplus from certain authority to certain municipality.
Permits use of hands-free wireless phones in moving vehicles.
Prohibits expansion or extension of airport runways under certain circumstances.
Directs Commisioner of Transportation to designate reliever airport for Atlantic City International Airport.
Proscribes liability of architects in certain circumstances.
Appropriates $150,000 to DOL to provide continued assistance to deaf community through State Centers for Independent Living.
Permits the refurbishment of school buses to extend the life of the bus by eight years.
Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for those persons currently residing in nursing facilities, State hospitals or State developmental centers.
Establishes minimum standards for thoroughbred live race schedules through 2007.
Establishes irrebuttable presumption of validity of use of eminent domain by local government units to acquire open space in certain circumstances.
"Local Government Building Energy Efficiency Bond Act of 2004"
Requires State to print notice of availability of successful grant applications on all grant applications.
Establishes involuntary outpatient commitment for certain persons with mental illness.
Exempts residential electric vehicle charging systems from real property taxation.
Allows counties, municipalities and school districts to join with the State under certain circumstances for acquisition of alternative electrical energy systems.
Requires Division of Building and Construction to conduct analysis of State buildings to determine energy and cost savings through use of alternative electrical energy equipment or technology.
Establishes an annual solar photovoltaic manufacturing incentive grant program.
Prohibits State from exporting water from the Pinelands.
Requires water purveyors to develop and implement leak detection programs.
Authorizes exemption of certain alternative electrical energy systems from real property taxation.
Increases annual income limits for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement.
Permits school pupils to self-administer medication for certain medical conditions.
Establishes special purpose trust using money received by the State as abandoned unclaimed property.
Provides for increased penalties for a crime committed in a church, synagogue, temple or other place of public worship.
Requires existing State buildings to be evaluated under certain energy and environmental performance standards and new State buildings to be designed and managed using those standards.
Revises State purchase of recycled paper and recycled paper products mandates.
Requires successful bidder on State contract to certify that bidder does not support foreign terrorist organizations.
Requires institutions of higher education to attempt to ascertain and make available information on crimes committed against students while studying abroad.
Allows exclusion of certain alternative energy and energy conservation patent income under the gross income tax and corporation business tax.
Establishes single personal financial disclosure form for local government officers, candidates for Governor and member of Legislature, members of Legislature and school officials; revises criminal law on gifts to public servants.
Requires DHSS to send Senior Gold application to PAAD beneficiaries who become ineligible for PAAD.
Authorizes DOC to contract with certain nonprofit corporations for sale of inmate manufactured goods.
Modifies various laws in regard to medical malpractice liability.
Extends eligibility for PAAD to persons disabled under certain federal programs.
Grandfathers pre-1997 interlocal services agreements into Regional Efficiency Aid Program.
Eliminates public school district budget reduction appeals to Commissioner of Education.
Provides that dependent children can be enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program at any time within one year of becoming a dependent.
Creates a Land Use Court.
Extends certain benefits to veterans of the global war on terror.
Creates the "At Home Downtown" program in HMFA.
Prohibits sale in public schools of foods that exceed federal guidelines for dietary fat intake.
Requires Abbott districts to fully fund text books, school supplies, teachers and libraries before spending on other district needs.
Appropriates $300 million in FY 2005 to the Department of Education to make the June 22, 2005 State aid payment.
Extends reduced or discounted cable television rate provisions to persons eligible for "Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program."
Requires Attorney General to revise guidelines regarding police pursuits.
Establishes wind easements in NJ.
Appropriates $50 million to the DEP for dam repair and reconstruction.
Establishes building inspection program for state of emergency.
Requires dam owners to prepare emergency action plan, and install alarm for certain dams.
Authorizes DEP to assess penalties for violations of the "Safe Dam Act."
Requires DEP to send copy of dam repair orders to municipalities and counties.
Creates Retire The Debt Account for contributions to reduce State debt.
Prohibits sale of flu vaccine at excessive prices during shortage.
Increases the income limits for sewerage and municipal utilities authority service fee reductions and abatements for certain persons.
Increases maximum amount of nonpublic school transportation costs per pupil.
Establishes Vacancy Review Board in the Department of Personnel to review continued need for positions in Executive Branch that become vacant.
Requires New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling to allow homeschooled applicants to sit for certain examinations.
Directs State Auditor to prepare performance audit of State-funded programs of State agencies and instrumentalities to identify potential savings in FY2006; authorizes State Auditor to conduct future performance audits.
Establishes program to promote consolidation of municipalities, regionalization of school districts and shared services through enhanced homeowners' rebates.
Requires DEP adopt regulations for the siting of wind farms that minimize environmental impact.
Authorizes municipality to require local automobile auction business maintain transaction records and assess transaction fee.
Eliminates the "millionaire's" gross income tax rate increase and repeals the obsolete dedication of the tax increase for direct property tax relief.
Prohibits Pinelands Commission from imposing fees for development paid for with State funds or by non-profit organization.
Caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice actions arising from emergency care at $250,000.
Repeals assessment on gross receipts of comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities.
Increases eligible compensation level for enrollment in TPAF to $5,000.
Concerns sex discrimination in wage payment.
Prohibits BPU from requiring or authorizing basic generation service suppliers after May 31, 2006 to impose charge on customers for not choosing to switch to an alternative electric power supplier.
Disqualifies parent who abandoned child from share of deceased child's estate.
Establishes the Pinelands Institute for Natural and Environmental Studies.
Prohibits price gouging in fuel oil sales.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 11
Provides for continued health benefits coverage for certain persons covered under small employer health benefits plans in certain circumstances.
Extends certain benefits to veterans of Operations Northern and Southern Watch.
Establishes NJ STARS Program to provide scholarships for county college students. *
Requires motorists to reduce speed when approaching or passing equestrians.
Establishes New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJ QSAC), a new State monitoring system for public school districts.
Revises statutes governing New Jersey State Firemen's Association.
Prohibits the sale of gasoline containing MTBE.
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.
Expands membership and mission of Council on Armed Forces and Veterans' Affairs.
Appropriates $1.3 million in federal funds for the Asian Longhorn Beetle Program.
Appropriates $46.225 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Passed the Senate · 3
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Establishes Office of Environmental Law Enforcement in the Division of Criminal Justice in Department of Law and Public Safety; establishes Environmental Prosecutor. *
Makes unlawful use of a hand-held wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle a primary offense. *
Out of committee · 19
Permits children to obtain digital photo identification cards.
Requires municipal prosecutors to review motor vehicle abstracts of DWI offenders prior to sentencing.
Establishes Prostate Cancer Awareness, Education and Research Program in DHSS; appropriates $1 million.
Increases annual income limitation to receive senior and disabled citizens' property tax deduction to $15,000.
Requires acquisition of defibrillators for use in public and nonpublic high schools and training of certain personnel in usage; appropriates $900,000. *
Revises charity care distribution formula.
Increases the amount of bonds issued for county college capital projects which qualify for State debt service aid support.
Supplemental appropriation of $1,793,000 to Judiciary to expand the drug court program Statewide.
Extends authority for municipalities to establish transfer of development rights programs and sets forth parameters for creation thereof.
Permits municipalities to offer prescription drug benefit to certain retired volunteer firefighters and other emergency aid volunteers.
Authorizes bars and restaurants to offer special discounts based on sex under certain circumstances. *
Authorizes imposition of additional fines for overcrowding.
Supplemental appropriation of $5 million to Division of State Police for additional police recruit class and communication system upgrades.
Makes a supplemental appropriation of donations received by the State for the New Jersey September 11th Memorial at Liberty State Park.
Prohibits investment of certain public funds in foreign companies doing business in Sudan. *
Expands definition of resident for purposes of State tuition aid grant eligibility to include a dependent child whose parent or guardian has been transferred to a military base in this State.
Provides for voluntary contributions by taxpayers on gross income tax returns for the New Jersey World Trade Center Scholarship Fund.
Supplemental appropriation of $750,000 to DHSS for Office on Women's Health.
Makes FY2006 supplemental General Fund appropriations of $4 million to DHS for home heating assistance and $9 million for energy assistance programs. *
In committee · 55
The "New Jersey Bleacher Safety Act."
Supplemental appropriation of $1,500,000 to Division of Local Government Services in DCA to fund Newark City's plane crash costs.
Establishes mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment without parole eligibility for crimes of criminal sexual contact committed against children.
Increases SPRS "special" retirement benefit from 65% to 70% of final compensation.
Authorizes colleges and universities to investigate the fitness of applicants for police officer.
Specifies bona fide negotiations in eminent domain proceedings and clarifies establishment of compensation for business owners.
Permits parents and legal guardians to obtain information on sex offenders residing within one-half mile.
Authorizes special license plates for members of the Disabled American Veterans Department of New Jersey.
Requires health insurers to establish guidelines for bone density tests and provide coverage in accordance with the guidelines.
Authorizes special emblem for license plates of disabled veterans.
Designated the "Clean Indoor Air Act."
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Provides additional State school aid to school districts with significant enrollment growth and low per pupil property and income wealth.
Restores the phase-out of corporation business taxes on the regular income of subchapter S corporations.
Appropriates $3,400,000 to DCA to fund Watershed Moratorium Offset Aid.
Allows school districts to qualify for assistance under the New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act.
"Health Care Claims Payment Responsibility Act."
"New Jersey Medical Care Access and Responsibility and Patients First Act."
Exempts New Jersey teachers' purchase of qualified teaching materials from sales and use tax.
Establishes a joint legislative and executive branch State Revenue Forecasting Integrity Commission to provide a revenue forecast for annual State budget purposes.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Provides $100,000 military death benefit to State citizens killed on federal active duty; establishes "Fallen Patriots Memorial Fund."
Requires insurers and SHBP to provide coverage for expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer.
Clarifies that responsibility for investment of assets under management of Division of Investment vests in State Investment Council.
Requires ATM facilities to be equipped with access to emergency telephone service.
Extends eligibility for certain veterans' benefits to members of reserve components of US Armed Forces and NJ organized militia who serve at least 180 continuous days.
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 involuntary outpatient commitment for certain persons who are mentally ill or gravely disabled and provides for involuntary inpatient commitment for certain persons who are gravely disabled.
Provides additional State school aid to certain school districts with significant enrollment growth.
Requires certain NJ Transit Corporation employees to undergo criminal history background checks and wear photo identification.
"Wastewater Treatment System Replacement Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $50,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
Requires dissemination of organ and tissue donation by State Treasurer, Personnel Commissioner, State contractors, and preparers of advanced health care directives; designates April of each year as Donate Life Month.
Authorizes counties and municipalities to adopt regulations limiting political contributions by contractors.
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."
Requires municipal court to hear certain violations of animal cruelty statutes within 14 days of the summons date.
Prohibits use of hand-held wireless telephones by bicyclists while riding on public roads.
Provides for State income tax deduction to private well owners for water testing costs.
Revises the alternative minimum assessment under the corporation business tax.
Makes unlawful use of a hand-held wireless telephone while operating a motor vehicle a primary offense.
Restores the former net operating loss deduction for corporation business tax years 2002-2005.
Repeals assessment on gross receipts of certain ambulatory care facilities.
Prohibits investment of certain public funds in companies doing business in countries that sponsor terrorism.
Concerns stewardship of forests; appropriates $650,000.
Allows public school districts to maintain a 3% surplus in the 2005-2006 school year and each subsequent school year.
Restricts sale of yellow ribbons; dedicates proceeds to veterans.
The "Public Dam Rehabilitation Project Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $90,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
Prohibits the DEP from requiring certain municipalities to adopt an ordinance that prohibits placing non-containerized yard wastes in the street or to develop a yard waste collection and disposal program.
The "Dam, Lake, and Stream Restoration Bond Act of 2005," authorizes bonds for $200,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
Allows certain taxpayers a one-time refundable gross income tax credit for gross income tax paid at highest rate of tax upon the gain from sale of small businesses.
Increases the minimum wage in four steps to $7.25 on August 1, 2008.
Restores fiscal integrity and enhances funding to Transportation Trust Fund.
Requires interactive computer service to remove images, information, or data which depicts child engaged in prohibited sexual act from computer server or other storage device controlled or owned by the interactive computer service.
Requires line item disclosure of all State revenues and appropriations in the Governor's budget proposal, and in bills pending in the Legislature or enacted in this State; eliminates off-budget State spending.
Eliminates ambulatory care facility gross receipts assessment.
Authorizes special "Born to Run" license plate with proceeds to benefit Community FoodBank of New Jersey.