Bills in the 2006–2007 Session, General Assembly.
Larry Chatzidakis
Sponsored
Became law6
Allows counties, municipalities and school districts to join with the State under certain circumstances for provision of alternative electrical energy systems. *
Permits boards of education to establish prepaid lunch programs.
Permits municipal utilities authorities to promote production and use of alternative electrical energy.
Requires 60-day notice of closing or relocation of nursing homes and assisted living residences to residents, their representatives and DHSS and provides for waiver of notice in emergency. *
Limits homeowners' association regulation of solar collectors on certain roofs.
Requires State to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs; requires BPU to educate public on benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Passed the General Assembly3
Requires DEP to maintain online recycled-content products marketplace.
Clarifies that municipal utilities authorities may join with municipality within the authority's service area to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Invalidates consumer contracts which require a waiver of right to file a consumer complaint.
Out of committee9
Provides unemployment benefits for certain spouses of armed services members.
Revises State purchase of recycled paper and recycled paper products mandates.
Requires State to purchase "Energy Star" products in public contracts.
Requires BPU to establish voluntary program for certification of renewable energy installers.
Requires certain State buildings to be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards. *
Establishes Forest Health Advisory Council in DEP.
Establishes the Renewable Energy Infrastructure and Advanced Technology Vehicle Task Force.
Requires commercial pesticide applicators and operators to contact agricultural agencies prior to exterminating honey bee colonies; establishes penalties for destruction of man-made hives.
Requires use of drought tolerant, xerophytic landscaping design and materials and "no mow" lawn grasses in State projects.
In committee67
Prohibits use of car phone while driving.
Regulates payday loans made by licensed check cashers.
Requires Governor's appointees to the Pinelands Commission to reside in the pinelands area.
Permits care and treatment of animals by certain persons and prohibits those persons from identifying themselves as veterinarians.
Requires tanning facilities to provide certain notice concerning tanning booths.
Exempts certain alternative electrical energy systems from real property taxation.
Requires the State to consider life-cycle costs when procuring certain supplies.
Allows credit against corporation business tax or gross income tax for 50% of cost of constructing facilities for sale of certain alternate fuels.
Allows a gross income tax credit for the incremental cost of an alternative fuel vehicle.
Extends certain benefits to veterans of operations that have continued from "Desert Shield/Desert Storm."
Exempts purchase of qualified water conserving gardening devices from sales and use tax.
Establishes $5000 direct State subsidy for the purchase or lease of a solely electric vehicle; appropriates such sums as are necessary.
Exempts residential electric vehicle charging systems from real property taxation.
Provides for an exemption to 50% of the tax imposed under the "Sales and Use Tax," for retail sales of electric vehicles.
Allows qualifying counties to become "agriculture enterprise counties" and provides certain associated resulting benefits therefrom to encourage, protect, and preserve agriculture.
Requires absentee ballot totals be reported as group to ensure voter confidentiality.
Establishes involuntary outpatient commitment for certain persons with mental illness.
Extends certain benefits to members of U.S. Reserves and State organized militia who serve at least 180 continuous days.
Grandfathers pre-1997 interlocal services agreements into Regional Efficiency Aid Program.
Requires Abbott districts to fully fund text books, school supplies, teachers and libraries before spending on other district needs.
Requires dam owners to prepare emergency action plan, and install alarm for certain dams.
Authorizes boards of education to extend school day by one hour to make up for canceled days.
Establishes Vacancy Review Board in the Department of Personnel to review continued need for positions in Executive Branch that become vacant.
Requires DEP adopt regulations for the siting of wind farms that minimize environmental impact.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits to businesses providing employment to certain National Guard or reservists.
Allows exclusion of certain alternative energy and energy conservation patent income under the gross income tax and corporation business tax.
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.
Establishes wind easements in NJ.
Establishes task force in Department of Agriculture to develop markets for place-based foods.
Establishes the Pinelands Institute for Natural and Environmental Studies.
Abolishes office of Secretary of State and Department of State and transfers their duties and responsibilities.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for 50% of purchase of diesel engine conversion devices.
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for 50% of purchase of diesel engine conversion devices.
Authorizes awards to State and local government employees for suggestions to save taxpayers money through sharing and consolidation.
Moves the date of 2006 school election from the third to the fourth Tuesday in April.
Appropriates $8 million in Taxpayer Rate Reduction.
Establishes notice requirements for utility shut-off and receivership procedures for senior independent living facilities for utility payment.
Appropriates $11 million to restore Regional Efficiency Aid Program aid to FY 2002 level.
Disqualifies member of board of education for conviction of certain crimes and requires member to undergo criminal history background investigation.
Permits inclusion on property tax bill of statement of savings attributable to shared service agreements.
Requires water purveyors to develop and implement leak detection programs.
Exempts veterans from fees for certain special military license plates.
Permits any two or more municipalities upon adoption of parallel ordinances to contract to become single taxing district for tax base sharing purposes.
Establishes "Walk to Work" pilot program in DCA; transfers $750,000 from NJHMFA to DCA.
Codifies the "At Home Downtown Program"; requires "Main Street New Jersey" Program and "At Home Downtown Program" to be administered by HMFA.
Requires municipalities with fewer than 500 persons to consolidate with larger municipalities.
Establishes Carbon Dioxide Reduction from Trees Task Force.
Creates Director of Energy Savings to implement program to improve procurement of energy and recycled products for all State agencies.
Requires establishment of highly reflective roof coating program in DCA.
Authorizes municipalities to require solar energy elements as condition of site plan or subdivision approval.
Permits Combined Sewer Overflow moneys to be used for green infrastructure and requires State to use a public building for a green roof pilot project.
Creates one-stop permit center in New Jersey Commerce, Economic Growth and Tourism Commission to provide centralized service for businesses to secure necessary State permits.
Requires State government agencies to be carbon neutral by 2012.
Renames the "Temporary Disability Benefits Law" as the "Temporary Disability and Pregnancy Benefits Law."
Allows certain owners of preserved farmland to reacquire development rights for land underlying and next to farm buildings or structures.
Establishes N.J. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reduction Fund.
Establishes penalties for manufacture, purchase or possession of certain keys.
Requires sewerage companies to provide metered service to certain single family, age-restricted community housing customers upon request; prohibits those companies from assessing charges for sewer service prior to providing such service.
Allows certain persons in military service to receive suspension of debt payments.
Requires certain providers of telephone service to notify subscribers that a disruption in electric, CATV or Internet service may result in a disruption of telephone service.
Encourages purchase of "Jersey Fresh" and other NJ agricultural products by State agencies, departments and facilities.
Prohibits sale of products containing dextromethorphan to minors under 18 years of age.
Limits hospital charges for care provided to county inmates at county correctional facilities to Medicaid rate.
Directs court to waive fine for failing to exhibit a driver's license, insurance identification card or a vehicle registration certificate for certain first time offenders.
Requires State to use pervious concrete whenever appropriate.
Requires that signs posted by retail motor fuel dealers indicate prices for cash and credit purchases.
Carried from the Senate
Became law5
Requires State to purchase "Energy Star" products in public contracts.
Requires BPU to establish voluntary program for certification of renewable energy installers.
Establishes Forest Health Advisory Council in DEP.
Requires certain State buildings to be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards. *
Requires commercial pesticide applicators and operators to contact agricultural agencies prior to exterminating honey bee colonies; establishes penalties for destruction of man-made hives.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 15
Establishes an emergency deployment program for building inspection following disaster or emergency. *
Directs State Police to establish standards for handling missing persons cases involving persons with Alzheimer's disease and juveniles.
Extends eligibility for higher education tuition assistance to certain former members of New Jersey National Guard and increases number of tuition-free credits available to National Guard members and their dependents.
Authorizes State Auditor to conduct performance review audits.
Makes it a disorderly persons offense to purposely disrupt funeral through certain conduct. *
Provides mandatory fines and community service for theft of headstones, headstone markers, flags or flag holders from grave sites. *
Provides a military service exemption to the requirement of continuous enrollment under the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II Programs.
Appropriates $8,552,405 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 southern NJ.
Appropriates $39,430,430 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
Regulates certain tows and requires licensure of towing companies.
Appropriates $11 million from "Garden State Historic Preservation Trust Fund" to provide grants for certain historic preservation projects.
Appropriates $45.15 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $15,375,000 from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for planning incentive grants to counties and municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.
Passed the General Assembly · 4
Allows counties and certain county bodies to provide funding assistance to constituent municipalities for purpose of eligibility for "Main Street New Jersey" program.
Creates a credit card do-not-solicit list for certain persons. **
Expands eligibility for veterans' civil service preference; creates additional preference benefits.
Upgrades penalties for assaults committed against process servers and licensed private investigators and detectives.
Out of committee · 22
Establishes New Jersey State Building Green Building Technology Task Force.
Enacts the "Jessica Lunsford Act;" increases sentences for sex offenders and persons who harbor them. *
Increases personal needs allowance to $50 for those persons currently residing in nursing facilities, State hospitals or State developmental centers.
Allows veteran or personal representative to withdraw honorable discharge papers from county clerk.
Establishes notice requirements for utility shut-off and provides for appointment of receiver in place of tenant organization for utility payments in senior living facilities. *
Exempts solar energy systems from real property taxation.
Makes various changes to the laws governing underground storage tanks. **
Makes various changes to the laws governing underground storage tanks. *
Creates "New Jersey Senior Labor Task Force."
Appropriates $750,000 in federal funds for the Gypsy Moth Program.
Appropriates moneys from the "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003" for loans for lake dredging and restoration projects, or stream cleaning and desnagging projects.
Changes when proof of veteran status is required for civil service examinations for certain veterans. *
Clarifies licensing requirements of certain physicians' offices providing imaging or scanning services and exempts comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities from ambulatory care assessment.
Appropriates $48.5 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $21,588,646 from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for planning incentive grants to counties and municipalities for farmland preservation purposes, and $600,000 for county farmland preservation program strategic plans.
Upgrades tampering generally; upgrades tampering with prescribed medicine to second degree crime under certain circumstances.
Permits wineries to produce and sell certain distilled alcoholic beverages.
Expands number of salesrooms winery may operate from six to seven; permits sampling of wine at salesrooms, and permits wineries to sell wine at certain farm markets.
Permits local government units to grant Length of Service Award Program points to certain activated military members.
Provides unemployment benefits for spouses of armed services members under certain conditions. *
Allows corporation business tax and gross income tax credit for acquisition cost of equipment used in manufacture of ENERGY STAR products.
Reforms the review, processing, and payment of certain private passenger automobile insurance personal injury protection claims.
In committee · 67
"The 10-20-Life Law."
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 gross income tax credits for certain dependent educational expenses; provides a Parental Control and Involvement Act.
Eliminates the alternative minimum assessment under the corporation business tax.
Supplemental appropriation of $2 million to DHSS to expand the Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration Adult Day Care Center Program.
Requires fee-for-service prescription drug benefits for SSI recipients under Medicaid.
Provides for recoupling of the computation of the New Jersey estate tax in accord with the federal estate tax.
Requires DOT to identify dangerous traffic locations and to use Transportation Trust Fund to address location deficiencies.
Requires State to provide fire services in certain State facilities.
Requires DHSS to use PAAD application information to enroll ineligible beneficiaries into Senior Gold.
Provides civil immunity to fire departments, fire districts and fire companies with respect to donating certain equipment to other such departments, districts and companies.
"Safe Places Safe Kids Act;" makes it a crime to commit certain offenses in school zones and near playgrounds.
Revises criteria for eligibility to receive senior and disabled homestead property tax reimbursement.
Requires that State fee increases affecting counties, municipalities and local school boards shall not be applicable until next local budget year.
Establishes Task Force on Hospital Technology to recommend incentives to encourage hospitals to integrate technology to improve patient care and safety.
Creates the "At Home Downtown" program in HMFA.
Eliminates public school district budget reduction appeals to Commissioner of Education.
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 collaborative divorce.
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.
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.
Repeals assessment on gross receipts of comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities.
Caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice actions arising from emergency care at $250,000.
Prohibits price gouging in fuel oil sales.
Provides standards for expert witnesses in medical malpractice actions against physicians.
Repeals assessment on gross receipts of certain ambulatory care facilities.
Clarifies procedures for closing active child protective services cases.
Upgrades tampering generally; upgrades tampering with prescribed medicine to second degree crime.
Reduces statute of limitations for medical malpractice liability actions to four years.
Allows a corporation business taxpayer that dissolves and completely liquidates during the 2002-2003 suspension of net operating loss deductions to use that deduction.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Limits contributions by certain public contractors; limits contributions by county and municipal political party committees.
Supplemental appropriation of $1,793,000 to Judiciary to expand the drug court program Statewide.
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.
Adds four members to Water Supply Advisory Council.
Concerns standards for the groundwater remediation of contaminated sites.
Authorizes State Auditor to prepare performance audits of State-funded programs of State agencies and instrumentalities.
The "Pesticide Use Reduction Recognition Act."
Makes theft of human remains for unauthorized use crime of first degree.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Allows certain organizations to file complaints with the Council on Local Mandates.
Requires language on property assessment notification tying assessment to property tax bill.
Makes it a disorderly persons offense to disrupt a funeral by picketing or conducting other protest activities within 300 feet.
Permits virtual parent-time orders to facilitate visitation of minor child with noncustodial and custodial parent where appropriate.
Requires State agencies to take steps to reduce government paperwork.
Requires Commissioner of Community Affairs to list on department website examples of shared service agreements between local governments.
Criminalizes the sale of human tissue that has not been appropriately screened and tested.
Revises criteria for eligibility to receive homestead property tax reimbursement.
Allocates realty transfer fees to Main Street New Jersey municipalities for program costs.
Extends maximum term for shared services contracts to 60 months; authorizes local contracting units with certified purchasing agents to award five-year contracts for heating and motor fuels.
Imposes mandatory terms of imprisonment and forfeiture of pension and retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of certain crimes involving or touching their office or employment.
Requires refueling facilities dispensing certain alternative fuels on State's toll roads.
Decreases sales and use tax rate from 7% to 6%.
Requires reduction in electricity usage by 10 percent in all State-owned or leased buildings.
Provides exception to requirement that posted price of motor fuel must remain unchanged for 24-hour period.
Exempts from sales and use tax the sale of energy efficient materials for insulation and weatherization of residential property.
Establishes the "Conserve for America Loan Program;" allocates $5 million from societal benefits charge to fund program; appropriates $200,000.
Requires biofuel to be at least 20 percent of fuels used in State vehicles on and after January 1, 2010.
Establishes Abraham Lincoln Commemoration Commission.
Establishes prescription and over-the-counter drug abuse public awareness campaign; designated Jason's Law.
Requires legislation authorizing sale of certain State assets to be approved by voters.
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.