Bills in the 2002–2003 Session, Senate.
Leonard T. Connors Jr.
Sponsored
Became law4
Authorizes extension of municipal employee health care waiver program to other coverage.
Provides temporary local budget cap exceptions and school district budget cap adjustments for certain insurance costs and security and public safety costs. *
Authorizes nuclear plant guards to possess certain firearms and ammunition.
Expands law enforcement powers of certain DEP personnel.
Passed the Senate7
Revises laws restricting operation of personal watercraft and permits local police enforcement.
Regulates power vessels in certain environmentally sensitive areas.
Prohibits certain deceptive written advertising concerning merchandise offered with a guarantee.
Authorizes special Distinguished Flying Cross license plates.
Authorizes special license plate for distinguished service medal recipients.
Concerns donations to certain charitable organizations.
Requires municipal budgets to include fund for certain separation benefits. *
Out of committee11
Extends veteran's property tax exemption to tenant shareholders in cooperatives and mutual housing corporations.
Allows judgment for restitution of stolen public funds to be levied against convicted employee's retirement allowance or pension contributions.
Permits certain charities to renew registration by verification statement.
Authorizes free hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and State park admission for persons with certain types of military service.
Appropriates $9,400,000 for dredging projects and dredged material disposal projects related to navigational waterways. *
Provides State aid to municipalities for certain tax-exempt group homes.
Requires tax delinquencies, including unpaid property taxes and tax sale certificates, be satisfied prior to appealing assessment in accordance with R.S.54:3-27 or R.S.54:51A-1.
Requires State reimbursement to municipalities of cost of disabled veterans' total property tax exemption.
Authorizes temporary local budget relief for costs of certain employee benefit programs. *
Permits municipality to create drug free zone around publicly assisted housing.
Requires public bidding or competitive contracting for award of professional service contracts and requires certain vendors to fully itemize bills to school districts and local units and prescribes sanctions. *
In committee74
Increase minimum amount of PFRS ordinary disability retirement allowance from 40% to 50% of average final compensation.
Increases cost of living adjustment in pension allowances and survivor benefits payable to certain former public safety officers and their survivors.
Increases cost of living adjustment in pension allowances and survivor benefits payable to certain former public safety officers and their survivors.
Directs State acquisition of Heritage Minerals tract in Ocean county for new State park.
Establishes the Public School Educational Funding Commission.
Prohibits use of property tax for school funding in 1998-99 and thereafter.
Limits certain campaign contributions to $100 per year or per election; abolishes legislative leadership committees; makes various other changes to campaign finance law.
Prohibits State from utilizing State Plan in permitting and funding determinations.
Establishes State aid program to reimburse CAFRA municipalities for property tax revenue losses due to new CAFRA rules; appropriates $10 million.
Clarifies that tort option provisions of no-fault insurance law do not apply to motor vehicles other than automobiles.
Makes suspension of driving privileges mandatory for persons, including juveniles, who are diverted for drug offenses.
Requires permanent driver's license suspension for third drunk driving offense.
Provides for special Bronze Star license plates.
Increases penalties for driving while under the influence.
Exempts home health care services provided by hospital to its discharged patients from certificate of need requirement.
Increases senior citizen stabilization aid to $500 and makes certain regional districts eligible for senior citizen stabilization aid.
Directs DOE to provide to every public school a sign stating the national motto, "In God We Trust," and permits principals and teachers to display additional copies.
Designated the "Ombudsman for Abused and Neglected Children Act."
Establishes Task Force on the Oversight of DYFS.
Amends definition of veteran for certain military engagements.
Eliminates the New Jersey inheritance tax and repeals chapters 33 through 37 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes.
Exempts medical alarm equipment, services and telecommunications costs from the "Sales and Use Tax Act."
Allows certain volunteer firefighters, rescue and first aid squad members to claim $5,000 income tax deduction.
Establishes "Seniors Helping Seniors Who are Blind or Visually Impaired Demonstration Program" in DHS; appropriates $300,000.
Increases personal needs allowance to $55 for low income persons residing in certain facilities.
Makes annual compensation paid to surviving spouses of certain blind or disabled veterans payable from date of veteran's death.
Permits certain county and municipal employees to waive benefits coverage under the State Health Benefits Program when covered by a spouse's benefits plan.
Establishes special dredging account; directs $5,000,000 of sales tax collected annually be deposited therein; directs DEP to administer account and dredging program with certain requirements.
Directs DEP to take over the ownership and maintenance of Pine Lake Dam, Manchester Township, Ocean county and investigate take over of similar dams; appropriates $2,000,000.
Requires DEP assume responsibility for dredging of waterways providing boat access to lagoon communities; appropriates $6,000,000.
Authorizes Naval combat service license plate.
Imposes mandatory term of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole on persons who commit particularly brutal sexual assaults.
Clarifies that punitive damages may not be awarded against public entities or public employees acting within the scope of their employment in any action.
Imposes mandatory minimum terms of incarceration on juveniles who use guns to commit acts which, if committed by adults, would constitute serious crimes.
Exempts police from jury duty.
Creates new penalty for convictions or juvenile adjudications of arson; establishes Arson Investigation Fund.
Increases penalties for receiving stolen property from a juvenile.
Requires certification that persons directly or indirectly receiving State monies or privileges are not unauthorized aliens.
Excludes certain illegal aliens from workers' compensation and temporary disability benefits.
Grants PFRS membership for certain Division of Parks and Forestry titles; allows current DEP employees in titles to transfer from PERS to PFRS.
Eliminates compulsory liability and no-fault automobile insurance; reinstates financial responsibility laws; applies doctrine of contributory negligence in motor vehicle accidents; permits file and use of rates.
Establishes "Interfaith Volunteer Caregiving Pilot Program" in DCA; appropriates $2.25 million.
Authorizes local review of dock construction or alteration.
Promotes polling place accessibility for certain individuals; appropriates $150,000.
Authorizes BPU to allow electric public utilities to recover basic generation services transition costs over a term of not less than 20 years.
Eliminates immediately the rate reductions and rate caps of electric public utilities for provision of basic generation service.
Abolishes New Jersey Highway Authority, New Jersey Turnpike Authority and South Jersey Transportation Authority; establishes New Jersey Toll Roads Authority as successor authority.
Appropriates $6 million from "1996 Economic Development Site Fund" to DEP for Barnegat Bay Decoy and Baymen's Museum/Tuckerton Seaport Project.
Increases SPRS "special" retirement benefit from 65% to 70% of final compensation.
Establishes the Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program in the DEP and appropriates $200,000.
Extends supplemental workers' compensation benefits to workplace injuries and deaths occurring after December 31, 1979.
Prohibits sale and possession of certain shields, badges and cards.
Appropriates $200,000 to DEP for erosion control project on Mordecai Island, Beach Haven.
Removes time restrictions on sale of poppies.
Imposes civil penalty for exhibition or use in a perfomance of a living elephant, except by a licensed zoo.
Appropriates $325,000 to the DEP for a grant to restore Hammonton Lake.
Eliminates the industrial arts endorsement to the instructional certificate for public school teachers and replaces it with a technology education endorsement.
Allows Marine Corps League members to affix color license plate emblems to license plates.
Eliminates compulsory automobile insurance; reinstates financial responsibility laws; permits file and use of rates.
Allows prosecutorial authorities to obtain information from toll collection monitoring systems and photo-monitoring systems under certain circumstances.
Prohibits use of remote control technology in rail operations except when operated by certified locomotive engineer.
Requires actions by NJ Sports and Exposition Authority for demolition of certain projects to be submitted to the Legislature for concurrence.
Allows municipalities to provide free or reduced fee beach badges to active military and NJ National Guard personnel.
Establishes State security officer program to augment security at State's nuclear power plants; levies $1 surcharge on traffic fines for funding.
Elevates certain animal cruelty crimes of third degree; increases civil penalties for animal cruelty; establishes registry of violators of animal cruelty laws.
Establishes "Ocean County Dialysis Transportation Demonstration Program"; appropriates $500,000.
Authorizes county colleges to establish cafeteria plans; requires establishment of cafeteria plans and collective negotiation of waiver terms prior to offering employees incentive to waive health care benefits.
Permits conversion of fines for violation of certain municipal ordinances into tax liens.
Requires local government notification of sex offender registration and prohibits sex offenders from living near schools, child care centers or playgrounds.
Requires removal of sodium azide from airbags prior to scrapping of vehicles.
Establishes New Jersey Health Benefits Provider Network Study Commission.
Repeals "Fire Service Resource Emergency Deployment Act."
Revises law governing emergency services volunteer length of service award programs.
Limits materials which may be used in sewer systems, storm drains, and water retention and detention systems to noncombustible materials.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 11
Repeals law creating State poet laureate. *
Provides for the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision.
Clarifies provisions of "Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act" concerning municipal electric power systems and rural electric cooperatives. *
Establishes lead-safe housing grant and loan program and registry plan; makes appropriations. *
Exempts certain investment clubs from certain partnership fee and payment requirements.
Appropriates $12.475 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for local government open space acquisition and park development projects in southern New Jersey.
Permits municipalities to enact ordinance to hold DUI arrestees in protective custody. *
Requires installation of carbon monoxide detectors in single and two-family homes upon initial occupancy or change of occupancy.
Provides immunity to public entities and public employees for acquiring, stockpiling, distributing and dispensing drugs and vaccines which mitigate effects of exposure to nuclear, chemical and biological agents.
Abolishes New Jersey Highway Authority and transfers projects and functions to Turnpike Authority.
Appropriates $3,000,000 from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for grants to certain nonprofit organizations for farmland preservation purposes.
Passed the Senate · 7
Establishes Office of the Child Advocate.
Permits local construction code official to inspect traveling carnival-amusement rides.
Provides for notification to Public Defender of address of indigent defendant owing reimbursement for services rendered.
Provides SHBP coverage for certain services by marriage and family therapists and clinical social workers. **
Prohibits contributions by certain entities doing business with State; limits amount of contributions by principals and officers of such entities.
Provides civil immunity to public entities and public employees for acquisition, stockpiling, distribution and dispensing of certain drugs and vaccines to mitigate the effects of exposure to nuclear, chemical and biological agents. **
Extends certain benefits to veterans of the global war on terror. *
Out of committee · 18
Appropriates $27,242,400 in federal funds for bioterrorism preparedness.
Extends eligibility for veterans' property tax deduction to residents of continuing care retirement communities.
"New Jersey Home Ownership Security Act of 2002." *
Broadens eligibility for certain veterans' benefits by eliminating requirement of service during specified dates or in specified locations.
Provides for mandatory terms of imprisonment for certain sexual assaults upon a minor; amends murder statute; requires lifetime parole supervision for certain sex offenders. *
Waives driver's license and motor vehicle registration fees for volunteer firefighters and volunteer members of first aid and rescue squads.
Supplemental appropriation of $1,500,000 to Division of Local Government Services in DCA to fund Newark City's plane crash costs.
Creates the "September 11th, 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act." *
"Brain Injury Research Act."
Allows groups authorized to conduct bingo or raffles to use proceeds for capital improvements in certain instances.
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects.
Raises N.J. Environmental Infrastructure Trust's statutory debt ceiling to $1.6 billion.
Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.
Modifies escheat law for bank accounts and eliminates certified mail requirement for notice concerning potential escheat. *
Prohibits imposition by water utilities of standby fees or charges for certain fire protection systems. **
Authorizes municipalities to require conformity with traffic performance objectives as a condition of subdivision or site plan approval.
Increases criminal and civil penalties for certain animal cruelty offenses; and increases penalty for certain repeat offenders.
Provides separate standards for handicapped access in public buildings versus multi-family dwellings.
In committee · 28
Establishes the level of State school aid for the 2002-2003 school year; establishes the Save Our Schools Fund to finance increased State aid.
Revises certain requirements regarding the certification of animal control officers.
Authorizes and directs DEP to implement Phase II of the California Low Emission Vehicle program in the State beginning in calendar year 2006.
Provides for the reduction of the per pupil expenditure of certain constituent municipalities of regional school districts.
Establishes the Intercoastal Waterway and Back Bay Dredging Fund, dedicates $2,000,000 of the tax on motor fuels to the fund; prohibits collection of realty transfer fees if that amount is not appropriated to the fund.
Excludes income of school district residents who rank in the top 5% of income as reported on State Income Tax forms from calculation of district income for school aid purposes.
Changes car and booster seat and seat belt requirements for certain children traveling in motor vehicles.
Makes supplemental appropriation of $2,000,000 to DMVA for construction of the State World War II Veterans Memorial.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Establishes Prostate Cancer Awareness, Education and Research Program in DHSS; appropriates $1 million.
The "Home Loan Protection Act."
Increases SPRS cost of living adjustment from 60% to 100% of Consumer Price Index.
Designates "I'm From New Jersey" as the State song.
Preempts local regulation of cell phone use in vehicles for 18 months.
Permits security alerts and freezes upon consumer credit reports.
Creates striped bass license plates.
Enacts the Interstate compact for Adult Offender Supervision.
Establishes special license plates to fund certain programs for pregnant women.
Criminalizes certain fraudulent solicitations and collection of funds.
Exempts certain investment clubs from partnership filing fee and payment requirements.
Designates "New Jersey and You - Perfect Together" as State Slogan.
Excludes from taxation under Corporation Business Tax certain sales of land for open space and farmland preservation.
Establishes the "Veterans Home Health Care Demonstration Program;" appropriates $1 million.
Extends limit for nonpublic school busing to 30 miles in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Ocean, Salem, Sussex and Warren Counties.
Concerns telemarketing political calls.
Directs DHSS to adopt regulations prohibiting overcowding of animals in kennels, pet shops and other retail establishments; establishes penalties.
Prohibits the sale of any dog by kennel, pet shop or other retail establishment without name, address and phone number of person providing dog thereto; establishes $500 fine for each violation.
"New Jersey Fair Market Drug Pricing Act"; establishes New Jersey Rx Card Program to reduce prescription drug prices.