Bills in the 2004–2005 Session, Senate.
Robert E. Littell
Sponsored
Became law4
Prohibits public institutions of higher education from imposing nonresident tuition fees on members of New Jersey National Guard and surviving children and spouses of Guard members killed in line of duty.
Removes limitation on punitive damages awards in civil actions arising from convictions for murder, aggravated manslaughter or manslaughter.
Extends certain benefits to veterans of Operations Northern and Southern Watch.
Directs Commissioner of DEP to name brook adjacent to Wildcat Rock Shelter.
Passed the Senate2
Implements the "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003."
Enhances penalties for trespassing on private or posted property while possessing a firearm.
Out of committee1
Changes title of State park ranger to State park police officer.
In committee24
"Nurse Retention Stipend Program Act"; appropriates $1 million.
Exempts conservation district motor vehicles from registration fees.
Appropriates $3,400,000 to DCA to fund Watershed Moratorium Offset Aid.
Expands eligibility for reimbursement from Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund and amends powers and duties of Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission.
Permits continued NJ FamilyCare eligibility for parent whose child turns 19 under certain circumstances.
Eliminates the alternative minimum assessment under the corporation business tax for privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2003.
Requires prequalification by State officials of prospective bidders for local public works contracts in same manner as prequalification of prospective bidders for State contracts.
Exempts underground facilities for storing or conveying liquefied petroleum gas from "Underground Facility Protection Act."
Requires award of grants to remediate discharges from home heating oil tanks for applications filed prior to July 1, 2007.
Extends limit for nonpublic school busing to 30 miles in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Ocean, Salem, Sussex and Warren Counties.
Extends for five additional years use of special appraisal method when acquiring certain lands for open space or farmland preservation purposes.
Extends the mileage limit for receipt of transportation services for students in certain counties attending out-of-State nonpublic schools.
Concerns nonresident student enrollment at county colleges.
Extends the mileage limit for receipt of transportation services for students in certain counties attending out-of-State nonpublic schools.
Prohibits Governor from appearing in certain State-funded advertisements.
Holds retailers harmless for pre-packaged slack-filled goods.
Ensures that school districts in Hunterdon, Warren and Sussex Counties continue to provide out-of-State transportation to certain nonpublic school pupils, despite population changes in the county.
Allows public school districts to maintain a 3% surplus in the 2005-2006 school year and each subsequent school year.
Clarifies that Fish and Game Council has sole authority to regulate freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping.
Eliminates restrictions on the submission to the voters or board of school estimate of additional spending proposals to exceed school district budget cap.
Eliminates the earned income cap for eligibility for the senior's non-pension income exclusion under the gross income tax.
Establishes time frame for decision to remove tax assessor; authorizes municipality to suspend tax assessor with pay pending final decision.
Authorizes United States Administrative Law Judges to perform marriages.
Allows retail dealer of motor fuel to sell motor fuel at price below net cost to retail dealer during period of unpredictable price fluctuation.
Co-sponsored
Became law · 15
Revises laws concerning financial assistance for contaminated site remediation.
"Patient Safety Act"; establishes medical error reporting system. *
Encourages State purchase of "Jersey Fresh," "Jersey Grown," and other NJ agricultural products and commodities. *
Establishes NJ STARS Program to provide scholarships for county college students. *
Establishes New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJ QSAC), a new State monitoring system for public school districts.
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.
Makes various changes to State contracting process; imposes certain disclosure on State officers and employees involved in contracting. *
Appropriates $75 million from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for State acquisition or development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Appropriates $15 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes in Highlands Region.
Appropriates $46.225 million from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for farmland preservation purposes.
Appropriates $31,415,464 from "Garden State Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" for planning incentive grants to counties and municipalities for farmland preservation purposes.
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 $16,575,000 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 central NJ.
Appropriates $26,743,525 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" for grants to certain nonprofit entities to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.
Passed the Senate · 3
Excludes Armed Services combat zone pay from gross income taxation.
Extends application deadline for financing for closure and associated remediation of regulated underground storage tanks; requires notification to municipalities by DEP of underground storage tank fund. *
Establishes Heritage Tourism Task Force.
Out of committee · 19
Provides for annual cost-of-living increase in State supplementary payments to SSI recipients.
Allows qualifying counties to become " agriculture enterprise counties" and provides certain associated resulting benefits therefrom to encourage, protect, and preserve agriculture.
Permits a farm income averaging credit under the New Jersey gross income tax.
Permits expanded use of farm vehicles.
Increases maximum bond amount filed with Department of Agriculture by certain purchasers of milk or cream and agriculture commodities.
Revises charity care distribution formula.
Increases the amount of bonds issued for county college capital projects which qualify for State debt service aid support.
Permits municipalities to offer prescription drug benefit to certain retired volunteer firefighters and other emergency aid volunteers.
Provides credit under gross income tax and corporation business tax for certain costs of rehabilitating historic properties.
Authorizes bars and restaurants to offer special discounts based on sex under certain circumstances. *
Requires mattresses and box springs for sale in State meet 60-minute resistance to open-flame standard.
The "Identity Theft Prevention Act" *
Requires that public school buildings be tested for radon and that the State pay the cost of the testing.
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. *
Concerns availability, deductibles, and certain treatment under high deductible health plans paid through federally qualified health savings accounts. *
Supplemental appropriation of $750,000 to DHSS for Office on Women's Health.
The "New Jersey Tourism Restructuring Act."
In committee · 41
Supplemental appropriation of $1,500,000 to Division of Local Government Services in DCA to fund Newark City's plane crash costs.
Makes a supplemental appropriation of $50,000 for an endowment to the Wynona Moore Lipman Ethnic Studies Center to be established at Kean University.
Requires principals and teachers of public schools to conduct an oral recitation from the Declaration of Independence before the opening of each school day in grades 3-12; appropriates $10,000.
Increases the maximum amount of bonds issued by the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority for the Public Library Project Fund from $45 million to $95 million to provide library construction and technology grants.
Doubles amount of certain retirement income that may be excluded from gross income under the gross income tax.
Provides for recoupling of the computation of the New Jersey estate tax in accord with the federal estate tax.
Increases PFRS disability, accidental death and special retirement benefits; increases members' contribution rate.
Requires individuals delivering voter registration forms to sign affidavit; requires Attorney General to submit reports on progress of Help America Vote Act.
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."
Increases State supplementary payment for residential health care facilities.
Appropriates $1.5 million to the DEP for the Lake Hopatcong Commission.
Requires insurers and SHBP to provide coverage for expenses incurred in screening for ovarian cancer.
Amends the "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003," and appropriates $5,000.
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.
Requires certain investments by the State of New Jersey Cash Management Fund.
Requires ATM facilities to be equipped with access to emergency telephone service.
Establishes a sales tax holiday in New Jersey from August 26 through September 1, 2004.
Establishes a sales tax holiday in New Jersey from December 10 through December 25, 2004.
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.
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.
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."
Concerns affordable housing in the Highlands Region.
Exempts Picatinny Arsenal conversion plan from the provisions of the "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Prohibits investment of certain public funds in companies doing business in countries that sponsor terrorism.
The "Public Dam Rehabilitation Project Bond Act," authorizes bonds for $90,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
The "Dam, Lake, and Stream Restoration Bond Act of 2005," authorizes bonds for $200,000,000 and appropriates $5,000.
Revises school district budget cap adjustment for special education and courtesy busing, makes permanent adjustment for insurance and domestic security, provides adjustment for utility costs and an appeal on administrative cost limits, and authorizes 3%
Restores fiscal integrity and enhances funding to Transportation Trust Fund.
Eliminates the "millionaire's" gross income tax rate increase and repeals the obsolete dedication of the tax increase for direct property tax relief.
Creates 14 additional judgeships; raises court fees.
Authorizes special license plate with proceeds to land acquisition in the Highlands.
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.
Implements the economic indicator recommendations of the Commissioner of Education on Abbott district designation.
Allows for certain variances, exemptions, and waivers under "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act."
Eliminates ambulatory care facility gross receipts assessment.
Authorizes grants to independent colleges for remediation of contaminated property not owned by college in same or adjacent municipality; authorizes property lien for grant amount.
Authorizes special "Born to Run" license plate with proceeds to benefit Community FoodBank of New Jersey.