LEGISLATIVE REPORT 2010
February 5, 2010
Recent legislation the Council supported that is now law.
S-1609 (Higher Ed Reform) was signed into law by outgoing Governor Corzine on January 18, 2010 as P.L.2009, c.308. The bill takes effect 180 days after becoming law. Click here for more info (PDF)
A-2911 (New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act”) was signed and approved as P.L.2009, c.197 on January 14, 2010. Click here for more info (PDF)
The Council's position on the following legislation:
ASSEMBLY BILLS
SUPPORT A-136 McHose (R-24)
Requires State Health Benefits Program to provide coverage for screening for ovarian cancer for symptomatic women or women at risk of ovarian cancer
OPPOSE A-333 Grove (R-9)
Eliminates the New Jersey inheritance tax.
OPPOSE A-380 Bucco (R-25)
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.
SUPPORT A-392 Diegnan (D-18) PRIORITY LEGISLATION
Adds two employees of the respective colleges or universities to the board of trustees of the same institution at which they are employed.
SUPPORT A-405 Diegnan (D-18) PRIORITY LEGISLATION
Expands the TAG programs to part-time undergraduates.
OPPOSE A-531 Handlin (R-13)
Prohibits labor organizations from making campaign contributions
OPPOSE A-550 Handlin (R-13)
OPPOSE A1387 Carroll (R-25)
Provide that labor unions that represent governmental employees would be prohibited from engaging in political activity and from soliciting or making political contributions.
OPPOSE A-557 Handlin (R-13)
OPPOSE S-739 Beck (R-12)Amends SCOR program—Supplemental Compensation Upon Retirement program that allows professional staff to with at least 10 years of service credit to cash in unused sick leave by reducing maximum payout from $15,000 to $10,000. Also requires public employers to adopt procedures that require the (1) imposition of a fine and issuance of a reprimand against any employee of the State, a local government or school district found for the first time to have violated sick leave policies and regulations, with the fine to be an amount equivalent to one week'Support compensation, and (2) termination of any person found for the second time to have violated sick leave policies and regulations.
Amend A-587 Cryan D-20)
Extends binding arbitration to all disciplinary matters and to the withholding of increments for any reason. It gives arbitrators the authority to order reinstatement with back pay and benefits in cases of discharge or non-renewal of a contract. It only applies to K-12 and county colleges and should be amended to cover state colleges and universities as well.
SUPPORT A-654 Moriarty (D-4)
These bills prohibit the State from investing the assets of any State pension or annuity funds in hedge funds or derivations.
SUPPORT A-662 Greenstein (D-14) PRIORITY LEGISLATION
Prohibits public employers from unilaterally changing the terms and conditions of employment prior to reaching an agreement with a majority representative of a public employee group, not withstanding that a collective bargaining agreement may have expired, that the parties are at an impasse in negotiations.
SUPPORT A-664 Greenstein (D-14)
Provides a non-forfeitable right to post-retirement medical benefits provided by law to certain public employees with 25 years of service. Currently, there is no such right for post-retirement benefits. The bills to ensure that the non-forfeitable right to receive post-retirement medical benefits provided by the bill would provide to the recipient the same level of services or substantially equal benefits as the SHBP provides at the time the recipient attains five years of pension service credit.
SUPPORT A-672 Greenstein (D-14) PRIORITY LEGISLATION
Expands the scope of negotiations in public employee collective bargaining by mandating as negotiable all matters regarding the terms and conditions of the employment of public employees which are not specifically exempted from collective bargaining by State statute.
A-673/A-688 Greenstein (D-14)
Healthy Workplace Act--- makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to
subject an employee to abusive conduct or to permit an abusive work environment. Moreover, it makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to retaliate in any manner against an employee because he has brought legal action, or because he has made a charge, testified, assisted or participated in any manner in an investigation or proceeding related to the abusive conduct or work environment.
OPPOSE A-695 Webber (R-26)
OPPOSE S-300 Allen (R-7)Exempts an employer from civil liability when the employer, in good faith, discloses certain information about the employee to a prospective employer, including:
- the employee’s name, title, compensation, period of employment and reason for, or circumstances of, separation of the individual from employment;
- information regarding the qualifications or job description of the position which the employee holds or held;
- information regarding the employee’s attendance; and
- information regarding workplace accidents which involved the employee.
Employers who disclose such information shall be presumed to be acting in good faith unless it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that the employer acted with actual malice.
SUPPORT A-797 Bramnick (R-21)
A A-883 Dancer (D-30)Amends the Open Public Meetings Act,” P.L.1975, to require the Senate and General Assembly to each set aside a portion of a session of that house at least four times a year for public comment.
STUDY A-867 Milam/Albano (D-1)
Allows any retired employee to waive the State Health Benefits Program coverage for which the retired employee is eligible. In consideration of filing a waiver, the employer may pay to the retired employee annually an amount, not in excess of 50% of the amount saved by the employer because of the retired employee's waiver of coverage. A retired employee who waives coverage will be permitted to immediately resume coverage if the retired employee ceases to be eligible for other health care coverage for any reason.
SUPPORT A-934 Vanieri Huttle (D-37)
Requires health, all insurers including the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) to provide coverage for cervical cytology screening for the early detection of cervical cancer.
SUPPORT A-955 Johnson (D-37)
Requires the State Health Benefits Program to provide coverage for annual diagnostic examination for prostate cancer for men age 50 who are asymptomatic and for men 40 and over with a family history of prostate cancer or other prostate cancer risk factors.
SUPPORT A-961 Johnson (D-37)
Allows a student who is also an undocumented alien to pay in-state tuition at the State’s public institutions of higher education if he meets the following criteria: attended a high school in this State for three years or more; graduated from a high school in this State or attained the equivalent of a high school diploma in the State; registers as an entering student or is currently enrolled in a public institution of higher education not earlier than the fall semester of the 2002-03 academic year; and files an affidavit with the institution of higher education stating that the student has filed an application to legalize his immigration status or will file an application as soon as he is eligible to do so.
SUPPORT A-968 Johnson (D-37)
Requires all health insurers and SHBP to cover treatment for alcoholism and other substance-use disorders under same terms and conditions as for other diseases or illnesses.
SUPPORT A-982 Johnson (D-37)
This bill would provide that a representative of a labor union could not be compelled to disclose any information that the representative obtained in the course of his professional duties or while acting in his representative capacity. The provision would apply in any civil or criminal proceeding, or in any administrative or arbitration proceeding.
SUPPORT A-1122 Evans (D-35)
Allows taxpayers who have gross incomes of $85,000 or less in a taxable year to deduct higher education tuition and fee expenses paid in that year from their gross income for that taxable year.
SUPPORT A-1236 Stender (D-22)
Authorizes the governing board of a public institution of higher education to establish a textbook rental program for the students at each of the institution'Support campuses, provided the student government association has voted to approve it. The textbook rental program must be self-sustained through revenue generated from student tuition and fees; however, it may seek supplemental funding from non-State sources.
SUPPORT A-1267 Holzapfel (R-10)
This bill doubles the amount of certain retirement income that can be excluded from gross income tax from $20,000 to $40,000 for married couples or from $15,000 to $30,000 for individuals.
OPPOSE A-1382 Carroll (R-25)
This bill prohibits the use of public sector union dues for political purposes as well as public employees from making voluntary contributions, through their union to a PAC.
SUPPORT A-1411 Prieto (D-32)
Requires all health insurers to cover services provided by chiropractors, osteopaths, dentists and podiatrists at the same rate of reimbursement as other recognized health care providers.
SUPPORT A-1415 Prieto (D-32)
Require all health insurers to provide coverage for orthotic and prosthetic devices.
SUPPORT A-1557 Lampitt (D-6)
Requires members of boards of trustees of our institutions to complete a training program designed by the Commission on Higher Education in ethical standards, due diligence, fiduciary responsibilities and compliance with open public meetings and records statutes. Such training must be completed within 6 months of their appointment or within 6 months of the effective date of the bill.
SUPPORT A-1567 Scalera (D-36)
Allows a gross income tax deduction for amounts contributed to the savings accounts for college costs under the New Jersey Better Educational Savings Trust (NJBEST) program. The deduction from gross income will be for amounts contributed in the taxable year up to $5,000.
SUPPORT A-1568 Scalera (D-36)
Permits a member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) who is laid off from employment and subsequently rehired in a position covered by PERS to purchase up to three years of service credit for the time between layoff and rehire. The cost of the purchase is to be based on the member’s salary for the last 12 months of creditable service in the position held at the time of layoff, and the member will be responsible for the entire cost for the additional retirement benefit.
SUPPORT A-1570 Scalera (D-36)
Requires State colleges and universities to disseminate fire safety information to students, parents and employees.
OPPOSE A-1612 O’Scanlon (R-12)
Bars public employees from using six or more consecutive sick days in the 12 month period prior to retirement without medical verification.
SUPPORT A-1644 Greenwald (D-6)
Establishes a gross income tax credit for full-time enrollment at four-year institutions of higher education, county colleges and accredited post-secondary schools in New Jersey.
STUDY A-1655 Greenwald (D-6)
Entitled the "Affordability, College Capacity, and Economic and Student Success (ACCESS) Bond Act of 2006," this bill authorizes the issuance of $2,705,000,000 in State general obligation bonds. Under the bill’s provisions, funds resulting from the issuance of the bonds would be used to provide grants to public and independent institutions of higher education to construct, reconstruct, develop, extend, improve and equip classrooms, academic buildings, libraries, computer facilities, and other higher education buildings.
SUPPORT A-1715 Burzichelli (D-3)
Grants the Commission of Labor the power to suspend or revoke the licenses of employers who commit flagrant and repeated violations of wage and hours laws.
SUPPORT A-1724 Watson-Coleman (D-15)
This bill requires that the State provide financial aid to adults leaving the Work First New Jersey program wishing to attend college.
SUPPORT A-1813 Casagrande (R-12)
This bill prohibits public employers from reimbursing tuition costs or providing additional compensation based on degrees or certification from institutions of higher education that are not accredited.
OPPOSE A-1821 Casangrande (R-12)
Prevents any worker who is participating in a strike or other stoppage of work due to a labor dispute from receiving unemployment benefits, whether or not operations at the workplace of the strikers are continued during the labor dispute.
SUPPORT ACR-73 Carroll (R25)
Memorializes the United States Congress to enact legislation to provide Medicare coverage for eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures.
SENATE BILLS
SUPPORT-110 Connors. (R-9)
Requires the Commissioner of Personnel to enact a plan to reduce the State Workforce to levels attained in FY2000 over a period of four years and creates a procedure to control the creation of new State positions and filling of vacancies.
SUPPORT S163/ S382 Gill (D-34)
This bill revises provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act to require sound recordings of closed sessions, provide more stringent standards for compliance and increase penalties for violations.
SUPPORT SUPPORT-318 Codey (D-27)
Prohibits any employer, including the State, local governments and government contractors and business who are recipients of state funds to use any of those public funds to influence their employees with respect to their supporting or opposing union representation.
OPPOSE S-351 Oroho (R-24)
Requires the Pension and Health Benefits Review Commission to review all legislation relating to the pension and health care plans or programs for State and other public employees.
SUPPORT S-651 Ciesla (R-10)
Doubles the amount of certain retirement income a person 62 years of age or older or a disabled individual may exclude from taxable income under the New Jersey gross income tax. The excludable amounts will be increased from $20,000 to $40,000 for a married couple filing jointly, from $10,000 to $20,000 for a married person filing separately, and from $15,000 to $30,000 for an individual filing as a single taxpayer, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2003.
SUPPORT SCR-40 Beach (D-6)
Encourages each institution of higher education in NJ to join the Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Consortium which assists members of the military services in completing college degrees due to frequent re-location.
