NJLM - August 2005 Legislative Bulletin

Legislative Bulletin
August 2005

Assembly Bills

Senate Bills

New Publication!
2004 LAWS OF INTEREST TO
NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALITIES

Over 125 measures affecting municipal affairs became law during the final session of the 210th New Jersey Legislative term. For the eleventh consecutive year, the League is publishing the complete text of these laws enacted.

Provides immediate access to enacted 2004 laws

Highly rated, quick reference desk copy

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PRICE: $30.00 Members* $40.00 Non-Members
*Only municipalities (in the state of New Jersey) who are dues-paying members of the League may take advantage of the Member Price.

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You can order bill copies electronically by placing a check in the box to the left of the bill(s) you want to receive, then complete the recipient information form and press the Submit button at the bottom of this page. Please note this service is only available to League members.

SENATE BILLS
REQ.	BILL NO. AND SPONSOR	BILL SUMMARY	CURRENT STATUS	LEAGUE POSITION A-Approve O=Oppose
	S-322 Martha W. Bark Walter J. Kavanaugh	Delays imposition of new State fees and fee increases on counties, municipalities and local school boards until next local budget year.	2nd Reading in the Senate	A
	S-2439 John H. Adler Ellen Karcher	Imposes mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment and forfeiture of pension and retirement benefits for public officers or employees convicted of crimes involving or touching their office or employment.	2nd Reading in the Senate	A
	S-2519 John H. Adler Robert J. Martin	Concerns dispersal of information on advance directives by issuer of marriage certificates and certificates of domestic partnership. *A costly mandate that could expose municipalities to legal issues.*	2nd Reading in the Senate	O
	S-2578 Bob Smith	"Preservation of Landfill Space Act." *Well-intended, but problematic to enforce. This also raises some troublesome interstate commerce issues*.	Senate Environment Committee	O
	S-2611 Ellen Karcher Nicholas P. Scutari	Authorizes increased fines for certain trucks violating truck route ordinances on steep grades. *Same as A-3096.	Passed Both Houses	A
	SCR-137 Thomas H. Kean Martha W. Bark	Proposes constitutional amendment to forbid imposition of a local or State property tax or certain other State taxes on intangible property. *Encroachment on local and state taxing authority will hinder revenue raising capabilities.*	Senate Environment and Siolid Waste Committee	O

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ASSEMBLY BILLS
REQ.	BILL NO. AND SPONSOR	BILL SUMMARY	CURRENT STATUS	LEAGUE POSITION A-Approve O=Oppose
	A-1095 Gordon M. Johnson, Nellie Poy, Joseph Vas	Requires Police Training Commission to develop basic training course for all law enforcement officers and advanced specialized courses applicable to position.	Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee	A
	A-1217 Joseph Malone	Includes local emergency management volunteers in Emergency Services Volunteer Length of Service Award Program. *Potential costs to taxpayers outweigh benefits.*	2nd Reading in the Assembly	O
	A-3961 Sean T. Kean	Establishes Statewide moratorium on revaluation of reassessment of real property. *Nobody wants a revaluation, but to declare a two year moratorium is to intrude on any decision a municipality may render in this area*	Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee	O
	A-3966 Louis Manzo	Authorizes sheriff's officers and local law enforcement officers to enforce truck weigh limits in certain cases.	Assembly Transportation Committee	A
	A-3978 Guy R. Gregg, Bill Baroni	Establishes a pothole repair and research program in the Department of Transportation and provides funding from new motor vehicle tire fee revenue. *The redistribution of "tire tax" revenues to NJDOT will result in a negative impact on the local tire management program*	Assembly Transportation Committee	O
	A-4005 Charlotte Vandervalk	Requires certain public utilities to notify municipal health officer of service shutoffs to residential customers under certain circumstances.	Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee	A
	A-4058 Jeff Van Drew	Requires paramedics, emergency medical technicians and mobility assistants to undergo criminal history record background check. *We prefer local checks to state process.*	Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee	O
	A-4063 Charlotte Vandervalk	Exempts municipal clerk from penalties for Open Public Records Act violations under certain circumstances.	Assembly State Government Committee	A
	A-4101 Patrick J. Diegnan	Requires paramedics, emergency medical technicians and mobility assistants to undergo criminal history record background check. *This is a mandate that limits options for local boards of education*s.	Assembly State Government Committee	O
	A-4108 Kevin J. O'Toole David C. Russo	Prohibits public entities from engaging certain governmental affairs agents. *Undue intrusion on local affairs. Could cause increased costs.*	Assembly State Government Committee	O
	A-4109 Christopher J. Connors	Repeals State and local hotel and motel occupancy taxes and voids existing municipal implementing ordinances. *It is unconscionable for the Legislature to purposely set out to remove revenues from municipalities.*	Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee	O
	A-4112 Jack Conners Herb Conaway	Permits certain senior citizens or disabled persons to qualify as " eligible claimant" for homestead property tax reimbursement even if fourth quarter property taxes are delinquent. *Will harm municipalities due to adverse affect on reserve for uncollected taxes. Moreover, removes incentive to pay fourth quarter taxes.*	Assembly Senior Issues Committee	O
	A-4119 John C. Gibson Ronald R. Dancer Jeff Van Drew	Requires DEP to approve water usage certification for water diverted on farmland enrolled in a State or local farmland preservation program.	Assembly Agricultural and Natural Resources Committee	A
	A-4140 Joseph Cryan	Decreases certain public document copy fees to $0.10 per letter size page and $0.15 per legal size page. *Current fee structure is adequate*	Assembly State Government Committee	O
	A-4162 Jeff Van Drew Frederick Scalera Joseph V. Egan Bonnie Watson Coleman	Concerns grievance arbitration clauses in public employment collective negotiation agreement. *Will prove costly to public employers.*	Passed by the Assembly, Referred to Senate Labor Committee	O
	A-4183 Herb Conaway Jack Conners	Revises death record requirements. *Without physician's certificate, the death record is incomplete and cannot be filed by municipality.*	Assembly Health and Human Services Committee	O
	A-4189 John McKeon	Permits local governing body to grant lowest contract bidder five additional business days for submission of business registration to avoid unresponsive bid. *This bill provides a temporary fix. We will support concept while DCA and Treasury work on amendments to BRC Act.	Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee	A*
	A-4220 Vincent Prieto	Requires costs of contract for construction be revealed to municipal construction office for construction permit	Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee	A
	A-4243 Loretta Weinberg Gordon M. Johnson	Permits each municipality to set amount of dog license fee.	Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee	A
	A-4250 Wilfredo Caraballo	Authorizes access to abandoned properties by electric and gas public utilities to disconnect utility service. *Approve with conditions; There is a cost factor involved when utility must be accompanied by local law enforcement officer. Will support if amended to pay officer at the prevailing extra duty rate.	Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee	A*
	A-4301 John F. McKeon Linda R. Greenstein	Requires DEP to provide written notice to municipality concerning possible contaminated sites.	Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee	A

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