*** MONDAY’S ASSEMBLY SESSION ***
By Mel Fabrikant Friday, December 04, 2009, 06:44 PM EST
BILLS HELPING AUTISTIC ADULTS, PROTECTING WORKER FUNDS AND EXPEDITING BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES OF FALLEN POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS TOP ASSEMBLY AGENDA
Legislation to Combat E-Cigarettes, Require Quick Notice of School Toxins Also on Tap
Legislation to help autistic adults, to ask voters to amend the state Constitution to protect funds created to help workers and to expedite accidental death pension payments for families of fallen police and firefighters top the Assembly’s Monday voting session. The Assembly will also consider legislation to restrict electronic cigarettes and require prompt parental notice of toxins found on school property.
Legislation Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. is sponsoring to further help New Jersey combat its highest-in-the-nation autism prevalence will be considered.
One bill (A-4225) would permit adults with autism to voluntarily place their names on a new state registry that will help New Jersey improve its planning and services for those with autism. The other (A-4226) would revise the state’s Law Against Discrimination to specifically prohibit discriminatory acts against people with autism.
Under Speaker Roberts’ leadership, the Legislature has shepherded into law numerous measures to raise awareness about autism and encourage early diagnosis and early intervention.
“We’ve taken several strong steps to improve the lives of those with autism and developmental disabilities, but our fight is constantly evolving and our work against these lifelong disabilities is never done,” said Roberts (D-Camden). “While much of the focus has been on helping children, we must also focus on the growing need to provide a higher quality of life to adults with autism and developmental disabilities.”
A proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) to prohibit the state from raiding funds meant to provide unemployment and other benefits will also be considered.
The proposed amendment (ACR-134) would seek voter approval to ban state diversions of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Temporary Disability Fund and the Paid Family Leave Fund. Voters would decide on the measure in November 2010.
“It’s never been responsible to divert for other uses accounts that were created for specific reasons and funded by the wages of New Jersey’s hard-working men and women, but unfortunately we’ve seen both parties do it repeatedly through the years,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester). “It’s long past time that we put a stop to this, and I’m confident the voters will agree.”
Legislation (A-4300) Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley sponsored to expedite the payment of accidental pension death benefits for the families of fallen police and firefighters will also be considered..
The bill stems from the nearly 3-month-wait endured by the widow of Jersey City police officer Marc Anthony DiNardo, who was killed after being shot in July in a fierce gun battle. He left behind a wife and three young children who spent months battling through bureaucratic red tape before receiving his pension benefits.
"To have seen this family get caught in a bureaucratic mess was outrageous," said Quigley (D-Hudson). "This can't go on and it has to be fixed. It was unacceptable and must not happen again.”
Also on tap is legislation (A-4227/4228) sponsored by Assemblywomen Connie Wagner and Joan Voss (both D-Bergen) to prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors and include e-cigarettes in the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act, which prohibits smoking in indoor public places and workplaces.
Wagner said she's concerned e-cigarettes are being marketed to children because they offer flavors like chocolate, banana and strawberry and could serve as a gateway to real cigarette use.
“These are dangerous devices and I want to make sure our children are protected,” Wagner said. “I’m very concerned that young people who use these things will get hooked on the nicotine and eventually move onto the real thing, opening the door to a lifetime of expensive and debilitating health problems.”
Also on tap is legislation Wagner and Voss sponsored to require prompt parental notification of contaminated soil found on school property.
The bill stems from a 2007 incident in Paramus in which the school district waited several months before notifying parents that pesticide-laden soil had been discovered on the grounds of West Brook Middle School.
“Quite simply, parents deserve to be notified promptly when contamination is found on school grounds,” said Voss (D-Bergen). “They shouldn’t have to wait months, though that’s what we’ve seen happen. Parents have a right to quickly know when their children are in danger.”
Legislation to Combat E-Cigarettes, Require Quick Notice of School Toxins Also on Tap
Legislation to help autistic adults, to ask voters to amend the state Constitution to protect funds created to help workers and to expedite accidental death pension payments for families of fallen police and firefighters top the Assembly’s Monday voting session. The Assembly will also consider legislation to restrict electronic cigarettes and require prompt parental notice of toxins found on school property.
Legislation Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. is sponsoring to further help New Jersey combat its highest-in-the-nation autism prevalence will be considered.
One bill (A-4225) would permit adults with autism to voluntarily place their names on a new state registry that will help New Jersey improve its planning and services for those with autism. The other (A-4226) would revise the state’s Law Against Discrimination to specifically prohibit discriminatory acts against people with autism.
Under Speaker Roberts’ leadership, the Legislature has shepherded into law numerous measures to raise awareness about autism and encourage early diagnosis and early intervention.
“We’ve taken several strong steps to improve the lives of those with autism and developmental disabilities, but our fight is constantly evolving and our work against these lifelong disabilities is never done,” said Roberts (D-Camden). “While much of the focus has been on helping children, we must also focus on the growing need to provide a higher quality of life to adults with autism and developmental disabilities.”
A proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by Assemblymen John Burzichelli and Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) to prohibit the state from raiding funds meant to provide unemployment and other benefits will also be considered.
The proposed amendment (ACR-134) would seek voter approval to ban state diversions of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Temporary Disability Fund and the Paid Family Leave Fund. Voters would decide on the measure in November 2010.
“It’s never been responsible to divert for other uses accounts that were created for specific reasons and funded by the wages of New Jersey’s hard-working men and women, but unfortunately we’ve seen both parties do it repeatedly through the years,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester). “It’s long past time that we put a stop to this, and I’m confident the voters will agree.”
Legislation (A-4300) Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley sponsored to expedite the payment of accidental pension death benefits for the families of fallen police and firefighters will also be considered..
The bill stems from the nearly 3-month-wait endured by the widow of Jersey City police officer Marc Anthony DiNardo, who was killed after being shot in July in a fierce gun battle. He left behind a wife and three young children who spent months battling through bureaucratic red tape before receiving his pension benefits.
"To have seen this family get caught in a bureaucratic mess was outrageous," said Quigley (D-Hudson). "This can't go on and it has to be fixed. It was unacceptable and must not happen again.”
Also on tap is legislation (A-4227/4228) sponsored by Assemblywomen Connie Wagner and Joan Voss (both D-Bergen) to prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors and include e-cigarettes in the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act, which prohibits smoking in indoor public places and workplaces.
Wagner said she's concerned e-cigarettes are being marketed to children because they offer flavors like chocolate, banana and strawberry and could serve as a gateway to real cigarette use.
“These are dangerous devices and I want to make sure our children are protected,” Wagner said. “I’m very concerned that young people who use these things will get hooked on the nicotine and eventually move onto the real thing, opening the door to a lifetime of expensive and debilitating health problems.”
Also on tap is legislation Wagner and Voss sponsored to require prompt parental notification of contaminated soil found on school property.
The bill stems from a 2007 incident in Paramus in which the school district waited several months before notifying parents that pesticide-laden soil had been discovered on the grounds of West Brook Middle School.
“Quite simply, parents deserve to be notified promptly when contamination is found on school grounds,” said Voss (D-Bergen). “They shouldn’t have to wait months, though that’s what we’ve seen happen. Parents have a right to quickly know when their children are in danger.”
