Bills Targeting DV, Bogus Degrees, Residency and the Economy Top Assembly Agendas
By Mel Fabrikant Sunday, January 03, 2010, 12:35 PM EST
Interdistrict School Choice, Helping Biz Through Recession also on Tap
Legislation combating domestic violence, ensuring school administrators don’t attain bogus degrees, promoting job training and creation and economic development and requiring state workers be New Jersey residents top Monday's Assembly committee agendas. The Assembly Judiciary Committee will consider a five-bill package to combat domestic violence. The bills would:
- Establish the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Pilot Program (A-4363), under which the Attorney General would establish a three-year program to continuously monitor up to 500 people convicted of domestic violence. The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex).
· Add criminal coercion to the list of offenses that may be considered domestic violence (A-4364). The bill is also sponsored by Greenstein.
· Create a self-defense justification for domestic violence victims (A-4365). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex).
· Provide rental and lease protections for domestic violence victims (A-4366). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen).
· Increase sentences and impose bail restrictions on people who violate domestic violence restraining orders (A-4367). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen).
The panel is also expected to consider legislation (A-4361) to exempt from the state’s one-gun-per-month law people who wish to buy multiple handguns for an estate or inheritance, collectors of firearms and those who use firearms for competitive and recreational purposes.
The bill is sponsored by Assemblymen John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) and Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen).
The Assembly Appropriations Committee will consider legislation (A-194) sponsored by Johnson and Vainieri Huttle (A-194) and (A-990) by Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden) to permit some undocumented residents to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey public colleges and universities.
Under the measure, in-state tuition rates would be extended to undocumented residents who attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years and either graduated or received a graduation equivalency diploma. The student also would be required to pledge through an affidavit to file an application to legalize their immigration status.
The panel will also consider legislation (A-2139)sponsored by Greenstein and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer) to require a state tax expenditure report be included in the governor's annual budget message.
It will also weigh legislation (A-3472) sponsored by Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex) and Voss to create a permanent public school choice program to allow parents to move their kids to schools located across district lines.
Also on tap is legislation (A-4362) sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-Hudson) to again allow local governments to defer pension payments for next fiscal year to help keep property taxes in check.
It will also hear legislation (A-4375) sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) and Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to revise the Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act to give transition more control back to local governments as progress is made.
Also to be considered is legislation (A-4082)sponsored by Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex), Assemblywoman Elease Evans (D-Passaic), Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assemblyman Ruben J. Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson) to promote outreach and training programs for minorities and women in construction projects.
The Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee will consider legislation (A-4347) sponsored by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to extend the expiration date of development permits to Dec. 31, 2012 to allow businesses more breathing room during the economic recession.
The appropriations panel and the Assembly Labor Committee will consider bills (A-4325 and A-4327) sponsored by Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden) to provide more job training programs.
The Assembly Education Committee will host a roundtable discussion on charter schools, urban education and strategies to address the needs of low-income students in the classroom.
It will also consider legislation (A-3671) sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) to require school administrators to meet strict conditions to receive taxpayer-paid tuition assistance or additional pay for advanced degrees.
The bill stems from an episode at the Freehold Regional High School District where three administrators used $8,700 in taxpayer funds to pay for doctoral “degrees” from Breyer State University – an unaccredited online diploma mill. Before the bogus nature of the degrees was uncovered, the district provided each with a $2,500 salary increase, which was commensurate to their being awarded actual doctoral degrees.
The education panel will also consider legislation (A-4279) sponsored by Cryan to establish a four-year community service pilot program for high school students.
The Assembly Human Services Committee will consider legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Essex) and Spencer to establish a statewide database of beds in shelters for the homeless.
The Assembly State Government Committee will consider legislation (A-2515) sponsored by Watson Coleman to require state employees to be New Jersey residents.
It will also consider legislation (A-4323) sponsored by Watson Coleman to promote the inclusion of minorities and women in projects paid for with federal stimulus money.
For full agendas, please visit:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legcal.asp
Legislation combating domestic violence, ensuring school administrators don’t attain bogus degrees, promoting job training and creation and economic development and requiring state workers be New Jersey residents top Monday's Assembly committee agendas. The Assembly Judiciary Committee will consider a five-bill package to combat domestic violence. The bills would:
- Establish the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Pilot Program (A-4363), under which the Attorney General would establish a three-year program to continuously monitor up to 500 people convicted of domestic violence. The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex).
· Add criminal coercion to the list of offenses that may be considered domestic violence (A-4364). The bill is also sponsored by Greenstein.
· Create a self-defense justification for domestic violence victims (A-4365). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex).
· Provide rental and lease protections for domestic violence victims (A-4366). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen).
· Increase sentences and impose bail restrictions on people who violate domestic violence restraining orders (A-4367). The bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen).
The panel is also expected to consider legislation (A-4361) to exempt from the state’s one-gun-per-month law people who wish to buy multiple handguns for an estate or inheritance, collectors of firearms and those who use firearms for competitive and recreational purposes.
The bill is sponsored by Assemblymen John Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) and Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen).
The Assembly Appropriations Committee will consider legislation (A-194) sponsored by Johnson and Vainieri Huttle (A-194) and (A-990) by Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden) to permit some undocumented residents to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey public colleges and universities.
Under the measure, in-state tuition rates would be extended to undocumented residents who attended a New Jersey high school for at least three years and either graduated or received a graduation equivalency diploma. The student also would be required to pledge through an affidavit to file an application to legalize their immigration status.
The panel will also consider legislation (A-2139)sponsored by Greenstein and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer) to require a state tax expenditure report be included in the governor's annual budget message.
It will also weigh legislation (A-3472) sponsored by Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-Essex) and Voss to create a permanent public school choice program to allow parents to move their kids to schools located across district lines.
Also on tap is legislation (A-4362) sponsored by Assemblywoman Joan Quigley (D-Hudson) to again allow local governments to defer pension payments for next fiscal year to help keep property taxes in check.
It will also hear legislation (A-4375) sponsored by Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) and Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to revise the Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act to give transition more control back to local governments as progress is made.
Also to be considered is legislation (A-4082)sponsored by Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex), Assemblywoman Elease Evans (D-Passaic), Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) and Assemblyman Ruben J. Ramos Jr. (D-Hudson) to promote outreach and training programs for minorities and women in construction projects.
The Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee will consider legislation (A-4347) sponsored by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to extend the expiration date of development permits to Dec. 31, 2012 to allow businesses more breathing room during the economic recession.
The appropriations panel and the Assembly Labor Committee will consider bills (A-4325 and A-4327) sponsored by Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden) to provide more job training programs.
The Assembly Education Committee will host a roundtable discussion on charter schools, urban education and strategies to address the needs of low-income students in the classroom.
It will also consider legislation (A-3671) sponsored by Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) to require school administrators to meet strict conditions to receive taxpayer-paid tuition assistance or additional pay for advanced degrees.
The bill stems from an episode at the Freehold Regional High School District where three administrators used $8,700 in taxpayer funds to pay for doctoral “degrees” from Breyer State University – an unaccredited online diploma mill. Before the bogus nature of the degrees was uncovered, the district provided each with a $2,500 salary increase, which was commensurate to their being awarded actual doctoral degrees.
The education panel will also consider legislation (A-4279) sponsored by Cryan to establish a four-year community service pilot program for high school students.
The Assembly Human Services Committee will consider legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Essex) and Spencer to establish a statewide database of beds in shelters for the homeless.
The Assembly State Government Committee will consider legislation (A-2515) sponsored by Watson Coleman to require state employees to be New Jersey residents.
It will also consider legislation (A-4323) sponsored by Watson Coleman to promote the inclusion of minorities and women in projects paid for with federal stimulus money.
For full agendas, please visit:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legcal.asp
