With 27 states having borrowed about $30 billion from the feds to pay their unemployment claims, it is "just not possible" to cover all of the costs "in this budget climate," Menendez said following a meeting of New Jersey's congressional delegation with Gov. Chris Christie today. Menendez said he would work to delay New Jersey's interest payments, or perhaps forgive them entirely, to provide some degree of federal help.
It's too bad Christie contributed to this climate with his attacks on the stimulus, but after all, it worked out for him.
Meanwhile, Senators Lautenberg and Menendez are outraged that Republican SenatorJim Bunning continues to block unemployement insurance.
"At the stroke of midnight, more than one million jobless Americans lost critical benefits they rely on to help pay for housing, feed their families and afford health care," said Sen. Lautenberg. "Blocking unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits is proof positive that Republicans care more about scoring political points than helping working families survive these tough economic times. Families are struggling every day to make ends meet, and I will work to end this Republican filibuster as soon as possible."
I agree with 100% with Lautenberg, but as we asked before, what's he going to doabout it? If this is so critical, why was it left for the last weekend? Why did the Senate go into recess instead of working through the cloture delay all weekend? When will Democrats pledge to reform the rules against these endless filibuster delays, and why not threaten the Republican-created idea of the nuclear constitutional option? Why isn't the President on network TV denouncing this? (Okay, network TV is talking about Bunning.)
In the "surprising side effects category," it turns out that Bunning has also stopped the "Medicare fix" meaning that doctors get an immediate 21% reduction in their fees for seeing Medicare patients. These are the cuts that Republicans like Frank LoBiondo made law but now posture against. In addition, thousands of people have been thrown out of work by Bunning. It's pathetic, and while Republicans are responsible, Democrats are their enablers.
The clock is ticking on the lame duck legislative session. Both the Assembly and Senate have committee meetings today. The Senate has the Judiciary, Health, Budget and State Government Committees meeting. They will consider 26 bills and 23 nominations.
The Assembly has the Appropriations, Education, Environmental, Financial Institutions, Housing, Human Services, Judiciary, Labor, Regulated Professions, State Government and Transportation committees meeting. They will consider a total of 98 bills.
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens committee will hear testimony from Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. and invited guests on federal health care reform, and its implications for New Jersey.
The Assembly Education Committee will conduct a discussion with invited participants on charter schools, urban education, and strategies to address the needs of low-income students.
Here are stories about some of the Legislation that is pending before the Committees in Trenton. I'll put the full list of bills up for consideration in the committees below the fold. With everything that is on the agenda, an omission is the Marriage Equality legislation that has been sent back over to the Senate. Garden State Equality will still be holding their Lobby Day in Trenton hoping for a vote to come.
It's another day of lame duck with action in Trenton focusing on Senate Committees. The Assembly has a quorom scheduled for 1pm as well and Michael Symons explains at Capitol Quickies:
No committee meetings or floor votes are planned. But the quorum call will allow for new bills to be added to the Legislature's potential plate when it comes back to town in January. When the Assembly left after this past Monday's voting session, the plan was to not reconvene until Jan. 4th.
We'll have to see what they may add to the agenda for the new year. Over on the Senate side, four committees will meet.
The Senate Budget and Appropriations committee has just four bills listed including small wind energy legislation and dam restoration projects. The Commerce committee has the largest agenda with twenty five bills getting their day in Trenton. Some of those include medical malpractice liability insurance concerns, Tree care licenses and one that permits a three year payoff of accumulated deficits of municipal health insurance funds.
The Environment and Economic Growth Committee each have five bills up for consideration. Highlights include permitting for energy facilities, a fix to the site remediation act and renewable energy legislation.
The lame duck legislative session will get under way today in Trenton. Not only will they have committee meetings, but new Senators will take office including Jim Beach and Michael Doherty who won special elections. There will be leadership elections held in the caucus meetings with it likely that Steve Sweeney and Sheila Oliver will be the next leaders in their respective houses. There will also be supporters and opponents of marriage equality demonstrating for a lobby day today.
Six Senate committees meet. Included on the agendas are bills that let judges waive the mandatory minimums now required for drug-free school zone violations; expand prevailing wage rules to cafeteria contracts; require chain restaurants to put nutrition information on their menus; and boost penalties for repeatedly driving drunk or with a suspended license.
Seven Assembly committees meet. The bills on the docket include proposals to require more state revenue from casino taxes on seniors' transportation; extend prevailing wage rules to cafeteria contracts; prohibit smoking e-cigarettes in indoor workplaces and public places; and create a registry for adults with autism.
The two most talked about bills, marriage equality and medical marijuana are not scheduled for any action today. The Senate Labor committee will hear testimony from the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development about the impact of the current recession on New Jersey workers and businesses and the effectiveness of State, federal and local programs to assist workers and their families (including unemployment insurance, job training and job placement programs). I'll put the full agenda and schedule below the fold.
Most of the attention has been on the battle for power between Steve Sweeney and Dick Codey, but with a new Senate President comes many new committee chairs and PolitickerNJ had some information yesterday:
State Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) will become the new chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, a position that will take on increased clout for a Democratic-controlled Senate confirming appointments made by a Republican governor. Scutari was no pushover for Gov. Jon Corzine's appointees - he takes his advise and consent responsibilities seriously, and does not view Judiciary as a rubber stamp. That's something Gov.-elect Christopher Christie's front office will need to take into consideration And Scutari is intellectually superior to the current chairman, State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge).
Sarlo is expected to become Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee when State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) becomes Majority Leader.
And in the Senate, it looks like Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark), a protégé of Newark political leader Stephen Adubato, might replace Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence) as chairman of the Education Committee. A fair assumption is that Ruiz will share Adubato's fervent support for charter schools.
Turner could wind up a casualty of the contest for Senate President; she backed incumbent Richard Codey (D-Roseland), while Ruiz supported the likely winner, Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford).
We'll have to see who is left without a seat when the music stops. And we still get to play more games before the music stops on the Assembly side. The leadership vote is scheduled for November 23.
We now know the schedule for the upcoming lame duck Legislative session before the 213th Legislative session comes to a close:
On the Assembly side, committees are scheduled to meet on November 23 and 30, with committees at the call of the speaker scheduled for December 3 and January 4 if needed. Voting sessions are scheduled for December 7, along with January 7 and 11.
The Senate is scheduled to hold committee meetings on November 23, December 3, 7 and 14, with committees at the call of the President scheduled for January 4 if necessary. Voting sessions in the Senate are scheduled for December 10, January 7 and 11. The Senate will swear in new Senators Beach and Doherty on November 23.
Other controversial bills could be added to the lame-duck agenda. One measure would eliminate the politically coveted property-tax rebate checks, instead converting them to credits on homeowners' tax bills. One would cut aid for five years to towns and cities where residents refuse a state recommendation to merge. Another would launch a drivers amnesty from surcharges and fees if they pay for some outstanding infractions. And before the election, Corzine said he would favor providing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.
We'll see if any of those bills come to the floor. Speaker Roberts had some comments on the upcoming lame duck session and what he wants to see done including this:
"The post-election session, the so-called lame duck session is generally a time when unfinished business gets finished says Roberts, "For me personally I'd like to see us do a little bit more on regionalization and shared services. I think that's important.........I also would like us to spend a little bit more time on issues that effect the autistic community in New Jersey. We've made tremendous strides, but there are a few things that we have to do there."
Re-organization for the 214th Legislature is scheduled for January 12, so the clock is ticking for Legislators to get the changes they want made before that. Inauguration day will be the following week on January 19.
And in the end, this is not about gut feelings anyway. Gay people in New Jersey are not asking the Legislature for love and acceptance. They want equality under the law. And there is simply no justification for denying that.
Governor Corzine is ready to sign marriage equality. But he can't do that until the Legislature acts.
This is a gut-check moment. It's time for the people who work in our statehouse to lead, as they promised the voters they would when they were elected. Our leaders should go on the record regarding whether they support equality under the law for all of New Jersey's residents. Here's what Senator Lesniak had to say:
"There's no doubt that there are quite a few legislators who would rather see this go away than have to vote for or against it," said Sen. Ray Lesniak (D-Union), who supports gay marriage. "I don't think we should duck this issue."
There aren't any acceptable reasons for delay or ducking. And we need that vote to say Yes to all our families. Gay and straight, we're counting on them now.
I bet you will find this Politico story about one of Frank Lautenberg's committees simply astonishing:
With Republican boycotting the proceedings, Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) relied on a little used interpretation of committee rules to move the legislation...
But legislation can be approved by the committee with a simple majority of members, an exception Boxer could use to pass her bill.
After Senators Kyl and Hatch held up an extension of unemployment benefits, today the Senate finally voted on the bill. It passed 98-0. I think everyone knows that it's extremely difficult to find a job right now so this is some of the most moral and most effective government aid there is. In any case, here is Senator Frank Lautenberg's release:
Following weeks of Republican obstruction, U.S. Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) today voted to approve legislation that would extend unemployment benefits for an additional 14 weeks in every state and an additional 20 weeks in New Jersey and other states where unemployment exceeds 8.5 percent. The legislation will also extend and expand the first-time homebuyers tax credit.
"It is shameful that weeks of senseless Republican obstruction has stood in the way of families receiving unemployment benefits," stated Lautenberg. "Extending unemployment benefits will boost the economy, benefit thousands of out-of-work New Jersey residents and millions of families across the country. This legislation also takes important steps to further promote home ownership and boost the housing economy. I applaud passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues in the House to approve it as quickly as possible."
These quotes represent the strong pro-active leadership we need in the front office of the statehouse. Senator Buono is not afraid to put the families of NJ first in such hard economic times.
"We responded with an economic stimulus (earlier this year)," said the Senate Budget chair. "Our plan, the first in the nation, was emulated not just by other states, but by the Obama administration. The fiscal discipline in last year's budget has spared the people of New Jersey even more pain."
This should be a very busy week in Trenton. The Senate has a regular schedule of committee meetings, but the Assembly only has the budget committee on tap.
The big talk will be over the budget. The official Senate and Assembly bills became available on Saturday afternoon. They are scheduled for consideration in both the Senate and Assembly Budget committees today. The Assembly committee will take public testimony on the FY2010 appropriations bill at 9am and the committee will consider it. The Senate Committee will follow with a meeting at 2pm. They have all of the individual appropriations bills on the agenda for consideration along with the budget bill.
The Senate Labor Committee will discuss a bill that would address the suspension and revocation of employer licensees for repeated violations of wage, benefit and tax laws. They will also have a bill up for discussion only that would extend prevailing wage requirements to food service contracts and state authorities.
Among the bills up for consideration in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee are two that would memorialize Congress and the President to enact legislation to provide universal health insurance coverage.
The Law and Public safety committee has a few bills up including one that would require all wireless cell phones issued by public entities to receive Amber Alerts and another that would another that would require telecommunications companies to provide caller location information to law enforcement in emergency situations
With a difficult task in balancing the budget, many hearings held and testimony taken, the Legislature does not plan to delay things any longer than necessary. Here is the planned schedule for the budget to move through the Legislature to get to the Governor's desk:
A4048 [Roberts, Joseph, J.], NJ Economic Stimulus Act of 2009
That is pending introduction and referral. Maybe they think it's like taking off a band aid. Try to make it quick and minimize the pain. If they don't pass the budget on the 18th, possible fallback dates could be June 22, 25 or 29th before they come up against the June 30 deadline. When do you think they will pass the budget?
The Senate and Assembly have committee meetings in Trenton today as they begin the home stretch toward adopting a budget. Lets start on the Senate side.
A bill in the Senate State Government Committee would establish electoral and campaign finance requirements for candidates for Lieutenant Governor. Another bill would establish standards for the sale of State surplus real property. They will also consider eliminating the requirement to mail sample ballots to inactive voters.
A bill in the Senate Environment Committee would require parental notification of contaminated soil found on school property. Another measure would approve the FY 2010 plan for the Environmental Infrastructure trust. Still anotehr bill would prohibit the DEP from mandating public access to tidal waterfront areas adjacent to critical infrastructure unless they purchase or improve off-site locations.
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee will consider everything from limited licenses for general barbering to the "New Homebuyers Bill of Rights Act." They will discuss increasing penalities for medical waste and also establish a "Silver Alert System." The Senate Commerce Committee has the "New Jersey Foreclosure Fairness Acit," which imposes additional foreclosure notice requirements and amends the Mortgage Stabilization relief act. They may also ban novelty lighters.
Over on the Assembly side, the Appropriations committee, pending introduction and referral, has the "NJ Economic Stimulus Act of 2009" posted. The Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee will consider legislation to require increased public participation and independent analysis when a health insurer seeks to convert to a for-profit company. The bill proposes more public hearings and an independent study examining the health impact of the proposed conversion.
Time will tell if this is wishful thinking, but Legislative leaders are hopeful that the Budget will be done early this year:
Sen. President Richard Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. said they hoped to get the budget passed on June 18.
The new fiscal year begins on July 1, so that would be the deadline before they'd have to stop the clock and extend time. Here's what Speaker Roberts had to say about what we will see:
Roberts says the proposed budget provides for basic services "but not much more."
In an election year with not much good news, the budget has the potential to cause nothing but headaches and bad headlines. They may just want to get this one behind them.
There will be no Committee meetings today, but both the Senate and Assembly will be in session. The Assembly is scheduled to start things at 1pm with the Senate following at 2pm.
The Senate has a full list of bills to consider including taking up the age restricted housing legislation which is back for a vote after a conditional veto by the Governor. If it passes the Senate, it will most likely get a vote in the Assembly on June 5 according to the League of Municipalities.They will also discuss creating the Vote by Mail Law, which procedures to be used by qualified voters who want to vote by mail and the procedures to be used to prepare, count and canvass mail-in ballots. This bill repeals all existing absentee ballot statutes to simplify the steps voters are to follow to vote using this method and for elections administrators to execute the law.
Still another piece of legislation up for consideration requires that any United States or State of New Jersey flag purchased with State funds be manufactured in the United States. S-1175 would require certain districts to develop a program of after school activities and provides for voter approval of additional local funding. If S-2372 passes, it would permit revenues received by municipalities as payments in lieu of taxes to increase cap base upon which permissible increases to final appropriations are calculated under local cap law.
The Assembly will consider A-2238, legislation that cleared committee this past Monday requiring insurers to provide coverage for autism treatments, will be up for a vote. Another bill, (A-1264/3371/3633) would prohibit hospitals from holding patients and their insurance companies liable for medical bills related to errors and require public hospital-specific reporting.
The Assembly will also look at A-2975 to prohibit school superintendents leaving their jobs - whether by retirement or other means - from earning any payment except for legally allowable buy-backs of unused sick leave and vacation time. It will also consider a bill to implement a statewide contract template for the hiring of all public school superintendents. Another bill, A-137 would help low income seniors by providing for automatic enrollment in either the Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program or the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program.
Legislation to impose electoral and campaign finance requirements upon Lieutenant Governor candidates will also be considered. In addition, they'll consider the Jobs, Trade and Democracy Act, A-2754 which would ensure citizens and the state legislators have access to information on the impact of international trade policy on the state economy and clearly establish the role of the Legislature in setting trade policy for the state.
On the top of the page at Blue Jersey, as I write this, is a banner ad that revolves with a few others at the top of our front page. The ad calls out Senator Arlen Specter, who is a Republican, for working against union labor, support the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA).
Here's the ad:
Just a few minutes ago, news broke that Arlen Specter is switching parties, and running as a Democrat in 2010. And that means that labor unions fighting for EFCA are going to have another opponent to deal with: Democrat Arlen Specter. Specter's jump saves him from a primary challenge next year from former Rep. Pat Toomey, who he almost lost to in 2004. Pennsylvania politics shifts on this jump, and Toomey, freed from the primary competition with Specter, will almost certainly be the Republican nominee. And given how far-right he is, he has very little chance of winning that Senate seat.
That makes Arlen Specter ... our issue now. And why I'm writing about it, even though he's not New Jersey's Senator.
This should be slam-dunk great news. After all, when we finally wear out Norm Coleman's endless legal challenges to Al Franken's legitimate win of the Minnesota Senate seat, we should have our filibuster-proof Senate. Right? Well, not exactly. Because Specter made it known right from the start that party-switching isn't going to change his mind - even in union-strong Pennsylvania - about EFCA. That's a huge issue. And that may make Arlen Specter this year's Joe Lieberman.
My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords' switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change.
Specter's jump is very likely a mixed bag. He may caucus with the Democrats, and provided we get Franken seated in this century, that could be valuable. On the other hand, this move also raises the stakes for Norm Coleman in his increasingly desperate attempts to keep Franken from taking his rightful seat. Now, Coleman has even more reason to flail on. And there's more for the Republicans - who have moved so far-right that Specter's actually a Democrat - to lose.
Incidentally, something should be said here about the SEIU ad, above. It isn't easy - particularly in this economy - to keep progressive political blogs supported financially. A long-running ad, like the one SEIU has on Blue Jersey and other progressive blogs right now, is a statement of how fully unions like SEIU stand behind the work we do here, and how important it is to them that people like those in the Blue Jersey community hear their message. That's how I'm seeing Arlen Specter's switch from Republican to Democrat: I want real Democrats.
Here's a couple good things you can do, inside of 2 minutes each:
Even in New Jersey, I'm sure you've heard plenty about what's going on with the still-unsettled Senate race in Minnesota.
While Republican Norm Coleman prolongs his endless and pointless appeals, cementing his admission into the Sore Losers Hall of Fame, progressive organizations Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee have introduced a new effort: NormDollar.com, "A Dollar a Day to Make Norm Go Away." Very simply put, commit to contributing just one dollar per day for every day that sore loser Norm Coleman refuses to concede.
This is exactly the correct approach to take in order to provide Republican leadership in Washington with adequate disincentive from continuing to fund Coleman's endless appeals. The GOP bigwigs funding Coleman's appeals see value in putting their money toward keeping progressive Senator-elect Al Franken from being seated. This grassroots-powered effort will make them think twice by generating many thousands of dollars for progressive candidates for every single day that they fund the Coleman circus.
If you feel so inclined, you can certainly chip in a bit of change directly to the Franken Recount Fund, as well.
Bob Menendez, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, released the following statement:
The people of Minnesota have many reasons to be proud tonight, not the least of which is knowing they have one of the best election systems in the entire country. A thorough election contest upheld the result of a meticulous recount. Al Franken won the election, Al Franken won the recount, Al Franken won the contest, and now Al Franken should be allowed to get to work for the people of Minnesota.
Budget Chair Assemblyman Lou Greenwald released the information for the public budget hearings yesterday:
The dates and topics for the public hearings are:
March 24 - Health, Human Services, Senior, Family and Children's Issues;
March 26 - Education, Higher Education and Local Government Issues;
April 2 - Public Safety, Economic Development, Transportation, Environment, Arts, History and Cultural Issues and any other subjects not listed.
Hearings will begin 9:30 a.m. Anyone wishing to testify is encouraged to contact the Office of Legislative Services' Budget and Fiscal Office at 609-292-8030 to register. An online registration form also will be available at www.njleg.state.nj.us.
In past years, hearings have been held around the state. Greenwald explained why they will all be at the state house this year:
Greenwald said all three hearings will be held in Committee Room 11 of the State House Annex to maximize the building's Internet capabilities and expand public access to the proceedings. All hearings will be carried live via the Internet - something that could not be done when the committee held its hearings in remote locations - and will be archived on the Office of Legislative Services' Web site.
Here is the registration if you want to sign up to testify at any of the Assembly Public hearings. Over on the Senate site, they held their first public hearings at Rutgers Camden Law School Yesterday:
The Committee heard testimony from students from Camden's LEAP Academy University Charter School, representatives of the State's mental health and disabled communities, as well as the State's gaming industry.
The next Senate public hearing is scheduled for 9am on Tuesday March 24th at Montlcair University. Here is the registration if you want to sign up to testify at the hearing.
