assembly committees 
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM EST
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 The Senate will have a voting session, the Senate Judiciary committee will consider two nominations from Governor Christie and the Assembly will have two committees meeting to consider legislation.
There are 21 bills on the agenda for the Senate Session today. Some of those bills include changes to Municipal land use law, Highlands programs, steroid use among students and gender equity in workplace concerns.
The Senate Judiciary Committee considers the nominations of the heads of Banking & Insurance and the Motor Vehicle Commission.
The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development committee has just four bills up for consideration including one dealing with qualifications for green building loans. The Human Services Committee also has just four bills on the agenda including one dealing with Eligibility concerns for NJ Family Care.
I'll put the full list of bills up for consideration below the fold. If you can't make it to Trenton, you can follow along live here.
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Mon Mar 08, 2010 at 09:00:00 AM EST
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There aren't voting sessions today, but both the Senate and Assembly will have committees meeting. The Senate will have two committees including Judiciary and Economic Growth meet.
The Economic Growth Committee will discuss the latest incarnation of Senator Lesniaks's bill on COAH reforms and consider a resolution to urge the NFL to pick New Meadowlands Stadium as the site of Super Bowl XLVIII. The Judiciary committee will hold hearings on three of Governor Christie's cabinet nominees: Janet F. Rosenzweig, MS, Ph.D MPA for Commissioner of the Department of Children and FamiliesGary M. Lanigan for Commissioner of the Department of CorrectionsJennifer Velez for Commissioner of the Department of Human Services. Over on the Assembly side of the aisle, they have seven committees scheduled to meet. The Judiciary Committee will hear testimony from Attorney General Paula Dow on on her priorities and will consider seven bills. The Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee has four bills up for consideration including one looking at whether PTSD from combat service should be a mitigating factor in during sentencing.
The Education Committee will hear testimony regarding the impact of concussions and other head injuries on student athletes and possible
guidelines for addressing such injuries. The Environment and Solid Waste Committee will hear testimony on the impact of Gov. Christie's cuts to divert funds from the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, the Highlands Protection Fund - Planning Grant program, the Highlands Municipal Property Tax Stabilization Fund, and the New Jersey Clean Energy Fund.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee has four bills up for consideration. The Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee will hear from Charles McKenna, the acting Director of the Office of Homeland Security, and consider three bills. The State Government Committee will be talking Census again as they will hear more testimony on the 2010 census and vote on bills that would create a Census Awareness Month and Census Day on April 1.
I'll put the full list of bills up for consideration below the fold. If you can't make it to Trenton, you can follow along live here.
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 at 09:30:00 AM EST
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It will be a busy day in Trenton as the Senate and Assembly have a full slate of commitees packed with legislation for consideration and testimony heard on a variety of issues.
The Assembly Budget Committee will meet to hear testimony on the status of several state pension systems. The Housing and Local Government Committee will meet to discuss the future of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH). The Health committee will take testimony about the supply and demand for physicians.
The Telecommunications Committee will take testimony from the BPU and invited representatives of business ratepayers on the Administration's proposal, as one of its FY 2010 budget solutions, to divert $158 million in funds from the Retail Margin Fund and Clean Energy Fund.
Along with the testimony, there is a full list of legislation up for consideration and discussion. I'll put the full agenda below the fold. If you're not in Trenton, you can listen along to the hearings here.
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Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 08:45:00 AM EST
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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.
If you're not in Trenton, you can listen along to the hearings here.
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Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 09:00:00 AM EST
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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.
I've put the full board list below the fold and you can listen along to the hearings here.
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Mon Nov 23, 2009 at 09:30:00 AM EST
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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.
On to the legislative agenda: 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.
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Mon Jun 15, 2009 at 06:39:23 AM EDT
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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
The full list of bills up for consideration in the committees is listed below the fold. As always, you can follow along with live streaming feeds through the Legislature's website.
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Thu Jun 11, 2009 at 08:45:00 AM EDT
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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.
The full list of bills up for consideration in the committees is listed below the fold. As always, you can follow along with live streaming feeds through the Legislature's website.
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Mon Jun 08, 2009 at 08:45:00 AM EDT
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With nothing on the Senate side, the Assembly has 8 committees holding meetings today.
The Education Committee will conduct a roundtable discussion with invited participants on the Statewide assessment program. In addition, a bill to require school districts to ensure high school juniors and seniors are aware they could be in line for a NJ STARS full-tuition scholarship will be considered.
The Judiciary Committee has a few bills to discuss including legislation allowing municipalities to enact rules to prohibit known sex-offenders from living near schools, parks and playgrounds. The measure (A-641) responds to a recent state Supreme Court ruling that invalidated 118 local ordinances that created such exclusionary zones, citing "a need for statewide uniformity." The panel will vote on the "Jessica Lunsford Act", which would increase sentences for sex offenders and people who harbor them. Another bill up for a vote would make ignition interlocks mandatory for all drunk driving offenses in New Jersey. The committee will also consider legislation to require county political parties to adopt constitutions and bylaws and file committee membership lists with county clerks.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will receive testimony concerning emerging bio-fuels technology that may benefit New Jersey agriculture. They will vote on a bill that designates "Made With Jersey Fresh" baked goods and other food products.
The Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will consider legislation that would allow taxpayers to voluntarily contribute money to help New Jersey military personnel and families in need of assistance with a voluntary contribution on gross income tax returns to charitable organizations that support active duty members of the New Jersey National Guard and Reserve and their families. The veterans panel will also hear testimony on the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers and their work with veterans and retired U.S. military.
The Homeland Security has invited representatives from the FealGood Foundation, which is dedicated to assisting first responders who have suffered adverse heath effects after responding to the September 11 attacks,
The full list of bills up for consideration in the committees is listed below the fold. As always, you can follow along with live streaming feeds through the Legislature's website.
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Mon May 18, 2009 at 08:45:00 AM EDT
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The Senate has a full schedule of committee meetings on tap and the Assembly Appropriations comittee will also meet in the morning.
The Assembly Appropriations committee will hear testimony regarding autism coverage. Speaker Roberts and renowned autism treatment and research advocate Bob Wright will testify in support of the bill to require insurers to cover autism treatments.
The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee is scheduled to discuss a bill that would bar local officials from lobbying or advocating for certain matters. The ban would take effect if they had a conflict of interest with the topic and, for example, recuse themselves from a related vote. Another bill requires municipality to report all long and short-term financial and tax agreements to DCA; makes reporting a condition for receipt of special Municipal Aid.
The Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs committee will have the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs brief the committee on troop deployments and issues facing members of the armed forces who are returning to New Jersey following active duty service in a military operation. Another bill would establish a task force to study issues facing returning members of the United States Armed Forces and New Jersey National Guard and make recommendations on how State should address issues. There are also a few veterans tax bills up for residents to offer support on their income tax forms.
The Judiciary committee has a list of confirmations for boards and commissions including Joe Ripa to become the Camden County Clerk after Jim Beach resigned to become State Senator.
The Education committee has the "New Jersey College Student and Parent Consumer Information Act" up for consideration which requires each four-year public institution of higher education to provide on its website certain information regarding its costs, faculty, and graduation rates. They will also consider a bill that establishes New Jersey Student Athlete Cardiac Screening Task Force.
The Health Committee has a bill up that requires applicants and employees of State psychiatric hospitals, developmental centers, and veterans homes to undergo drug testing.
As always, you can follow along with live streaming feeds through the Legislature's website. I've also put all of the legislation up for consideration below the fold.
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Sun May 10, 2009 at 11:33:39 PM EDT
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The Senate Budget committee will hold two hearings and the Assembly will have full committees considering legislation today.
On the Senate side, it's the Department of Transporation, NJ Transit and the Motor Vehicle Commission who get their turn before the Senate Budget Committee at 10am. At 1:30pm, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development steps up to the plate and that should be particularly interesting given all the talk of furloughs, layoffs and unemployment these days.
On the Assembly side, the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste committee takes up the now $600 million open space public question legislation. They also have a resolution opposing offshore drilling for oil and natural gas and encourages use of renewable resources among other bills. The Human Services Committee will vote on a three-bill package to improve state mental health services.
The State Government Committee will consider legislation to require the state to publish contract and grant information on a single, searchable Web site. It will also consider legislation to impose electoral and campaign finance requirements upon Lieutenant Governor candidates. The panel will also weigh legislation to help charitable organizations weather the global economic recession. That bill would give charitable organizations that have been hit hard by the recent economic troubles more discretion to spend and invest endowment money.
The Judiciary Committee will consider legislation that would revise the New Jersey False Claims Act to entitle the state to more recovery in Medicaid fraud cases. They will also have a bill that would create a civil rape shield law. The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee will take testimony on whether New Jersey should allow raw milk sales. The Labor Committee will vote on a bill that requires the Board of Public Utilities to adopt regulations providing that the prevailing wage rate be paid to workers employed in the performance of any construction undertaken in connection with board financial assistance, or undertaken to fulfill any condition of receiving board financial assistance, including the performance of any contract to construct, renovate or otherwise prepare a facility, the operations of which are necessary for the receipt of board financial assistance.
The Assembly Military and Veterans? Affairs Committee will take up a bill that would exclude pay earned by New Jersey military personnel during combat and hazardous duty and duty subject to hostile fire and imminent danger from state income taxes. The Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee will consider a bill that would create a Highway Construction Zone Safety Program.
As always, you can follow along with live streaming feeds through the Legislature's website. I've also put all of the legislation up for consideration below the fold.
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Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 12:04:00 AM EDT
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Along with the regularly scheduled Assembly and Senate committee meetings, we have the meetings that were canceled from the snow last week taking place. As always, i'll try to highlight some of the action and put the full agenda below the fold. You can follow along live here.
The Assembly committees, along with hearing their regular slate of bills, will begin discussing how to distribute the Federal Stimulus funds. The Assembly Budget Committee:The committee has invited state Comptroller Matthew Boxer to discuss federal requirements for oversight and transparency for money received through the stimulus package and actions the state may take to complement and augment these efforts.
The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee: The committee has invited state Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard to discuss efforts by the department to obtain federal stimulus money for, among other things, federally qualified health centers, senior nutrition services, the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children , early intervention services, immunization programs and the adoption and use of health information technology.
The Assembly Higher Education Committee: The committee will receive testimony from Jane Oates, executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, on how the federal package will impact the state?s higher education sector.
The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee: The committee has invited state Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria to discuss the impact of the federal economic stimulus plan on New Jersey as it relates to weatherization. The Committee will also take testimony on infrastructure and energy efficiency initiatives.
The Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee: The Committee will receive testimony from Doria concerning the effect of the stimulus package on New Jersey's housing market.
The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee: The committee has invited the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to discuss expanded financing opportunities for economic development under the stimulus package and to provide a status update on the InvestNJ and Main Street Programs, as part of the state's economic stimulus efforts. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association will discuss tax incentive provisions contained in the stimulus package, and the committee will also hear from the Department of the Treasury on the expanded efforts of the Small Business Registration and Women / Minority-Owned Business Certification Programs. The Assembly Financial Institutions Committee will discuss foreclosures with a bill that requires residential mortgage lenders to provide debtors with certain information about curing default prior to initiation of mortgage foreclosure action and another called the "New Jersey Residential Mortgage act", which bill represents a reform of the licensed lending activities currently regulated under the "New Jersey Licensed Lenders Act," covering mortgage loans and consumer loans of $50,000 or less. The budget committee will have up a bill to establish a tax amnesty period. The Appropriations committee will vote on establishing the silver alert system, creating a computer crime prevention fund, and a bill that requires reports and publications produced by the State be primarily available on Internet with the state providing notice of availability of reports and publications. The Higher education committee will consider adding two employees to the boards of trustees of the State colleges and the county colleges.
In the Senate Judiciary committee, the confirmation of Jeanie Fox at the BPU will probably get the most news coverage. Senator Sweeney came out in support of her late last week. One bill that still isn't on the agenda is the pension deferral legislation, which the Governor will probably propose in the budget the next day. The Senate Community and Urban affairs will consider legislation that would give incentives for shared services and provide Disabled veterans a property tax exemption. The Senate Education committee will talk voting education and a bill that Requires school districts to report to DOE certain information on students removed from school pursuant to "Zero Tolerance for Guns Act." The Budget committee has fifteen bills up including one that Requires the Director of the Division of Taxation to establish a 45-day State tax amnesty period. The Senate Commerce committee will hear a bill to lift restrictions on non-proft spending.
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Mon Feb 09, 2009 at 12:21:09 AM EST
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Update by Jason: Capitol Quickies has wrap ups of both the Senate and Assembly. New Jersey legislators are scheduled to discuss roughly 60 bills today. Neither body is in session, but both chambers have a full slate of committee hearings on tap:
| Senate Quorum |
12:00 PM |
| Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens |
10:00 AM |
| Senate Labor |
10:00 AM |
| Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs |
10:00 AM |
| Senate Community and Urban Affairs |
02:00 PM |
| Senate Education |
02:00 PM |
| Senate Judiciary |
02:00 PM |
| Assembly Quorum |
01:00 PM |
| Assembly Consumer Affairs |
10:00 AM |
| Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance |
10:00 AM |
| Assembly Health and Senior Services |
10:00 AM |
| Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities |
10:00 AM |
| Assembly Regulated Professions |
01:00 PM |
| Assembly Appropriations |
02:00 PM |
| Assembly Commerce and Economic Development |
02:00 PM |
| Assembly Housing and Local Government |
02:00 PM |
| Assembly Law and Public Safety |
02:00 PM |
| Assembly Tourism and Gaming |
10:00 AM |
There are 2 universal health bills up in the Senate Health Committee. The Senate Education committee will talk charter schools and also consider a bill that provides for improved structure, financing, and fiscal management of higher education in New Jersey. Assembly Financial Services will be one to watch as well. They will receive testimony from invited guests on the ongoing economic crisis and the condition of Financial Institutions in New Jersey. The Assembly Housing and Local Government committee will discuss, but not vote on municipal consolidation legislation. In addition, the Assembly telecommunications committee will hear testimony about the digital television transition. Here's more on what the Assembly committees will consider. Below the fold I'll put up the list of bills for consideration in each committee. You can listen live to the committee hearings here.
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