Assembly wrapup, 05.20.10

Forty bills were passed last Thursday by the Assembly -- which now, in a scheduling quirk that's not common for this time of the year, doesn't return to action until June 10th.

Another eight bills were also amended on the floor; recaps of those -- and the rest of the day's action -- are available if you click through below. One of those changes sliced in half, to six months, the amount of time the Christie administration would be given to study recent restrictions on teen driving, such as license plate decals to identify them to police (and others, such as would-be sex offenders, critics say).

Another change to a bill that limits pay at state and local authorities -- guaranteeing executive directors aren't paid more than the governor and other employees not more than Cabinet members -- removes a section that would have barred bonuses and other extra pay for authority executives.

Again, the full recap is below ...

PASSED BOTH HOUSES, SENT TO GOVERNOR, IMMEDIATELY VETOED

• A10 (Oliver/Cyran) Increases gross income tax rate on income exceeding $1,000,000 for taxable year 2010. PASSED 46-32.
• A20 (Moriarty/Greenstein) Supplements the State annual appropriations act for the State fiscal year 2010-2011, makes appropriations for Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Programs and the Homestead Rebate/Credit Program. PASSED 46-32.

PASSED BOTH HOUSES, SENT TO GOVERNOR

• A2507 (Burzichelli/Casagrande) Reduces 2010 minimum racing dates; makes various changes to breeders' awards during 2010; authorizes certain loans. PASSED 78-0.
• S515/A928 (Vaineri Huttle/Johnson) Permits physicians and veterinarians to earn continuing education credits by providing certain free medical or veterinary services. PASSED 75-1-2.
• S733/A1675 (Greenwald) Expands permitted expenditures from Airport Safety Fund. PASSED 78-0.
• S1287/A2573 (O'Scanlon/Polistina) Makes position of treasurer of school moneys optional. PASSED 78-0.
• S1429/A2542 (DeCroce/Rible) Exempts use of citizen's band and two-way radios by operators of commercial motor vehicles from prohibition on use of hand-held wireless telephone or electronic communication devices while driving. PASSED 77-0.
• S1745/A369 (Schaer/Milam) Prohibits misleading use of senior-specific certifications or professional designations in connection with sales of securities. PASSED 78-0.
• S1813/A2624 (Egan/Albano) Reduces employer unemployment taxes during fiscal year 2011. PASSED 46-0-32.

PASSED ASSEMBLY, NEXT STOP: SENATE FLOOR

• A914 (Chivukula/Oliver) Directs Chief Technology Officer in the Office of Information Technology to study and report potential benefits of expanding the use of electronic transactions, including the use of electronic signature and electronic record by the State. PASSED 78-0.
• A973 (Johnson/Coutinho) Creates Juvenile Transfer Task Force. PASSED 63-13-2.
• A1678 (Greenwald/Prieto) Establishes a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program under the New Jersey gross income tax for home purchases during a qualified period. PASSED 67-8-2.
• A1839 (Coughlin/Stender) Permits candidate in any election to sign own nominating petition and be circulator therof. PASSED 78-0.
• A1944 (Conners/Tucker) Changes membership requirements of the Veterans' Services Council. PASSED 78-0.

PASSED ASSEMBLY, NEXT STOP: SENATE COMMITTEE

• A515 (Amodeo/Polistina) Expands the provisions of Operation Recognition to veterans of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. PASSED 78-0.
• A828 (Albano/Milam) Establishes conflict resolution procedures through Department of Agriculture for complaints against existing commercial fishing docks and fish processing facilities at established locations. PASSED 74-4.
• A905 (Chivukula/Oliver) Provides bill of rights for persons receiving services under Congregate Housing Services Program. PASSED 78-0.
• A1050 (Quijano/Wisniewski) Upgrades offenses of engaging in unauthorized practice of law; creates civil action; provides that persons convicted of the offenses are barred from appointment as a notary public. PASSED 78-0.
• A1052 (Quijano/Cryan) Requires State entities to purchase biofuels in place of fossil fuels when reasonable, prudent and cost effective. PASSED 78-0.
• A1064 (Gusciora/Chiusano) Eliminates award of attorneys' fees, filing fees and costs of suit for technical violation of the consumer fraud act. PASSED 76-2.
• A1169 (Rible) Removes licensing requirement for recreational bingo games. PASSED 78-0.
• A1216 (Rudder/Addiego) Establishes crime of initiating a false "Amber Alert." PASSED 78-0.
• A1458 (Wisniewski/Spencer) The "Banking Development District Act." PASSED 75-3.
• A1585 (Scalera/Quigley) Clarifies immunity from civil liability for volunteers affiliated with Citizen Corps under certain circumstances. PASSED 77-0.
• A1654 (Greenwald/Tucker) Requires DCF to provide information on home visitation resources and shaken baby syndrome to parents of newborn infants. PASSED 78-0.
• A1705 (Burzichelli/Dancer) Revises various off-track wagering provisions of the "Off-Track and Account Wagering Act." PASSED 75-0-3.
• A2072 (Quigley/Spencer) Establishes procedures to prevent and eradicate bedbug infestations in certain residential property. PASSED 73-4-1.
• A2168 (Vainieri Huttle) Jaden's Law; requires DHSS to prepare online brochure about the option to donate bone marrow. PASSED 78-0.
• A2200 (Johnson/Conners) Permits a child whose parent or quardian is ordered into active military service to remain enrolled in the school district where the child's parent or guardian resided prior to active military service. PASSED 78-0.
• A2217 (McKeon/Chiusano) Extends expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres and farmland preservation programs from 2009 to 2014 for lands in Highlands Region. PASSED 78-0.
• A2282 (DeCroce/Bramnick) Creates alternate voting members on county agriculture development boards. PASSED 78-0.
• A2288 (Spencer/Coutinho) Establishes crime of entering into certain restricted airport areas. PASSED 78-0.
• A2366 (Vainieri Huttle/O'Scanlon) Concerns contracting and licensing procedures for certain organizations under contract with DHS and DCF. PASSED 78-0.
• AJR36 (Riley/Conaway) Designates August of each year as "Immunization Awareness Month." PASSED 73-5.

PASSED ASSEMBLY, FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE

• AR17 (Amodeo/Polistina) Requests Commissioner of Transportation to designate current departmental employee as "NextGen Liaison." PASSED 77-0-1.
• AR63 (Amodeo/Albano) Urges FDA and Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference to work collaboratively to improve shellfish safety. PASSED 78-0.
• AR75 (Quijano/Schaer) Urges National Football League to select New Meadowlands Stadium as site of Super Bowl XLVIII. PASSED 78-0.
• SCR40/ACR94 (Conners/Conaway) Requests and encourages institutions of higher education to become members of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges Consortium. PASSED 78-0.
• SCR102/ACR127 (Diegnan/Moriarty) Expresses support for the submission of DOE's application for a federal Race to the Top grant. PASSED 78-0.

AMENDED ON ASSEMBLY FLOOR

• A1700 (Burzichelli/Milam) "New Jersey Fair Debt Collection Practices Act." Changes align bill closer to federal law, specifies that creditors not covered by certain debt-collection prohibitions.
  
• A1816 (Casagrane/Angelini) Provides for certain requirements concerning Independent Health Care Appeals Program. Deletes training requirement for hospital staffers in favor of ensuring staff aware of appeals program and can talk with patients about it.
• A2405 (Lampitt/Diegnan) Directs each institution of higher education to develop and coordinate a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan. State would review colleges' emergency operations plans but wouldn't have to approve it. Ensures emergency plans exempt from OPRA.
  
• A2465/1174 (Milam/Addiego) Regulates pay-off of trade-in vehicles and certain vehicle title releases.
• A2486 (Burzichelli/Rumana) Prohibits adoption of new rules exceeding federal standards unless specifically authorized by State law or necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare. Exempts all rules made by the Department of Labor & Workforce Development and any rules in areas where there aren't federal standards or requirements.
• A2505 (Pou/Moriarty) Concerns compensation and benefits of officers, employees, and members of State and local authorities. Deletes proposal to bar local or state authorities from paying its officers or employees any compensation in addition to their regular salary, such as a bonus, incentive payment or monetary award. Makes clear that supplemental pay for unused sick time isn't covered by the limit.
  
• A2740 (Vainieri Huttle/Spencer) Requires Attorney General to study and report on graduated driver's license program. Requires the report in six months, rather than in one year.
  
• S923/A2545 (Quijano/Watson Coleman) Changes date by which mail-in ballots are transmitted to mail-in and overseas voters from the 40th to the 45th day before an election. Changes various deadlines in the election process to ensure they don't fall on Saturdays or Sundays. Bill will now need to return to the Senate, to concur with the changes.
  

HELD WITHOUT A VOTE, DESPITE BEING ON AGENDA

• A915 (Chivukula/Ramos) Authorizes creation and licensure of local renewable energy collaboratives, and requires BPU to establish certain rate standards and pilot programs for advanced metering infrastructure standards.