Oroho Bill to Remove Red Tape from Pharmaceutical Industry Passes Senate
Legislation sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) to make the registration process easier for pharmaceutical companies passed the New Jersey Senate. The measure came out of the New Jersey Red Tape Review Commission.
Sen. Steve Oroho’s bill would remove red tape from drug manufacturing industry. (©iStock)
“The seemingly never ending list of regulations and rules has handcuffed business in this state for far too long,” Senator Oroho said. “Six years after it was created, the Red Tape Review Commission is still finding ways to cut back the bureaucracy and make it easier for entrepreneurs and job creators to grow their businesses in the state. This bill reduces the time it takes for drug companies to set up shop in New Jersey.”
Singer Bill to Grow New Jersey’s Biotechnology Industry Passes Senate
Legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) to create a new task force that will study ways to expand New Jersey’s biotechnology industry passed the New Jersey Senate.
Sen. Robert Singer’s legislation to grow New Jersey’s biotechnology industry passed the state senate. (©iStock)
The resolution, SJR-57, creates the “New Jersey Biotechnology Task Force” to improve communication between state government and the biotechnology industry and to find ways to help retain and attract new biotechnology companies to the state. According to BioNJ, Inc., the industry directly provides more than 66,000 jobs and more than $1.5 billion in tax revenue to the state.
Senate Passes Singer/Kean Bill to Alert More Students About NJ STARS Scholarships
Legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) and Senator Tom Kean (R-Union, Morris, Somerset) to make more students aware of their possible eligibility for the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Program Scholarship (NJ STARS) passed the New Jersey Senate.
A bill by Sen. Robert Singer and Sen. Tom Kean to increase notification to students about the NJ STARS scholarship program passed the New Jersey Senate. (Flickr)
“The cost of college is only getting higher, and NJ STARS offers students a chance to attend college without weighing them down with debt for years to come,” Senator Singer said. “If we can connect more students with the money available to them, we’ll make college more affordable and keep more of our brightest students in the state.”
Senate Passes Pennacchio Bill Protecting Access to NJ Transit for Riders with Service Dogs
The New Jersey Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senator Joseph Pennacchio to prevent New Jersey Transit from denying a person with a service dog access to any vehicle.
Legislation by Sen. Joseph Pennacchio to protect access to NJ Transit for riders with guide dogs was passed by the New Jersey Senate. (Wikimedia Commons)
“Service dogs are not just pets,” Senator Pennacchio said. “They are highly trained assistants that help people with special needs to get where they need to go safely. This legislation clears up any confusion in our laws and protects access to public transportation for all who need it.”
9th District-Supported “Combat to College Act” Passes Senate
The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove which would grant priority in registering for courses at a public institution of higher education to military service members and veterans living in the state.
Connors, Rumpf & Gove’s legislation would grant military service members and veterans living in the state priority in registering for courses at a public institution of higher education. (U.S. Navy)
Connors, Rumpf and Gove have joined with the 1st Legislative District in this bipartisan veterans’ legislative initiative (S-1672 and A-2950) entitled the “Combat to College Act.” The 9th District delegation issued the following statement following the Senate passage of the veterans’ legislative initiative.
“Veterans’ deserve every opportunity to pursue their higher education goals. Higher education policies should be in place to provide special accommodations for veterans’ due to the significant demands associated with military service, including long-term deployments.
Senate Passes Oroho Resolution to Raise Awareness About Childhood Cancer
A bipartisan resolution sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) to promote education and awareness about childhood cancer was passed by the New Jersey Senate.
The Da Silva family. (Patricia Da Silva)
The resolution was inspired by Nicholas DaSilva, a Hardyston resident who was diagnosed with a form of cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma when he was just 5 years old. In the two years since his cancer has gone into remission, he has worked to help other children with the disease. Along with the other members of his family, Nicholas has raised money to help other kids through donations to the Valerie Fund and Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Oroho, Space & Phoebus on Gov. Christie’s New School Funding Proposal
Statement from Senator Steve Oroho, Assemblyman Parker Space, and Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus (all R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) on Governor Chris Christie’s new school funding plan:
Sen. Steve Oroho, Asm. Parker Space, and Asw. Gail Phoebus praised Gov. Chris Christie’s new school funding plan. (SenateNJ.com)
“We applaud Governor Christie for making his proposal. All three of us have supported permanently ending the Abbott district charade with the New Jersey Supreme Court and mandating that state aid for education needs to be equally distributed to all school children no matter where they live.
Singer/Kean Bill to Promote NJ STARS Scholarship Program Passes Senate Panel
Legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) and Senator Tom Kean (R-Union, Somerset, Morris) to make sure more students are aware of the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (NJ STARS) passed the Senate Education Committee.
Senators Robert Singer and Tom Kean’s bill notifies students who are eligible for NJ STARS during each year of high school, with general information provided in eighth grade. (Flickr)
“The NJ STARS program is a fantastic way for bright students who may not be able to afford college themselves to pursue a college degree,” Senator Singer said. “We have the resources and we have the students. We need to make sure those students know about this program so they can actually take advantage of it.”
Oroho Editorial: A Bold Package to Fix Roads, Restructure Taxes
The following editorial by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) on a plan to reduce the burden on New Jersey property taxpayers, eliminate the state income taxes paid by most retirees, phase out the estate tax, and replenish the Transportation Trust Fund was published in The Record on June 19, 2016:
Sen. Steven Oroho’s plan would perform a sweeping restructuring of New Jersey’s tax structure to make the state more affordable and competitive, and replenish the Transportation Trust Fund that pays for safe roads and bridges. (SenateNJ.com)
New Jersey faces twin crises that threaten to ignite a property tax explosion and hamstring our competitive economic position if we don’t take swift action to responsibly address them.
At stake is our ability to maintain and repair our roads and bridges — and a Transportation Trust Fund that is broke — alongside New Jersey’s reputation as having one of the most uncompetitive tax structures in the nation, which drives thousands of families, jobs and businesses to less costly states each year.
The impact of either problem is substantial. Taken together, however, these dual crises threaten both our economic vitality and our very existence as an affordable place to raise a family, work and retire.
Advanced: Pennacchio Bill to Help Small Businesses Compete
The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) aimed at helping small businesses grow by giving them a chance to compete for state and federal contracts.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s legislation would create a new program in the NJEDA to help small businesses grow and compete for government contracts. (NJEDA)
The legislation, S-123, would establish a “Small Business Bonding Readiness Assistance Program” through the Economic Development Authority, which would provide support to small businesses and help them meet requirements to obtain surety bonding, which is needed before they can bid on public contracts.
