Senate Passes Bipartisan Singer Bills to Aid Incoming NJ College Students
The New Jersey Senate has passed two bills sponsored by Senator Robert Singer to support incoming New Jersey college students.
Sen. Robert Singer’s bills establish new State scholarship programs and provide high school students with instruction on student loans. (SenateNJ.com)
The first bill, S-991, would replace the NJ STARS and NJ STARS II State-funded scholarship programs with the New Jersey Scholarship Honors Program. Currently, NJ STARS II scholarships are only available to students who graduate from a county college with at least a 3.25 GPA. The new program created by S-991 would extend the scholarship award to high school students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class who wish to attend a four-year in-state college. The bill was amended to include students who attend private colleges. Eligible students would receive an award of $4,000 per year.
“Our goal with this legislation is to encourage New Jersey’s best and brightest to pursue a high-quality college education,” Senator Singer Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) said. “A high school student who graduates in the top 10 percent of their class has demonstrated that they can succeed at any college of their choice – public or private; four-year or two-year. They should be able to take advantage of that hard-earned opportunity.”
Passed: Oroho Bill to Help Fight Hunger
Legislation sponsored by Senator Steve Oroho (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris) to fight hunger by providing a tax credit to farmers that donate produce to food banks was passed by the New Jersey Senate.
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Steve Oroho to help fight hunger was passed by the New Jersey Senate. (Wikimedia Commons)
“Every year, tons of food coming from New Jersey’s farms is discarded because it’s ugly or not worth it for farmers to bring it to market,” Senator Oroho said. “That food could be going to the countless number of families that are sadly struggling with food insecurity.”
Connors-Rumpf-Gove Veterans’ Housing Initiative Signed Into Law
Veterans’ legislation sponsored by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove that will expand housing opportunities for veterans has been signed into law by Governor Chris Christie.
The 9th District Delegation’s veterans’ initiative, S-260/A-452/A-984, will require that a portion of the tenant-based rental assistance vouchers under the State rental assistance program (SRAP) for grants be reserved for veterans. The provisions of the new law will take effect immediately.
Legislation sponsored by the 9th District delegation to expand housing opportunities for veterans was signed into law. (©iStock)
Following the signing of their legislation, Connors, Rumpf and Gove issued the following joint statement:
“For those veterans falling on hard times and in need of housing that they can afford, we are elated that the State’s rental assistance program will now prioritize their needs. From the outset, we sought to build upon the state’s existing veterans’ housing programs, such as ‘Veterans Haven,’ to provide additional housing opportunities for those who have served our nation.
Pennacchio: Preventing Animal Cruelty Is Important, So Is Preventing Cruel Treatment of Unborn Children
Calls for Legislature to Apply Same Compassion to People That’s Applied to Pets
With planned Senate action on yet another bill that would further bolster the state’s already extensive animal cruelty statutes, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) again blasted the Legislature’s continued inaction on legislation that would protect unborn children from the cruel and excruciating pain caused by abortion.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio speaking at a New Jersey State House press conference on S-2026, the NJ Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, on December 5, 2016. (SenateNJ.com)
“Preventing animal cruelty is important, but so is preventing the cruel treatment of unborn children,” said Pennacchio. “The Legislature’s continued inaction on S-2026 sends the message that we care more about animals than people. It’s time to re-balance our priorities, and we can start by passing the NJ Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.”
Editorial: Three Health Care Issues N.J. Must Watch
The following editorial on healthcare policy by Senator Robert Singer was published by the Asbury Park Press on March 9, 2017:
Sen. Robert Singer says it’s critical for state policymakers and residents to be aware of several potential issues that could impact the quality, cost or access to health care for New Jersey residents. (©iStock)
With much discussion focused on possible federal changes to the Affordable Care Act, it’s critical for state policymakers and residents to be aware of several other potential issues that could impact the quality, cost or access to health care for New Jersey residents.
Here are three to watch:
Oroho’s Transportation Bills Providing Substantive Property Tax Relief Passed by Senate Budget Committee
A pair of transportation-related bills sponsored by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) that would substantively reduce the burden on property taxpayers has been approved by the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee.
Transportation-related bills sponsored by Sen. Steven Oroho would provide substantive property tax relief. (SenateNJ.com)
The first bill, S-3076, appropriates $400 million from the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) to pay for immediate road and bridge repair projects across the state in all 21 counties.
“The tax reform plan that we approved last year has made it possible for the state to pay for many critical transportation projects in communities across New Jersey,” said Oroho. “Our new legislation builds on that effort by having the state augment its share of funding for local road and bridge repairs that would otherwise have been borne by residents through increased property taxes.”
Connors, Rumpf & Gove Oppose Sanctuary Cities Receiving State Funding
Following through on their constitutional obligations to uphold the law, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove announced that they will oppose legislation that would provide state taxpayer dollars to sanctuary cities that lose federal funding in connection with White House executive orders.
Members of the 9th District delegation announced their opposition to legislation that would provide state taxpayer dollars to sanctuary cities that lose federal funding.. (SenateNJ.com)
Legislation (S-3007), which has been introduced and was scheduled to be voted on by the full Senate, would require the Department of Community Affairs Commissioner to establish a program to provide grant funding to a county or municipality that has had its federal grant funding denied or reduced based upon its status as a sanctuary jurisdiction.
Pennacchio/Turner Introduce Bill to Reduce Wrongful Convictions in NJ
Bipartisan Bill Establishes “New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission”
Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) and Senator Shirley Turner (D-15) have introduced legislation to establish a commission charged with developing reforms to prevent wrongful convictions in New Jersey.
Sen. Joe Pennacchio’s bipartisan bill would establish a commission charged with developing reforms to reduce wrongful convictions in New Jersey (©iStock)
“The annual number of false convictions in our country has more than doubled since 2011,” Senator Pennacchio said. “In New Jersey, those who were exonerated spent an average of ten years behind bars. We cannot give back the years that were stolen from the innocent people who were wrongfully convicted in this state, but by developing comprehensive reforms, we can ensure that countless others are not forced to suffer the same injustices.”
Pennacchio: Racinos Would Provide Even More Revenue for Pensions
Following Governor Chris Christie’s proposal to dedicate revenues from the state lottery to public pensions, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-Passaic) again called for the limited expansion of gaming at the state’s horse racetracks as an additional way to infuse critically needed funds into the state’s struggling public employee pension systems.
Senator Joe Pennacchio’s proposed constitutional amendment, SCR-16, would allow for slot wagering at New Jersey’s horse racing facilities. (Wikimedia Commons)
“For years, we’ve urged for the creation of dedicated revenue streams to shore up our public pension systems, and I commend the Governor for supporting this approach as a way to address one of the state’s most pressing fiscal issues,” Senator Pennacchio said. “We can take it one step further by opening the door for the establishment of racinos, which would create a substantial new source of revenues for pensions, bolster our casino industry, and support the financial recovery of Atlantic City.”
Connors, Rumpf & Gove: It’s About Time Ocean County Was Represented at Turnpike Authority
Saying it’s better late than never, Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove all praised the nomination of Louis Goetting, a resident of Point Pleasant, Ocean County, to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board.
Connors, Rumpf and Gove praised the nomination of Louis Goetting, a resident of Point Pleasant, Ocean County, to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board. (Wikimedia Commons)
For several legislative sessions, the 9th District legislative delegation has sponsored bipartisan legislation (S-1674/A-3817) along with the 1st Legislative District to require that at least one member of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority be from South Jersey. On February 13 of this year, S-1674 was passed by the full Senate and referred to the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authority Committee.
