*** THURSDAY ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ***

Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative,

Combating Bias Intimidation amid Recent Threats, Student Transportation Safety (esp. along Route 130) & Homelessness Prevention Bill Package Highlight Thursday Assembly Committees

Also on Tap: Voting Machine Security, No Smokeless Tobacco in Schools, Improved Education for Deaf Children, Deterring Food Waste, Labor Assistance Program for Suspended Drivers, Tougher Stalking Penalties & Improved Protections Against Employer Discrimination

(TRENTON) – Legislation to require New Jersey’s full participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, toughen crimes against bias intimidation amid recent anti-Semitic threats, improve student transportation safety around schools – especially along Route 130 in Burlington County – and a wide-ranging bill package designed to combat homelessness highlight Thursday’s Assembly committee hearings.

Also on tap: voting machine security, bills to prohibit use of smokeless tobacco in public schools, improve education for deaf children, deter food waste, permit persons convicted of driving with suspended license to be sentenced to labor assistance program, upgrade crime of stalking when victim is less than 18 years old and improve protections against employer discrimination.

The meetings are slated to begin at 10 a.m. and will be streamed live at:

            http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp

            HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

·         A-4701 (Eustace/Zwicker/Vainieri Huttle) – Requires State’s full participation in Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. 2 p.m. Environment and Solid Waste.

·         A4732 (Johnson/Vainieri Huttle/Eustace/Schaer) – Includes crime of creating false public alarms as form of bias intimidation. 10 a.m. Judiciary.

·         A-4335 (Singleton/Conaway) – “Antwan’s Law”; reduces speed limit on Route 130 near Burlington City High School and Wilbur Watts Intermediate School; A-4336 (Singleton/DeAngelo) – Allows counties and municipalities to establish, or request DOT to establish, reduced speed limits near schools; and A-4337 (Singleton) – Increases penalty for speeding in school zone. 10 a.m. Transportation.

·         A-3798 (Singleton/Wimberly) – Authorizes use of school bus monitoring systems. 10 a.m. Education.

·         A-4406 (Benson/Vainieri Huttle/Muoio/Mukherji) – Provides for emergency assistance to individuals or families that are homeless or in temporary living arrangement due to domestic violence. 1 p.m. Human Services.

·         A-4765 (Vainieri Huttle) – Requires DCA to continuously maintain open enrollment period for federal Housing Choice Voucher Program pre-applications; A-4766 (Vainieri Huttle) – Permits temporary rental assistance for emergency assistance recipients; A-4767 (Vainieri Huttle) – Prohibits emergency homeless shelters from conditioning provision of shelter on enrollment in certain programs; A-4768 (Vainieri Huttle) – Requires emergency shelters for the homeless to admit certain persons unless they pose danger. 1 p.m. Human Services.

·         A-4775 (Vainieri Huttle) – Provides affirmative defense to and permits expungement of certain trespass offenses committed as result of person’s homelessness; provides for police training; and AJR-149 (Vainieri Huttle) – Expresses Legislature’s support for addressing homelessness through rapid rehousing strategies and urges funding of rapid rehousing programs. 1 p.m. Human Services.

·         A-493 (McKeon/Danielsen) – Prohibits use of smokeless tobacco in public schools. 10 a.m. Education.

·         A-4619 (Muoio/Zwicker/Gusciora/Benson) –  Requires new voting machines purchased or leased for use in elections in this State to produce paper record of each vote cast. 10 a.m. Judiciary.

·         A-4772  (Muoio/Caride) – Establishes Working Group on Deaf Education and directs DOE to develop parent resource guide and select early intervention assessments for use in identifying language delays in deaf and hard of hearing children. 10 a.m. Education.

·         AR-226 (Vainieri Huttle) – Objects to establishment of office of New York Port Authority Inspector General and urges New York Legislature to reject legislation establishing that office. 10 a.m. Transportation.

·         A-1760 (Eustace) – Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for value of certain fruit and vegetable donations made by commercial farm operators. 2 p.m. Environment and Solid Waste.

·         A-4631 (Lampitt/Quijano/Eustace/Kennedy/Benson/Muoio/Zwicker) – Establishes State food waste reduction goal of 50 percent by 2030. 2 p.m. Environment and Solid Waste.

·         A2630 (Gusciora) – Permits persons convicted of driving with suspended license to be sentenced to labor assistance program. 10 a.m. Judiciary.

·         A3858 (Caride/Chiaravalloti) – Upgrades crime of stalking when victim is less than 18 years old. 10 a.m. Judiciary.

·         A4173 (Caride) – Provides for a two-year statute of limitations in discrimination case under the “Law Against Discrimination” and prohibits certain waiver provisions in employment contracts. 10 a.m. Judiciary.