BI-PARTISAN BILL TO CREATE SPECIAL EDUCATION UNIT ADVANCES FROM COMMITTEE

March 9, 2021

Trenton – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Senators Steven Oroho and Robert Singer which would create a special education unit within the Office of Administrative Law, cleared the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.

“Students with disabilities are often left in unfortunate positions due to lengthy court decisions between parents, courts and school districts,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “This bill would establish a panel of judges who have the understanding and experience to review and handle special education cases. Judges who are best equipped to deal with these cases will ensure that students with disabilities are able to receive the services and education they need in a timely manner.” 

“The unique challenges of educating students with special needs lead to disagreements between concerned parents and school districts that often end up in court,” said Senator Oroho (R-Morris/Sussex/Warren). “Long delays only add to the frustration and can interfere with the development and learning opportunities of children. The unit established by this legislation would increase efficiency and help all parties with more timely decisions and resolutions.” 

“There is no question New Jersey needs to do a better job addressing special education conflicts,” said Senator Singer (R-Monmouth/Ocean). “It is unacceptable for people to have to wait so long to get answers impacting the education of a child with special needs. With regular review of the data demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy, we will know if there are enough judges assigned to the unit, and how we can better improve the process.”

The bill, S-2160, would require the director and chief administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Law to create a unit consisting of law judges that have an expertise in special education law. The number of administrative law judges in the special education unit would be proportional to the number and complexity of special education cases referred to the office. This legislation was a recommendation of the bipartisan economic and fiscal policy work group.

Under the bill, the director and chief administrative law judge would prepare an annual report to the Governor and to the Legislature. The report would include statistics on the number of special education cases referred to the special education unit and the average time to resolve the cases.

This act would take effect on the first day of the ninth month following enactment. The Director and Chief could take any action needed to enact the goals of the bill.

The bill was released from committee by a vote of 8-0.

ADDIEGO-SWEENEY BILL WOULD PROTECT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FROM LOSING EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES DUE TO COVID CRISIS

March 9, 2021

Trenton – Acting to protect students with disabilities from losing out on the special education services they need because of the coronavirus crisis, the Senate Education Committee today approved a bill authored by Senator Dawn Addiego and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would temporarily extend the timetable for those who exceed the age eligibility.

“The public health crisis has disrupted school operations and educational services for most every student, but the upheaval has been especially difficult for students with disabilities,” said Senator Addiego (D-Atlantic/Burlington/Camden). “The quality of education and the special services they need, deserve and are entitled to have been cut short by COVID-19 conditions. This bill will temporarily extend the age deadline so they can make up for time lost to the crisis.”

The bill, S-3434, would require boards of education to extend educational and related services in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years these students are already entitled to – protecting them from being “aged out” of eligibility when they turn 21.

“Every student deserves a fair and equitable opportunity to a quality education, including young people with disabilities,” Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “They are experiencing real hardships because of the crisis conditions that make it hard for them to participate in the services and activities that will enable them to realize their potential. These educational programs are key to their quality of life.”

Schools are now required to provide students with disabilities an “appropriate public education” from age three to 21 in accordance with an “individualized education program” that addresses their needs.

If a student turns 21 during the school year, he or she is entitled to finish the year. But, on June 30 of the student’s final school year, the student is no longer eligible for the educational services in a process commonly referred to as “aging out.”

This bill would extend the age eligibility to students who reach the age of 21 during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years to the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, respectively. Unless otherwise provided in the student’s IEP, he or she would not be eligible to receive these services beyond the year in which they reach the age of 22.

SWEENEY-GOPAL-O’SCANLON SCHOOL REGIONALIZATION BILL APPROVED BY SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Comprehensive reform bill includes financial incentives for Adjustment Aid districts with declining enrollment to pursue regionalization

March 9, 2021

Trenton – The Senate Education Committee today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senators Vin Gopal and Declan O’Scanlon to encourage the creation of K-12 regional and countywide school districts in an effort to improve educational quality and efficiency.

The legislation establishes criteria for state-funded regionalization studies, increases flexibility on regionalization cost apportionment, bars any regionalization that would have a segregative effect, protects accrued tenure and seniority, and provides significant financial incentives for districts losing state aid because of declining enrollment to regionalize by extending the schedule for their Adjustment Aid cuts from four years to eight years.

“This will be the first major overhaul of New Jersey’s school regionalization statute in over 25 years,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It is designed to improve the quality of education by ensuring coordination of curriculum from K to 12, provide the enriched educational experience that smaller districts cannot offer, and generate long-term savings that can be used to hold down property taxes or reinvest in expanded educational programs.”

Salem County is currently exploring the possibility of creating New Jersey’s first countywide school district with a state-funded Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) grant, and both Pinelands Regional in Ocean and Burlington counties and Roosevelt in Monmouth County are using LEAP grants for K-12 regionalization studies. The new legislation provides for an expedited preliminary approval process to enable districts losing Adjustment Aid to readjust their 2021-2022 school budgets to factor in the increased state aid they would receive for participating in regionalization studies in the first year.

“Our legislation removes significant barriers to regionalization, including a statutory provision to recalculate state aid that would have made it more costly for some districts to regionalize than to remain separate,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “Furthermore, it extends the timeline for Adjustment Aid cuts from four years to eight years for districts that regionalize. Most importantly, it is a voluntary process that provides local districts with greater flexibility to design a regionalization phase-in that makes sense for all.”

Senator Sweeney said the legislation incorporates recommendations made by all of the major statewide educational organizations, by the Governor’s Shared Services czars Nic Platt and Jordan Glatt, by the Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup’s Education Task Force co-chaired by Rutgers Professor Ray Caprio and former Education Commissioner Lucille Davy, and by school board members, administrators, teachers, parents and local government officials he met with throughout the state.

“This bill will help ensure the costs of feasibility studies do not dissuade school districts from considering regionalization opportunities that could increase educational opportunities for students and reduce costs for taxpayers,” said Senator O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “The grant program established would reimburse the cost of feasibility studies and provide incentives encouraging regionalization. Many of New Jersey’s small districts are inefficient and more costly for taxpayers, and all districts should explore the benefits available to their students and taxpayers alike.”

The legislation establishes an eight-year phaseout of Adjustment Aid cuts – stretched out from the current four years – for districts participating in a LEAP regionalization study that continues only if they move forward and implement a regionalization plan. Through 2028-2029, newly established countywide districts or K-12 districts would receive the greater of the state aid to which the newly established district would be entitled, or the sum of the aid of the consolidated districts including the eight-year Adjustment Aid phaseout.

Studies into the feasibility of establishing a countywide school district or a K-12 regional district incorporating any existing regional high school and its current sending districts would automatically receive preliminary approval for participation.

The legislation would permit regionalization studies to be undertaken without a formal vote by all sending districts to participate. In these cases, the regionalization study would include an option for merger of just the officially participating districts and a second option for full regionalization that would also include sending districts not signing a participation letter that might choose to join the newly created regional district after seeing the study results. Only districts signing participation letters would be eligible for a reduction in their Adjustment Aid cuts.

The bill requires the state Education Commissioner to certify that regionalization would not have an increased segregative effect in any affected districts, and also provides for accrued tenure and seniority rights to carry over into any newly created or expanded regional districts.

“We believe all students would benefit from the curriculum coordination and enhanced learning opportunities that come from attending a K-12 or countywide district,” said Senator Sweeney. “But regionalization is particularly important for small districts with declining enrollments that are having an increasingly hard time providing a quality educational experience and making their budgets work.

“One-school districts with fewer than 500 students spend 17% more per pupil than the 60% of New Jersey districts with 1,000 or more students, and those include the large urban districts and comprehensive K-12 districts that are supposed to spend more under the state formula. Regionalization makes sense,” he said.

SWEENEY-WEINBERG BILL WOULD ELIMINATE & REPLACE CURRENT BOARD OF CHIROPRACTORS, BAN CONVICTED SEX OFFENDERS FROM LICENSE TO PRACTICE

Top Senate Leaders Act in Response to Board’s ‘Blatant Disregard for Public Safety’ in Relicensing Child Sex Offender

February 26, 2021

Trenton – Acting in response to the “irresponsible and illogical” action by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners in renewing the professional license of a convicted child sex offender, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said they are taking action to eliminate and replace the current board with one that makes public safety a priority.

The top Senate leaders will introduce legislation that removes the current board members dominated by chiropractors and reconstitutes the board to include more public representation. The proposed legislation would also specifically ban anyone convicted of a felony sexual offense from being licensed to work as a chiropractor.

“This board has clearly lost sight of its responsibility to protect the health and safety of the people of New Jersey,” said Senator Sweeney. “Giving a convicted sex offender the sanctioned permission to return to the practice is irresponsible and illogical. Bryan Bajakian is a predator who should be denied the opportunity to threaten anyone again.”

“The idea that the state board representing practicing chiropractors could vote unanimously to reinstate the license of a convicted sex offender is a horrific and dangerous move that defies all logic, and is a slap in the face to people everywhere who have faced the trauma of sexual misconduct,” said Senator Weinberg. “By reinstating the chiropractic license of Bryan Bajakian, the board has placed others, including the most vulnerable, in harm’s way.”

Bajakian, a registered sex offender in Florida who is on lifetime parole, has been convicted of luring and firearms charges, ordered not to see patients younger than 18 without supervision, and accused of being “engaged in sexual misconduct toward an underage patient.” The Board of Chiropractors found he tried to meet children on the internet for sex, kept child pornography and continued to see patients younger than 18 unsupervised.

On Thursday, the board reinstated his chiropractor license after rejecting a motion by Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to deny the request.

“If the board can’t be trusted to make responsible licensing decisions that protect the safety of New Jerseyans, the Legislature will make wholesale reforms to the board itself,” said Senator Sweeney. “We need to restructure the board to include more public members who have the public’s interests at heart and fewer self-interested members from the chiropractic industry. We have to bring more transparency and accountability to restore public trust.”

Currently, the chiropractic board includes eight licensed chiropractors who have been practicing for at least five years, but only two public members and one state official.

“There is no way a sexual predator should also be a licensed chiropractor in New Jersey. If the board is going to reinstate this license, what, one might fairly ask will it take for a chiropractic license to be revoked?” said Senator Weinberg. “Attorney General Grewal had it right the first time – there is no way a sexual predator should also be a licensed chiropractor in New Jersey.”

SWEENEY: TIME TO MOVE FORWARD ON K-12 REGIONALIZATION, COUNTYWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Senate President Steve Sweeney | February 25, 2021 | Voices in Education |

New Jersey - In December 2019, as the driving rain that would later turn to snow pounded the parking lot outside Pinelands Regional High School in Ocean County, I met for two hours with a remarkable group of superintendents, school board members, principals and business administrators from Pinelands Regional, Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton and Bass River school districts. Pinelands Regional serves students in seventh through 12th grades from Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor, Bass River and Eagleswood townships.

The group was engaged in a neighborly conversation, talking about entering into a study to create one regional K-12 district to provide better educational opportunities and curriculum coordination for their students and savings for their taxpayers.

Melissa McCooley was already the shared superintendent for Pinelands and Little Egg Harbor after her K-6 board (Little Egg Harbor) had urged her to apply for the Pinelands vacancy as a joint position. She and others at the meeting had grown up locally and gone to school together.

Bass River, located across the border in Burlington County, was struggling to make its budget work with just 85 students and would actually decide to enter into a send-receive relationship with Little Egg Harbor effective July 1, 2020. Eagleswood, another K-6 district with 119 students that also sends to Pinelands, would sign on to participate in the study before the application went in.

As I left the meeting that day, I thought this is how regionalization is supposed to work. There was no fear about loss of identity, home rule, job losses, debt service or contracts. They sent their kids to the same middle school and high school, they rooted side-by-side in the bleachers for their Wildcats in the Shore Conference, and they were going to focus on downsizing by attrition rather than by going through a reduction in force.   

They were going to make it work, and their ideas — and insights we gathered from talking with school administrators, board members, teachers and parents all across the state — helped shape the grant program we put together last year with the Murphy Administration and its “shared services czars,” Nicolas Platt and Jordan Glatt, who have been charged with promoting government efficiency. These ideas and insights also helped shape the incentives for voluntary school consolidation contained in the bipartisan legislation that I am sponsoring with Senators Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) and Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth).

Today, Pinelands Regional is putting together its regionalization plan with a $90,000 grant from the state’s Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP), which is administered by the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.

A similar $108,525 LEAP-funded study is underway in Monmouth and Mercer counties where Roosevelt, a tiny district whose historic schoolhouse features Depression-era murals by famed artist Ben Shahn, is exploring regionalization options with East Windsor Regional, Upper Freehold and Freehold Borough.

Furthermore, Salem County, which I represent in the Legislature, has a $143,000 LEAP grant to study the feasibility of merging all of its school systems into New Jersey’s first countywide school district.

Salem County is the smallest county in the state, with just 65,000 residents and fewer than 11,000 students attending 14 separate school districts. Some of these one-schoolhouse districts have eighth grade graduating classes with as few as 13 students, as I learned when I held roundtables with mayors and superintendents. That’s far below the optimal class size and too small to offer the diverse curriculum that middle school students have a right to expect. It’s also inefficient: Salem County spends 22% more per pupil than nearby Vineland, which has about the same number of students.

Coupled with the successful South Hunterdon Regional School District consolidation and other regionalization studies recently completed involving districts in Sussex, Morris and Monmouth counties, these three LEAP grant studies can serve as a blueprint for other districts throughout the state to consider school regionalization plans that would be in the best interests of their students and taxpayers.

We added $7 million to the budget in September to fund school regionalization studies and other shared services initiatives, and we would like to see many more districts apply for these grants. Every school district in New Jersey is unique, and we will learn something new about best practices and how to overcome barriers to regionalization from every study that is completed.

In addition to the grants, we have an even more significant financial enticement to offer school districts that are willing to voluntarily move toward K-12 regionalization and countywide school district initiatives.

We recognize that the overwhelming majority of small K-6 and K-8 one-building school districts with shrinking enrollments are among those facing the loss of the remaining 80% of their Adjustment Aid under S-2. We passed that legislation in 2018 to restore fairness to the school funding formula under the 2008 School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) by eliminating the growth caps that underfunded districts educating 72% of New Jersey’s schoolchildren, while maintaining “hold harmless” Adjustment Aid for districts with declining enrollment based on how many students they had nearly 15 years ago.

To provide a financial incentive for districts that should be considering regionalization to move forward, our legislation stretches out the reduction of Adjustment Aid from four years to eight years for districts engaged in regionalization studies and moving forward on regionalization or countywide school districts. Districts conducting regionalization studies that do not decide to move forward in the following year would revert to the former state aid schedule.

This eliminates one of the biggest barriers to regionalization — the disincentive contained in the current school consolidation law that requires newly created merged districts to have their state aid recalculated immediately based on the SFRA formula. For Adjustment Aid districts, this would trigger immediate aid cuts that would make any school board rightfully torpedo any regionalization plan. It also recognizes that there are legitimate start-up costs to regionalization that need to be covered.

Our push for regionalization was one of the principal recommendations of the bipartisan Economic and Fiscal Workgroup’s Education Committee headed by Rutgers Professor Ray Caprio and former Education Commissioner Lucille Davy in 2018, and it builds on the regionalization initiative put together by Davy that was abandoned in 2009 in the midst of the Great Recession.

We recognize that school officials are grappling with the tremendous educational challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, but that experience also underscores the need to move forward. Small one-school districts with a few hundred students that would have liked to have offered a mix of hybrid and remote learning during the pandemic are finding they cannot do so because they do not have enough staff to do both.

Our legislation provides school board members, administrators, teachers and parents broad flexibility in designing K-12 regional or countywide school district implementation plans that work for them. Like the existing law, it preserves the ability of regionalizing districts to base cost share on tax base, enrollment or any percentage of the two.

It provides greater flexibility on teacher contracts, leaving the existing contracts in place until the next contract negotiation with the merged union for the consolidated district. It provides districts with flexibility to decide how to handle existing debt service or the sale of buildings that are no longer needed.

Creating larger districts will create greater diversity in a state that is facing potential litigation over desegregation, and in fact, our legislation specifically prohibits any regionalization plan that would reduce diversity.

In the long run, school districts — and taxpayers —- will save money through consolidation. Districts with fewer than 500 students spend 17% more per pupil than school districts with more than 1,000 students — even though those districts include virtually all of the urban districts with high percentages of “at risk” students and virtually all of the regional high schools, which are supposed to be spending more money than smaller elementary K-6 and K-8 districts.

But it’s not just about the money —it’s about the quality and richness of the educational experience for students in the smallest districts. School officials from one of the first districts that I met with to discuss a potential K-12 regionalization plan in 2019 said they were planning to use the first anticipated savings from their merger to pay for science labs in the new middle school that students from the three towns would all attend.

In 2021, every schoolchild in New Jersey should have access to lab science in middle school as part of the “thorough and efficient education” guaranteed by our New Jersey Constitution.

We are proud that our public schools are ranked first in the nation, and we need to provide the best educational experience we can for all of our schoolchildren. That must be the foundation of every school regionalization plan.

SWEENEY, GOPAL, O’SCANLON PUSH BIPARTISAN BILL TO SPUR K-12 REGIONALIZATION, COUNTYWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Comprehensive reform bill includes financial incentives for Adjustment Aid districts with declining enrollment to pursue regionalization

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senators Vin Gopal and Declan O’Scanlon today said they are introducing ground-breaking legislation to encourage the creation of K-12 regional and countywide school districts in an effort to improve educational quality and efficiency.

The legislation establishes criteria for state-funded regionalization studies, increases flexibility on regionalization cost apportionment, bars any regionalization that would have a segregative effect, and provides significant financial incentives for districts losing state aid because of declining enrollment to regionalize by extending the schedule for their Adjustment Aid cuts from four years to eight years.

“This will be the first major overhaul of New Jersey’s school regionalization statute in over 25 years,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It is designed to improve the quality of education by ensuring coordination of curriculum from K to 12, provide the enriched educational experience that smaller districts cannot offer, and generate long-term savings that can be used to hold down property taxes or reinvest in expanded educational programs.”

Salem County is currently exploring the possibility of creating New Jersey’s first countywide school district with a state-funded Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) grant, and both Pinelands Regional in Ocean and Burlington counties and Roosevelt in Monmouth County are using LEAP grants for K-12 regionalization studies. The new legislation provides for an expedited preliminary approval process to enable districts losing Adjustment Aid to readjust their 2021-2022 school budgets to factor in the increased state aid they would receive for participating in regionalization studies in the first year.

“Our legislation removes significant barriers to regionalization, including a statutory provision to recalculate state aid that would have made it more costly for some districts to regionalize than to remain separate,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “Furthermore, it extends the timeline for Adjustment Aid cuts from four years to eight years for districts that regionalize. Most importantly, it is a voluntary process that provides local districts with greater flexibility to design a regionalization phase-in that makes sense for all.”

Senator Sweeney said the legislation incorporates recommendations made by various statewide educational organizations, by the Governor’s Shared Services czars Nic Platt and Jordan Glatt, by the Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup’s Education Task Force co-chaired by Rutgers Professor Ray Caprio and former Education Commissioner Lucille Davy, and by school board members, administrators, teachers, parents and local government officials he met with throughout the state.

“There’s a growing local interest across New Jersey in consolidating small school districts to lower costs and property taxes while improving the quality of education for our children,” said Senator O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “Unfortunately, many districts that are interested in pursuing regionalization with their neighbors are finding the process extremely difficult under current state law. Our new bipartisan legislation simplifies the process and offers significant new financial incentives for those who study and implement school district regionalization.”

The legislation establishes an eight-year phaseout of Adjustment Aid cuts – stretched out from the current four years – for districts participating in a LEAP regionalization study that continues only if they move forward and implement a regionalization plan. Through 2028-2029, newly established countywide districts or K-12 districts would receive the greater of the state aid to which the newly established district would be entitled, or the sum of the aid of the consolidated districts including the eight-year Adjustment Aid phaseout.

Studies into the feasibility of establishing a countywide school district or a K-12 regional district incorporating any existing regional high school and its current sending districts would automatically receive preliminary approval for participation.

The legislation would permit regionalization studies to be undertaken without a formal vote by all sending districts to participate. In these cases, the regionalization study would include an option for the merger of just the officially participating districts and a second option for full regionalization that would also include sending districts not signing a participation letter that might choose to join the newly created regional district after seeing the study results. Only districts signing participation letters would be eligible for a reduction in their Adjustment Aid cuts.

“We believe all students would benefit from the curriculum coordination and enhanced learning opportunities that come from attending a K-12 or countywide district,” said Senator Sweeney. “But regionalization is particularly important for small districts with declining enrollments that are having an increasingly hard time providing a quality educational experience and making their budgets work.

“One-school districts with fewer than 500 students spend 17% more per pupil than the 60% of New Jersey districts with 1,000 or more students, and those include the large urban districts and comprehensive K-12 districts that are supposed to spend more under the state formula. Regionalization makes sense,” he said.

SWEENEY-SINGLETON BILL WOULD GIVE FINANCIAL LIFELINE TO DIRECT CARE PROVIDERS

February 19, 2021

Senate Approves Bill Allocating $180 Million to Help Providers to Survive Coronavirus Crisis

Trenton – Acting to provide a financial lifeline to the facilities that care for those who live with developmental disabilities, the Senate today approved legislation that would allocate an additional $180 million to keep the programs and services in place and help the providers survive the health crisis.

Sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton, the bill, S-3323, would allocate the supplemental appropriation to the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health to aid social service providers that are in financial distress due to COVID-19. Serving the vulnerable population of those with developmental disabilities and the elderly, these programs and services face severe financial hardships that threaten their ability to survive the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 crisis has created difficult demands for the programs and services that provide vital care for those who live with intellectual and developmental disabilities and for the elderly,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “The hardships that everyone is experiencing because of the pandemic are even worse for these providers and those they care for. This funding will provide a financial lifeline that will allow them to survive the crisis.”

These providers have been forced to adopt additional safety protocols, experienced decreased enrollment, and have shifted their services to virtual platforms, steps that have imposed more costs and more challenges.

“Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities have always been among the most vulnerable populations in the state. After living with a pandemic for almost a year, things have only gotten more challenging and difficult,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “We need to support the essential services and programs that care for this population, and support their families. Appropriations like these will save both services and lives.”

The additional funding would be used to increase payments for the direct care providers under state contract or for fee-for-service agreements with the state. They include day habilitation programs for those with disabilities and the elderly, childcare providers, behavioral health services, early intervention services and substance abuse programs. These programs and services rely on state support.

“We need to ensure the continued operation of providers who serve the most vulnerable residents in New Jersey in crisis conditions,” said Senator Sweeney. “There is an economic and societal impact as well. Without adequate funding many providers could be forced to close, causing a considerable strain on the network of social services providers and resulting in massive layoffs of workers, many of whom are low-wage earners, women, and minorities.”

Any payment increases provided under this bill are required to be retroactive to all payments issued in FY 2021.

“Our heartfelt thanks to Senate President Sweeney for sponsoring S-3323 at this time and for amending the legislation to include Early Intervention providers who provide life-altering services to infants and toddlers ages 0-3 with a developmental delay or disability,” said Cathy Chin of ABCD-NJ. “ABCD is grateful for the sustained care and concern exhibited by the Senate President, members of the New Jersey Legislature, and the Murphy Administration throughout this pandemic. This bill recognizes the need to ensure that after this ‘storm blows through,’ individuals with developmental disabilities will continue to have the resources to reach their full potential and to have a full life in the community to return to.”

The Senate vote was 34-0.

WEINBERG-GREENSTEIN-SWEENEY BILL BOOSTING AIRPORT WORKERS’ PAY, BENEFITS CLEARS SENATE

February 19, 2021

Trenton – In order to ensure wage guarantees, greater protections and health care benefits for workers at Newark Liberty International Airport and Train Station, the Senate today passed the “Healthy Terminals Act.” The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Senator Linda Greenstein and Senate President Steve Sweeney, provides that “prevailing wage” rates will be a minimum standard rate of compensation for those workers, and makes the requirements subject to the “New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act.”

“Workers in every walk of life, seen and unseen, deserve a livable wage, and access to affordable quality health care,” said Senator Weinberg (D-Bergen). “The people who help keep our planes flying and our trains running, and the men and women who make sure our largest airport is clean, safe and functional, are essential in every respect. When they are able to see a doctor and receive proper care while earning a living wage it makes all of us healthier, safer and stronger as a community.”

The legislation, S-989, would apply to any employees of contractors and subcontractors furnishing building services, or any “covered airport or related location worker,” meaning any person employed to perform various jobs at a covered airport or related location who spends at least half their work week performing duties at those locations. The new requirements would be for any person who performs work related to the preparation or delivery of food for consumption on airplanes; it does not include persons employed in an executive, administrative or professional capacity, or anyone employed by a public agency.

In 2018, over 30 million passengers traveled through Newark Liberty International Airport, making this airport and the Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station one of the busiest transit hubs in the country. Part of the focus of the legislation is to provide health benefits that ensure the health and safety of those who work in and among thousands of people every day.

“The coronavirus pandemic has proven we must ensure that every worker, especially those most at risk, including airport workers, have access to affordable healthcare,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Newark airport is a vital hub for the entire region and the people who keep it functioning properly, especially in times of crisis, unquestionably deserve affordable health care and a fair, living wage.”

Workers at the airport and train station often cannot afford employer-provided healthcare plans, and unaffordable healthcare expenses is one of the sources of the high rates of turnover for these essential workers. Improving retention rates among these workers represents an investment in service and safety for all who pass through the airport and train station. Fairly compensating these workers so that they can afford healthcare and receive a prevailing wage is a way to increase retention.

“Our dedicated workers at Newark Liberty have without question been among the state’s most resilient and faithful employees throughout the course of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Senate President Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “They deserve to have that work ethic rewarded in these harrowing days by being provided access to quality health care and a living wage. Now is not the time to turn our backs on these workers that have been there for our state in good times and bad.”

The bill was released from the full Senate, by a vote of 23-12.

MADDEN, SWEENEY LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH TASK FORCES TO PROMOTE EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CLEARS THE SENATE

February 19, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to help ensure the inclusion of individuals with disabilities within the workforce, the Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Senator Fred Madden and Senate President Steve Sweeney, which would promote the employment of people with disabilities through the enactment of task forces.

The bill, S-1937, would establish a task force to study and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to address the problem of unemployment and underemployment among individuals with disabilities in the state and review available programs within the State and local governments.

“About 25 percent of New Jersey adults have some type of disability, and they have a right, like anyone else, to participate as an independent member of society, and that includes being able to hold a job,” said Senator Madden (D-Camden/Gloucester). “However, there is a clear discrepancy with how few of these adults are in the workforce due to a lack of inclusion by many employers. This task force will be able to study this underemployment as well as help to ensure that these individuals are receiving an equal opportunity to hold a government job, fostering a more inclusive environment at all levels of government throughout the state.”

The resolution, SJR-17, would establish the ‘Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizen Transportation Services Task Force’ to study and make recommendations concerning ways to improve transportation services for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

“Both senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities have struggled to independently use public transportation for far too long,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Oftentimes, infrastructure is simply not accessible for them to use, making what should be an easy task sometimes impossible to do. Through addressing the major issues that currently exist, this task force will be able to proactively work towards meaningful solutions that will allow for better representation for those in the elderly and special needs communities.”

Under the resolution, the task force would be required to consider specific issue areas including but not limited to transportation obstacles for senior citizens and people with disabilities, improvement in accessible infrastructure and technology and efficient communication of delays and cancellations for public transportation.

“We must change low societal expectations of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that lead to job discrimination and replace them with the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity and accompanying tools and support to work. To do that, the government on all levels must lead the way, act as a model employer, and illustrate for private businesses the multitude of benefits that come with employing people with disabilities,” said Tom Baffuto, Executive Director, the Arc of New Jersey. “We thank Senate President Sweeney and Senator Madden for seeking ways to improve the employment outlook for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and for ensuring everyone has the chance to participate in integrated employment and community life.”

Senator Madden and Senator Sweeney recently joined with others in the creation of The New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus to serve as a bipartisan forum to promote inclusion in shaping public policies through increased awareness of the complexities of the disabilities system and issues impacting individuals with disabilities and their families.

The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 35-0 and the resolution passed by a vote of 35-0.

SWEENEY-GOPAL SHARED SERVICES LEGISLATION CLEARS SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE

February 12, 2021

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Vin Gopal that would generate taxpayer savings and promote government efficiency through greater use of shared services by local governments was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

“Identifying and implementing government efficiencies that will produce cost savings for taxpayers is more important than ever as we seek to recover from the economic hardships suffered by so many businesses and people as a result of the pandemic,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Property taxes in New Jersey are the highest in the nation, and we all know why.

“We are a high-income, densely populated, high cost-of-living state with an economy competing on jobs and salaries with New York City and Philadelphia. But adding to the complexity and difficulty is the fact that we have 565 municipalities, more than 600 school districts, 21 county governments and hundreds of authorities responsible for delivering government services. That’s why increasing shared services at the local level is so important and such a critical tool in controlling property taxes,” he said.

The bill, S-1, would modify the “Uniform Shared Services and Consolidation Act” to encourage and facilitate the provision of local and regional services through shared service agreements and joint contracts. It would allow New Jersey’s Local Unit Alignment, Reorganization and Consolidation Commission (LUARCC) to study municipal governments to determine where taxpayer dollars could be saved through shared services.

“Sharing public services as a way to govern more responsibly is not a new concept in New Jersey, but it is more important than ever, especially today when local governments are striving to deliver services in the midst of a pandemic,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth), a chief co-sponsor of the bill. “We continue to look for ways to encourage shared services agreements, and support our towns and counties who are thinking outside the box in order to enhance services for residents through the efficient use of tax dollars.”   

Among other provisions, the bill would make it easier for municipalities that choose to share services to reorganize Civil Service employees, creating greater efficiency. This would address a concern raised by local government leaders that Civil Service rules serve as a barrier to sharing services. The bill would expedite the resolution of disputes over Civil Service rules and tenure provisions in the context of shared services agreements and joint contracts.

BIPARTISAN BILL UNVEILED TO PROVIDE $300 MILLION IN EDA GRANTS, LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS TO SPUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY, JOB GROWTH IN WAKE OF COVID-19

February 12, 2021

Addiego, Sweeney, Gopal, O’Scanlon, Testa and Kean team up to sponsor legislation expanding EDA capacity to help small business bounce back  

Trenton – Bipartisan legislation providing the state Economic Development Authority with $300 million for grants and loans to help small businesses and nonprofits rebound from the COVID-19 crisis was introduced today by Senator Dawn Addiego, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Senators Vin Gopal, Declan O’Scanlon, and Michael Testa, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean.

“Small businesses and nonprofits face difficult challenges as they try to decide how and when to reopen, rehire and ramp up to full operation as we slowly come out of this terrible pandemic,” said Senator Addiego (D-Burlington/Camden/Atlantic), the bill’s principal sponsor. “The $300 million we are providing the EDA for grants and loans will preserve and expand jobs, help small businesses and nonprofits recover, and restore the vitality of our downtown business districts.”

The bill would provide aid not only to small businesses and nonprofits that lost revenue during the economic shutdowns and slowdowns caused by the coronavirus crisis, but also to those whose business opening plans were disrupted by COVID-19 and those who fill vacant storefronts or under-utilized space with new operations.

“Small business is the backbone of our communities and the biggest source of new job creation,” said Senate President Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “This $300 million investment will speed up our economic recovery from the pandemic, prevent more businesses and nonprofits from closing, and create jobs for workers who have been on the unemployment rolls for almost a year.”

“This legislation will be particularly important to the restaurant, hospitality, and tourism industries that have been hit hardest by the shutdowns last spring and the continuing restrictions imposed by the pandemic that have crippled these businesses for the past 11 months,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “These businesses are going to need help when they try to ramp up to full operation again in what is bound to be an uncertain economy as we come out of the pandemic.” 

Republican senators said the $300 million plan was essential to assist struggling small businesses and non-profits whose recovery is critical to New Jersey’s economic growth. 

“After nearly a year of operating restrictions, our restaurants and Main Street shops are barely staying afloat. They’re begging for help,” said Senator O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “I’m glad we now have a bipartisan effort in the Senate to provide the emergency funding our small businesses and nonprofits will need to survive this crisis. We can’t get this done soon enough.”

“Small businesses and nonprofits across New Jersey have faced some of the greatest hardships during the pandemic and received some of the least support,” said Senator Testa (R-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic). “They’ve been forced to fight for scraps through a patchwork of underfunded State relief efforts. It hasn’t been enough. This bipartisan effort to greatly increase funding for emergency grants and loans is a major step in the right direction.”

“The funding we have proposed will enable the EDA to provide $300 million of emergency grants and loans to help New Jersey’s small businesses, nonprofits, and their employees to survive the economic impact of COVID-19,” said Senator Kean (R-Union/Morris/Somerset). “With the State sitting on a growing multi-billion surplus, there’s no budgetary reason to oppose this bipartisan measure. We sincerely hope that our colleagues in the General Assembly and Governor Murphy will join us in advancing this critically important initiative.”

SWEENEY, TURNER, CRUZ-PEREZ BILL TO ALLOW EXEMPTION FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM FOR POLICE OFFICERS BECOMES LAW

February 4, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to increase diversity in the ranks of law enforcement, legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senators Shirley Turner and Nilsa Cruz-Perez which would permit a municipality to exempt entry-level law enforcement officers from the Civil Service examination requirement was signed into law today.

“In the Senate hearings on increasing diversity in law enforcement, we heard time and time again how the Civil Service exam stands in the way of many minority candidates ultimately becoming officers,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Clearly, much more needs to be done to foster a police force that reflects the diversity of our state, but providing this exemption is a meaningful first step towards reaching that goal.”

The law, S-3220, permits municipalities to exempt any person from the Civil Service law enforcement exam, that is required for entry-level law enforcement officers, as long as they have completed the full Basic Course for Police Officers. The law also requires that a municipal or county police department may hire a person under this exemption only upon adoption of a conflict of interest and nepotism policy.

“Essentially, everyone who aspires to work in law enforcement in some capacity must take the Civil Service law enforcement exam,” said Senator Turner (D-Mercer/Hunterdon). “Unfortunately, passing the exam has become a barrier to entry, especially for aspiring officers of color. By allowing the exemption we can lower barriers without lowering our standards, providing more opportunities for New Jersey residents interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement.”

Previously, all individuals looking to enter law enforcement had to pass the Civil Service law enforcement examination prior to becoming eligible for employment.

“Most hiring for law enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission, which results in many towns adopting the ‘rule of three’ and only selecting from among the top three highest-scoring candidates,” said Senator Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester). “By providing an exemption for this requirement, more law enforcement students of color will be able to be considered for entry-level positions.”

SWEENEY, BURZICHELLI, TALIAFERRO LAUD NEW GRANT FUNDING FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

February 2, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Speaker John Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro lauded the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office announcement of new grant funding which will allow them to reimagine public safety in the community.

The $1.8 million in funding over the next three years will go towards projects to prevent school violence, reduce processing delays in juvenile cases, combat gang recruitment and support children exposed to violence and trauma. 

“The CCPO’s motto is ‘Serve. Protect. Educate. Empower.’ The grants that were announced today will go a long way in helping the CCPO continue to serve the community and live up to this motto,” said Senator Sweeney. “These grants also provide a critical advantage and opportunity for the CCPO to provide programs and strategies that will benefit the vitality and quality of life in the community.”

“It’s incredibly important that we are continuously looking for creative solutions to meet the needs of our community and improve the lives of South Jersey residents,” said Assemblyman Burzichelli. “The programs supported through this funding will do just that, improving the lives of our children through initiatives to reduce violence and support their mental well-being.”

“All of these projects will ultimately help protect the young people in our community, and it is clear they were designed with the whole Cumberland County community top of mind. The execution of these programs will be the same way,” said Assemblyman Taliaferro. “This is a big win for the people of Cumberland County and the Prosecutor’s Office and I look forward to seeing the long-term impact it has on our residents.”

“We are very excited to be announcing these initiatives which will move the ball forward towards re-imagining what justice and public safety looks like in our community,” said Jennifer Webb-McRae, Cumberland County Prosecutor. “Everyone wins when we work on strategies that keep kids physically safe and emotionally healthy.”

SWEENEY, GOPAL, MADDEN SEEKING WAYS TO ENHANCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

January 29, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senators Vin Gopal and Fred Madden today said government, supporting agencies and businesses need to work together to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the wake of COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has been hard on everyone and even harder on people with disabilities,” Senate President Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland) said during a Zoom roundtable panel with advocates and service providers. “The shutdowns have kept those with disabilities from attending the service programs, jobs and activities that are so vital. Now that vaccines are available, it is important that people with disabilities are made a priority.

“Despite much progress, people with disabilities in New Jersey still struggle to seek employment opportunities and be represented in all aspects of life,” Senator Sweeney said. “The jobless rate for persons with a disability continues to be about twice as high as the rate for those without a disability and people with disabilities live in poverty at more than twice the rate of people without disabilities.”

“Those in our community challenged by disabilities are and have long been a great and yet often under-utilized part of our state’s workforce,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “It is incumbent upon us to not only look for ways to expand employment opportunities for this population, but also make sure we explore ways to break down transportation obstacles that may be standing in their way of pursuing them. When our residents with disabilities are able to thrive and prosper in our state’s modern economy, so do we all; let us remember that as we began to discuss these important issues.”

“People with disabilities have a right, like anyone else, to participate as independent members of society, including being able to hold employment,” said Senator Madden (D-Camden/Gloucester). “And yet, many of these individuals struggle to find a job due to the lack of inclusion by many employers. That is why I am working on legislation to study this underemployment and help to implement strategies to expand the efforts of state agencies to recruit and retain individuals with disabilities. We need more inclusive workplaces across the board, but it is our responsibility to lead by example here in the public sector and then do what we can to encourage private entities to follow suit.”

Tom Baffuto, executive director of The Arc of New Jersey, thanked Senator Sweeney “for recognizing employment as a critical priority for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and for engaging with stakeholders to determine the best ways for expanding employment opportunities and creating inclusive state policy.

“We believe all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can work with the proper supports and services and as an Employment First State, New Jersey must ensure that everyone is given the opportunity and assistance they need to succeed in the workforce,” Baffuto said. “We look forward to working with the Senate President on initiatives and ideas at the Roundtable and in the weeks and months ahead.”

Also participating in the Zoom roundtable were Michael Soriano, Mayor, Parsippany-Troy Hills; Michael Andreas, Executive Director, Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest; Karen Carroll, State Director, New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services; Brian Fitzgerald, President and CEO, Easterseals of New Jersey; Keith Kearney, Executive Director, Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities; Floyd Nesse, Vice President Government Affairs, ACCSES-NJ; and Allen A. Weston II, Legislative Director, New Jersey Association of Counties.

SWEENEY, GREENSTEIN INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE MEDICAID PRESCRIPTION DRUG SERVICES WINS SENATE APPROVAL

January 28, 2021

Trenton– Legislation authored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Linda Greenstein that would improve the quality of care in the Medicaid program by identifying multi-drug medication risk and reducing adverse drug effects was passed by the Senate today.

The bill, S-887, would push the state to initiate reforms that improve prescription safety and quality by requiring the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to contract with a third-party entity to apply a risk reduction model to prescription drug services under the Medicaid program.

“We need to make sure that Medicaid funds are used appropriately and efficiently, and that the pharmaceutical services we provide are appropriate and safe,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Putting in the proper controls will save lives and prevent unnecessary hospital and doctor visits caused by adverse drug events.”

“People today are on multiple medications. We must do everything we can to ensure that prescribers and patients understand how these medications work together in the safest and most effective way,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer). “By implementing various strategies that have proven successful in other markets, we can reduce the risk of adverse drug events for those in the Medicaid program.”

Nationwide, adverse drug events cause health problems that contribute to more than 3.5 million physician office visits, 1.3 million emergency room visits and 350,000 hospitalizations, cause extended lengths of stay and are the leading preventable cause of hospital readmissions, Dr. Calvin Knowlton, CEO of Tabula Rasa HealthCare, testified before the Senate Health Committee last September.

The Senate vote was 32-0.

SWEENEY, GREENSTEIN INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE MEDICAID PRESCRIPTION DRUG SERVICES WINS COMMITTEE APPROVAL

January 21, 2021

Trenton– Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Linda Greenstein designed to improve the quality of care in the Medicaid program by identifying multi-drug medication risk and reducing adverse drug effects was passed by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

The bill, S-887, would push the state to initiate reforms that improve prescription safety and quality by requiring the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services to contract with a third-party entity to apply a risk reduction model to prescription drug services under the Medicaid program.

“We need to ensure that Medicaid funds are used appropriately and efficiently, and that the pharmaceutical services we provide are appropriate and safe,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “Putting in the proper controls will save lives and avert unnecessary hospital and doctor visits caused by adverse drug events.”

“People today are on multiple medications. We must do everything we can to ensure that prescribers and patients understand how these medications work together in the safest and most effective way,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Middlesex/Mercer). “By implementing various strategies that have proven successful in other markets, we can reduce the risk of adverse drug events for those in the Medicaid program.”

Nationwide, adverse drug events cause health problems that contribute to more than 3.5 million physician office visits, 1.3 million emergency room visits and 350,000 hospitalizations, cause extended lengths of stay and are the leading preventable cause of hospital readmissions, Dr. Calvin Knowlton, CEO of Tabula Rasa HealthCare, testified before the Senate Health Committee last September.

SWEENEY-CODEY BILL TO PROTECT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BECOMES LAW

January 15, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to protect New Jersey residents receiving publicly financed mental health, behavioral health, and addiction services, legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Richard Codey, that would ensure and improve the delivery of these services through state contracts without disruption was signed into law today.

The law, S-2708, requires state contracts to contain a commitment that service will not be disrupted or delayed by labor disputes.

“Mental and behavioral health services are critical to the health, safety and well-being of all New Jersey residents,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “The recipients of these services are our state’s most vulnerable population and any disruption, whether in the middle of a pandemic or not, can be life-threatening and even endanger the public at large. These workers are essential and they deserve all the protections we can provide.”

“Any disruption in the care and support of those receiving mental health services can have a serious impact,” said Senator Codey (D-Essex). “Continuity is important for the patients and the caregivers. We have to be especially vigilant during the pandemic because of the toll it can take on the well-being of those who are managing mental health issues.”

Under a temporary provision in the law, during the COVID-19 State of Emergency, service providers contracting with the state are required to make a good faith effort to comply with the minimum health and safety protocols.

SWEENEY STATEMENT ON WEINBERG’S ANNOUNCED 2022 SENATE RETIREMENT

January 13, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney issued the following statement today in response to Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg’s announcement that she will not seek reelection after the conclusion of the current Senate term:

“This will be a profound loss for the Senate as an institution and for me personally. I have had the good fortune to have Loretta as my leadership partner for a decade. She made me a better Senate President.

“Loretta Weinberg is the Lioness of the New Jersey Senate. She is fearless in speaking her mind and standing up for her beliefs, and she is selfless in fighting for the needs of others, especially those who face disadvantages or experience hardship.

“Loretta embodies the ideals of public service, and the lives of countless people are better for it. From marriage equality, to pay equity for women and minorities, paid family leave, gun safety, government ethics, the rights of sexual assault survivors, and the responsibilities of public transit agencies to serve riders and motorists, she has made a lasting impact.

“Fortunately, Loretta will remain with us in the Senate for another year. I know she will continue to be a forceful presence, an effective leader, and continue to be the conscience of the Legislature. I know I speak for all of my colleagues in saying we will miss her when she leaves, but we will value forever our collaboration and friendship.”

SWEENEY BILL TO ENHANCE NJ TRANSIT SERVICE FOR SENIORS & DISABLED BECOMES LAW

January 7, 2021

Trenton – Governor Phil Murphy today signed into law a bill authored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that will enhance transportation services for senior citizens and the disabled.

The law, S-1936, will require the Department of Transportation to advertise the availability of the programs that serve these groups. The information on bus and rail service would include costs, the availability of reduced fares and the hours of operation.

“Senior citizens and those with disabilities often rely on public transportation for their daily needs,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It’s important that they are made aware of all the services that address their needs and are informed of the costs.”

The law also requires the Transportation Commissioner to advertise which public transportation facilities have been made accessible to the disabled as well as the availability of other services for those with disabilities. This includes the Access Link paratransit service operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation.

“People with disabilities rely on Access Link for their basic transportation needs,” said Senator Sweeney. “During emergencies, their reliance on this service is even more important. I believe it should be maintained in emergency conditions so those with disabilities are not left to fend for themselves.”

“To ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to navigate their communities and be fully-integrated members of their communities, accessible and dependable transportation is of the utmost importance,” said Tom Baffuto, Executive Director of the Arc of New Jersey. “That is why the state must do everything it can to promote available transportation options and expand their use. With this in mind, we are grateful to Senate President Sweeney for his sponsorship and leadership on S-1936 which will lead to increased awareness of reduced fare transportation programs and accessible services for people with disabilities. We applaud this initiative and thank the Senate President for his continued work to improve transportation for people with disabilities living in New Jersey.”

SWEENEY, RUIZ, SARLO LAUD ENACTMENT OF BILL CREATING TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO SPUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

January 7, 2021

Hamilton Township – Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Paul Sarlo today praised the enactment of legislation that would authorize over $14 billion in tax incentives to spur economic growth.

Senate Bill 3295, the Economic Recovery Act of 2020 sponsored by Senators Ruiz and Sarlo, will create an independent Inspector-General to monitor the grant programs, guarantee that local communities benefit from the projects, and continue the existing Economic Redevelopment and Growth (ERG) program to wrap up pending applications that have been in limbo for 18 months.

“Renewal of New Jersey’s tax incentive program was essential to ensuring our state’s competitiveness in attracting and retaining jobs and businesses in our global economy,” Senate President Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland), said at the bill-signing ceremony today.

“I am pleased that the compromise we reached includes a sufficiently high cap on total incentives to enable New Jersey to compete for mega-projects and that it ensures that all regions and sectors of our state will benefit from the various programs. I would like to thank Senators Ruiz and Sarlo, former Senator Ray Lesniak, who served as our special counsel, and my partner, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin for working together to bring this legislation to fruition,” Senator Sweeney said.

Senator Ruiz (D-Essex), the prime sponsor, said the legislation would spur economic growth in a responsible manner.

“This is comprehensive legislation which will grow new industries and foster innovation around the state. It will create greater investment in our communities by providing further incentives to locate in distressed municipalities, build affordable housing and redevelop brownfields,” said Senator Ruiz. “This law will help increase access to employment in high-growth industries, drive sustainable economic development and most importantly help our state to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This effort is balanced in its approach, it will ensure responsible investment, greater oversight and tangible community benefits.”

Senator Sarlo (D-Bergen/Passaic), the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee chair and co-prime sponsor of the bill, praised the incentives plan.

“This legislation provides the tax incentives we will need to spur business and job growth as we come out of a pandemic crisis that has devastated broad sectors of our economy,” said Senator Sarlo. “Most importantly, it will provide tax incentives to attract the jobs we want – jobs that pay high salaries in cutting edge industries that will transform communities, partner with our higher education sector on R&D, provide valuable job training and be good corporate citizens.”

Former Senator Ray Lesniak, who served as special counsel to the Senate Majority Office in developing the new tax incentive legislation, extolled the new program.

“This has the makings of the most powerful economic development program in America,” said Lesniak, a former chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee. “It’s not just an economic program, it is also a social justice program. It will help build affordable housing, rehabilitate historic tourism attractions in our cities, and will bring less costly and nutritious food to low-income areas, currently called food deserts. It will turn Brownfields into productive uses. In some cases, the state will partner with a business to help it grow and will participate in that growth. It will provide assistance to small businesses hurt by the pandemic.”