SWEENEY STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF KENNETH ARMWOOD

March 29, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney issued the following statement on the passing of Kenneth Armwood, the deputy director of the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners:

“The passing of Kenny Armwood is a sudden and tragic loss of a gifted public servant who embraced his service with selfless passion. He possessed a dynamic personality that gained him the trust and affection of his constituents and those he worked with. Everyone Kenny met became his friend and the friendships were genuine because he sincerely cared about people and what he could do to help.

“This is a terrible loss for Piscataway, for Middlesex County and for everyone in public service. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family, his colleagues and his constituents on what is a tragic loss for all of us.”

CRYAN, SWEENEY PROPOSE RUTGERS SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR SENATOR WEINBERG

March 26, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to assist those following in the footsteps of Senator Loretta Weinberg, Senator Joe Cryan and Senate President Steve Sweeney introduced legislation to establish a Rutgers University scholarship program in her name.

“Senator Loretta Weinberg has been a force here in Trenton, and will be long remembered for her efforts to advance pay equity, to uplift survivors of sexual assault, to protect equal rights for everyone and to make government responsive to the needs of the public, especially those who are disadvantaged,” said Senator Cryan (D-Union). “She has often talked about wanting to inspire the next generation of troublemakers, and it is our hope that this scholarship program can help further that goal.”

The bill, S-3598, would appropriate $100,000 to Rutgers University to establish the Weinberg Scholars Program to support students in higher education and motivate them to pursue public service.

“There is no question that Loretta Weinberg has made a lasting impact on the state of New Jersey and all those who had the privilege of working with her,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “As the Majority Leader in the Senate, she has served as my right-hand woman, never shying away from difficult challenges and always willing to express her opinion. As her legislative career comes to a close, there is no more fitting way to honor her legacy than using her work as the blueprint for a scholarship program at Rutgers University.”

SENATE PASSES BILL TO ENCOURAGE THE EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

March 26, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities and special needs, the Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton which would require state agencies to make good faith efforts to purchase five percent of their goods from central nonprofit agencies.

“For individuals with disabilities, finding employment is tougher than it is for others, so it is imperative that we support businesses that actively employ them and encourage other businesses to hire them,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It is crucial we ensure that these potential job seekers are being given not only the access to employment, but the education, training, and support services necessary for them to thrive in these jobs. This bill will specifically help the special needs and visually impaired communities with gaining employment that helps them to live full and rewarding lives.”

The bill, S-994, advances the goals established by the “Rehabilitation Facilities Set Aside Act,” by requiring that State agencies and local government to make good faith efforts to purchase five percent of their goods from the central nonprofit agencies designated by the commissioner of the Department of Human Services.

“The ‘Rehabilitation Facilities Act’ assists individuals who are blind or have severe disabilities achieve maximum independence through productive employment by assuring a continuous market for their goods and services,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “This bill would further these goals, increasing the state purchasing percentage from Central Nonprofit Agencies from three percent to five percent in an effort to encourage more people to frequent these businesses. This would send a strong message that New Jersey is truly inclusive of workers with disabilities, and fully committed to ensuring the success of people with special needs.”

“Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton continue to show their commitment to addressing the issue of unemployment and underemployment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through S-994, an important step toward encouraging greater inclusion in the workforce,” said Cathy Chin, Executive Director of the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities. “We appreciate their ongoing efforts to harness the power of government to help create more meaningful employment opportunities for this vast and untapped talent pool.”

The bill was approved by the Senate with a vote of 37-0.

SWEENEY JOINS ARC OF NEW JERSEY IN RECOGNIZING MARCH AS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH

March 25, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney, as well as the entire State Senate and Assembly, today joined the Arc of New Jersey in recognizing March as National Developmental Disability Awareness Month.

“Advocating on behalf of New Jersey residents with developmental disabilities is the entire reason I began my career in politics,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “I am incredibly grateful for all that the Arc of New Jersey does for the I/DD community and I am thankful for the opportunity this awareness month presents to shine a light on the struggles of this vibrant community.”

National Developmental Disability Awareness Month promotes respect for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, raises awareness of the challenges and obstacles they face, and promotes understanding, encouragement, and opportunities that allow them to live fulfilled lives.

“Developmental Disability Awareness Month is an opportunity for New Jersey to pause and look inward at the ways in which our state can improve inclusion in all areas of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD),” said Tom Baffuto, Executive Director of the Arc of New Jersey. “It is a chance to identify the barriers that individuals with I/DD still sometimes face, and it is the perfect time to engage individuals about their needs and desires for living a full life in the community.

“We thank the Senate President for recognizing and highlighting Developmental Disability Awareness Month and for keeping the issues of greatest importance to those we represent at the forefront during the month of March and throughout the year.”

As the state’s leading advocacy and services organization for citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the Arc of New Jersey and its local chapters serve approximately 27,000 individuals and their families, and its exemplary Self-Advocacy Project provides essential assistance to the New Jersey Statewide Self-Advocacy Network.

SWEENEY HONORS SIKH COMMUNITY AHEAD OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY

March 25, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney honored the East Coast Sikh Coordination Committee and members of the greater Sikh community today with a resolution recognizing Guru Tegh Bahadur and Human Rights and Religious Freedom Day. A champion of religious freedom for all, Bahadur confronted the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb against the forced religious conversion of Hindus, an act for which he was publicly beheaded.

“Nothing is more courageous than sacrificing one’s own life to protect the rights of others,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It is only fitting that we honor Guru Tegh Bahadur alongside recognizing Human Rights and Religious Freedom Day. The Sikh community is an important part of New Jersey’s diverse population making rich contributions to our state.”

Guru Bahadur is fondly remembered as Dharam Di Chadar, or Shield of the Religions, for his ultimate sacrifice.

“Today is a great day for the Sikh community. On behalf of all New Jersey Sikhs, I sincerely appreciate this singular gesture of the New Jersey Legislature and especially thank Senate President Steve Sweeney and Speaker Craig Coughlin for this special recognition on this historic occasion,” said Harjinder Singh, Media Spokesman of Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast (SCCEC). He further added that New Jersey is the most diverse state in the nation and the Sikh community is proud to be an integral part of its multicultural fabric.

Human Rights and Religious Freedom Day and Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 400th birthday will be celebrated on April 18, 2021.

SENATE APPROVES ADDIEGO-SWEENEY BILL TO PROTECT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FROM LOSING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO COVID CRISIS

March 25, 2021

Trenton – The Senate today approved a bill authored by Senator Dawn Addiego and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would help protect students with disabilities from losing out on special education services because of the coronavirus crisis by temporarily extending the timetable for those who could exceed the age eligibility.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many students with developmental and intellectual disabilities have not been able to receive the full breadth of services they need to transition into adult disability services,” said Senator Addiego (D-Atlantic/Burlington/Camden). “They might have missed an entire year of community programs or other key educational and skill-based training that is pivotal to their development. 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 the educational and related services the students are already entitled to in the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 school years, 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 of eligibility to students who reach the age of 21 during the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 school years to the 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 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.

“We thank Senate President Sweeney and Senator Addiego for recognizing the tremendous challenges students receiving special education services have experienced over the past year,” said Tom Baffuto, the Arc of New Jersey’s Executive Director. “The hands-on approach provided in a classroom doesn’t easily translate into a virtual world for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and so we must allow these students to remain in school past the age of 21 to catch up on any learning loss that may have occurred because of COVID. Students receiving special education services who are scheduled to age out this year and next year, deserve more time to make up for the services, therapies and education that they lost out on.”

The Senate approved the bill with a vote of 37-0.

SWEENEY-VITALE BILL REQUIRING INFECTION PREVENTION PLANS FOR NURSING HOMES GAINS SENATE APPROVAL

March 25, 2021

Trenton – Trenton – The state would develop an infection prevention and control plan for nursing homes according to legislation authored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Joe Vitale that gained the approval of the Senate today.

The bill, S-3032, would require the New Jersey Department of Health to assess infection control and prevention policies and develop a statewide plan to improve existing systems.

“We need a long-term strategy to ensure the nursing home industry in New Jersey is focused on the safety of residents and caregivers as well as the quality of the services the facilities provide,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “This strategy should include design and construction standards for new facilities and for those undergoing significant modifications. The infrastructure itself should promote and facilitate safe conditions for the residents who live there and the employees who care for them.”

About one-third of New Jersey’s nursing homes were cited for infection control deficiencies in 2017, according to Manatt Health’s review of the state’s long-term care industry.

“The fatal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic fell the hardest on nursing homes, veterans’ homes and other long-term care facilities that are home to our most vulnerable population of residents,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex), the chairman of the Health Committee. “It is tragically obvious that there was an absence of safeguards to prevent and respond to the outbreak. A statewide assessment will help provide the information we need to put in place infection control and prevention practices to better protect the health and safety of the residents and workers in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities.”

Following the recommendations of the Mannatt report and with the consultation of stakeholders, the legislation requires essential standards for review. The standards include:

• A count of the total number of single-resident rooms in nursing homes, the percentage of beds that are utilized in single-resident rooms, and a review of the ability of nursing homes to expand single room capacity;

• A survey of the maintenance status of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems in nursing homes;

• A study of the features intended to increase infection control and prevention capability;

• Infrastructure-related considerations recommended by the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety.

“As the coronavirus pandemic continues to challenge our state, our nation and the world in new and unpredictable ways, this long-term care bill provides a path for New Jersey to ensure we are prepared and ready to control infectious disease outbreaks,” HPAE President Debbie White, RN, said. “We applaud Senate President Sweeney and Senator Vitale for their continued leadership in efforts to hold operators of long-term care facilities accountable for creating a safe environment that will protect workers, patients and residents alike.”

The bill was approved by the Senate with a vote of 37-0.

SENATE APPROVES SWEENEY-GOPAL-O’SCANLON LEGISLATION TO SPUR COUNTYWIDE, K-12 SCHOOL REGIONALIZATION

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

March 25, 2021

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

The bill, S-3488, 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 grades 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.”

The legislation has the support of the New Jersey Education Association, the N.J. School Boards Association, N.J. Principals and Supervisors Association, N.J. Association of School Administrators, N.J. Association of School Business Officials, and the Garden State Coalition of Schools. It also incorporates recommendations from the Governor’s Shared Services czars, Nic Platt and Jordan Glatt; by the Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup’s Education Committee co-chaired by Rutgers Professor Ray Caprio and former Education Commissioner Lucille Davy; and by school board members, administrators, teachers and parents that Senator Sweeney met with throughout the state.

“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.”

Salem County is currently conducting a countywide school district feasibility study 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 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.

“This bill doesn’t force schools to consolidate, but it removes some of the impediments that can prevent districts from moving forward with plans that can benefit both taxpayers and students,” said Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “For school districts to make informed decisions, feasibility studies are essential. We don’t want the costs associated with these studies to discourage districts from exploring options that could save money in the future.”

The legislation establishes an eight-year phase-out 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 phase-out.

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 district, and 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.

LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING NEW JOBS FOR NEW JERSEY ACT CLEARS SENATE

March 25, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to claw back thousands of jobs lost during the COVID-19 outbreak and boost New Jersey’s economy going forward, the Senate today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would provide incentives for small businesses to hire unemployed workers.

Under the bill creating the New Jobs for New Jersey Act, businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees would be eligible for a refundable tax credit against the corporation business tax or the gross income tax for each new worker hired above the number of workers employed in the previous year. The credits can be applied for up to four tax years, and employers would be able to sign up for incentives for new hires through December 2023.

“New Jersey’s working class has been devastated by the pandemic, with more than 2 million residents filing unemployment claims since mid-March of 2020,” said Senator Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester). “This tax credit will target those businesses most impacted by the pandemic, and in particular in the service and entertainment industries. Through this program, we can assist businesses as they fight to stabilize their companies while hiring back laid off workers.”

“Because of the shutdown, many beloved local businesses, including smaller retailers and family-owned restaurants, were forced to close. Tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors, including shop clerks, truck drivers, bartenders, dishwashers and other hard workers who form the backbone of local economies lost their jobs,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland).

“Many of these businesses operate on small margins. We may never bring back all of the lost jobs or lost profits, but the New Jobs for New Jersey Act will give shop owners, restaurant entrepreneurs and other businesses a fighting chance of making a recovery sooner rather than later,” Senator Sweeney said.

“New Jersey’s economy thrives if businesses are flourishing and able to grow the state’s workforce. As New Jersey begins its economic recovery, this bill helps businesses climb out from the hole created by the pandemic while providing an avenue for unemployed New Jerseyans to re-enter the workforce,” said Christina Renna, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “This is precisely the type of innovative program that New Jersey needs as we look ahead to a post-pandemic world.”

The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 34-0.

SENATE PASSES BILL TO ENCOURAGE THE EMPLOYMENT OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

March 25, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to encourage the employment of individuals with disabilities and special needs, the Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton which would require state agencies to make good faith efforts to purchase five percent of their goods from central nonprofit agencies.

“For individuals with disabilities, finding employment is tougher than it is for others, so it is imperative that we support businesses that actively employ them and encourage other businesses to hire them,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “It is crucial we ensure that these potential job seekers are being given not only the access to employment, but the education, training, and support services necessary for them to thrive in these jobs. This bill will specifically help the special needs and visually impaired communities with gaining employment that helps them to live full and rewarding lives.”

The bill, S-994, advances the goals established by the “Rehabilitation Facilities Set Aside Act,” by requiring that State agencies and local government to make good faith efforts to purchase five percent of their goods from the central nonprofit agencies designated by the commissioner of the Department of Human Services.

“The ‘Rehabilitation Facilities Act’ assists individuals who are blind or have severe disabilities achieve maximum independence through productive employment by assuring a continuous market for their goods and services,” said Senator Singleton (D-Burlington). “This bill would further these goals, increasing the state purchasing percentage from Central Nonprofit Agencies from three percent to five percent in an effort to encourage more people to frequent these businesses. This would send a strong message that New Jersey is truly inclusive of workers with disabilities, and fully committed to ensuring the success of people with special needs.”

“Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Troy Singleton continue to show their commitment to addressing the issue of unemployment and underemployment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through S-994, an important step toward encouraging greater inclusion in the workforce,” said Cathy Chin, Executive Director of the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities. “We appreciate their ongoing efforts to harness the power of government to help create more meaningful employment opportunities for this vast and untapped talent pool.”

The bill was approved by the Senate with a vote of 37-0.

SWEENEY RECOMMENDS NJ’S COST-SAVING PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGER INITIATIVE TO MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE

Senate President submits testimony to Minnesota panel showing NJ will save over $2.5 billion through ‘reverse auction’ technology

March 24, 2021

Trenton – Senate President Steve Sweeney today recommended New Jersey’s Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) initiative to Minnesota legislators who are seeking health care cost savings similar to New Jersey, noting that the Garden State will save over $2.5 billion through its reverse auction program.

Senator Sweeney, who sponsored New Jersey’s PBM legislation, submitted written testimony to the Minnesota Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee, which is considering legislation, S.F.2178, to require the use of a reverse auction for the procurement of a pharmacy benefit manager to manage and administer the prescription drug benefit for its State Employees Group Insurance Program.

Senator Sweeney said he was pleased to see other states moving ahead with legislation to implement the PBM program that New Jersey pioneered. New Hampshire, whose Senate Commerce Committee the Senate President testified before in January 2020, enacted a similar law and recently selected a vendor for its PBM program. Maryland has also been considering PBM legislation, and a bill was introduced in the Colorado Legislature this week.

“The innovation to prescription drug purchasing we adopted features an online auction, powered by a cutting-edge, ‘big data’ analytics technology platform, to create a dynamic, truly competitive marketplace in which PBMs bid and counter-bid against one another to win the state’s business. Think of it as an ‘eBay’ for PBMs,” Senator Sweeney said in his written testimony to the Minnesota Senate committee.

Senator Sweeney noted that the New Jersey model created “a competitive marketplace in which PBMs compete in a transparent, online auction” for the right to sell prescription drugs to the state at the lowest cost.

State government was able to use the same technology platform to conduct ongoing, automated and very fast review of prescription drug claims invoices, enabling the state to flag any overcharges within a few hours of invoice submission.

While original projections forecast PBM reverse auction savings of $1.6 billion over three years, the ultimate savings proved higher, Senator Sweeney pointed out.

“In September 2018, just nine months into the first plan year under the new pharmacy benefits contract awarded through our PBM reverse auction, Governor Phil Murphy reported that the technology-enabled PBM selection and accountability process had reduced pharmacy costs for state and local governments by over 25 percent,” Senator Sweeney noted.

The Senate President praised his Senate and Assembly colleagues, leaders of the state’s public employee unions, America’s Agenda and officials in the previous Administration who partnered with him to make the PBM program savings a reality for over 750,000 public employees and family members.

Senator Sweeney offered to assist the Minnesota legislators in implementing the New Jersey model.

BILL ESTABLISHING NEW JOBS FOR NEW JERSEY ACT CLEARS SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE

March 22, 2021

Trenton – In an effort to claw back thousands of jobs lost during the COVID-19 outbreak and boost New Jersey’s economy going forward, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would provide incentives for small businesses to hire unemployed workers.

Under the bill creating the New Jobs for New Jersey Act, businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees would be eligible for a refundable tax credit against the corporation business tax or the gross income tax for each new worker hired above the number of workers employed in the previous year. The credits can be applied for up to four tax years, and employers would be able to sign up for incentives for new hires through December 2023.

“New Jersey’s working class has been devastated by the pandemic, with more than 2 million residents filing unemployment claims since mid-March of 2020,” said Senator Cruz-Perez (D-Camden/Gloucester). “This tax credit will target those businesses most impacted by the pandemic, and in particular in the service and entertainment industries. Through this program, we can assist businesses as they fight to stabilize their companies while hiring back laid off workers.”

“Because of the shutdown, many beloved local businesses, including smaller retailers and family-owned restaurants, were forced to close. Tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors, including shop clerks, truck drivers, bartenders, dishwashers and other hard workers who form the backbone of local economies lost their jobs,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland).

“Many of these businesses operate on small margins. We may never bring back all of the lost jobs or lost profits, but the New Jobs for New Jersey Act will give shop owners, restaurant entrepreneurs and other businesses a fighting chance of making a recovery sooner rather than later,” Senator Sweeney said.

“New Jersey’s economy thrives if businesses are flourishing and able to grow the state’s workforce. As New Jersey begins its economic recovery, this bill helps businesses climb out from the hole created by the pandemic while providing an avenue for unemployed New Jerseyans to re-enter the workforce,” said Christina Renna, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “This is precisely the type of innovative program that New Jersey needs as we look ahead to a post-pandemic world.”

The bill, S-1958, was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee by a vote of 12-0.

SWEENEY BILL WOULD ALLOCATE $10 MILLION TO FOOD BANKS

March 22, 2021

TRENTON – Responding to increasing food insecurity throughout New Jersey as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today approved a bill sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney that would allocate $10 million in federal funds to support food banks throughout the state.

“Hunger in America is a quiet crisis that has been made worse by the pandemic,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “The economic fallout has made it tragically hard for a growing number of families to put food on their tables. Food banks provide a lifeline for those who experience the insecurity of not knowing where their next meal is coming from.”

The bill, S-3527/A-5405, would appropriate $10 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act for distribution to food banks by the Department of Agriculture.

The measure is sponsored by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin in the Assembly.

More than 1.2 million people in New Jersey face hunger every day. Nearly 400,000 of them are children. When they don’t have enough food to eat, they can suffer direct and dramatic effects on their physical development and mental wellbeing, Senator Sweeney said.

Foodbanks have experienced a double-squeeze in responding to the crisis, facing both skyrocketing demand and rising food prices, Senator Sweeney said.

A recent report projects an increase of more than 50 percent in food insecurity throughout New Jersey from before the pandemic hit, with rates higher in communities of color, households with at least one non-citizen, rural areas, and in households that have experienced job loss.

The bill would allocate $9,900,000 to: the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, $5,200,000; the Food Bank of South Jersey, $1,500,000; Fulfill Monmouth & Ocean, $1,500,000; Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, $1,100,000; Norwescap, $300,000; and Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, $300,000; and Farmers Against Hunger, $100,000.

It would also allocate $100,000 to the New Jersey Agricultural Society-Farmers Against Hunger Program for the collection and distribution of excess food from farms, markets, and other entities to organizations that provide food to those in need.

Fred C. Wasiak, the President and CEO of the Food Bank of South Jersey, praised the legislative action.

“The continued support of the state and federal government is vital in providing the Food Bank of South Jersey with the ability to address the immediate needs of an escalated food-insecure population, which has grown from 1 in 11 to 1 in 7 residents since the onset of the pandemic,” said Wasiak. “We are continuing to see a population devastated by food insecurity, with more than 61,000 people – including over 26,650 children – estimated to be new to food insecurity due to the pandemic. In 2020, we distributed more than 22 million pounds of food, the equivalent of more than 18 million meals, including a dramatic increase in child feeding from approximately 300,000 children’s meals in 2019 to nearly one million children’s meals distributed in 2020.

“The Food Bank of South Jersey remains committed to supporting the prolonged impact of the pandemic and projects that the food-insecure population in our community will remain elevated over the next two years. We cannot feed South Jersey and sustain the region’s food-insecure population without continued proactive measures.”

BUDGET PANEL APPROVES ADDIEGO-SWEENEY BILL TO PROTECT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FROM LOSING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO COVID CRISIS

March 22, 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 Budget 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 the educational and related services the students are already entitled to in the 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 school years, 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 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 school years to the 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 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.

“We thank Senate President Sweeney for recognizing the tremendous challenges students receiving special education services have experienced over the past year,” said Tom Baffuto, The Arc of New Jersey’s Executive Director. “The hands-on approach provided in a classroom doesn’t easily translate into a virtual world for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and so we must allow these students to remain in school past the age of 21 to catch up on any learning loss that may have occurred because of COVID. Students receiving special education services who are scheduled to age out this year and next year, deserve more time to make up for the services, therapies and education that they lost out on.”

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved the bill.

SWEENEY-VITALE BILL REQUIRING INFECTION PREVENTION PLANS FOR NURSING HOMES ADVANCE

March 22, 2021

Companion Bill Would Create Infection Control Training for Nurses

Trenton – The state would develop an infection prevention and control plan for nursing homes according to legislation authored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Joe Vitale that gained the approval of the Senate Budget Committee today.

The bill, S-3032, would require the New Jersey Department of Health to assess infection control and prevention policies and develop a statewide plan to improve existing systems. The committee also approved a companion measure, S-3031, sponsored by Senator Sweeney and Senator Vitale, that would have state health officials develop infectious disease instructional programs for nurses who work in long-term care facilities.

“We need a long-term strategy to ensure the nursing home industry in New Jersey is focused on the safety of residents and caregivers as well as the quality of the services the facilities provide,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “This strategy should include design and construction standards for new facilities and for those undergoing significant modifications. The infrastructure itself should promote and facilitate safe conditions for the residents who live there and the employees who care for them.”

About one-third of New Jersey’s nursing homes were cited for infection control deficiencies in 2017, according to Manatt Health’s review of the state’s long-term care industry.

“The fatal consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic fell the hardest on nursing homes, veterans’ homes and other long term care facilities that are home to our most vulnerable population of residents,” said Senator Vitale (D-Middlesex), the chairman of the Health Committee. “It is tragically obvious that there was an absence of safeguards to prevent and respond to the outbreak. A statewide assessment will help provide the information we need to put in place infection control and prevention practices to better protect the health and safety of the residents and workers in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities.”

Following the recommendations of the Mannatt report and with the consultation of stakeholders, this legislation requires essential standards for review. The standards include:

• A count of the total number of single-resident rooms in nursing homes, the percentage of beds that are utilized in single-resident rooms, and a review of the ability of nursing homes to expand single room capacity;

• A survey of the maintenance status of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems in nursing homes;

• A study of the features intended to increase infection control and prevention capability;

• Infrastructure-related considerations recommended by the New Jersey Task Force on Long-Term Care Quality and Safety.

The department would be required to consult with the nursing home industry, both for-profit and non-profit facilities, groups representing direct care providers, as well as support staff in nursing homes, resident advocates, and the families of residents.

The companion bill would have the Department of Health work with the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology to develop an infection prevention course specifically designed for registered nurses and certified nurse aides employed in long-term care facilities.

Under the bill, the Health Department and the Board of Nursing would review the nursing curriculum to develop methods to encourage nurses to enroll in post-acute care residency programs and to determine if the curriculum should be modified to better prepare them to work in the field.

The measure would also require the department to review the certification curriculum for certified nurse aides and work with the long-term care industry to develop a pilot program with standards for their professional advancement.

“As the coronavirus pandemic continues to challenge our state, our nation and the world in new and unpredictable ways, these long-term care bills provide a path for New Jersey to ensure we are prepared and ready to control infectious disease outbreaks,” HPAE President Debbie White, RN, said. “We applaud Senate President Sweeney and Senator Vitale for their continued leadership in efforts to hold operators of long term care facilities accountable for creating a safe environment that will protect workers, patients and residents alike.”

Both bills were approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

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

March 22, 2021

Legislation includes financial incentives for Adjustment Aid districts with declining enrollment to pursue regionalization

Trenton – The Senate Budget 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 bipartisan bill, S-3488, has the support of the New Jersey Education Association, the New Jersey School Boards Association and other statewide educational groups, and is expected to be voted upon by the full Senate on Thursday.

The comprehensive 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.”

The legislation provides an expedited pre-approval process to enable Adjustment Aid districts to recalculate their state aid to factor in the increased aid they would receive for participating in countywide or K-12 regionalization studies during the 2021-22 school year. Districts must vote on regionalization within two years to stretch out their Adjustment Aid cuts over eight years, rather than four.

“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.”

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.

“This bill doesn’t force schools to consolidate, but it removes some of the impediments that can prevent districts from moving forward with plans that can benefit both taxpayers and students,” said Senator O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth). “For school districts to make informed decisions, feasibility studies are essential. We don’t want the costs associated with these studies to discourage districts from exploring options that could save money in the future.”

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 district, 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 comes 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, BURZICHELLI, TALIAFERRO LAUD DOT FOR FREIGHT IMPACT GRANTS

March 17,2021

West Deptford, NJ – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Assembly Speaker John Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro lauded the Department of Transportation for awarding the Third Legislative District with over $3 million to help municipalities and counties provide for the safe movement of large truck traffic.

Cumberland County was awarded two pavement preservation grants for $1,202,000 and $800,000. In Gloucester County, Logan Township was awarded a pavement preservation grant for $325,000 and West Deptford was awarded a pavement preservation grant for $700,000.

“While truck routes are good for our local economies, they can take a serious toll on our roadways,” said Senator Sweeney. “This funding will allow us to resurface some of those thoroughfares, protecting the safety of both residents and truck drivers.”

The Local Freight Impact Fund is a competitive program which was created as part of the Transportation Trust Fund reauthorization in October 2016. This is the fourth year that grants have been made under this program.

“Maintaining roadways can place a significant burden on municipalities,” said Assemblyman Burzichelli. “This funding will go a long way in improving the infrastructure of our community and raising the quality of life in the district.”

The program helps New Jersey’s municipalities fund projects that emphasize and enhance the safe movement of large truck traffic, renew aging structures that carry large truck traffic, promote economic development, and support new transportation opportunities without the need for additional property taxes.

“Our taxpayers deserve to have well-maintained roads in their towns without hazards, like potholes, that force drivers to dangerously swerve in unexpected directions,” said Assemblyman Taliaferro. “This funding will provide needed upgrades to our transportation infrastructure and will help ensure that the integrity of our roadways is sound.”

SWEENEY, BURZICHELLI, TALIAFERRO ANNOUNCE NONPROFIT COVID-19 RELIEF FOR SOUTH JERSEY ORGANIZATIONS

March 16, 2021

West Deptford – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Speaker John J. Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro announced today that two South Jersey nonprofits were awarded with a combined $40,000 through a recovery program aimed at helping the arts sector prepare for a full-scale recovery.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a serious toll on the arts community; for many a year of closures or modified operations threatens to close down their facility for good,” said Senator Sweeney. “This funding will go a long way towards ensuring the continued success of these important organizations that are so vital to the overall quality of life of everyday New Jerseyans.”

The Appel Farm Arts and Music Campus and the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center were each awarded $20,000 from the New Jersey Council on the Arts COVID Critical Needs Program. The Appel Farm Arts & Music Campus aims to provide people of all ages, cultures and economic backgrounds with a supportive, cooperative environment in which to explore the fine and performing arts. Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center works to engage artists and audiences in an evolving exploration of creativity and is home to the Museum of American Glass.

“As we begin to turn a corner in the pandemic, it’s important we are preparing our community institutions to make a full recovery so they are ready when restrictions are lifted,” said Assemblyman Burzichelli. “I have seen firsthand the impact these organizations have on our region and I am grateful they are receiving this support.” 

The COVID Critical Needs Program is a single-year grant program that provides support for COVID-19 personal protective equipment and safeguarding needs for arts nonprofits. The CCN Program will financially assist New Jersey organizations with their efforts to ensure their venues are compliant with all safety standards as they welcome the public back inside. 

“Visual and performing arts can provide an incredible outlet for people to explore their passions and their struggles,” said Assemblyman Taliaferro. “It is crucial these programs continue to be accessible and that we do not lose these facilities to the financial impact of the pandemic.”

SWEENEY, BURZICHELLI, TALIAFERRO ANNOUNCE GRANT FUNDING FOR STAND UP FOR SALEM

March 15, 2021

 West Deptford – Senate President Steve Sweeney, Deputy Speaker John J. Burzichelli and Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro announced today that “Stand Up for Salem” has been approved for a $315,000 award from the Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit COVID-19 Relief program. The award will provide funds for activities that will contribute to the revitalization of the Oak to Olive neighborhood of Salem City.

“While we handle this public health crisis we must continue efforts to uplift our community and help New Jersey continue to move forward,” said Senator Sweeney. “Programs like the Neighborhood Revitalization Grant Program provide critical funding for community improvements all over the state, including right here in Salem County.”

The Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program (NRTC) is designed to foster the revitalization of New Jersey's distressed neighborhoods. NRTC offers business entities an 80 percent tax credit against various New Jersey state taxes. Credits are provided to business entities that invest in the revitalization of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in eligible cities. 

“This award will go a long way towards protecting vulnerable small businesses in the Oak to Olive neighborhood and ensuring revitalization efforts do not falter due to the economic impact of our current public health crisis,” said Assemblyman Burzichelli. “I look forward to seeing all that they’re able to accomplish with this much-needed funding.”

“These kinds of tax credits are crucial to the efforts of revitalizing our communities and preventing business closures,” said Assemblyman Taliaferro. “I am thrilled that our small business owners and our residents will be reaping the benefits of this award.” 

Stand Up for Salem, Inc. is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization working to bring new life to the center of Salem. Their mission is to stimulate business opportunity, historic preservation and community growth through grassroots community development.

SWEENEY-CUNNINGHAM BILL WOULD BOOST REENTRY SERVICES

March 11, 2021

Trenton – A Senate committee today approved legislation authored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Sandra Cunningham that would expand the scope of support services for the reentry of former offenders.

The bill, S-2953, would update the state’s “Fair Release and Reentry Act of 2009,” which has proven successful in aiding the transition of inmates released from state prisons, to include those from county correctional facilities. It would also extend the post-release timeframe for qualifying for reentry services and facilitate access to health care and emergency services.

“If we want to give former offenders a fair opportunity at a second chance we have to help address the obstacles to their successful reentry into society,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Gloucester/Salem/Cumberland). “These services have proven to be successful at state facilities so there are good reasons to expand the scope to include counties. This can make a real difference in the lives of men and women who are returning to their families and communities as productive members of society.”

“This bill will help to address the significant obstacles faced by inmates in obtaining what can be life-sustaining benefits when they are released from incarceration,” said Senator Cunningham (D-Hudson). “One of the biggest barriers facing the reentry community upon release is lack of photo identification, which is needed to apply for general assistance, housing or employment.”

The current law ensures that state inmates are provided within 10 days of their release various documents, information, and other items critical to their reentry efforts. It helps to obtain food stamps, cash assistance and temporary emergency housing under the state’s general assistance program, and Medicaid, including behavioral health services such as addiction treatment and mental health care.

The bill would require county facilities to issue these same documents, matching the current requirement for state inmates. It would also require that individuals be given a 90-day supply of prescription medication upon release and that social service organizations are notified in advance to help arrange reentry services upon release.

The legislation was praised by a leading reform advocate.

“This legislation is of extreme importance to providing persons released from prison and jail with the tools to survive in the first thirty days after release,” said former Governor Jim McGreevey, Chairman, New Jersey Reentry Corporation. “If you are released from prison without food, shelter, medicine, and a recognized identification, in order to survive there is little recourse but return to crime. I am most grateful to the Senate President and Senator Cunningham for believing in second chances, but more importantly, providing state and federal services so that people have the opportunity to do ‘the next right thing’.”

The measure, approved by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, would amend the law to require the issuance of a benefits card to obtain support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Work First New Jersey program. This Medicaid coverage would apply to state and county inmates.

Senator Cunningham emphasized the importance of arranging benefits in advance of inmates’ release. To ensure that there is no delay in acquiring necessary services, corrections officials would be required to complete, on behalf of inmates, applications for enrollment in social service programs.

The measure also eliminates the provision in current law that prohibits those convicted of an offense involving the use, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance from receiving Work First New Jersey benefits.