Media
Proposed Bill Would Create Public Animal Abuser List
Remember Patrick, the pit bull starved and thrown away like garbage by his former owner? Patrick survived, but Assemblyman Troy Singleton wants to deter this kind of abuse by creating a statewide list of animal abusers.
Restarting N.J. hospital billing debate
Surprise medical bills just keep coming for patients in New Jersey, five months after the Legislature’s effort to fix the problem died. Some come from hospital-based doctors who don’t accept the same insurance plans as the hospital where they work. Others are received by patients with out-of-state or federally regulated coverage who go to out-of-network emergency rooms — New Jersey regulations that require the insurer to protect its members from balance billing in such cases don’t apply to their plans
Deadline looms for Transportation Trust Fund fix
At the Statehouse, the month of June typically features a flurry of debate, negotiations and deal making on the budget and other legislative priorities before the current fiscal year ends. But the next few weeks could be even noisier than usual, as Gov. Chris Christie and lawmakers wrestle with the budget as well as the impending insolvency of the Transportation Trust Fund.
Lest We Forget: Protecting the Children Left Behind
Gone but never forgotten. It’s a phrase that we hear frequently, but I wonder if it doesn’t strike a different emotional chord with children who have lost a parent, particularly if that mother or father served in the area of public safety and died in the line of duty.
The uncomfortable truth is that nothing can replace a parent for a child. And the other uncomfortable truth is that after all the solemn remembrances, the surviving family, especially the children, must face the burden and expense of daily life.
For that reason, I am sponsoring a bipartisan proposal (along with my colleagues, Assemblymen Herb Conaway Jr., M.D., Adam Taliaferro, Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Diane Allen) to boost survivor’s benefits for children of law enforcement and firefighters who die in the line of duty.
N.J. extends June deadline for property tax relief program
Wednesday's deadline for homeowners to apply for the Senior Freeze property tax relief program has been extended through October, Gov. Chris Christie's administration announced Friday.
The state routinely pushes back the deadline for the program, which offsets taxes for more than 170,000 seniors and disabled residents. Acting Treasurer Ford Scudder said the delayed deadline so more residents who are eligible for the program can apply.
SOME SENIORS, DISABLED COULD BE FROZEN OUT OF NJ’S ‘SENIOR FREEZE’ PROGRAM
Fine print in annual state budget will eliminate cost-of-living increases for property-tax relief program, unless Christie changes his mind
A state program designed specifically to help keep seniors and disabled residents from being forced out of their homes by New Jersey’s ever-rising property-tax bills is once again in line to take a hit from fine print in the annual state budget.
STATE TURNS ATTENTION TO TWO MORE CONTAMINANTS FOUND IN NJ DRINKING WATER
DEP wants Drinking Water Quality Institute to come up with recommended levels for PFOA and PFOS
Singleton unveils legislation to boost aid to underfunded school districts
Assemblyman Troy Singleton has introduced legislation to award $50 million in more state aid to 80 of New Jersey's most underfunded school districts.
Moving Democracy Forward
Simple, sensible and smart. Those are three words that describe a proposal introduced by my colleagues: Assemblymen Craig Coughlin, Gary Schaer, Tim Eustace and Assemblywoman Joann Downey that recently saw legislative action. And, in my opinion are the ingredients for a fair and broad-based approach to voter registration.
The legislation, A-1944, would register individuals to vote when obtaining or renewing their driver’s license. This doesn’t mean you have to vote, that’s a personal decision, but it will remove any possible question about your access to voting.
New Jersey Bill Would Create Animal-Abuse Registry
New Jersey would become the second state in the nation to establish an online registry of animal abusers if a bill under consideration by state legislators becomes law.
Under the proposed legislation, anyone convicted or found civilly liable for animal cruelty in New Jersey would be added to the database, which would be publicly accessible via the state Department of Health’s website. The bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Troy Singleton...