BODINE AND CHATZIDAKIS SCORE HAT TRICK WITH THREE BILLS APPROVED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

BILLS INCLUDE MEASURE REQUIRING THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES BY STATE POLICE FOR MISSING PERSONS AND A NEW CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWJanuary 30, 2007
Eighth Legislative District/856-234-8080

Three bills sponsored by Assemblymen Francis Bodine and Larry Chatzidakis were approved by the full General Assembly Monday, including legislation that would prompt the State Police to establish a consistent statewide missing person plan when dealing with cases involving people who have Alzheimer's disease and juveniles.

"Since these individuals may not have the capacity to help themselves at a time when their loved ones cannot locate them, it is of very high importance for the State Police to set guidelines that make sure these people are located quickly and safely," stated Bodine, R-Burlington. "Our goal is to empower law enforcement on all levels with a standard way to go about finding Alzheimer’s disease patients and young kids because time is a critical factor between life and death."

"This bill makes certain New Jersey’s policemen will be ready to handle any situation involving a missing juvenile or a person with Alzheimer’s disease more rapidly than the average missing persons case," added Chatzidakis, R-Burlington. "State Police training manuals indicate that a person of such circumstance has a 99 percent rate of survival if found within 24 hours, but has only a 50/50 chance of living after just 1 day."

That bill, A-420, would require the State Police to create guidelines in consultation with Alzheimer's support and child welfare groups. All State and local law enforcement entities will adhere to these guidelines should the bill become law.

The General Assembly also approved Assembly Bill A-2070, legislation sponsored by Bodine that would require NJ Transit, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to conduct a study into the feasibility of implementing a "Community Mobility Training Program."

This program would develop and provide either individual or group mobility skills training to aid individuals with disabilities in the development of independent travel skills as users of fixed-route transportation in the State.

"Mass transportation is a vital means of travel for many of our citizens suffering from disabilities," said Bodine. "Bus and rail lines can in many cases provide a better option for the disabled and seniors as opposed to over reliance on Access Link, which is an at-request service with limited hours of operation."

The third bill approved by the Assembly, A-3103, was sponsored by Chatzidakis and Bodine, and it would invalidate those consumer contracts which require a waiver of right to file a consumer complaint.

According to Chatzidakis the genesis for this bill came from an investigation conducted by NBC-10 in Philadelphia into the dealings of a career development consulting group. The employment agency, located in Edison, would convince clients to pay $6,000 with the promise that the company would work with the client until he or she had accepted a career position but they stand accused of attempting to scam money from vulnerable clients.

The typical contract would state that no verbal or written promises or guarantee of any specific job or employment is made or implied under the agreement and would require them to sign an agreement promising not to contact the media, Department of Consumer Affairs, the Better Business Bureau, or the State Attorney General.

"If a business is requiring clients to waive their rights to file consumer complaints it should send up a red flag that the consumer may be at risk," Chatzidakis said. "This bill would effectively void any contract containing such a provision allowing consumers to take action against these predatory agencies."

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