Albert Coutinho

ASSEMBLY OK'S SCHAER/JASEY/COUTIHNO/DeANGELO BILL
TO PUT MORE MATH, SCIENCE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM
Pilot Program Would Recruit Non-Traditional Teachers

(TRENTON) - The General Assembly today passed legislation Assembly members Gary Schaer, Mila Jasey, Albert Coutinho and Wayne DeAngelo sponsored to create a pilot program to enable more individuals with degrees and career experience in math and science to receive teaching certificates.

PANEL RELEASES SCHAER/JASEY/COUTINHO/DeANGELO BILL
TO PUT MORE MATH, SCIENCE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM
Pilot Program Would Recruit Non-Traditional Teachers

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Education Committee today released legislation Assembly members Gary Schaer, Mila Jasey, Albert Coutinho and Wayne DeAngelo sponsored to create a pilot program to enable more individuals with degrees and career experience in math and science to receive teaching certificates.

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) has removed indicted Assemblyman Joseph Vas (D-Perth Amboy) as Chairman of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee.  Four other Democrats serve on the panel, but two of them are not really contenders: Upendra Chivukula (D-Franklin) is unlikely to give up the chairmanship of the Telecommunications and Utilities Committee, and Sandra Love (D-Gloucester Township) is a freshman who is not seeking re-election.  That means Roberts will likely choose between Pamela Lampitt (D-Cherry Hill), a two-term legislator who represents a neighboring Camden County district, and Albert Coutinho (D-Newark), the panel Vice Chairman who was elected in 2007 after serving briefly in 1997.

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS COMMENTARY ON 2009 BUDGET ADDRESS

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package on their reactions to Governor Jon S. Corzine's 2009 Budget Address.

The multimedia package consists of a video press release of legislative commentary, audio of same and a transcript of statements by the lawmakers.

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany)

UPDATED 

TRENTON – It looked like bedlam, but closer inspection revealed a perfect fault line.

The governor’s speech ended and that great mass of lawmakers spilled into the aisles and into the well of the chamber amid a crowd of reporters who heard them to a man or to a woman either applaud (if they were Democrats) or denounce (if they were Republicans) the 2010 budget speech.

“I think he did an admirable job,” said Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark). “We’re still going to be lower than the highest tax rate in New York. Only those that are making over $500,000 a year are getting a tax increase.”

“A three-quarters of one percent tax increase,” put in Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Montclair).

“We’re trying to spread the pain as much as possible in the midst of a global recession,” said Continuo. “But we are dedicated to preserving programs for the underserved.” 

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS COMMENT ON ‘SECOND CHANCE’ HEARING IN CAMDEN

(CAMDEN) – Assembly Democrats released the following statements today during a special Camden hearing focusing on finding ways to help individuals released from prison avoid returning to crime.

The Second Chance Hearing was the 7th convened by Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman:

HUTTLE/JOHNSON/COUTINHO/RAMOS BILL MAKING MACHINE GUN OR ASSAULT FIREARM POSSESSION A SECOND DEGREE CRIME SIGNED INTO LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Gordon Johnson, Albert Coutinho and Ruben Ramos sponsored that would raise the penalties from third to second degree for any person who either knowingly possesses an unlicensed machine gun today was signed into law by Governor Jon S. Corzine.

“The overwhelming majority of crimes in this state are committed with weapons that are unlicensed,” said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “Enhancing the penalties for the possession of such weapons can only serve to help keep them off the streets and out of the hands of criminals.”

JOHNSON/DeANGELO/EVANS/CONAWAY/COUTINHO BILL CREATING CHECK-OFF FOR FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS CONTINUES ADVANCING

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Gordon Johnson, Wayne DeAngelo, Elease Evans, Albert Coutinho and Herb Conaway to address recent shortages and closings at food pantries continues to advance.

The legislation would establish the “Community Food Pantry Fund” in the Department of the Treasury and allow taxpayers to voluntarily donate a portion of their income tax refund to it..

The bill passed the Assembly in October. It was recently released by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

“The global economic crisis is hitting our state hard and may get worse,” DeAngelo (D-Mercer) said. “People who never thought they would ever visit a food pantry are now relying on them to put food on the table for their families. These are tough times, and anything we can do to make it easier for people to help those less fortunate is a good thing.”  

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville), left, and Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), with Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, could be playing a game of political musical chairs for one 28th district Assembly seat.

Ralph Caputo may be passing Cleopatra Tucker as the most vulnerable member of the State Assembly in District 28 as the Payne political machine moves to return Craig Stanley to the Legislature.  Sources say the Payne organization, led by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, has made Stanley, the nephew of former Assemblyman William Payne, a priority as the April filing deadline approaches.  Stanley spent twelve years in the Assembly before narrowly losing the 2007 Democratic primary to Caputo and Tucker.  He was a casualty of a political war that sought to oust State Sen. Ronald Rice, who won his primary despite strong opposition from Newark Mayor Cory Booker.  Stanley ran on the Rice line.

William Payne, 76, has mulled his own return to the Assembly seat he gave up in 2007 to mount an Independent bid for State Senator in the 29th district.  Sources say he is willing to forego a primary challenge to incumbents Albert Coutinho and Grace Spencer if Essex Democrats will agree to put Stanley on the organization line in the neighboring district.

For a while it looked like Tucker was the most likely casualty, but now the talk is that it may be Caputo, a 68-year-old white Belleville Democrat who represents a Newark-Irvington district drawn to elect African American legislators.  Caputo is also an Essex County Freeholder (he represents a blue collar district) and served in the Assembly as a Republican from 1968 to 1972.

ASSEMBLY BILLS TO UPDATE, IMPROVE NEW JERSEY’S CORPORATE BUSINESS RULES NOW LAW

Measures Are Among Nearly 40 advanced by Assembly to Further Enhance Efforts to Ensure N.J. Emerges Strong from Economic Crisis

(TRENTON) – Assembly bills to simplify New Jersey’s corporate governance statutes and further enhance efforts to ensure New Jersey emerges strong from the global economic crisis are now law.

The measures were signed Tuesday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

They’re sponsored by Assembly members Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., Joseph Vas, Albert Coutinho, Wayne DeAngelo, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Upendra Chivukula and Pamela R. Lampitt. 

“For New Jersey to be competitive as a home for industry in the global marketplace, we need laws that will allow them to operate in real time, using 21st century technology,” said Diegnan (D-Middlesex), who crafted the bill package.