Codey

CODEY ANTI-STEROID PLAN approved by SENATE EDUCATION PANEL

Senate President Proposes Comprehensive Education, Testing Plan to Combat Steroid Use

            TRENTON – The Senate Education Committee today voted 4 to 0 to approve a bill sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey that would provide New Jersey with one of the most comprehensive anti-steroid programs in the nation, combining testing, education, instructional training and advertising for students from elementary school on up through high school.

             TRENTON – With the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee approving the NJ Hero Act today, Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) set the record straight on a number of myths and misunderstandings being reported about the bill he recently introduced to help save lives and increase organ donation.

            “The goal of this bill, plain and simple, is to increase the number of registered organ donors by starting a conversation early and often so that everyone understands the importance of organ donation,” said Sen. Codey. “There has been a tremendous amount of inaccuracies reported in newspapers and echoed on the radio and I want to set the record straight. This bill is about compassion and understanding, not strong arming.”

             TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today released the following statement on Governor Corzine’s proposed FY 2009 state budget:

            “This year’s budget is a crucial step in a serious effort to get our fiscal house in order.  Clearly, cuts are essential and paramount to achieving that goal. 

           “Every single cut the governor has proposed will be looked over with a magnifying glass. Rest assured, the legislature will be proposing cuts of our own. 

  WEST ORANGE, NJ – Senate President Richard J. Codey today called upon National Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean to heed the will of the people and encourage Super Delegates to apportion their votes to accurately and fairly reflect the choice of voters in state party primaries and caucuses.  In doing so, Codey sent the following letter today:

Codey, Vitale Measure Would Require Organ Donor Education and Mandate Decisions Before Getting a Driver’s License

             TRENTON – With Valentine’s Day upon the Statehouse, two leading Senate Democrats urged the legislature to shift the focus from getting hearts to giving hearts this year, by backing a bill aimed at increasing organ donation.  The pioneering legislation, sponsored by Senate President Richard J. Codey and Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph F. Vitale, was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today. 

             Bill S755, also known as the “New Jersey Hero Act,” would make New Jersey the first state in the nation to require two key components – organ donation decisions before applying for a driver’s license and mandatory high school education. 

CODEY:  PRIMARY MOVE WAS THE RIGHT MOVE

            TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today hailed New Jersey’s move in the Presidential primary as a triumph for voters who for years had been disenfranchised by New Jersey’s last-in-the-nation primary day status.  

            Clearly, our move to February 5th has emboldened voters,” said Sen. Codey.  “The eyes of the nation are on us this week, and for the first time in almost 25 years, we have the chance to really impact the course of our nation.  I think we’re going to see that this move has awakened a sleeping giant – that large part of our electorate that had felt disenfranchised by the irrelevance of our June primary.

CODEY STATEMENT ON JOHN EDWARDS

            WEST ORANGE – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today released the following statement on Senator John Edwards’ announcement that he will be ending his bid for the White House:

            “As a lifelong public servant, John Edwards helped our nation focus again on who matters - the child without a home, those without jobs, the families who live in that other America that is not seen or talked about by many of our leaders in Washington.

CODEY PROPOSES SEEKING VOTER APPROVAL TO EXPLORE REVENUE POTENTIAL IN STATE LOTTERY

Senate President:  “We Need to Keep All of Our Options on the Table Right Now”

            TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today proposed seeking voter approval of a constitutional amendment to explore the opportunity of leasing the New Jersey Lottery to a private operator in order to maximize revenue potential and help address the state’s fiscal needs.

CODEY:  TOLL INCREASES MUST BE

TIED TO DISCOUNTS

Senate President Proposes Framework to Reimburse Frequent New Jersey Drivers in the Event of a Toll Hike

            TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today pushed forward with a framework for a commuter discount program for frequent drivers that would be used to help subsidize the cost of increased toll fees should the Governor’s proposed toll plan become law.

           “If there is going to be a toll increase to pay off our state’s debt and fund transportation projects, we must couple it with a frequent user discount plan to ease some of the burden that will be placed on our drivers,” said Sen. Codey.  “The Governor has indicated that even if his proposal does not become law, he intends to raise tolls to help address some of our fiscal needs. Keeping that in mind, we must be prepared to move forward with a way to help offset the cost to those who will be hit hardest.”

CODEY:  COMBO TOLL & GAS TAX HIKE IS A DOUBLE WHAMMY FOR RESIDENTS

            TRENTON – Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today said that the plan being proposed as an alternative to raising tolls – a call for a combination of smaller toll increases along with a gas tax increase – is “unacceptable.”

            “This proposal does not make very much sense.  The gas tax tends to be regressive and it would be felt the most by the same people that use our roads the most.  For these people, it would be a crippling double whammy.  In my opinion, this proposal is unacceptable and only inflicts pain on a broader number of people.