ROBERTS MEASURE OVERHAULING JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON ETHICAL STANDARDS PASSES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., crafted to overhaul the state's Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards by removing legislators from the panel was passed today by the Assembly.

The 12th district Republican candidates issued a press release today warning that their Democratic opponents were going to conduct an “unprecedented” level of dirt digging.

Republican Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck is facing one-term incumbent Ellen Karcher for the State Senate seat on a slate with assembly candidates Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande. Democratic Assemblyman Mike Panter, who beat O’Scanlon by less than 100 votes in 2005, is also running for reelection in what is expected to be a highly competitive race.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...
DUAL STANDARD IN TRENTON

Editorial, Asbury Park Press, June 8, 2007

When Gov. Corzine delivered his budget address back in February, he said "dual office-holding is an obstacle to achieving the common good we all desire. I cannot tell you how strongly I feel about ending it — now."

Those intense feelings apparently have weakened — just like the amended dual office-holding bill pushed through the Legislature this week. Corzine said he is likely to sign it.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT ...
SHORTEN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR DUAL OFFICE BAN

Editorial Excerpt, Courier-Post of Camden County,  May 29, 2007

This is what makes this bill such a sham. Never mind that serving local and state constituents might cause conflicts of interest and other disruptions to taking care of the people’s business. But this bill is clearly not about serving the people. It’s about bending the will of the people to serve the entitlement mentality of the legislative majority...We urge Assembly and state Senate members to stop the subterfuge. they should not grandfather in dual-office holders. A “reform” bill shouldn’t take years to end this practice.

The state’s most competitive legislative race is in the twelfth district, where Democratic State Senator Ellen Karcher faces a challenge from GOP Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck.  Karcher has $41,077 cash-on-hand, while Beck has $16,636.  Democratic Assemblyman Michael Panter has $98,251 in his account, while Republican challengers Declan O’Scanlon and Caroline Casagrande have just a little more than $10,000 combined.

In the first district State Senate race, Republican incumbent Nicholas Asselta has $255,256 cash-on-hand.  His opponent, Democratic Assemblyman Jefferson Van Drew, has $89,098 in his account.  Van Drew has an additional $59,767 in a joint account with the Democratic Assembly candidates.

In District 2, incumbent James “Sonny” McCullough, a Republican who won a Special Election Convention last February, has $115,665 in his account.  His Democratic rival, Assemblyman James Whelan, has just $7,460 in a joint account with his running mates.

In the 39th district, first-time candidate Joseph Ariyan has raised $140,981 against veteran GOP Senator Gerald Cardinale, and has $133,329 in his account.  Cardinale has $242,245 in his warchest.

Assemblyman Michael Panter and his running mate, Amy Mallet, raised more than $60,000 at a Trenton fundraiser last night, according to a source with knowledge of the 12th distrcit campaign. Panter's last individual filing showed almost $200,000 raised since the last cycle. With $100,000 in his warchest, Panter actually has more cash on hand that the combined total of the other five Senate and Assembly candidates in this battleground district.

PANTER APPLAUDS ACTION ON BILL
OVERHAULING LEGISLATIVE ETHICS COMMITTEE
Assemblyman Joins in Sponsoring Reform Measure
To Remove Legislators from Ethics Oversight Panel

(SHREWSBURY) - Calling it a reform initiative that is "long overdue," Assemblyman Mike Panter today applauded the advancement of legislation he is sponsoring to overhaul the state's Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards.

GREENSTEIN/PANTER BILL TO MANDATE ETHICS TRAINING
FOR LEGISLATIVE STAFF CLEARS COMMITTEE
Measure Also Would Create Separate Post of Legislative Ethics Counsel

(TRENTON) – The Assembly Judiciary Committee today released legislation Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and Assemblyman Michael J. Panter sponsored to require legislative staff to participate in annual ethics training and to create a special post of Ethics Counsel to the Legislature.

ASSEMBLY PASSES BILL PROMOTING EARLY INTERVENTION FOR AUTISTIC CHILDREN

Measure Would Require Statewide Training for Early Detection of Autism

(TRENTON) - The Assembly today passed legislation Assembly members Herb Conaway, M.D., Michael Panter, and Valerie Vainieri Huttle sponsored to ensure a seamless system of early detection for autism in children and referrals for appropriate treatment and classification.

GUSCIORA/PANTER INTRODUCE BILL TO BAN MILITARY-STYLE .50-CALIBER GUNS

Potentially Destructive Military-Grade Weapons Pose Security Threat to NJ

(TRENTON) - Assemblymen Reed Gusciora and Mike Panter recently introduced legislation to ban the sale of .50-caliber rifles - powerful battlefield-styled weapons that can fire large armor-piercing rounds with enough power to knock down a helicopter.