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ROBERTS / VOSS / PRIETO ON NEW LAW PROVIDING INSURANCE COVERAGE OF AUTISM, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY TREATMENTS

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. and Assembly members Joan M. Voss and Vincent Prieto today issued a multimedia package on a new law they sponsored to make New Jersey the 15th state to mandate health insurers cover treatments for autism and developmental disabilities.

The bill was signed Aug. 13 by Gov. Jon S. Corzine during a public ceremony at PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.

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ASSEMBLY DEMS COMMENTARY ON ENACTMENT OF BILL LIMITING HANDGUN PURCHASES TO ONE-A-MONTH

(TRENTON) – Assemblywoman Joan M. Quigley and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman today issued a multimedia package on their legislation – signed into law by Governor Jon S. Corzine – making it illegal to purchase more than one handgun a month in New Jersey.

New Jersey is the fourth state to place such restrictions on handgun purchases, behind Virginia, Maryland, and California.

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LOVE & LAMPITT COMMENTARY ON BILL TO REGULATE CREDIT CARD SOLICITATION ON CAMPUSES

Measure Would Require Credit Card Companies to Register with Colleges; Students to Complete Education Courses before Credit Cards Could be Issued

(TRENTON) - Assemblywomen Sandra Love and Pamela R. Lampitt today issued a multimedia package on their legislation to allow the state Division of Consumer Affairs to regulate how credit card companies solicit card applications on college campuses.

The sponsors said the measure (A-3003) would help protect the credit ratings of students and parents and ensure students understand how to be responsible users of credit.

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STENDER/SCUTARI PROMOTE ADOPTION OF SAFER TECH FOR USE BY GOVERNMENTS AND UTILITIES

(LINDEN) - Assemblywoman Linda Stender and Senator Nicholas P. Scutari (both D-Union) today issued a multimedia package on their legislation (ACR-239) to urge governments, water utilities and chemical companies to use inherently safer technologies in their daily operations.

According to Scutari and Stender, the hazardous materials currently used by these entities represent one of the largest threats to public safety in the state, as hazardous chemicals - like chlorine - often are shipped in vulnerable, conspicuously marked containers and rail cars.

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON PASSAGE OF THE FY 2010 BUDGET

(TRENTON) - The Democratic members of the Assembly Budget Committee today issued a multimedia package on the Assembly passage of New Jersey's annual appropriations act for fiscal year 2010.

The $28.9 billion fiscal year 2010 budget (A-4100) is about $4 billion less than last year - representing the largest spending cut in state history - and would:

• Provide property tax rebates to households earning less than $75,000 per year;
• Retain the property tax deduction for households earning up to $250,000 per year;
• Devote more than half of state spending to property tax relief;
• Cap tuition increases at 3 percent and increase direct college student assistance by about 10 percent; and
• Increase school aid by $270 million.

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DIEGNAN/LAMPITT ON BILL TO STANDARDIZE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS

Measure Would Protect Taxpayers by Creating Statewide Boilerplate Contract Language

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr., and Pamela R. Lampitt today issued a multimedia package on legislation they sponsored to implement a statewide contract template for the hiring of all public school superintendents.

The bill (A-3185) would require that all school districts in New Jersey use a standard contract template when hiring a new superintendent.  The template would address all aspects of employment, including salary, health insurance, pension benefits, sick leave and vacation days.  The sponsors said their measure would create greater transparency and allow for more thorough evaluations of potentially excessive contracts.

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ASSEMBLY CELEBRATES 'MARTIN BRODEUR DAY'

Chamber Honors NJ Devils Goaltender in Becoming the All-Time NHL Leader in Regular Season Wins by a Goaltender

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package honoring New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur for achieving a record-setting 558 career wins, becoming the all-time NHL leader in regular season wins by a goaltender.

Brodeur, a West Orange resident who has played with the New Jersey Devils for his entire NHL career, surpassed the win record of 551 games, previously held by Patrick Roy, on March 17.

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ROBERTS/WATSON COLEMAN/GREENWALD ON BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED TAX AMNESTY REVENUE FIGURES

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis D. Greenwald today issued a multimedia package discussing Governor Jon S. Corzine's announcement that the state's tax amnesty program has exceeded revenue projections and what it means for the FY 2010 Budget.

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS ON BILL TO INCREASE PUBLIC INPUT ON HEALTH INSURER CONVERSIONS

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Gary S. Schaer, John F. McKeon, John S. Wisniewski, L. Grace Spencer and Jack Conners - the Democratic members of the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee - today issued a multimedia package on legislation that would require increased public participation and independent analysis of any health insurer wishing to convert to a for-profit company.

The measure (A-3729) would provide more transparency in any potential conversion of a health insurer to a for-profit company by requiring the state to complete an independent health impact study, analyzing the impact of the conversion on the health status of New Jersey residents, increasing the number of public hearings to at least three and granting the Office of the Public Advocate access to all the material included in the conversion process.

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS WELCOME HOME THE 50TH INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Jack Conners, Annette Quijano, Upendra J. Chivukula, Linda Stender, Wayne P. DeAngelo and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman today issued a multimedia package expressing their warm welcome home to the New Jersey National Guard members of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (50th IBCT).

The nearly 3,000 soldiers who volunteered to serve in Iraq were honored today during ceremonies in Trenton.

The return of the 50th IBCT marks the end of a one-year deployment to Iraq - the largest New Jersey National Guard deployment since World War II.  While deployed, the unit played a pivotal role in transferring authority of Baghdad's "Green Zone" back to Iraqi forces and were responsible for the humane treatment of more than 20,000 detainees throughout Iraq.