Nelson Albano

VAN DREW/ALBANO BILL RENAMING WILDWOOD CONTEST
'NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S CUP HYDROFEST SERIES' ADVANCES
Name Designation Would Draw Attention, Larger Crowd to Annual Sporting Event

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee today released legislation Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew and Nelson Albano sponsored to draw greater attention to a popular sporting event that is held annually in Wildwood Crest.

ALBANO/VAN DREW BILL CONTINUING STATE'S
GYPSY MOTH CONTROL PROGRAM ADVANCES
Measure Would Appropriate $750K in Federal Funds

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly Budget Committee today released legislation Assemblymen Nelson Albano and Jeff Van Drew sponsored to protect New Jersey forests from gypsy moths -- one of the most destructive defoliating insects in the world.

MEASURE TO EXPAND LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS FOR SENIORS, DISABLED CLEARS ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
"Independence, Dignity, and Choice in Long-term Care Act" Would Promote Home and Community Care

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee today released legislation Assemblymen Jim Whelan, Louis Greenwald, Nelson Albano, Jeff Van Drew, and Gordon Johnson sponsored to expand health care choices for seniors and disabled residents and enhance their ability to stay at home or in their local communities.

BARNES/VAS/DIEGNAN/ALBANO BILL TOUGHENING DWI PENALTIES ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen Peter J. Barnes, Jr., Joseph Vas, Patrick Diegnan, Jr., and Nelson Albano sponsored to eliminate the downgrading of driving while intoxicated (DWI) penalties when they occur more than 10 years apart was approved by an Assembly committee today.

VAN DREW/MAYER/ALBANO BILL INCREASING PENALTIES FOR ILLEGALLY PASSING A SCHOOL BUS PASSES ASSEMBLY

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew, David R. Mayer and Nelson Albano that would substantially increase the penalties for illegally passing a school bus with flashing warning lights was approved by the Assembly today, 67-6-3.

VAN DREW/COHEN/ALBANO BILL TOUGHENING PENALTIES FOR FATAL HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENTS ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee today released legislation Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew, Neil M. Cohen and Nelson Albano sponsored to impose tougher penalties on motorists who kill or injure people in hit-and-run accidents.

VAN DREW/FISHER/ALBANO BILL NAMING ROUTE 55 AS 'VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY' ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew, Douglas H. Fisher and Nelson Albano sponsored to dedicate New Jersey Route 55 as "Veterans Memorial Highway" was approved by the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee today.

(TRENTON) -- Eight new Democratic Assembly members were sworn into office yesterday, increasing the Assembly Democratic caucus' majority status to 49 seats.

South Jersey Republicans are already talking about how to make Nelson Albano a one-term Assemblyman, and the leading candidate to challenge Albano in 2007 is Leonard Desiderio, a Cape May County Freeholder and the Mayor of Sea Isle City. Albano ousted Republican Assemblyman Jack Gibson earlier this month. Gibson earns a place in the record books: he is the only legislator under the current State Constitution to lose the same seat twice. When Albano takes office in January, it will be the first time in state history that Cape May County Republicans have no representation in the New Jersey Legislature.

In a district the George W. Bush carried one year ago, Democrat Jefferson Van Drew won a massive landslide in his bid for a third term: he finished almost 9,000 votes ahead of his running mate, nearly 16,000 votes ahead of the Republican incumbent, and more than 24,000 votes in front of the other GOP candidate. Helped by Van Drew's coattails, state Democratic money and numerous mistakes by the state GOP, Democrat Nelson Albano, a Vineland labor official and advocate for tough drunk driving laws, defeated six-term Republican Jack Gibson by 6,749 votes. Gibson trailed Albano in Cape May County by 107 votes (running more than 2,000 votes behind the GOP Sheriff and County Clerk candidates). Gibson, who lost to Van Drew in 2001 and returned in 2003, is possibly the only Assemblyman in modern New Jersey history to lose the same seat twice.

Republicans were in trouble back in April when their candidate for the second, seat, Upper Township Committeeman Andrew McCrosson, forgot to file his nominating petitions. That left a perennial gadfly, George Cecola, unopposed. State Republicans tried to mount a write-in campaign to nominate former Cumberland County Freeholder James Sauro, but without the support of Cape May Republicans, they failed, allowing Cecola to take the second slot.