Nia Gill

DORIA-GILL BILL URGING INSURERS TO SETTLE WTC CLAIMS APPROVED

TRENTON - A resolution sponsored by Senators Joseph V. Doria and Nia H. Gill which would urge the insurance industry to quickly and fairly settle any outstanding insurance claims stemming from the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 was approved today by the Senate by a vote of 36-0.

"September 11, 2001 changed the world as we know it, and we're still feeling the impact more than five years after the despicable attacks occurred," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "As a resident and mayor of a city overlooking the New York skyline, we're reminded every day of what was taken from us on that fateful date - not just in terms of a recognizable landmark, but also the thousands of lives lost to terrorism. While I don't think America will ever fully heal from the September 11 terrorist attacks, we're beginning to pick up the pieces, and move on in this new world."

"The insurance industry knows the price we paid for freedom on September 11, having lost so many who worked in the World Trade Center," said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. "However, even in grief, America's spirit is resilient, and we want to return to some sense of normalcy. While insurance claims for the World Trade Center property remain unresolved, we cannot move ahead with the healing process."

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DORIA-GILL BILL URGES INSURERS TO SETTLE WORLD TRADE CENTER CLAIMS

TRENTON - A resolution sponsored by Senators Joseph V. Doria and Nia H. Gill which would urge the insurance industry to quickly and fairly settle any outstanding insurance claims stemming from the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 was approved today by the Senate Commerce Committee by a vote of 4-0.

"While I understand that the September 11 terrorist attacks were a traumatic, unforeseen, world-changing event, Americans are trying to pick up the pieces and adapt to our new world," said Senator Doria, D-Hudson. "In Bayonne, where I serve as Mayor, we never could have imagined a New York skyline without the Twin Towers. More than five years later, the tragedy isn't lessened one bit, but the people of the region are resilient, and we need to return to whatever sense of normalcy can be achieved."

"The insurance industry was impacted by the events of September 11, but so was the rest of the nation," said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, the Chair of the Commerce Committee. "My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones in the horrific terrorist attacks, and it is totally unacceptable to subject the families to an extended delay in uncertainty of whether their insurance providers will settle claims. We can never bring closure, but we can ensure that insurance companies live up to their commitments."

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GOVERNOR CORZINE SIGNS LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING
NEEDLE EXCHANGE PILOT PROGRAMS

TRENTON

– Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed the “Bloodborne Disease Harm Reduction Act,’’ which allows up to six municipalities to establish needle exchange programs as part of a demonstration project. The bill also appropriates $10 million for drug treatment. Read More >

SENATOR GILL ON THE SIGNING OF THE 'NEEDLE EXCHANGE' BILL

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex, released the following statement today regarding Governor Jon Corzine's signing of S-494, the "Blood-borne Disease Harm Reduction Act," or "Needle Exchange" bill, which permits the establishment of sterile syringe access programs within municipalities:

"I am here today because we are saving lives.

"Today we take a major step in saving the many lives of New Jersey residents from the AIDS pandemic that is ravaging the word and our state. By enacting this legislation, we can begin to turn back the hands of time to change inaction to life-saving action.

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SENATOR GILL ON THE SIGNING OF THE 'NEEDLE EXCHANGE' BILL

TRENTON -Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex, released the following statement today regarding Governor Jon Corzine's signing of S-494, the "Blood-borne Disease Harm Reduction Act," or "Needle Exchange" bill, which permits the establishment of sterile syringe access programs within municipalities:

"I am here today because we are saving lives.

"Today we take a major step in saving the many lives of New Jersey residents from the AIDS pandemic that is ravaging the word and our state. By enacting this legislation, we can begin to turn back the hands of time to change inaction to life-saving action.

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SENATOR GILL NOTES PROGRESS OF LIFE-SAVING NEEDLE EXCHANGE PLAN

TRENTON - Senator Nia H. Gill today applauded the legislative progress of her bill, S-494, to authorize needle exchange programs which will bring New Jersey closer to containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Senator Gill's measure, which would authorize trial needle exchange programs in six municipalities, was approved today the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee and now goes to the full Senate. It advanced with a $10 million appropriation that is to be used solely to expand drug treatment programs.

"It is scientifically undisputed that access to sterile syringes is an effective tool as part of a comprehensive plan to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Senator Gill, D-Essex and Passaic. "New Jersey has twice the rate of HIV infection resulting from shared needle use compared to the rest of the nation. New Jersey is the only state in the nation that does not permit access to clean needles in order to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. With today's action, we are now one step closer to eliminating this dubious distinction and saving lives."

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Finally, it looks like legislation will soon be approved allowing New Jersey drug users to exchange dirty needles for clean ones. Bill S494, sponsored by Senator Nia Gill (D-Essex), has been a long time coming. It doesn't go as far as it should, but it is better than nothing. Instead of a statewide clean needle exchange program, which is preferable, the legislation, passed this week by the Senate Health Committee (Senator Tom Kean Jr. voted against it) calls for a pilot program in six municipalities.

Two of the communities expected to take advantage of the bill (once it is passed into law) will be Atlantic City and Camden. In both communities, the spread of HIV from needle sharing among infected drub users has been a huge health problem. The lack of a state law allowing clean needle exchange has only made the problem worse in urban centers that have served as a haven for the spread of HIV/AIDS since the mid 1980s. For years, opponents of needle exchange have argued that such a program would increase drug use or crime. Well, the fact is, that couldn't be further from the truth.

What is true is that clean needle exchange programs reduce the transmission of the HIV virus, hepatitis and other diseases acquired through needle sharing. The reason we know this is that 49 out of 50 states currently allow for some form of a needle exchange program. That's right, New Jersey, is the ONLY state in the nation without such a program�this despite the fact that our state has one of the country's highest AIDS/HIV rates stemming from needle sharing. The problem has been particularly bad for women and their children, infected with the virus in the womb. To say that New Jersey not having a needle exchange program is a disgrace is an understatement. It's insane.

The legislature has allowed a few ill-informed, pigheaded legislators to block this much-needed public health program. Chief among them has been Senator Ron Rice (D-Essex) who sits on the Health Committee. Rice has continually argued that needle exchange will make the drug problem worse and has proposed a bill to provide $100 million for drug treatment and HIV/AIDS related programs. That part of Rice's legislative agenda is positive, which is why it is a great thing that the current needle exchange legislation to allow the pilot program in six municipalities also calls for $10 million for drug rehab.

Simply put, S494 is a compromise between the needle exchange philosophy and the drug treatment approach. It never should have been an either-or proposition, but somehow Rice and those who supported his point of view have struck enough fear into their colleagues to stymie any effort to move forward. State Senators have been convinced that any effort to pass a needle exchange program would make them vulnerable to being characterized as "soft on drugs" in future elections. That's crazy. What happened to all those legislators in 49 other states who supported needle-exchange programs? Nothing.

So, our legislators have been spooked by a political phantom for nearly a decade and now have finally done something. As I said, in many ways it is way too little. However, it isn't too late, particularly for those ill drug addicts who are currently sticking dirty needles into their arms and transmitting this deadly disease, not just to themselves, but to their babies. Let's only hope that the pilot initiative is passed in the next few weeks and the Corzine Administration, lead by Health and Senior Services Commissioner Dr. Fred Jacbos, leads the effort to make the needle exchange program statewide as soon as possible. Lives are at stake and they have been for too long. There is no excuse not to act. I'd like to congratulate the Senate for finally moving, but that would be like patting an employee on the back for doing the absolute bare minimum their job requires. Then again, this needle exchange legislation is better than the status quo.

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RICE DEMANDS FARBER INTERVENE IN GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE GANGLAND SECURITY TASK FORCE

NEWARK - Senator Ronald L. Rice released the following statement today in regards to the rising gang-related crime in New Jersey and the lack of noticeable progress by a task force assembled to study the problem.

"We need to have real action immediately on solving the gang problem in our State. The killings and shootings are taking place on a daily basis in our urban communities and we no longer have time for empty rhetoric -- we need solutions now.

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GILL: IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS CAN'T BE DENIED CREDIT

TRENTON - The Senate today approved a measure, sponsored by Senator Nia H. Gill, that would make it illegal for creditors to deny credit to a person solely because that individual was a victim of identity theft.

"Victims of identity theft shouldn't have to endure further injustice by being subjected to bad credit ratings," said Senator Gill, Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. "If their credit is otherwise in good standing, they should not be subjected to delays or denied credit simply because they were victims of identity theft."

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RICE / GILL BILL ESTABLISHES 'GRANDPARENTING RESOURCE CENTER PILOT PROGRAM'

TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senators Ronald L. Rice and Nia H. Gill, to create a "Grandparenting Resource Center Pilot Program" which would assist grandparents who are left to raise their grandchildren, was approved by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee today.

"New Jersey has an estimated 140,000 children living with their grandparents, who are the sole caregivers for them," said Senator Rice, D-Essex. "This bill would provide those grandparents with the necessary resources to find legal assistance, health care and other needed services to assist them in their efforts."

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