Shirley Turner

TRENTON –  Senator Shirley K. Turner today welcomed Senate Judiciary Committee approval of her bill to end the use of the death penalty in New Jersey and replace it with a sentence of life in prison without parole, saying that, “The Legislature can not move quickly enough to get the death penalty ban on the Governor’s desk.”

TRENTON – Citing several recent incidents in Mercer County where students were endangered while riding on school buses, Senate Education Committee Chair Shirley K. Turner said today that her bill to strengthen school bus safety standards will be the top order of business at the next meeting of the Committee.

TURNER/RICE MEASURE TO CREATE JOINT COMMITTEE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECOMES LAW

TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner and Ronald L. Rice to create a new joint committee in the Legislature to monitor the State's efforts in providing affordable housing to its residents became law today.

TRENTON – Bills that would require school bus drivers to inspect their buses at the end of their routes for children left behind and authorize a comprehensive study of Megan’s Law will be before the State Senate when it meets on Monday.

“After reports this week that yet another child was left on a parked bus in Glassboro, it’s become painfully obvious that we need to mandate these bus checks and supply significant consequences for abandoning a child on a school bus,� said Senator Fred Madden, D-Camden and Gloucester, sponsor of the bill to require bus checks at the end of every route.

The bill, S-328, would require a school bus driver to visually inspect the school bus at the end of each transportation route to make sure that no pupil remains on the bus and impose penalties if the driver leaves a pupil on the bus at the end of the route. The first offense would bring a six month suspension of school bus driving priveleges while a second offense would result in a permanent ban.

TURNER - BUSINESSES RECEIVING SUBSIDIES SHOULD PROVE THEIR PITCH

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner today said her bill-approved today by an Assembly committee-is needed to halt development subsidies to companies that abandon New Jersey or don’t create the jobs they promised.

“It’s wrong for companies to take the money and run,� said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. “And it’s a hoax on the taxpaying public when companies promise to create jobs, get millions of dollars in development subsidies and then fail to document any jobs creation.�

TURNER BILL ADVANCES TO BAN SMOKING IN CASINOS

TRENTON - A bill sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner, D-Mercer, to ban smoking in casinos and simulcasting facilities was approved today by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.

"It's time for gamblers to kick the habit or at least to butt out around the blackjack tables," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "Casino workers deserve the same smoke-free environment as everyone else."

**PREVIEW** SIX SENATE COMMITTEES TO MEET ON MONDAY

TRENTON - Six State Senate Committees will meet on Monday to consider legislation ranging from an extension on the smoking ban to include casinos to the replacement of the Victims of Crime Compensation Board with a new executive agency to the revision of State laws concerning eminent domain.

Bill S-1089, sponsored by Senators Joseph Vitale, John H. Adler and Shirley Turner, would eliminate the exceptions for casinos and casino simulcasting facilities from the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act.

"Where you work shouldn't make a difference on basic matters of workplace health and safety," said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex and Chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. "When it comes to protecting our residents from the dangers of second hand smoke, it's simply unacceptable to leave out an entire class of workers."

CLEAN ELECTIONS MEASURE PASSES SENATE BUDGET PANEL

TRENTON - The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today moved the "The 2007 New Jersey Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project Act" out of committee by a party-line vote. Senator Shirley K. Turner is the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill proposed by Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts.

"As the Legislature has spent more than six months on property tax reform, we have begun to see the critical importance of campaign finance reform for the citizens of New Jersey," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "Far too many special interests watered down the reform efforts. The Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project will reduce the influence of special interest money and help the voters have the loudest voice in Trenton."

TURNER CLEAN ELECTIONS MEASURE THROUGH COMMITTEE

TRENTON - The Senate State Government Committee today approved "The 2007 New Jersey Fair and Clean Elections Pilot Project Act" sponsored by Senator Shirley K. Turner.

"As the Legislature has attempted to hash out the issue of property tax reform, we are learning why this is an issue of paramount concern to the citizens of New Jersey," said Senator Turner. "New Jersey residents need property tax reform, yet their own representatives cannot agree on any one idea because there are too many interests involved in the decision making."

SENATE BUDGET PANEL APPROVES UNEMPLOYMENT PROTECTION FOR MILITARY SPOUSES

TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley Turner to permit spouses of armed forces personnel who are forced to relocate outside of the State to collect unemployment benefits was approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

"Regularly moving from one military base to another can be very difficult on the families of those who serve our nation," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "They shouldn't be forced to lose their financial well-being just to stay together. In my mind, that goes against true American family values."