Shirley Turner

TURNER BILL TO BAN JUNK FOOD IN SCHOOLS RECEIVES FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner welcomed final legislative approval today of her bill that would enforce sensible school nutrition standards and help New Jersey "win the battle of the bulge among our children."

The measure, S-1218, would ban the sale or donation of soda, gum and most candy as well as food listing sugar as a first ingredient on school grounds before the end of the school day. It passed the Senate last February by a vote of 33-0 and likewise was approved by a vote of 64-11 in the Assembly today.

TURNER/RICE MEASURE TO CREATE JOINT COMMITTEE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON - A proposal by Senators Shirley K. Turner and Ronald L. Rice that would create a new joint committee in the Legislature to monitor the State's efforts in providing affordable housing to its residents was approved by the full Senate today by a vote of 38-0.

"New Jersey's widespread affordable housing shortage is now becoming an affordable housing crisis," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "A study released just this week said that half of all Jersey renters can't afford a basic two-bedroom apartment. That means that we are not doing enough to help over half a million of the most vulnerable New Jerseyans have a clean, safe and affordable home."

TURNER: DEATH PENALTY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE ADOPTED IMMEDIATELY

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner, a long time opponent of the death penalty and sponsor of the legislation that created the Death Penalty Study Commission, made the following statement today upon reading the Commission's final report:

"This is fantastic news with which to ring in the new year. These recommendations should be adopted as quickly as possible. I ask that the Governor extend the moratorium on executions until the Legislature can pass legislation banning the death penalty permanently.

TURNER/GIRGENTI GANG INITIATIVES GAIN FINAL LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL

TRENTON - Legislation sponsored by Senators Shirley K. Turner and John A. Girgenti that would strengthen the State's efforts to combat gang violence by imposing tough penalties on individuals who share firearms and by placing tougher checks on the source of bail money were granted final legislative approval by the Senate today.

"Gangs now pose a threat to every community in New Jersey," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "We need to empower law enforcement and local communities to stop these gangs in their tracks and keep their senseless violence and criminal activity out of our neighborhoods."

TURNER MEASURE TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO SELF-ADMINISTER EMERGENCY EPINEPHRINE RECEIVES FINAL APPROVAL

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner welcomed final legislative approval for her legislation that would expand the list of those individuals authorized to administer emergency epinephrine at a school to include more school personnel and the allergic students themselves as it passed the Assembly today.

"When an allergic reaction can go from manageable to disastrous in a matter of minutes, the timely administration of epinephrine can be the difference between life and death," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer and Chair of the Senate Education Committee. "It makes no sense to prevent children who face the threat of anaphylactic shock every day from using an 'epi-pen' when necessary."

TURNER PACKAGE OF DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION REFORMS PASSES SENATE

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner welcomed final Senate approval of her package of bills that would implement several of the recommendations of the Motor Vehicle Affordability and Fairness Task Force aimed at making it easier for individuals with driver's license suspensions to get their driving privileges reinstated.

"It is virtually impossible to live and work in New Jersey without a license," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "For New Jersey's working class, driving is a necessity, not a luxury."

TURNER/WATSON COLEMAN/GUSCIORA STATEMENT ON THE PENDING MOVE OF CAPITAL HEALTH SYSTEM AT MERCER

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Reed Gusciora today expressed their "deep disappointment" with the decision by the Department of Health and Senior Services to permit Capital Health System at Mercer to move from Trenton to Lawrence.

"The relocation of Capital Health System at Mercer to Lawrence will most certainly come at the loss of the residents of Trenton," said Senator Turner. "Our Trenton community needs better access to health care, but instead they are left holding the short straw."

TURNER PACKAGE OF DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENSION REFORMS APPROVED IN COMMITTEE

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner welcomed approval by the Senate Transportation Committee today of her package of bills that would implement several of the recommendations of the Motor Vehicle Affordability and Fairness Task Force aimed at making it easier for individuals with driver's license suspensions to get their driving privileges reinstated.

"In New Jersey, driving is a necessity, not a luxury," said Senator Turner, D-Mercer. "For many New Jerseyans, the loss of their driver's license can equate with the loss of their job and their ability to support their families."

TURNER GANG INITIATIVES KEEP MOVING FORWARD

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner, the Senate's leading advocate in strengthening the State's efforts to combat gang violence, made the following statement today following the Senate Law & Public Safety Committee's approval of a package of gang-related bills that included S-2009 and S-2012:

"I expect that by the time the new year rolls around, we will have put in place a solid package of reforms that will make 2007 the year that New Jersey began to reduce the presence of gangs in our communities and fought back against those who bring senseless violence to our streets.

TURNER WANTS POLICE OFFICERS IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS

TRENTON - Senator Shirley K. Turner today said New Jersey should respond to the "plague of violence in our society" by placing police officers in every high school and middle school in the State.

"It's a sad, but necessary response to the plague of violence in our society that police officers should be on the job at every high school and middle school in New Jersey," said Senator Turner, the Chair of the Senate Education Committee.