Vincent Prieto

SCALERA / VOSS / PRIETO BILL PROMOTING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FOR DISABLED, VISUALLY IMPAIRED NOW LAW

Law Directs State’s Interscholastic Sports Group To Encourage & Oversee ‘Adapted Athletics’ Competitions

(TRENTON) – Gov. Jon S. Corzine today signed legislation Assembly members Fred Scalera, Joan Voss and Vincent Prieto sponsored to direct the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association to actively develop competitive sports programs for youths with disabilities.

“Kids with disabilities who aspire to play sports should get every opportunity to do so,” said Scalera (D-Essex/Bergen/Passaic). “All children, regardless of physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities or impairments, should be able to enjoy the exhilaration of sports and enjoy the thrill of competition.”

Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) could be a casualty of the turbulent world of Secaucus politics, if Democratic-turned-Independent Councilman Michael Gonnelli winds up winning the race for Mayor.  Mayors rule in Hudson County, and since the District 32 Assembly seat is viewed as belonging to Secaucus, Gonnelli might get to pick his own guy when the seat comes up in 2011.  Prieto was picked by Mayor Dennis Elwell after Anthony Impreveduto (D-Secaucus) resigned in 2004.

SCALERA/VOSS/PRIETO BILL SEEKING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS FOR DISABLED, VISUALLY IMPAIRED GOES TO GOVERNOR

Measure Would Direct State’s Interscholastic Sports Group To Encourage & Oversee ‘Adapted Athletics’ Competitions

(TRENTON) – The Senate today gave final legislative approval to legislation Assembly members Fred Scalera, Joan Voss and Vincent Prieto sponsored to direct the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) to play an active role in developing competitive sports programs for youths with disabilities or physical handicaps.

“Kids with disabilities who aspire to play sports should get every opportunity to do so,” said Scalera (D-Essex). “All children regardless of physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities or impairments should be able to enjoy the

ASSEMBLY PASSES ROBERTS/PRIETO/VOSS BILL FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR AUTISM-SPECTRUM TREATMENTS

(TRENTON) - Legislation Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., Assemblyman Vincent Prieto and Assemblywoman Joan Voss sponsored to require health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary treatments of autism-spectrum disorders today passed the General Assembly.

ROBERTS/PRIETO/VOSS BILL FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR AUTISM-SPECTRUM TREATMENTS CLEARS COMMITTEE

(TRENTON) - Legislation Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr., Assemblyman Vincent Prieto and Assemblywoman Joan Voss sponsored to require health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary treatments of autism-spectrum disorders was released today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

*** MONDAY ADVISORY ***

SPEAKER ROBERTS & RENOWNED AUTISM ADVOCATE BOB WRIGHT TO BACK INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR AUTISM TREATMENT

Bill Would be Another Step in N.J.’s Campaign Against Nation’s Highest Autism

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. and renowned autism treatment and research advocate Bob Wright will testify Monday before the Assembly Appropriations Committee in support of legislation Roberts is sponsoring to require insurers to cover autism treatments.

The Speaker and Wright will be joined by Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen) and Assemblyman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson). Voss and Prieto sponsor the bill with Roberts and Vitale sponsors the Senate version.

The Assembly Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Monday in Committee Room 11, Fourth Floor, State House Annex, West State Street, Trenton.

Conrad Pepperman is going to court in a bid to invalidate a Rockaway Borough ordinance that prohibits municipal employees from running for public office in another municipality.    A police officer, he is seeking a seat in Mine Hill.

Here is a potential witness list for Pepperman:

Six legislators will face no opposition in the November general election, as long as no write-in candidate wins 100 votes in the primary: Democrats Joseph Cryan and Annette Quijano in District 20, Republicans Alison McHose and Gary Chiusano in District 24, and Democrats Joan Quigley and Vincent Prieto in District 32.  Cryan is the Democratic State Chairman, and Quijano is a freshman who won a 2008 special election following the resignation of Neil Cohen. None of these districts are politically competitive. 

Unless you're Speaker or Majority Leader, serving in the Assembly Democratic leadership is really nothing special. Just last week, 25 of the 49 Democrats in the Assembly held a leadership post.  Still, Joseph Roberts' decision today to strip indicted Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Vas of his leadership post means someone gets to move up - assuming Roberts believes in the importance of having six Deputy Majority Leaders, rather than just five. 

For Roberts, the easy decision would be to move John McKeon (D-West Orange) up from Minority Whip to Deputy Majority Leader, even though Minority Whip actually sounds more meaningful since there is just one.  Then he could promote Deputy Majority Whip Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus), and pick one of the mere mortal legislators with no leadership post or committee chair to take his spot.

PRIETO/SPENCER BILL REQUIRING ATM OPERATORS TO DISCLOSE BALANCE INQUIRY FEES ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee today released legislation Assembly members Vincent Prieto and L. Grace Spencer sponsored to require ATM operators to inform consumers when charging fees for balance inquiries.