VITALE-WEINBERG BILL TO REQUIRE ALTERNATIVES TO ANIMAL TESTING WHEN POSSIBLE APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Loretta Weinberg which would prohibit animal testing when a federally-recommended alternative exists was approved today by the Senate, by a vote of 33-0.

SARLO DIGITAL MEDIA TAX CREDIT BILL APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Paul A. Sarlo which would offer tax credit incentives to digital media production companies to relocate to New Jersey was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 21-16, conforming to the Governor’s conditional veto of the bill.

SMITH RECYCLING PACKAGE APPROVED BY BUDGET COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A pair of bills sponsored by Senator Bob Smith which would guarantee funding for municipal recycling programs and create a statewide electronics recycling initiative were approved by the Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

VITALE-CONIGLIO BILL TO REQUIRE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ADOPT VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS APPROVED BY BUDGET PANEL

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Joseph Coniglio which would require the establishment of violence prevention programs in health care facilities in order to protect workers from violence was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

VITALE BILL TO PROHIBIT NEW JERSEY FROM INVESTING IN IRAN APPROVED

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would prohibit New Jersey’s pension and annuity funds from investing in foreign companies doing business with Iran and require the funds to divest any interests in such companies was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

SENATOR GILL PRAISES START OF NEEDLE EXCHANGE IN ATLANTIC CITY

TRENTON – Senator Nia H. Gill today praised the start of Atlantic City’s syringe-exchange program as “a long-overdue action that will save thousands of lives” by reducing the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

“Lives that would have been lost to the consequences of addiction will now be saved,” said Senator Gill who sponsored the law which authorized select municipalities like Atlantic City to conduct pilot programs where clean needles are given free to those who seek them.

KARCHER RESOLUTION CALLING ON CONGRESS TO REVERSE FORT MONMOUTH CLOSING APPROVED IN COMMITTEE

TRENTON – A resolution sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher which would urge the President of the United States and Congress to reverse the decision by the Base Relocation and Closure Commission (BRAC) to close Fort Monmouth was approved by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee today by a vote of 4-0.

VITALE BILL TO PROTECT RESERVE SOLDIERS ON MILITARY LEAVE ADVANCES

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would provide additional employment protections for reserve soldiers on military leave in time of war or emergency was approved by the Senate Labor Committee today by a vote of 4-0.

Diane Allen won't run for CongressState Sen. Diane Allen says she will not be a candidate for Jim Saxton’s open House seat next year.

“Now is not the time in my life that I feel prepared to again fight a Democrat opponent as well as a rogue faction of the Burlington County Republican Party simultaneously,” Allen said .

WEINBERG ON CLEAN ELECTIONS PROCESS: KEEP IT, BUT STREAMLINE IT

TRENTON – Senator Loretta Weinberg, whose 37th Legislative District participated in the Clean Elections process, today called the program “a tremendous success” that was especially delightful for what it eliminated – the drudgery of the campaign fundraiser.

“The business community was happy not to have to attend any fundraisers and I was just as happy not to have to run one,” said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen.