MANVILLE: CAPITOL NEWS AND COMMENT

The following items are taken from reports issued by legislators and other items of political concern.
Foreclosure
   In an effort to address the impact of the foreclosure crisis on New Jersey, senators M. Teresa Ruiz and Fred H. Madden have sponsored legislation that would help to minimize neighborhood eyesores and health and safety risks associated with vacant and abandoned properties.
   The bill has been approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
   ”The foreclosure crisis has resulted in vacant and abandoned properties in neighborhoods across the state,” said Sen. Ruiz, D-Essex. “Unfortunately, when a bank takes ownership of a home, upkeep and maintenance of the property sometimes falls to the wayside. This problem affects home values but can also threaten the health and safety of residents in the community. The bill would help ensure that towns and cities have the tools necessary to hold the owners responsible for maintaining these properties in order to keep the community clean and safe.”
   The bill, S2921, would help ensure municipalities can hold accountable those responsible for maintaining the properties by creating a registry, a schedule of fees and signage requirements. A property would be considered vacant and abandoned if it is not legally occupied by a mortgagor or tenant for residential or business purposes, it cannot be legally reoccupied and at least two conditions, which indicate abandonment exist.
   The title holder or mortgage lender responsible for maintaining a property that is vacant or abandoned at the time of the bill’s enactment would have 30 days from the bill’s effective date to register the property with the clerk of the municipality in which the property is located.
   Those responsible for a property that becomes vacant or abandoned after the bill is enacted would have 90 days from the date when the property becomes vacant or abandoned to register the property or 30 days after the responsible party assumes ownership or responsibility for the property, whichever is later.
   A municipality would be permitted to establish by ordinance a fee of not more than $250 for a certificate of registration for a vacant and abandoned property. A fee of not more than $500 would be permitted for a renewal if there is an outstanding property maintenance or code violation that remains unabated at the time of renewal.
   A fee of not more than $750 would be permitted for a subsequent renewal if there continues to be outstanding property maintenance or code violation or there is a new violation on a vacant and abandoned property that remains unabated at the time of renewal, which would be required annually.
   ”Vacant and abandoned properties are not only eyesores in the neighborhood, they also affect property values and can pose a significant health and safety risk to local residents,” Sen. Madden said. “This measure will ensure that local officials have a registry with information on which homes within the community are vacant and may require law enforcement monitoring or maintenance. It will also provide municipalities with a mechanism to help to relieve the financial burden on taxpayers, who are forced to bear the cost of maintenance when a municipality steps in to clean up an unsafe or dilapidated property because the lien holder is not providing the necessary upkeep.”
   The committee approved the bill by a vote of 3-0. It now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Municipal audits
   Legislation sponsored by Sen. Ronald L. Rice, which would require the state comptroller to perform a compliance audit to ensure municipalities, which receive poor marks following a performance audit, have taken the proper steps to address waste and abuse within their borders, has been approved by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
   ”Unless municipalities are willing to do the proper follow-through on performance audits of waste and abuse within their borders, these documents simply aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on,” said Sen. Rice, D-Essex. “As municipalities are continually being asked to do more with less, we have to make sure that funds are spent with a level of oversight, accountability and transparency to guarantee they aren’t being wasted. This bill would make sure that local officials act quickly and decisively to end waste, fraud and abuse of the taxpayers’ trust.”
   The bill, S1345, would require the Office of State Comptroller to conduct a compliance audit of a municipality to verify it has implemented a corrective action plan following a performance audit conducted by the Department of Community Affairs.
   Under the bill, the compliance audit must begin no less than 120 days following the submittal of a copy of the performance audit to the state comptroller, and the compliance audit must be completed within 12 months.
   In addition, the bill would permit the director of the Division of Local Government Services within DCA to refer findings that may constitute alleged criminal activity to the attorney general or other appropriate prosecutorial authority for further civil or administrative action.
   Under current law, the state comptroller is required to perform subsequent reviews on comptroller-performed audits, but no similar requirement is in place for DCA-conducted auditing.
   ”Rather than looking the other way when it comes to complying with an audit, we need to keep the pressure on our elected local leaders and force them to address issues revealed through an audit in a timely and appropriate manner,” Sen. Rice said. “This bill would make sure that municipal leaders can’t drag their feet in complying with an audit and are, instead, doing everything in their power to safeguard the taxpayers’ trust and taxpayer dollars.”
   The committee approved the bill by a vote of 3-0. It now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Vets in nursing
   In an effort to help military veterans transition into civilian employment, Sen. Jeff Van Drew has sponsored legislation to encourage nursing schools to give academic credit to veteran students for medical experience in the United States military.
   The bill has been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee.
   ”Military veterans have the training and experience for a vast array of jobs in the civilian workforce,” said Sen. Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic. “Especially in the health-care field, where workers will be in high demand in the coming years, we should provide the help necessary to ease transition into the field for those with experience. By encouraging nursing schools to give academic credit for training in the military, we will help not only our state, but also veterans seeking work when they return home.”
   Military veterans are well-trained to fill private sector positions in high-demand and high-growth occupations due to their training and experience. However, it can be difficult to translate their skills and knowledge to employment due to credentialing required in many fields.
   A registered nurse typically must receive a diploma from an approved nursing program and must pass the National Council of Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
   The bill (S1991) would direct the Board of Nursing to encourage nursing schools to consider granting a nursing student, who served in the United States military, academic credit toward the student’s nursing degree for the student’s prior training and experience as a Naval corpsman or Army medic.
   Although a medic or corpsman’s experience is related to nursing, his or her training is not equivalent to the training received in a nursing program, but his or her experience could translate to academic credit toward a nursing degree, and this bill would encourage schools of nursing to grant credit for this experience.
   The Commerce Committee approved the measure by a vote of 6-0. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Transportation
   A bill sponsored by Sen. Ronald L. Rice that would require the public reporting of contract awards for federally-funded transportation projects in New Jersey and the number of jobs created through the projects, including participation by women and minorities, has been approved by the Senate Transportation Committee.
   ”As we continue the process of rebuilding our state, we must ensure that all contractors are given fair consideration and that women and minorities in particular are provided the opportunity for employment in the jobs that are being created,” said Sen. Rice, D-Essex. “This measure will not only help to monitor the award of contracts paid for with federal funds, but also will give us an idea of who is reaping the benefit.”
   The bill, S1591, would require the state transportation commissioner, in consultation with the chief technology officer in the Office of Information Technology, to develop and maintain a searchable website on which the commissioner would publish notice of each transportation-related infrastructure project or activity and the cost or contract price to be paid with federal funds.
   The notice would be required to include information regarding whether an entity responsible for coordinating and conducting a project or activity is certified as a minority business or a women’s business by the director of the Division of Revenue in the Department of the Treasury and the number of state residents and the number of women and minorities employed as a result of the project or activity.
   Other required information would include”
   • The name and address of the entity responsible for coordinating and conducting the project or activity.
   • The names of the principal officers and directors of the entity and, if the entity coordinating and conducting the project or activity is a subsidiary of another entity, the name and address of the parent entity and the names of its principal officers and directors.
   • A description of the project or activity and a statement of its purpose.
   • The cost or price of the project or activity.
   • The beginning and termination dates of the project or activity.
   • The state agency responsible for administering federal funds allocated to the project or activity.
   All information would have to be posted no later than 30 days after the date federal funds are first allocated by or on behalf of a state agency.
   The bill provides that the website must be maintained and operated by the commissioner not later than 30 days after the effective date of the bill, and the state comptroller must monitor the website, report any inconsistencies or irregularities identified through written notification to the governor, Senate president and Assembly speaker.
   An annual report by the comptroller also would be required.
   ”With billions of dollars coming into New Jersey from the federal government, it is critical that money is allocated in a fair and transparent manner,” Sen. Rice said. “This website will allow taxpayers to track where federal aid for transportation projects is being spent and which companies are being awarded contracts.”
   The bill was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee by a vote of 4-0. It now heads to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Pregnancy
   Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg’s legislation to counter an increase in discriminatory practices and treatment for the growing number of pregnant women in the workplace has been approved by the Senate Labor Committee.
   The bill, The Pregnant Women’s Fairness Act, (S2995) would add clear and definitive language to the existing Law Against Discrimination to include pregnancy to help prevent the mistreatment of pregnant women and to ensure reasonable accommodations are available in the workplace.
   The committee’s action comes one week after the 35th anniversary of the landmark federal law to protect pregnant women from employment discrimination.
   ”The federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act was an important step forward for workplace equality because it outlawed overt and blatant discrimination of pregnant women, who were regularly fired or refused employment,” Sen. Weinberg said. “However, pregnancy discrimination persists. In fact, complaints about unfair treatment due to pregnancy have increased substantially with more women in the workforces.”
   The federal law bans employers from firing or refusing to hire a pregnant woman, but it does not regulate treatment of women who become pregnant while on the job.
   The proposed state law would require employers to make reasonable accommodations when requested by a pregnant employee with the advice of her physician so the woman could continue to work. The accommodations could include permission to carry water bottles, to take frequent bathroom breaks or to transfer to positions that are less hazardous or less physically demanding.
   The accommodations would have to be “feasible,” according to the bill.
   ”Unfortunately, pregnant women continue to be subjected to discriminatory treatment on the job in ways that are blatant or subtle,” Sen. Weinberg said. “Low-wage workers are especially susceptible to on-the-job conditions that are unfair and unhealthy because they are more likely to have physically demanding jobs and less obliging employers. They are frequently denied basic accommodations in work environments that can be hostile to employee flexibility, and they are more likely to lose income, insurance coverage and even their jobs.”
   The Pregnant Women’s Fairness Act is modeled after the Americans With Disabilities Act, Sen. Weinberg said.
   According to 2010 data, 64 percent of women in New Jersey who gave birth were employed during that year. A large proportion of the women were the sole or primary breadwinners for their families. Nationally, 75 percent of women will become pregnant at some point while employed.
   When pregnant women are denied reasonable accommodations, they often have no choice but to continue in their jobs under unhealthy conditions, risking their own health as well as that of their babies. If they lose their jobs, they lose critical income for themselves and their families, and they later can struggle to re-enter a job market that is especially brutal for mothers with infants.
   Conversely, businesses benefit when their pregnant workers can continue in their jobs through employee retention, improved morale, increased productivity and reduced training costs. Turnover alone can cost an employer between 50 percent to 150 percent of an employee’s annual pay.
Mold cleanup
   Legislation sponsored by Sen. Robert Singer that would help assure best practices are utilized in the inspection and cleanup of mold in residential buildings and school facilities has been advanced by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
   The measure also would establish a certification program for mold abatement and inspection workers.
   ”In the aftermaths of Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy, many property owners have been left to deal with mold after moving back into flooded-out homes,” said Sen. Singer, R-Monmouth, Ocean. “By establishing clear procedures for mold inspection and remediation, families will be better informed about the safety of their home and can have greater assurance that work performed on their home is done properly.”
   Sen. Singer’s S2081 would require the state Department of Community Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, to adopt rules that establish procedures for the identification, inspection and abatement of mold in residential buildings and school facilities.
   The bill also requires mold abatement and inspection workers to be certified through programs established by the DCA.
   ”Mold can be tough to detect and remediate and in the confines of a home can cause a plethora of dangerous health problems,” Sen. Singer said. “This legislation will set up specific procedures to help protect families from what can be an avoidable nightmare of ill effects.”
   S2081 now will go before the full Senate for approval.
Disabled’s housing
   Legislation sponsored by Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, prohibiting homeowners associations from barring home modifications or additions needed to accommodate a disabled resident has been advanced by the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.
   ”Many disabled residents are forced to make home modifications or build a ramp in order to assure they are able to safely move about their home,” Sen. Bucco said. “Residents who need to make these types of changes to their home to assure safety and a better quality of life shouldn’t be precluded from doing so because of overly rigid rules by a homeowners association.”
   Sen. Bucco’s bill, S1828, prohibits homeowners associations from adopting or enforcing rules, which limit or prohibit the alteration or construction of any structure on the property of a single-family home that’s reasonably necessary for a physically disabled person residing in the home.
   Under provisions of the bill, the home alteration or construction must be necessitated by the recommendation of a doctor. Homeowners associations still would be able to adopt rules to regulate the alteration or construction of any structure to ensure the structure does not threaten public safety, restrict necessary maintenance activities or interfere with the property rights of another.
Singleton
   Building One New Jersey honored Assemblyman Troy Singleton on Nov. 14 at its 10th anniversary banquet in Trenton for his efforts to pursue social justice in New Jersey and promote diverse and inclusive regions.
   Bishop John Gandy, president of BONJ, said, “Assemblyman Singleton is a trailblazer who works tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. He is dedicated to achieving fully and fairly funded schools in New Jersey and supports the infrastructure investments that that will create jobs and keep our state economically competitive. We are happy to partner with Assemblyman Singleton in positively shaping New Jersey’s future.”
   Assemblyman Singleton was honored as BONJ’s 2013 Steadfast and Loyal Friend of the Year for his work to maintain and expand the middle class, including his efforts to promote diverse and inclusive communities like those of New Jersey’s 7th legislative district and his support for equitable school funding, including full funding of the School Funding Reform Act of 2008, which promotes inclusive communities.
   ”I am honored to receive this award from Building One New Jersey,” said Assemblyman Singleton, D-Burlington. “We share the goal of every child being prepared for the jobs of the 21st century and receiving the science, math and technical training that is needed to compete in a world economy. Equitable funding for our school districts will help ensure this.”
   Representing towns in Burlington County, Assemblyman Singleton is a member of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 255 and serves on the executive staff of the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters. He also has served on the Burlington County Bridge Commission since 2009.
   BONJ’s banquet, celebrating social justice, economic growth and environmental sustainability, took place at the Historic Masonic Temple, 100 Barracks St.
   Others honored at this year’s annual banquet were Gov. Chris Christie, Congressman Frank Pallone, Marcia Marley (Succeed2gether), Sandra Mordecai (West Orange Board of Education) and the Rev. John Scotland (Community Presbyterian Church in Brigantine).
   BONJ is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of local elected officials, religious congregations and other community organizations promoting inclusive communities and opportunity for all.
   During the past year, BONJ organized a national summit in Washington, D.C., that built bipartisan congressional support for transportation and infrastructure investments that will create needed jobs. The organization also conducted six policy briefings around the state with more than 1,000 leaders, which enabled BONJ to successfully defend equitable education funding and fair affordable housing policy in New Jersey.