Potential Changes to Joan's Law and Kyleigh's Law

A few weeks ago, Patch dug into some of Assemblyman Robert Schroeder's  and today we do the same again. This week's group of 10 bills has a heavy focus on law enforcement.

Back in March, Schroeder was busy promotingA2506 an amendment to "" to require life imprisonment without parole for persons convicted of the murder of a minor under the age of 18 in the course of the commission of a sex crime.

Named after Joan D’Alessandro, a 7-year-old in Hillsdale who had been selling Girl Scout cookies when her neighbor, Joseph McGowan, raped and murdered her in 1973.

A3110 would increase the minimum penalty for aggravated manslaughter under certain circumstances from 10 to 30 years to a sentence of of 15 to 30 years.

Aggravated manslaughter occurs when the defendant recklessly causes death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life.

Co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, A2650 amends Kyleigh's Law to remove the requirement that the holder of a special learner's permit, examination permit, and probationary driver's license display a red decal.

Under current law, a novice driver is required to display this decal when driving. But if approved, this does not affect any other restrictions under Kyleigh's Law such as prohibiting a teen from driving during the hours between 11:01 p.m. and 5 a.m., and limit that driver to one passenger besides any dependents.

Prior to the sale or transfer of a marked or unmarked police patrol car, A3209 requires all equipment and markings to be removed first.

Equipment that must be removed include handheld spotlights affixed to the side mirrors, antennas used for police band radio, mobile vision and mobile data terminals, sirens, strobe lights, and any other optional strobe functions typically used by law enforcement. Markings that must be removed include any municipal decal or striping added to the car by the police department.

The equipment and markings must be removed so as to not lead the public to believe that the vehicle is still employed as a patrol vehicle.

Professional NJ sports team speciality license plates could be a reality with the approval of A2989with all net proceeds going to the General Fund. 

The Motor Vehicle Commission is authorized to enter into licensing contracts or agreements with professional sports teams for the design and sale of these license plates. The commission may pursue agreements with professional teams and franchises including those with the National Hockey League; Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.; NASCAR; NFL Properties, LLC; and National Basketball Properties, Inc.

Also co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Vandervalk is A2440 to create a  to coordinate management and flood prevention of waterways flowing between Bergen County, NJ and Rockland County, NY. 

The bill would create an 18-member Rockland-Bergen Bistate River Commission to facilitate the cooperation of governments in New Jersey and New York to protect the streams flowing south from Rockland County into Bergen County including the Hackensack River, Sparkill Brook/Creek, Saddle River, Ramapo/Mahwah River and their tributaries as well as the communities that are prone to flooding.

“This is a common-sense approach to managing waterways that will protect the environment and homes,” Schroeder said. “One town's flooding solution may make things worse for another. Now, our communities can work together to resolve flooding issues in an inclusive, holistic way. We need a regional approach if we are truly going to get a handle on the problem.  This bill will put us a long way toward that goal.”

Members would be selected by elected officials of both parties from both states. Its duties would include coordinating a comprehensive plan to remediate existing hazards, assessing potential development that could impact the waterways and coordinating environmental cleanup, maintenance and protection efforts.

English may not be the state language currently, but A2269 could make it official. The Assembly State Government Committee has yet to fully discuss this issue.

Under bill A2987, a new Bureau of Fraud Deterrence in the Department of Banking and Insurance will be responsible for enforcing civil violations of the "New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prevention Act," which violations are punishable by the imposition of significant penalties. The bill creates the bureau by renaming the Division of Insurance Fraud Prevention and will work closely with the Department of Law and Public Safety to coordinate civil and criminal investigations and prosecutions.

The Labor Committee will consider A2627 sometime in the future to reduce unemployment benefits and employer unemployment taxes by implementing a number of reforms.

Reforms include lowering the maximum weekly unemployment insurance (UI) from $600 to $550; imposing a waiting period of one week on each benefit claimant; restricting the payment of UI benefits to any claimant who has been suspended or discharged for misconduct connected with work; and prohibintg the payment if extended UI benefits on the basis of the more lenient “total unemployment rate”.

The bill also reduces the UI tax rates, which will be imposed on employers for several years by phasing in, over a four-year period, the increase in employer UI tax rates.

The Assembly State Government Committee could move forward on A2439 to provides that the mileage reimbursement rate payable to a State officer or employee driving a private automobile on State business shall be the same as the standard mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the deductible cost of operating an automobile for business purposes (34.5 cents per mile for 2001). This is also co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Vandervalk.