1-14-08 ON THE GSCS Homepage at  www.gscschools.org

 

1-14-08 Governor Corzine signed the new school funding formula into law yesterday at Drumthwacket

From Politickernj.com 1-14-08: Gov. Jon Corzine signed his $7.8 billion school funding plan into law yesterday, capping a whirlwind drive that saw the complicated proposal enacted barely a month after it was first unveiled. Today the plan moves to the state Supreme Court, where justices are scheduled to consider whether it meets the constitutional requirement that it guarantee enough state support for every child to receive a "thorough and efficient" public school education. (McNichol, Star-Ledger)

GSCS note: The Governor's Press Office issued 2 releases on bills signed by the Governor yesterday, both releases dated 1-13-08, follow below. One focuses on the school funding bill only; the other releases lists the other 84 bills also signed.

Corzine signs law to alter school funding

by Dunstan McNichol/The Star-Ledger … Sunday January 13, 2008, 8:18 PM

     Gov. Jon Corzine today signed his plan to boost state school aid by $532 million and direct more funding to suburban communities.

     "This historic legislation provides a significant shift away from the ad hoc, patchwork system of state aid that has been used for years" Corzine said during a bill signing at Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton. "Our children, regardles of where they live, will now have the educational resources they truly deserve in order to succeed."

     Corzine signed the bill barely a month after he unveiled a listing showing how much individual communities would receive from the new formula. The bill passed the legislature Jan. 7 with the minimum number of votes necessary for approval in both the Assembly and Senate.

     Under the law, general state aid to the state's 618 school districts would rise to $7.8 billion for the upcoming school year. The plan includes state aid boosts of at least 2 percent for every community, with scores of communities scheduled to see their aid jump by 20 percent.

     The plan also begins to cut back on the state's commitment to funding improvements in the so-called Abbott communities, the 31 needy cities that have received billions of dollars in special state aid through the lawsuit, Abbott v. Burke.

     Corzine still must receive approval for his formula from the state Supreme Court. He said Attorney General Anne Milgram is scheduled to formally notify the court of the formula's adoption Monday.

     Read more in Monday's Star-Ledger, and to see a projection of how the school funding plan would affect your school district, visit our interactive table at New Jersey by the Numbers.

Signed into law, school aid plan faces test

Supreme Court will decide if new funding formula passes constitutional muster [ Mon., 1-14-08]

BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL Star-Ledger Staff Gov. Jon Corzine signed his $7.8 billion school funding plan into law yesterday, capping a whirlwind drive that saw the complicated proposal enacted barely a month after it was first unveiled.

Today the plan moves to the state Supreme Court, where justices are scheduled to consider whether it meets the constitutional requirement that it guarantee enough state support for every child to receive a "thorough and efficient" public school education.

"We have great confidence that we have laid down a fair and equitable aid formula for all our schools and all our children across the state," Corzine said.

Yesterday, during a 30-minute signing ceremony at Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, neither Corzine nor the lawmakers who approved the plan last week expressed any doubt about the formula's fairness.

"This formula will go a long way to ensuring that children, wherever they may live, will get the education they deserve to expect," said Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex), sponsor of the measure in the Senate.

Corzine's plan, which boosts school aid by $532 million, is the first attempt in a decade to rewrite the ground rules that determine how New Jersey distributes almost $8 billion in school aid each year.

Three previous formulas have been determined unconstitutional, largely because the state Supreme Court determined the state aid plan relied too heavily on property taxes to finance schools in poor communities whose residents were incapable of raising the money required.

The latest set of rulings, in a case labeled Abbott vs. Burke, resulted in a series of court orders that have forced the state to steer billions of dollars in special aid to 31 needy communities, in an effort to ensure those communities have as much to spend on their students as the state's wealthiest communities.

As a result of the court orders, the state's current budget includes $4.4 billion for the so-called Abbott districts covered by the court order, while providing only $3.3 billion for the balance of the state's 618 school districts.

Corzine's formula attempts to resolve the Abbott question by establishing an amount needed to cover the expenses of providing students in various circumstances an "adequate" education, regardless of whether they live in a poor or wealthy community.

"This is really a watershed moment for education in New Jersey," said Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Gloucester), co-chairman of a special legislative committee that studied school funding as an element of property tax relief during a special session in 2006. "We are setting a new course."

Under Corzine's formula, the pattern of regular, generous increases to all the districts covered by the Abbott rulings will come to an end, projections show.

After across-the-board increases in aid this year, the new formula will hold state aid flat for 20 of the 31 Abbott communities, projections by the state Department of Education show. Critics say that will effectively cost the Abbott communities tens of millions of dollars, forcing them to scale back reforms funded by the court-ordered aid.

That prospect was one reason lawmakers from urban districts, including all six African-American state senators, voted against the new formula.

The measure squeaked through the Assembly with the minimum 41 votes needed. In the Senate, the measure hung in doubt with only 20 votes for three hours, while lobbyists and lawmakers grappled to win the 21st vote needed for passage. Eventually, after Corzine agreed to add $20 million in extra funding for students with autism and other special needs, the measure was adopted with 23 votes.

Today, Corzine said, state Attorney General Anne Milgram is scheduled to send a letter to the Supreme Court informing them the new formula has been adopted and asking them how they would like to go about reviewing it.

"They are requesting a formulization from them about how the Supreme Court wants to handle that," Corzine said. "It's more of a notification letter."

 

Editorial: A senator's happy landing                 Saturday, January 12, 2008

Maybe former Republican state Sen. Nicholas Asselta -- whose tenure ended this week -- supported Gov. Jon Cor zine's controversial $7.8 billion school funding bill because he was convinced the plan was fis cally smart, constitutionally sound and a well-thought-out solution to the state's long-run ning school funding woes.

Maybe he believes the 100-plus-page bill, with 14 amendments added just days before passage, is chock-full of important changes that will benefit the children in his district. But it is hard to understand why he would hold that view since he represents two school districts that are among the poorest in the state and are most likely to be hurt under the new plan.

For those very reasons, the two Democrats from the district, Assemblymen Jeff Van Drew and Nelson Albano, could not bring themselves to support the Democratic governor's school funding formula.

We can't help but wonder if Asselta was motivated by self- interest -- not an interest in the children who live in the 1st Legislative District.

Like outgoing legislators be fore him, Asselta let it be known that he was eye-balling a position on the Board of Pub lic Utilities. And, just hours after Asselta cast his crucial vote, his appointment to the BPU was approved by Corzine.

Going from the Legislature to the BPU, Asselta's income will jump from $49,000 a year to $125,301. Brad Abelow, Cor zine's chief of staff, said he didn't know of any link between the job and the vote. Like Cap tain Renault in "Casablanca," he seems to be "shocked -- shocked -- to find that gambling is going on here."

Does anyone really expect the public to believe Corzine launched a statewide search and just happened to find the most qualified candidate for the BPU sitting in the Senate chambers?

 

 

NEWS RELEASE

Governor Jon S. Corzine

January 13, 2008

 FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Press Office – 609-777-2600

 GOVERNOR SIGNS HISTORIC SCHOOL FUNDING REFORM INITIATIVE

PRINCETON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed the School Funding Reform Act of 2008, establishing for the first time in a decade a new system of funding for public school districts throughout New Jersey.

"This historic legislation that I am signing today provides a significant shift away from the ad-hoc, patchwork system of state aid that has been used for years to fund our schools," said Governor Corzine. "I am proud that with this new law, we are finally putting the needs of all children on an equal footing by replacing a flawed system with this equitable, balanced and non-partisan formula. Our children, regardless of where they live, will now have the educational resources they truly deserve in order to succeed."

The new formula builds upon the state's existing high quality educational system which tops the nation in per-pupil spending. Under the new formula, approximately $7.8 billion will be distributed for K-12 education for the FY2009 fiscal year, an increase of approximately $550 million. All districts will receive a state aid increase of at least 2 percent during the first year, and no districts will see a decrease in total state aid during the first three years of the program. Decreases in aid in later years would only occur if districts experience significant declines in overall enrollment or in enrollment categories.

 

Furthermore, the School Funding Reform Act of 2008 calls for an expansion of high quality preschool for all at-risk students across the state.  This initiative will be phased in over six years and will lead to improvements in educational outcomes and economic benefits.

 

"The Governor should be applauded for the time and energy that went into developing an equitable school funding plan that addresses the individual needs of New Jersey students.  It's time that we had a 21st century formula to address 21st century needs," said Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex).

 

 "New Jersey is filling a policy void that has been allowed to languish for far too long," said Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D-Camden).  "Our schools and taxpayers deserve the certainty in funding that only a constitutional and equitable formula can provide."

 

"We finally have a funding formula that treats every district fairly and breaks down the arbitrary walls separating Abbott and non-Abbott school districts," said Senator Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex).  "This is only the first step in making sure every child receives a high quality education, no matter where he or she lives."

 

The work on developing a formula began more than half a decade ago, and the legislation is the result of intensive work by Department of Education, administration officials, legislators and stakeholders.

 

"This a major step forward for education reform in our state," said Education Commissioner Lucille E. Davy.  "The new funding formula ties together a number of initiatives that the Governor and the department have been working on for two years:  It helps to ensure that all of our children are prepared for success in the 21st century world by providing for an equitable distribution of resources and it increases the resources we are providing.  It also requires districts to adhere to the efficiency reforms embodied in CORE and the district performance accountability reforms embodied in the new state monitoring system and the new student level data base."

 

The Attorney General has stated that the new formula meets the constitutional requirement of providing a thorough and efficient system of education for New Jersey students.

 

"After decades of court rulings and ad-hoc funding plans that balkanized our state, New Jersey finally has a formula that every student, school, and taxpayer can depend on," said Assemblyman Joseph Vas (D-Middlesex).  "We have removed the blinders that prevented us from viewing each child as equal to his or her peers, drove a wedge between our cities and suburbs, and pushed our property tax system to the very brink of collapse."

 

"Today marks the end of a journey that has spanned six years, three administrations, and thousands of work hours," said Assemblyman Herb Conaway, M.D . (D-Burlington).  "This is a formula we believe the state Supreme Court will agree meets needs of students, communities, boards, and taxpayers – all of whom crave certainty and predictability for the future."

 

Senator Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) was the primary sponsor of A500/S4000 in the Senate. In addition to Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr. (D-Camden), Assemblymen Joseph Vas (D-Middlesex) and Herb Conaway, Jr., M.D. (D-Burlington), other primary sponsors of the bill were Assemblymen Louis D. Greenwald (D-Camden), Joseph Cryan (D-Union), John J. Burzichelli (D-Gloucester), Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. (D-Middlesex), David R. Mayer (D-Gloucester) and Neil M. Cohen (D-Union

____________________________________________________________ _________________________

NEWS RELEASE

Governor Jon S. Corzine

January 13, 2008

 FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Press Office – 609-777-2600

GOVERNOR CORZINE SIGNS LEGISLATION

 TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine signed the following bills into law today:

 S-68/A-2632 (Adler/Gusciora) – Amends wrongful death act to clarify that surviving children continue to share in any recovery awarded under that act.

 S-317/A-2538 (Madden, Bryant/Mayer) – Abolishes battleship foundation and commission.

 S-322/A-4616 (Madden/Stender) – Requires on-time performance data in NJ Transit annual report.

 S-344/A-383 (Bark, Allen, Chatzidakis, McHose/Chatzidakis, McHose) – Requires BPU to establish voluntary program for certification of renewable energy installers.

 SCS for S-360/ACS for A-3428/2186 (Adler, Vitale, Bryant/Conaway, Greenwald, Cohen, Gusciora, Manzo) – Establishes the "New Jersey False Claim Act."

 S-721/A-2144 (Inverso, Girgenti/Greenstein) – Establishes owners responsibility to provide information relating to certain motor vehicle accidents.

 S-781/A-490 (Madden, Buono/Bateman) – Expands scope of implied consent for BAC testing to include certain underage drivers who have consumed alcohol.

 S-824/A-1399 (Vitale, Lance, Doherty, Chivukula) – Provides for commencement of short term tax exemptions and abatements as a date of completion of project.

 SCS for S-843/2146/ACS for A-2039/3841 (Bark, Madden, Weinberg/Chatzidakis, Bateman, Biondi, Handlin, Stender) – Requires certain State buildings to be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards.

 S-967/A-3284 (Buono/Diegnan, Chivukula) – Clarifies neuro-imaging criteria for primary stroke centers.

 S-1848/A-3104 (Bark, Lance/Chatzidakis, Bodine) – Requires commercial pesticide applicators and operators to contact agricultural agencies prior to exterminating honey bee colonies; establishes penalties for destruction of man-made hives.

S-1977/A-4304 (Codey, Girgenti, Greenstein, Diegnan, Van Drew) – Creates the "Internet Dating Safety Act," requiring Internet dating services to provide notice whether the service conducts criminal background screenings.

 S-1978/A-4096 (Codey, Girgenti/Greenstein, Chivukula, Voss, Manzo, Vas) – Provides for mandatory term of imprisonment for luring and enticing an adult; increases mandatory term for luring and enticing a child.

 S-2055/A-3943 (Sweeney, Kavanaugh/Burzichelli, Scalera) – Increases fees and penalties under the "Explosives Act."

 S-2098/A-3508 (Littell, Palaia/McHose, Conners) – Provides free admission for veterans to State parks and forests during events held by veterans' organizations and free use of park and forest facilities for events held by veterans' organizations.

 S-2199/A-3918 (Buono/Diegnan, Caraballo, Stack, Greenstein) – Requires written notice to be provided to county health departments and local health agencies concerning contaminated sites.

 S-2203/A-3453 (Vitale, T.Kean/Cohen, Munoz, Evans) – Requires NJ Disease Management Study Commission to assess how disease management programs can impact Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare.

 S-2240/A-3536 (B.Smith, Ciesla/Chivukula, Handlin, McKeon) – Requires DEP to conduct public hearing and provide opportunity for public comment at conclusion of feasibility study for shore protection projects.

 S-2255/ACS for A-3643 (Weinberg/Vainieri Huttle, Johnson, Voss, Greenstein) – "Patricia's Law"; model Missing Persons Legislation.

 S-2326/A-3523 (Turner, Rice/Quigley, Wisniewski, Bodine) – Authorizes suspension of motor vehicle registration.

 S-2329/A-3235 (Turner/Prieto, Wisniewski, Voss) – Establishes a public awareness campaign concerning the importance of keeping a current address with MVC.

 S-2331/A-3524 (Turner, Sacco/Quigley, Wisniewski) – Renames New Jersey Rating Plan and provides for changes in procedures for payment of outstanding surcharges.

 S-2332/A-3526 (Turner/Wisniewski, Quigley, Cohen) – Authorizes payment options for certain motor vehicle fines and fees.

 SCS for S-2431/ACS for A-3035 (Girgenti, Sarlo/Barnes, Johnson, Manzo, Gordon) – Establishes as crime of the second degree unlawful possession of certain handguns.

 SCS for S-2480/ACS for A-3975 (Codey/Watson Coleman, Evans) – Requires MVC to provide minor's motor vehicle record to parent or guardian.

 SCS for S-2490/AS for A-3570 (Weinberg, T.Kean/Diegnan, Cryan, Munoz, Payne, Gregg) – "Billy's Law"; requires DCF and DHS to establish regulations for out-of-State placements in residential schools and programs.

 S-2522/A-4047 (Vitale, Coniglio/Truitt) – Requires removal of snow and ice from handicapped parking spaces 24 hours after inclement weather and increases penalties for violations.

 SCS for S-2645/A-4332 (Karcher/McKeon, Manzo, Gordon, Vainieri Huttle) – Establishes NJ Coastal and Ocean Protection Council; appropriates $75,000.

 S-2733/A-4278 (Sweeney/Caraballo, Fisher) – Revises law concerning sales representatives to permit treble damages when a principal fails to pay earned commissions within 30 days of termination.

 S-2743/A-4625 (Doria/Manzo, Diegnan) – Revises procedures for condemnation of certain property and use of the power of eminent domain by railroads.

 S-2792/A-4638 (Sacco, Sarlo/Prieto) – Authorizes tenure in office for certain county road supervisors.

 S-2879/A-4033 (Adler/Panter, Vandervalk) – Requires secondary registration for certain out-of-State properties to be advertised to New Jersey residents.

 SCS for S-2887/ACS for AS for A-4401 (Codey/Watson Coleman, McKeon, Cruz-Perez) – Regulates prepaid telephone calling cards and services.

 S-2888/A-4662 (Codey, Rice/Caraballo) – Requires payment of interest by employer on delinquent payroll taxes imposed under "Local Tax Authorization Act."

 S-2889/A-4642 (Kenny, Allen/Chivukula) – Amends fiscal year 2008 annual appropriations act to allocate $250,000 from Governor's Literacy Volunteers of New Jersey, Inc.

 S-2891/A-4661 (Rice/Caraballo) – Authorizes imposition of special event parking tax surcharge in certain municipalities; authorizes imposition of parking tax by certain municipalities on any parking facility located therein.

 S-2930/A-4570 (Girgenti, Sacco/Watson Coleman, Fisher) – Grants the court discretion regarding imposition of penalties for certain drug offenses and to allow "reformative service" to satisfy a portion of such penalties when certain conditions are met.

 S-2932/A-2697 (Girgenti, Sacco/Cohen) – Establishes the transport of firearms into State for purposes of an unlawful sale or transfer as a crime of the second degree.

 S-2934/A-4620 (Turner/Manzo, Johnson) – Requires owner to report loss or theft of firearm to policy within 36 hours.

 SCS for S-2936/A-4554 (B.Smith, Buono/McKeon, Chivukula) – Revises law concerning electric power net metering, safety and power quality interconnection standards; requires BPU to adopt certain renewable energy credit rules.

 S-2949/A-4585 (Weinberg, Scutari/Roberts, Chivukula) – Changes deadline for voter-verified paper record of votes cast on voting machines to June 3, 2008.

 S-2971/A-4611 (Rice/Caraballo) – Authorizes municipalities to impose a 5% surcharge on admission charges for admissions to certain major places of amusement.

 S-2975/A-4591 (Buono, Weinberg/Caraballo, Vainieri Huttle, Chivukula, McKeon) – Revises laws concerning hate crimes and bullying; establishes Commission on Bullying in Schools.

 S-3025/A-4660 (Lesniak, Kyrillos/Quigley, Cryan) – Clarifies that certain political contribution disclosures that must be made annually to ELEC and prior to entering into certain public contracts apply only to for-profit business entities and not to nonprofit entities.

 A-357/S-351 (Chatzidakis, Chivukula/Bark, Cardinale) – Allows counties, municipalities and school districts to join with the State under certain circumstances for provision of alternative electrical energy systems.

  A-374/S-866 (Chatzidakis, Bodine/Bark) – Permits municipal utilities authorities to promote production and use of alternative electrical energy.

A-734 (Blee, Van Drew) – Provides that information about residence of persons licensed by certain professional boards shall not be disclosed to the public.

 A-856 (Stanley, Payne, Stack) – Concerns location of certain highway entry or exit ramps and schools.

 A-1448/S-567 (Conners, Van Drew, Prieto/McNamara, Sweeney) – Expands eligibility for NJ Distinguished Service Medal and commemorative Vietnam service medal and ribbon to certain long-term and former State residents.

 A-1696/S-80 (Fisher, Van Drew, Burzichelli, Manzo/T.Kean, Bucco) – Lowers the minimum full-time jobs requirement for business relocation and retention tax credits.

 ACS for A-1886/SCS for S-557 (McKeon, Gusciora/B.Smith, Martin) – "Recycling Enhancement Act."

  A-2078/S-1265 (Stanley, Vas/Turner) – Clarifies the entities able to participate in school district joint self-insurance groups.

 A-2158/S-206 (Mayer, McHose, Vas, Van Drew/Allen, Girgenti) – Revises qualifications to carry firearms for certain retired police officers.

 A-2224/S-1981 (Van Drew, Giblin, Albano/Bucco, Girgenti) – Authorizes trained and qualified county corrections to carry a firearm at all times in New Jersey.

 A-2281 (Cryan, Payne, Lampitt, Gordon) – Requires suicide and mental health screening of juveniles in county detention centers.

 A-2379/S-1757 (Caraballo, Munoz, Conaway/Vitale) – "Access to Medical Research Act"; authorizes certain persons to give informed consent for medical research if subject of research is unable to give consent.

 A-2426/S-188 (Chivukula, Vas, Wisniewski/Doria, Sarlo) – Allows disabled veteran's surviving spouse to claim property tax exemption when veteran's disability declaration is granted after death.

 A-2602/S-2470 (Manzo, Johnson, Sires/Turner) – Regulates sale of ammunition.

 A-2726/S-1946 (Conners, Cruz-Perez, Greenstein, Vainieri Huttle, Van Drew/Allen, Inverso) – Establishes Commission on Women Veterans.

 A-2861/S-1679 (Burzichelli, Fisher/Sweeney) – Adds four members to South Jersey Port Corporation.

 A-2976/S-3009 (Conners, Chatzidakis, Mayer, Voss/Adler) – Provides mandatory fines and community service for theft of headstones, headstone markers, flags or flag holders from grave sites.

 A-3022/S-1923 (Panter, Chivukula/Karcher, Sarlo) – Prohibits payment of temporary disability benefits when disability is incurred as result of fourth degree crime or gross misconduct.

 A-3259/S-2678 (Caraballo, Biondi/Lesniak, Cardinale) – Revises "Athletic Training Licensure Act."

  A-3408/S-2169 (Cohen, Bateman/Sweeney, Cardinale) – Excludes certain commercial lines insurance risks from provisions of standard fire policy.

 A-3451/S-2488 (Schaer, Cohen/Weinberg, Sarlo) – Makes it unlawful to discriminate against employees because of religious practices.

 A-3458/S-2679 (Cohen, Bateman, Vandervalk/Lesniak) – Regulates dormancy fees for money orders.

 ACS for A-3623/SCS for S-2387 (Watson Coleman, Payne/Girgenti, Sarlo) – Establishes certificate of rehabilitation for certain persons with criminal records.

 A-3938/SCS for S-2491 (Burzichelli, Cryan, Van Drew, Manzo, Vas, Fisher/Sweeney) – Broadens the exception for small businesses under the UEZ sales tax rebate program.

A-4025/S-2847 (Quigley, Roberts, Prieto/Doria, Weinberg) – Creates new alcoholic beverage license for facilities that teach winemaking.

A-4044/SCS for S-2728 (Conaway, Chivukula, Prieto, Greenstein, Gordon, Munoz, Vas/Vitale, Buono) – "New Jersey Health Information Technology Act"; establishes New Jersey Health Information Technology Commission and Office for e-HIT, and provides for Statewide health information technology plan.

 A-4076/S-2604 (Cryan, Voss, Wolfe, Vas, Stanley/Sweeney, Doria) – Places the burden of proof and the burden of production on school districts in due process hearings conducted to resolve special education issues.

 A-4086/S-2149 (McKeon, Greenstein, Panter, Epps/Scutari, Bark) – Requires purchasing agents to complete a course in green product purchasing; requires Department of Treasury to compile and maintain a list of green product purchasing sources.

 A-4088/S-2606 (Wisniewski, Johnson/Lesniak) – Amends "Waterfront Commission Act" to clarify grounds for denial of license applications and revocation of licenses, and provides for postponement of certain hearings.

 A-4225/S-2695 (Cryan, Gusciora, Hackett, Vas, Vainieri Huttle/Codey, Lesniak) – Enacts the "Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote."

 A-4338/S-65 (Wisniewski, Watson Coleman/Sacco, Ciesla) – Revises organization and certain functions of Motor Vehicle Commission.

 ACS for A-4421/4599/SCS for S-2858 (Greenwald, Schaer, Gusciora, Malone, Vas/Doria, Buono) – Amends language to annual appropriations act to eliminate moratorium on Medicaid reimbursement to new pharmacies and medical supplies sold in pharmacies.

 A-4455/SCS for S-2536 (Caraballo, Biondi, Prieto/Gill) – Provides for licensure of massage and bodywork therapists and registration of their employers.

 A-4479/S-2893 (Fisher, Albano, Van Drew/Sweeney) – Revises statutory law concerning shellfisheries.

 A-4518/S-2942 (Green/Sweeney) – Increases license fee for owning or operating rooming or boarding house.

 ACS for ACS for A-4559/SCS for S-2976 (Chivukula, McKeon, Stender, Manzo, Watson Coleman/Sweeney, B.Smith) – Authorizes auction of greenhouse gas allowances; establishes "Global Warming Solutions Fund."

 A-4582/S-2940 (Watson Coleman, Bramnick, Manzo/Girgenti, Sarlo) – Creates offenses of gang criminality and promoting organized street crime.

 A-4618/S-2633 (Cryan, Cohen/Vitale, Rice) – Clarifies independent status of Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission and increases annual employee surcharge that funds program.

 A-4619/S-2979 (Stender, Evans/Adler) – Concerns wages and training provided by public utility contractors.

 A-4667/S-3017 (Wisniewski, Vas, Chivukula/Vitale) – Permits municipal calculation of reserve for uncollected taxes by alternate method when tax appeal judgments are at least 0.75% of tax levy.