School Security, Opposing Census Citizenship Question, Automatic Voter Registration, Combating Surprise Medical Bills, New Voter Empowerment Act, Medical Examiner Reform & Limiting Immunization Exemptions up Thursday

Also on Tap: Nuclear/Solar Power, School Nutrition Improvements, 911Modernization, Property Taxes/Charitable Contributions, Protecting Affordable Care Act in New Jersey, Wind Energy & Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act

Jake Honig’s Law Also to be Considered

(TRENTON) – School security, opposing the inclusion of a citizenship question in the 2020 census, automatic voter registration, combating surprise out-of-network medical bills, the New Voter Empowerment Act, reforming the state’s medical examiner system and tightening immunization exemptions highlight Thursday’s Assembly committee hearings.

Also on tap: a solar energy and nuclear power, a 4-bill school nutrition improvement package, modernizing the state’s 911 call system, property taxes as charitable contributions, protecting affordable health care in New Jersey, wind energy and the Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act.

Full agendas can be found here.

The meetings are slated to begin at 10 a.m. and will be streamed live at:

            http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp

            HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

• The Assembly Education Committee and the Senate Education Committee will meet jointly at 10 a.m. to take testimony on issues related to school security.
• A-764 (Caputo/Tucker/Quijano/Vainieri Huttle/Sumter/McKnight) – “Alyssa’s Law”, requires public school buildings to be equipped with emergency light and panic alarm linked to local law enforcement. 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• ACR-121 (Greenwald) – Opposes inclusion of citizenship question in 2020 census; urges New Jersey Congressional Delegation to reject any measure directing Census Bureau to include question. 1 p.m. State and Local Government.
• A-2014 (Coughlin/Schaer/Eustace/Downey/Benson/Wimberly/McKeon/Jasey/ Chiaravalloti) – Automatically registers or updates voter registration as part of driver’s license application or renewal. 1 p.m.Appropriations.
• A-2039 (Coughlin/Schaer/Lampitt) – “Out-of-network Consumer Protection, Transparency, Cost Containment and Accountability Act.” 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-3723 (McKeon/DeAngelo) – Establishes and modifies clean energy and energy efficiency programs; modifies State’s solar renewable energy portfolio standards; and A-3724 (McKeon/Burzichelli/DeAngelo) – Establishes zero emission certificate program for nuclear power plants. . 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-1521 (Zwicker/Holley/Muoio/Eustace/Barclay/McKnight/Mukherji) – “New Voter Empowerment Act”; permits 17 year olds to vote in primary election if they turn 18 years old before next succeeding general election. 10 a.m. State and Local Government.
• A-1709 (Vainieri Huttle/Lagana) – “Revised State Medical Examiner Act;” establishes Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner in DOH. 10 a.m. Health and Senior Services and 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-3818 (Conaway) – Clarifies statutory exemptions from mandatory immunizations for students. 10 a.m. Health and Senior Services.
• A-3502 (Lampitt/Wimberly/Jones) – Requires school district to report quarterly to Department of Agriculture number of students who are denied school breakfast or school lunch; and A-3503 (Lampitt/Jones/Wimberly) – Requires certain school districts to submit report on nonparticipation in “Community Eligibility Provision” of National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; A-3504 (Lampitt/Pintor Marin/Barclay) – Expands summer meal program to all school districts with 50 percent or more of students eligible for free or reduced price meals; and A-3506 (Lampitt/Sumter/Barclay) – Requires “breakfast after the bell” program in all schools with 70% or more of students eligible for free or reduced price meals. 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-3421 (Downey/Houghtaling/Holley) –   “Jake Honig’s Law”; removes limits on amount of medical marijuana that may be dispensed at one time and expands access to edible forms, including oils. 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-3499 (McKeon/Jasey/Freiman) – Authorizes municipality, county or school district to establish charitable funds for specific purposes; permits property tax credit for certain donations. 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-122  (DeAngelo) – Establishes certain requirements for 9-1-1 public safety answering points and public safety dispatch points.; A-2371  (Vainieri Huttle) – Requires at least 10 percent of “9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Trust Fund Account” funds be allocated to public safety answering point technology upgrades and maintenance; A-3743 (Vainieri Huttle) – Imposes $0.90 fee on purchase of prepaid wireless telephone service at point of sale; A-3742 (Conaway) – Requires 9-1-1 service facilities be equipped with Next Generation 9-1-1 system and provides funding for that purpose; makes texting the 9-1-1 emergency system without purpose of reporting need for 9-1-1 service a fourth degree crime. 10 a.m. Homeland Security and State Preparedness.
• A-3379 (McKeon) – “New Jersey Health Insurance Premium Security Act;” establishes health insurance reinsurance plan; A-3380 (McKeon) – “New Jersey Health Insurance Market Preservation Act.” 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-2485 (Mazzeo/Armato/DeAngelo) – Requires BPU consideration and approval of amended application for qualified wind energy project offshore in certain NJ territorial waters. . 1 p.m. Appropriations.
• A-1038 (Johnson/Moriarty/Greenwald) – Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credit for certain expenses incurred for production of certain films and digital media content; designated as Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act. 1 p.m. Appropriations.