Three Bills Sponsored by Sweeney and One by Smith Signed into Law

TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and Senator Bob Smith, the chairman of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, which will jump-start an offshore wind energy program in New Jersey was signed into law today.  Two additional bills sponsored by Senator Sweeney which supports Salam Hospital and regional medical care, and encourages more participation in school board elections were also signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy.

The enacted legislation, S-1217, will update the law to fully authorize the process to approve a wind farm off the coast of Atlantic City. The new law will allow the BPU to approve an amended application for a qualified wind energy project offshore in New Jersey territorial waters – more specifically the Fisherman’s Energy Project.

“Wind energy offers the opportunity to create jobs in a growing sector of the economy at the same time we generate clean energy that helps protect the environment,” said Senator Sweeney. “New Jersey has the ability to be a real leader on wind energy and we should take advantage of this opportunity. We have coastal waters and a workforce that can capitalize on the potential to expand our energy portfolio and reduce pollution.”

“It’s time to get moving again to truly harness the potential we have in New Jersey for offshore wind. New Jersey should be a leader in what is now a growing sector of the economy that generates good jobs at the same time it reduces pollution,” said Senator Smith. “The opportunity to develop offshore wind has returned. We’re going to take advantage of this and make New Jersey the leader we should be.”

Also signed today was S-2247, entitled the “Community Health Care Assets Protection Act,” which allows charitable assets set aside from the sale of a nonprofit hospital to a for-profit entity be made available if the hospital is sold again to a successor nonprofit entity was signed into law today.  Senator Sweeney wants to ensure the $54 million, currently in the trust fund managed by the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation, is used to facilitate the sale of Salem Memorial Hospital to a new owner that will ensure the long term access to acute care services in Salem County.

“This money belongs to the people of Salem County and is supposed to be used to support medical care in the area,” said Senator Sweeney. “The funds are a key ingredient to facilitate the sale to a non-profit that will keep the hospital open and provide medical care for the region. Salem Memorial is the only acute care facility in the region and it is needed to provide medical care. There is a risk that the hospital would be forced to close, which would be catastrophic for the region.  The Health Department said that a transfer of the hospital assets will strengthen the hospital, positioning it to meet the health care needs of the residents of Salem County in the most optimal manner.”

The Governor also signed legislation authored by Senator Sweeney, S-868, which permits candidates for school boards to circulate petitions jointly, to be bracketed together on the ballot and allows for the nonpolitical designation of principles on petitions and ballots.

“Many of the school board elections are costly, have low voter turnout and don’t attract enough candidates to run,” said Senator Sweeney. “By allowing candidates to run as a team, it will ease the process for them and, by allowing non-partisan designations of candidates or brackets of candidates, it will bring more transparency to the election process. We want to encourage greater participation by candidates and voters.”