Bills Allowing for Lower Worker & Employer Taxes, June Presidential Primary & Hearing on Troubled Weatherization Program Top Assembly Agendas

(Trenton) – Legislation to allow for lower worker taxes and to modify employer unemployment insurance taxes, move New Jersey’s presidential primary to June and promote participation by minority- and women-owned businesses in state contracting highlight Thursday Assembly agendas.

Discussions on the troubled state weatherization program and construction and real estate industries are also on tap.

The hearings will be streamed live at http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/live_audio.asp

Highlights include:

• The Assembly Labor Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider three key bills. One (A-3792) sponsored by Assemblyman Matthew W. Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) would allow for deductions in worker taxes paid into the state disability benefits fund. Another (A-3794) sponsored by Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer) and Peter J. Barnes III (D-Middlesex) would require specific instructions for workers filing unemployment insurance claims. The other (A-3819) sponsored by Assembly Labor Chairman Joseph Egan (D-Middlesex) would modify employer unemployment tax rates to help stave off the impact of an impending automatic increase.

• The Assembly State Government Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to consider legislation (A-3777) sponsored by Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) to move New Jersey’s presidential primary election back to June.

• The Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to hear testimony from workers and business representatives about the state of New Jersey’s construction and real estate sectors.

• That panel will also consider legislation (A-3741) sponsored by Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) to promote participation by minority- and women-owned businesses in state contracting.

• The Assembly State Government Committee will also consider legislation (A-3921) sponsored by Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) to permit voters to receive mail-in ballots automatically for all future elections.

• It will also take testimony on a recent state auditor’s report that found waste amid the state’s weatherization assistance program run by the Department of Community Affairs.

• The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee will consider legislation (A-322) sponsored by Milam, Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri-Huttle (D-Bergen) to establish the New Jersey Alzheimer’s Disease Study Commission.

• The Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee will consider legislation (AR-82) sponsored by Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) to urge local governments to meet regularly to discuss shared services and efficiencies.

The complete agendas can be found at:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/legcal.asp