Sandy Impact on Tourism, Lottery Privatization Concerns & Making Homeowners Insurance Easier to Discern Top Monday Assembly Agendas

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Jan. 12, 2013		Majority Press Office 609-847-3500

*** MONDAY ***

Electricity Infrastructure Delivery to Vital Facilities, Allowing Law Enforcement to Notify Colleges of Student Charges & Limiting Political Contributions by Funds that Invest in Casinos Also on Tap

(TRENTON) – Sandy’s impact on the 2013 tourism season and legislation to require lottery privatization oversight, help homeowners better understand their insurance policies following Sandy and a bill allowing law enforcement to notify colleges when a student is charged and convicted of a crime top Monday’s Assembly committee action.

Also on tap is a discussion on the reliability of the delivery of electric power to the state’s most important assets such as hospitals, schools, and other vital facilities during severe weather, and bills to limit political contributions by hedge funds and private equity funds that invest in casinos or in which state funds are invested.

Hearings are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. It will be streamed live at:

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

The agenda is attached. Highlights include:

·         The Assembly Tourism and the Arts Committee will meet at 2 p.m. to hear testimony on the anticipated effects Hurricane Sandy will have on the 2013 tourism season.

·         Amid confusion following Sandy among homeowners, the Assembly insurance panel at 10 a.m. will hear a bill (A-3642) to require insurance companies to provide a clear one-page summary of policies to homeowners. It’s sponsored by Ruben Ramos (D-Hudson), Gary Schaer (D-Passaic/Bergen), Linda Stender (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset) and Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden).

·         Legislation (A-3416) sponsored by Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer/Hunterdon), Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex), Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to require legislative approval for any plan to privatize state lottery operations, as the Christie administration is planning. It will be heard at 10 a.m. by the Assembly Budget Committee.

·         The panel will also consider a resolution (AR-130) urging the governor to seek legal advice from the U.S. Department of Justice before contracting with private sector manager to operate the state Lottery. It’s sponsored by Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen), Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D-Middlesex) and Sean Connors (D-Hudson).

·         The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to hear testimony on the reliability of the delivery of electric power to the state’s most important assets, such as hospitals, schools, and other vital facilities during periods of severe weather.  Improvements may include the utilization of alternative technologies, such as fuel cell technology and combined heat and power.

·         A bill (A-2204) sponsored by Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex) to include reverse rate evasion as a form of insurance fraud and provide for civil and criminal penalties. It will be heard at 10 a.m. by the Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee.

·         The Assembly Higher Education Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to hear legislation authorizing law enforcement agencies to inform college and university presidents when a student is charged or convicted of certain crimes. It’s sponsored by Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) and Annette Quijano (D-Union).

·         A three bill package (A-3492-3493-3494) sponsored by Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) and Ruben Ramos (D-Hudson) to limit political contributions by hedge funds and private equity funds that invest in casinos or in which state funds are invested. It will be heard at 10 a.m. by the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee. It stems from concerns outlined in a September story by The Star-Ledger.

·         The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee at 10 a.m. will consider legislation sponsored by Herb Conaway M.D. (D-Burlington) to provide immunity from civil damages to first aid, ambulance and rescue squads (A-3282).

·         A bill (A-3420) sponsored by Matt Milam and Nelson Albano (both D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland) to require property tax bills to contain eligibility information on state tax relief programs. It will be heard at 2 p.m. by the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee.