Green & Watson Coleman Plan to Introduce Legislation to Expunge Criminal Records of Nonviolent Offenders in NJ’s Drug Court Program

  (TRENTON) – Speaker Pro Tempore Jerry Green and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman today announced plans to introduce a bill that would automatically expunge the criminal records of nonviolent drug offenders who have completed New Jersey’s drug court program.

            “This bill is about second chances. A criminal record can make it difficult to get a job, an apartment and may even impact financial aid eligibility,” said Green (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union). “The justice system thought these offenders would be better served by treatment rather than prison. This bill continues that support, by giving individuals who have gone through and completed the program the chance to start over and do right without a criminal record holding them back.”

            “It’s hard enough to find a job in this economy without a criminal record. Why not give these low-level offenders the opportunity to become productive members of our society?” asked Watson-Coleman (D-Mercer). “We’re not talking about murderers and rapists; we’re talking about nonviolent drug offenders who have undergone rigorous treatment. Rather than invest in policies that might lead to recidivism and end up costing the state more in incarceration costs, let’s invest in their recovery.” 

            The bill (A-2829) would grant automatic expungement of records of a criminal conviction to certain individuals who have completed a sentence to a term of special probation, commonly referred to as the drug court program.

            To qualify for automatic expungement, the person cannot have been convicted of any prior crime or have been adjudged a disorderly person or petty disorderly person on more than two prior occasions; the conviction cannot be for any of the crimes that are ineligible for expungement; and the person cannot have had a previous criminal conviction expunged regardless of the lapse of time between the prior expungement and the completion of the sentence of special probation.

            The bill would set forth certain procedural requirements for a grant of automatic expungement.  No petition would be required and no fee could be charged for a grant of automatic expungement.

            Crimes that are not subject to expungement include: criminal homicide, kidnapping, luring or enticing, human trafficking, sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact if the victim is a minor, criminal sexual contact if the victim is a minor and the offender is not the parent of the victim, criminal restraint, false imprisonment, robbery, arson and related offenses, endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct which would impair or debauch the morals of the child, endangering the welfare of a child, causing or permitting a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act, selling or manufacturing child pornography, perjury, false swearing, knowingly promoting the prostitution of the actor's child, terrorism, producing or possessing chemical weapons, biological agents or nuclear or radiological devices, certain convictions for the sale or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance or possession thereof with intent to sell, and conspiracies or attempts to commit such crimes.

            Additionally, records of conviction for any crime committed by a person holding any public office, position or employment, elective or appointive, under the government of this state or any agency or political subdivision thereof and any conspiracy or attempt to commit such a crime may not be expunged if the crime involved or touched such office, position or employment

A new model for Muhlenberg Hospital By Assemblyman Jerry Green

When Muhlenberg Hospital closed its doors in 2008, Plainfield and Union County were left a void of healthcare services. Unfortunately, Muhlenberg Hospital is not alone among New Jersey hospitals struggling financially.  Pick up a paper almost any day up-and-down New Jersey and you can read about a hospital on the brink of closure, in bankruptcy, or worse, closing altogether.  The old ways of operating need to be reformed.  We can accomplish many of the things we were doing before by diversifying services, creating efficiencies, and thinking about this problem outside the box.  It is counterproductive to get into a mindset that an acute care facility is the be all end all for the future of Muhlenberg.  I think there is a way to provide our residents with the access to healthcare services – while creating jobs – without necessarily operating an acute care facility. 

One thing I know for certain, we cannot afford to lose Muhlenberg as a facility offering medical services to our residents. 

Other similarly situated hospitals around New Jersey are finding ways to make things work following financial struggles.  In 2008, Barnert Hospital in Paterson, New Jersey filed for bankruptcy.  Much like Muhlenberg, Barnert was just not meeting its bottom line.  A new model was needed to make things work and protect access to vital care services.  And that is exactly what happened.  Following bankruptcy, Barnert emerged with a new model: diversify services and bring together an array of healthcare services all under one roof.  Although no longer an acute care facility, Barnert provides many of the same services as before and actually has more overnight patients. 

It is also a one-stop facility for all of one’s healthcare needs.  It now houses medical offices, a medical oncology group, a breast care detection center, a pulmonary group, and internal medicine doctors.  Furthermore, an adult day-care center, sub-acute rehabilitation center, primary care physicians, and a pharmacy all opened.  I see no reason why Muhlenberg cannot pursue this same model.  We can replicate many of the services and protections that the old Muhlenberg Hospital provided, while ensuring the hospital can operate on sound financial footing. 

More importantly, it will bring jobs back into Plainfield.  It cannot be questioned how important Muhlenberg was as a job creator in Plainfield.  Before it closed, it was our biggest employer with 1,100 full-time workers.  There are also residual effects on small businesses in the community when a facility as large as Muhlenberg closes.  It makes business much harder for any local establishment to thrive when 1,100 members of your customer base are lost.  By bringing a new model to Muhlenberg we can bring back these jobs and ensure access to healthcare is easily accessible for our community. 

In the end, this must be our ultimate goal.

I know I’m going to continue fighting in Trenton to make sure medical professionals are given the tools they need to make this a reality.  I am going to work on incentivizing the type of redevelopment we saw at Barnert.  We should be making it worthwhile for developers and hospital professionals to open closed hospitals and continue operating them as medical facilities.  We need to incentivize this type of smart growth.  It benefits the community by reopening closed medical facilities and allows the math to make sense for groups looking to redevelop closed hospitals.  I think this type of legislation could also be a major economic engine, bringing at least some of those 1,100 jobs lost back to Plainfield. 

I’m taking an all of the above approach in saving Muhlenberg Hospital.  It is too important for our community not to look at every viable option and see if we can make something else work while accomplishing our major goals of creating jobs and protecting access to medical services.  I am going to continue working with my colleagues in the State Assembly to find creative solutions that address these pressing problems facing not only Muhlenberg, but also hospitals across New Jersey.  We cannot sit idly while access to healthcare is restricted for those who need it most.  

                                     

Asm. Jerry Green, Speaker Pro Tempore

NJ General Assembly, 22nd District

Jasey, DeAngelo, Tucker, Benson and Ramos Bill to Help 9/11 Veterans Become Teachers Signed Into Law

Pilot Program Will Expedite Certification Process and Help Fill Anticipated Teacher Shortage

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Mila Jasey, Wayne DeAngelo, Cleopatra Tucker, Daniel R. Benson and Ruben J. Ramos, Jr. to help 9/11 veterans find employment through an expedited teacher certification program was signed into law on Thursday.

“This program will help provide veterans with a path to higher education and employment opportunities, while filling a predicted critical shortage in the teaching profession. It’s a win-win,” said Jasey (D-Essex).  “Our state veterans have already proven themselves in terms of leadership and would serve the students of our state well in the classroom.  This is one more way to help repay the debt of gratitude we owe them.”

The new law (A-1294) will establish the “VETeach Pilot Program” in the Department of Education, which will create a 36-month teacher preparation program at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey for veterans who served in the armed forces on or after September 11, 2001.  The educational expenses incurred by eligible students will be covered under the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act,” also known as the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

“Who better to have in the classroom teaching our children than those who bravely dedicated themselves to serving our country,” said DeAngelo (D-Mercer/Middlesex).  “The high unemployment rate among our veterans is unacceptable and there will be a great need for a new generation of teachers in coming years.  We need to establish initiatives such as VETeach that will provide an avenue for veterans to pursue careers in education while helping to place role models in the classroom."

The establishment of the pilot program represents one of a series of veteran employment initiatives to be advanced under the auspices of Operation College Promise, which provides resources to help veterans maximize the education benefits they have earned.

The program will lead to a baccalaureate degree and completion of the requirements necessary to apply to the State Board of Examiners for a certificate of eligibility with advanced standing, which will authorize veterans to seek employment as a teacher in grades K through 8, and in certain secondary education fields.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans who served since September 11, 2001, was 11.5% in 2010, much higher than the national average.  

Additionally, a 2009 report by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future found that more than a third of the nation’s 3.2 million teachers could retire in the next four years. 

“The high attrition rate among new teachers of nearly 33% is also worrisome, and leaves school districts with a loss of teaching talent that is becoming more difficult to replace. The VETeach can help fill the shortage,” said Tucker (D-Essex). “The program may also serve to attract a greater number of men and minorities, groups which are currently underrepresented in the teaching profession.”

“The unemployment number for veterans is alarming and the shortage of public school teachers to educate our children is just as troubling. Programs like VETeach address these deficiencies by providing veterans with an educational opportunity that could lead to employment, and supplying our schools with qualified teachers, who have proven their merit not only in the classroom, but in serving our country,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex).

“The VETeach program addresses two problems: anticipated teacher shortages and the high unemployment number among veterans. Our veterans deserve better than an unemployment rate that exceeds the national average,” said Ramos (D-Hudson). “Through this program, our veterans will be able to pursue teaching professions, which will help tackle the unemployment issue, and bring a unique perspective to the classroom, which could enhance learning and benefit our students.”

The bill was unanimously approved by both houses of the legislature.

DCF Commissioner Blake Stresses Abuse and Neglect Awareness During National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Report Child Abuse or Neglect in NJ by Calling 1-877 NJ ABUSE

TRENTON, NJ – The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Commissioner Allison Blake is reminding residents that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect and encourage individuals and communities to support children and families throughout the Garden State. Governor Chris Christie has also declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in New Jersey.

According to DCF Commissioner Allison Blake, reporting child abuse is not someone else’s responsibility, but rather the shared duty and responsibility of a caring and compassionate society.

“Preventing child abuse and neglect is important not just in April, but all year round,” Commissioner Blake said. “Preventing child abuse is everyone’s concern. Reporting suspected abuse or neglect is the first step in potentially saving a child’s life.”

In New Jersey, any person having reasonable cause to believe that a child has been subjected to abuse or acts of abuse should immediately report this information to the State Central Registry (SCR). The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by trained professionals.

To report suspected child abuse and neglect in New Jersey, simply call the toll-free number: 1-877-NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873).

Commissioner Blake explained that any person who, in good faith, makes a report of child abuse or neglect is immune from any criminal or civil liability. She assured that calls can be placed to the hotline anonymously.

When a report to the hotline indicates that a child may be at risk, an investigator from the Division of Youth and Family Services will promptly investigate the allegations of abuse and neglect within 24 hours of receipt of the report, Blake said.

“Callers should never be concerned they will get in trouble or be wrong about suspected abuse,” she said. “It is not the responsibility of institutions or private citizens to come to a conclusion about the suspicion of child abuse or conduct their own investigation. We have trained professionals who make those determinations. All we need the public to do is make that first call.”

Some signs of suspected child abuse and neglect can be physical indications such as bruises or marks on the skin, or emotional or verbal cues such as a child saying they are afraid of someone or acting afraid in the presence of someone.

“If you suspect a child is being abuse, please call the hotline today,” Blake emphasized.  “It may be the most important call you make to change the course of a child’s life.”

For more information on the Department of Children and Families, or resources available to parents and families, visit www.state.nj.gov/dcf.

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Assembly Panel to Consider Subpoenaing Port Authority of New York & New Jersey

Panel Seeks Answers to Agency’s Troubled Finances

(TRENTON) – The Assembly transportation panel will meet Wednesday to consider issuing subpoenas to the troubled Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The committee will consider a resolution regarding the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance before it of witnesses and the production before it of books, papers, e-mails and other documents related to the finances of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Assembly voted in March to grant the panel subpoena power over the Port Authority.

The bill was sponsored by Assembly Democrats John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Linda Stender (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset) and Ruben Ramos, Jr. (D-Hudson) and was prompted by scathing reports and questionable decisions by the Port Authority during recent months. 

“This step was made necessary by the Port Authority’s hubris and abject failure to respond to basic questions about its operations,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), who chairs the panel and is also Deputy Assembly Speaker. “The Port Authority has blatantly shirked oversight and clearly forgotten it exists to serve the public. It has hidden information on its toll increase, wasted money on overtime, stacked its payroll with political cronies, failed to respond to public records requests and tried to obfuscate by declining hearing invitations. It’s time for the committee to consider how best to get straight answers for the benefit of toll payers.”

Wimberly: Governor’s Plan for DYFS Short on Details

(TRENTON) – Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly (D-Bergen/Passaic) released the following statement Wednesday concerning Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed changes to the Division of Youth and Family Services and the lack of specifics on how they will affect the children and families served by the agency:

“I appreciate the information and testimonials exchanged today, but concerns remain about how these proposed changes will affect needy children and families under the newly created Division of Child Protection and Permanency. I think we all have read enough news stories to know how devastating the circumstances can be when the system fails.

The Division of Youth and Family Services is responsible for protecting thousands of abused children. Improving the delivery of care to these children is a laudable goal, but we need to make sure the revisions proposed in the governor's budget will actually achieve that.

Making the welfare of children the agency's top priority is a step in the right direction. I look forward to further dialogue to ensure the best interests of these children are being met.”

Prieto: Continued Questions on Christie Medicaid Plan ‘Extremely Concerning’

(TRENTON) – Assembly Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) released the following statement Wednesday on continued questions surrounding the Christie administration’s still-unapproved plan to revise the Medicaid health care program for low-income New Jerseyans:

“It’s extremely concerning that the Christie administration is still unable - with just three months left in this fiscal year - to explain in complete detail its plan to revise this health care program vital for so many New Jerseyans.

“We know the full $300 million in savings isn’t going to be realized, and the committee was previously told the loss of the waiver savings wasn’t going to be a problem because other savings would be identified.

"Yet, budget documentation lists $206.7 million in supplemental spending to cover the waiver losses. 

"That’s not identifying other savings. 

"That’s simply requesting more money.

“It’s long past time for the Christie administration to get a better grasp of this situation and provide taxpayers assurances the budget won’t be adversely impacted and that key health care programs will be maintained.”