May 19, 2008 - Tracking Legislation Important to the New Jersey Business Community


ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Green Building Tax Credit Act – A-2070 (McKeon/D-27; Milam/D-1; Lampitt/D-6; Greenstein/D-14): Committee passed, referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee. Provides tax credits toward the corporation business tax, gross income tax, and certain other specified taxes for the construction of buildings that meet certain "green building" criteria as adopted by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) or the LEED Green Building Rating System. The tax credits provided by the bill would be available for seven years.  The State Chamber supports providing tax credits as an incentive for developers and owners to design and construct "green buildings." Contact: Michael Egenton

ENVIRONMENT

Senate Environment Committee
Taxing Water – SCR-88 (Smith/D-17): Committee received testimony only. This concurrent resolution proposes an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution requiring the state to dedicate revenues derived from a water tax - equal to 40-cents per thousand gallons – be used for the acquisition of open space and farmland preservation. The State Chamber believes the business community should not continually be targeted as a source to fund state government programs and initiatives, particularly during these difficult economic times. Contact: Michael Egenton  

Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Taxing Bottles – A-121 (Vainieri Huttle/D-37; Greenstein/D-14; Stender/D-22): Committee received testimony only. This "bottle bill" would require a 10-cent deposit on all plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans less than 24 oz. It also requires a 20-cent deposit on beverage containers from 24 oz. to 3 liters.  The proposal would include juice, sports drinks, and bottled waters, as well as soda, wine and beer containers. The State Chamber opposes this proposal because New Jersey already has a mandatory recycling program that impacts all the recyclables addressed in this legislation. The State Chamber believes this measure will have a negative economic impact on current recycling efforts by local and county governments and will increase costs and impose unnecessary burdens on businesses. Contact: Michael Egenton  

GOVERNMENT REFORM

Senate State Government Committee
Local Government Financial Disclosure Requirement – S-103 (Weinberg/D-37; Scutari/D-22): Committee passed. Amends the Local Government Ethics Law to require local government officers to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of taking office.  Currently, a local government officer has until April 30 to file the required financial disclosure statement.  This means that under existing law some local government officers, such as those elected through a non-partisan election in May, are not required to file a financial disclosure statement until April 30 of the following year.  Under this legislation, all local government officers are to file a financial disclosure statement within 30 days of taking office. Contact: Jim Leonard

Senate State Government Committee
Lobbyists Financial Disclosure Requirement – S-115 (Weinberg/D-37; Scutari/D-22): Committee passed. Amends the Legislative and Governmental Process Activities Disclosure Act to require registered lobbyists disclose the dollar amount received from a state or local government entity when employed or retained by that state or local government entity for the purpose of influencing governmental processes. Additionally, the bill requires the Election Law Enforcement Commission to post on its Internet site each notice of representation containing information on the dollar amount paid. Contact: Jim Leonard

HEALTH

Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
Expanding Family Care – S-1557 (Vitale/D-19; Singer/R-30): Committee passed, referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The purpose of this bill is to ensure that more residents in the state have access to affordable health care coverage by expanding the NJ FamilyCare Program to more low income parents, mandating that all children in the state have health care coverage either through public programs or private coverage, and adopting various reform measures to the individual and small employer insurance markets to increase the affordability of health benefits plans for individuals and small businesses.  The provisions of this bill represent the first phase of a comprehensive reform of the health care system which, when fully implemented, will provide universal health care coverage for all residents of New Jersey. Health care is one of the largest costs for business today. The overall goal of the State Chamber’s Health Care Coalition is to work to create a health care system that is accessible, accountable and affordable. Click here for testimony chamber lobbyist Jim Leonard delivered before the committee. Contact: Jim Leonard

LABOR

Senate Labor Committee
Protecting the Unemployment Insurance Fund – SCR-60 (Sweeney/D-3; Kean, T./R-21): Committee passed, referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The proposed constitutional amendment prohibits the state from balancing the New Jersey budget by diverting money from employee benefit funds, such as the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UI). This measure would place the constitutional question on the November general election ballot and, if approved by voters, would take effect Jan. 1, 2009. The State Chamber believes this legislation will help ensure that these dedicated funds are protected and used only for the purposes for which they were created. Contact: Jim Leonard

REGULATION

Senate Economic Growth Committee
Regulatory Relief for Small Business – S-1793 (Sarlo/D-36; Girgenti/D-35) and A-832 (Chivukula/D-17; Schaer/D-36; Fisher/D-3; Love/D-4): Committee passed. Updates the New Jersey Regulatory Flexibility Act by requiring an agency to conduct a review of rules that are up for re-adoption, ensuring that they have minimal impact on small businesses. In addition, the bill revises the definition of small business from a business that employs fewer than 100 full-time employees to one which, along with its affiliates, employs fewer than 100 full-time employees or has gross annual sales of less than $6 million. Contact: Michael Egenton  

TAXATION

Senate Economic Growth Committee
Business Employment Incentive Program Credits – S-265 (Kyrillos/R-13; Cunningham/D-31): Committee passed, referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Allows employers that have qualified and been accepted to Business Employment Incentive Program Act (BEIP) to elect to take an amount of their business employment incentive payment as a credit against corporation business tax liability, whether computed as a regular corporation business tax liability or as an alternative minimum assessment. The employment incentive can be authorized for a fixed number of years, but cannot exceed 10 years. The State Chamber supports allowing businesses flexibility in deciding how to best use incentive program funds. Contact: Mary Ellen Peppard

Trenton Watch is a publication of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. Thumbs up and down indicates the chamber’s support or opposition to issues. Questions? Call the State Chamber Government Relations Department at (609) 989-7888. Comments are always welcome.