December 2, 2009 - Tracking Legislation and Other Items Important to the NJ Business Community
 
 ENVIRONMENT
 
 Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
 Clarifying Covenant Not to Sue – A-4265 (McKeon/D-27): Committee passed. This bill corrects an inconsistency in the law arising from the enactment of the Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) and ensures that a covenant not to sue may be issued in certain circumstances. The lack of a covenant not to sue could create impediments to cleanup, redevelopment and transactions with respect to contaminated sites. Contact: Michael Egenton
 
 Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee A-4265 Vote:
 McKeon, John F. (Chairman) – Yes; Gusciora, Reed (Vice Chairman) – Yes; Barnes, Peter J., III – Yes; Milam, Matthew W. – Yes; Vainieri Huttle, Valerie – Yes; and Rooney, John E. - Yes
 
 LABOR
 
 Assembly Labor Committee
 Protecting the UI Fund – ACR-134 (Burzichelli/D-3; Albano/D-1; DeCroce/R-26; Biondi/R-16): Committee passed. This measure proposes an amendment to the New Jersey Constitution that prohibits the state from collecting contributions from employers or employees by means of assessment on wages for any purpose other than to provide employee benefits. The State Chamber believes that this concurrent resolution will assist both employers and employees by keeping our Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UI) and Temporary Disability Insurance Benefit Fund (TDI), as well as various workers’ compensation funds solvent and assure that these funds are used for their intended purpose. Contact: Jim Leonard
 
 Assembly Labor Committee ACR-134 Vote:
 Egan, Joseph V. (Chairman) – Yes; Evans, Elease (Vice Chair) – Yes; Dancer, Ronald S. – Yes; DeAngelo, Wayne P. – Yes; Oliver, Sheila Y. – Yes; Quijano, Annette – Yes; Scalera, Frederick – Yes; and Webber, Jay – Yes.
 
 Assembly Labor Committee
 Mandating Prevailing Wage for Maintenance-Related Projects – A-4268 (Cryan/D-20; Quijano/D-20): Committee passed. Extends prevailing wage requirements to any work on a maintenance-related project that exceeds the scope of work and capabilities of in-house maintenance personnel and has an aggregate value exceeding $50,000. The State Chamber opposes mandates that expand prevailing wage requirements because of the increased financial burden such mandates have on the employer community and taxpayers. These artificially inflated wages increase labor costs without a corresponding increase in productivity.
 Contact: Jim Leonard
 
 Assembly Labor Committee A-4268 Vote:
 Egan, Joseph V. (Chairman) – Yes; Evans, Elease (Vice Chair) – Yes; Dancer, Ronald S. – Abstain; DeAngelo, Wayne P. – Yes; Oliver, Sheila Y. – Yes; Quijano, Annette – Yes; Scalera, Frederick – Yes; and Webber, Jay - No.
 
 Assembly Labor Committee
 Mandating Prevailing Wage for Certain Non-Rental Multi-Family Housing Projects – A-4291 (DeAngelo/D-14): Committee passed. Extends prevailing wage requirements for construction and rehabilitation work performed under the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) loans to non-rental multi-family housing projects. The State Chamber opposes mandates that expand prevailing wage requirements because of the increased financial burden such mandates have on the employer community and taxpayers. These artificially inflated wages increase labor costs without a corresponding increase in productivity. Contact: Jim Leonard
 
 Assembly Labor Committee A-4291 Vote:
 Egan, Joseph V. (Chairman) – Yes; Evans, Elease (Vice Chair) – Yes; Dancer, Ronald S. – Abstain; DeAngelo, Wayne P. – Yes; Oliver, Sheila Y. – Yes; Quijano, Annette – Yes; Scalera, Frederick – Yes; and Webber, Jay - No.
 
 Upcoming Legislative Schedule
 The State Senate has scheduled Group 3 & 4 Committees for Dec. 3. The General Assembly has scheduled Committees at the call of the Speaker on Dec. 3.
 
 Governor-elect Chris Christie Transition Team Web site: You can view the latest transition news by clicking here.

November 25

ENERGY

Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee
Low Interest Loans for Green Buildings – A-2065 (McKeon/D-27; Lampitt/D-6; Chiappone/D-31; Ramos/D-33): Committee passed with amendments, referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee.  Requires the executive director of the NJ Economic Development Authority to establish and administer a program that makes low-interest loans available to developers or redevelopers that construct new buildings or renovates existing buildings that, when completed, qualifies as high performance green buildings.  The amendments change the definition of “high performance green building” to include commercial, industrial or mixed use buildings that are at least 15,000-square-feet.  Additionally, the amendments expand the criteria for eligibility by adding the second, third and fourth ratings to the LEED silver ratings as alternative standards of environmental sustainability. Contact: Michael Egenton
 
Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee Vote:
Gusciora, Reed (Chair) - Yes
Coutinho, Albert (Vice Chair) - Not Voting
Angelini, Mary Pat - Yes
Chivukula, Upendra J. - Yes
Lampitt, Pamela R. - Yes
Love, Sandra - Yes
McHose, Alison Littell - Yes

Click HERE to view Chamber testimony presented to the committee.


GOVERNMENT REFORM
 
Qualified Purchasing Agents – A-1645 (McKeon/D-27; Scalera/D-36; Prieto/D-32): Passed the Assembly on May 21. The Governor conditionally vetoed the bill on Nov. 23. He supports the concept of the legislation which requires municipalities to have qualified purchasing agents.  The Governor conditionally vetoed the bill because it “does not adequately address the substantive issues raised throughout the legislative process by the Division of Local Government Services." The Chamber believes that in the complex world of local public contracts and municipal finances, requiring government entities to have qualified purchasing agents is prudent. This provides added protection to the taxpayers of municipalities, which includes employers and residents.  Contact: Jim Leonard

LABOR

Assembly Appropriations Committee and Senate Labor Committee
Mandating Prevailing Wage For Food Service Contracts  – A-4151 (Watson Coleman/D-15; Pou/D-35) and S-2850 (Madden/D-4; Sweeney/D-3): Assembly Appropriations Committee passed A-4151 and the Senate Labor Committee held S-2850.  Extends prevailing wage requirements to food service contracts and to local units and state authorities. The State Chamber opposes mandates that expand prevailing wage requirements because of the increased financial burden such mandates have on the employer community. These artificially-inflated wages increase labor costs without a corresponding increase in productivity.  Contact: Jim Leonard

Assembly Appropriations Committee Vote:
Pou, Nellie (Chair) - Yes
Vainieri Huttle, Valerie (Vice Chair) - Yes
Barnes, Peter J., III - Yes
Conaway, Herb, Jr. - Yes
Greenwald, Louis D. - Yes
Ramos, Ruben J., Jr. - Yes
Stender, Linda - Yes
Wisniewski, John S. - Yes
Addiego, Dawn Marie - No
Merkt, Richard A. - No
Thompson, Samuel D. - Abstain             

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.